Vega frowned. It's been days and Nicolae had not talked to them. She did not understand why Daddy Nic had not given any news. He seemed to be so busy after he found that little girl, Summer. He didn't even join them in Bordeaux.
Wasn't he supposed to arrive in Bordeaux yesterday afternoon? Vega thought Nicolae had arrived in the city and would contact them in the morning, but he did not give word even until lunchtime.
When Vega tried to contact his number, Nicolae's cellphone was off. She became worried that something bad had happened with Nicolae. She finally decided to contact her father to find out what had happened.
"Hello, Honey," Elios' warm voice was heard on the other end of the phone. "How is Bordeaux? Do you learn anything there?"
"We're staying at a chateau, Father. It's fascinating here," Vega said excitedly. "The place is beautiful, and we took a walk to the vineyard."
"Wow ... that seems fun. So you learn about wineries and vineyard?" Elios asked again.
"Yes, the city is also quite interesting," Vega said again. "Tomorrow, we will go to the cheese factory. There is so much to learn. The people here all think I'm from Paris because I speak perfect French."
"Ahaha ... you really have a gift for languages," Elios commented. He sounded proud of his daughter.
"Father ... do you know what happened to Daddy Nic? He hasn't contacted us. He was supposed to arrive in Bordeaux yesterday afternoon," Vega asked her father. "I'm afraid something happened to him."
"Hmmm ... maybe Nicolae is busy. Something really big happened in Paris yesterday," Elios said.
He decided to let Nicolae tell Altair and Vega about what happened yesterday. His brother just experienced a wild ride in Paris and was currently over the moon. Elios held back from sharing anything to Vega. He did not want to ruin Nicolae's surprise. Let Nic share it.
"So?" Altair raised an eyebrow. "What did father say? Did he know what happened to Daddy Nic?"
Vega shrugged. She looked dejected. "I don't know. He wouldn't say. I feel like they're hiding something from us."
"Oh... do you think it has to do with Summer?"
"Maybe. Father only told us not to worry."
****
Vega couldn't help think about what really happened to her daddy. He never did anything like this before. He always gave news. He always showed that the twins were the most important things in his life.
She kept checking her phone. When the long-awaited call finally came, Vega shrieked in joy.
"Hey .. Vega ... This is Daddy. Sorry, I cannot go to Bordeaux to be with you two. Something big happened ... You won't believe this," Nicolae said in an enthusiastic voice on the other end of the phone.
"Oh my God ... Dad! You make me worry to death. Why didn't you call earlier?" Vega scolded him on the phone.
Her voice sounded annoyed but, at the same time, relieved. She was very happy because finally, Nicolae called her, but also annoyed because she suspected Nicolae really had forgotten her because he met a woman who was taking away all his attention.
"I'm sorry, Honey... But something urgent happened. Uhm ... do you still remember Auntie Marie from Singapore?" Nicolae asked cautiously.
He wanted to find out what Altair and Vega think about Marie, after all this time. They knew she was the woman he loved, whom he thought had died, together with their unborn child.
"Uhm ... yes, I still remember her," Vega said. "I remember Auntie Marie was sweet and beautiful. She was very kind to us..."
Her voice turned sad. This made Nicolae breathe a sigh of relief. It looked like Altair and Vega still liked Marie and were sad to learn that the woman passed away. So, hopefully, they would be happy to hear that it turned out that Marie was still alive and even now had reunited with Daddy Nic!
Nicolae only found out yesterday, that the infamous Goose, the no. 1 hacker in Darknet, they discussed not long ago was actually Marie. And six years ago, Marie didn't die. She faked her death to avoid bad people who wanted to harm her. Both Wolf and Goose didn't know about each other until yesterday.
"Auntie Marie is still alive!" said Nicolae in a cheerful voice. "I met her yesterday ... Turns out she is Summer's mother ... and Summer is... she is my daughter ..."
"Wait.. what?" Vega couldn't believe her own hearing. "Auntie Marie is dead. Six years ago. You saw her grave."
"No.. no... Uhm.. you know Goose, right? We thought Goose was a man and was hiding from enemies. Well.. it turns out Goose is Marie. She faked her death to avoid bad people." Nicolae was almost out of breath. He was so excited when he shared this news. "She didn't know I am Wolf, and I didn't know Marie is Goose. I only found out yesterday... when I met Summer's mother."
Nicolae's voice became very emotional as he said his last sentence. Vega, who was listening to his words, became stunned.
Vega finally realized that all her life, she had never heard Nicolae's voice sound so happy like this. She could imagine Nicolae's expression in Grosetto, smiling happily while talking to her on the phone. Vega slowly smiled too.
"I'm so glad to hear that," said the girl. She turned to Altair beside her and told him briefly about Nicolae's situation
"What?? Daddy met Auntie Marie??? And it turns out that the cute Summer is Dad's and Auntie Marie's daughter???" Altair snatched Vega's cellphone and talked to Nicolae to confirm it. "Jeez ... is this true?"
Nicolae breathed a sigh of relief at hearing Altair's enthusiastic words. He also had heard Vega's voice that sounded happy when she heard the good news he delivered.
Apparently, his worries were unreasonable. The two children still want him to be happy. When finally, Nicolae can be reunited with the woman he loved, who was also loved by the twins and even met his biological daughter, Altair and Vega were happy for him.
"Yes, this is true. I am very happy and speechless ..." Nicolae felt emotional. He had a warm personality and always had a happy outlook in life, but since six years ago, he began to close down and rarely smiled.
Now, he felt so easily touched, and today his cheeks hurt because he smiled so much. Really ... he realized that he had never been so happy in his life. He couldn't wait to meet Altair and Vega to share all his happiness with them.
Now his life felt complete.
"We are happy for you, Daddy..." the twins said in unison.