"No worries... I know him now. He's Eric Lee" the child mumbled.
"What? Baby...you want your mom to marry a homosexual?" Helena asked in astonishment.
It was a well known matter to every single person in the world.
Once managing director of Asia's top architecture company 'Heavenly Doors' who later became owner of a fashion brand 'Ace', Eric Lee was rumoured to be a homosexual.
"What's a homosexual? Is that something bad?" the little one asked in confusion. The little one's an intelligent child compared to other kids but not as clever to understand such complicated words.
" Yes...It's really bad. Your mom can't marry him and he could never be your father" Helena blurted out.
"Is he as bad as mommy's ex fiance?"
"That's..." Helena tried to speak but couldn't bring up appropriate words to explain to the child. "Anyway you can't have that man as your father" Helena swiftly ended the call.
Tina was so upset she stood in a daze until her mother came fetching for her mobile.
"Mommy... What's a homosexual?" Tina asked innocently.
"Homosexual?!! From where did you learn such words?" Isabella questioned softly holding the child's arm. Isabella understood she couldn't blame the child for knowing and asking about such words when her daughter was a curious figure who wanted to explore the whole world.
"Mommy, first tell me. What's..." the child wanted to know what's bad in being a homosexual that she couldn't have Eric as her father.
"Okay... I'll tell you. Come" Isabella pulled the child towards the sofa in the living room before explaining in a clear tone.
"See..If two girls love each other or if two boys love each other, then they are called homosexuals "
"Oh...then mommy, Are we both also homosexuals?" the child asked again with her clear eyes looking at her mother.
"No... It's not like that. How should I tell you?" Isabella fell into a difficult situation.
'What's wrong with you mom? Can't you tell me something useful?' the child thought looking at her mother's confused face.
Isabella scratched her head thinking how to answer her child. Isabella thought she could escape by saying something similar to facts. But her child's brain was too far ahead Isabella could only repeat a science lesson she learned in her high school to her child.
The child couldn't grasp much of her mother's teaching about complex science but she came to know what she wanted.
"Okay mommy. I understood" the child rocked her head with satisfaction.
"Now tell me. Who told you about such words?"
"That... I heard it on TV" the child lied unblinking her eyes before running away.
"This devil..." Isabella chuckled staring at the way her child scurried.
---
Both the mother and child were relaxing in the living room watching a wildlife show when Helena walked into the apartment.
"Hey...What did you buy again?" Isabella asked taking the bags from Helena.
" I bought some formals for you" Helena said before settling down on the couch next to the child.
"You emptied your pockets already by buying clothes for that little devil. Isn't that enough? Why did you buy clothes for me now?" Isabella yelled at Helena. She was already feeling bad for being a burden to Helena by staying with her. In addition, Helena was now taking extra stress of buying clothes and other necessities for them. She wasn't sure if she could breath peacefully for one more moment if a few more days go by in the same way as that day.
First her plans of proposing a deal with ger senior failed and now her registration for a competion was rejected. All the hopes she had were shattering one after other making Isabella to lose her resolve of facing the world boldly.
"You want to attend the competition with those outfits you have" Helena bickered.
"You don't need to do anything. Eric..Eric already.." Isabella tried to bring out those words but she couldn't. She silently took a deep breath to gather enough strength to blurt the sentence. Before she could speak Helena interrupted "Eric what...?" Helena asked in a high tone before mumbling to the little one.
"Baby you said something to your mommy? I told you already. He can't be your father" Helena stared at the child next to her. She felt entirely useless for being a stupid. She blamed herself for giving false hopes to the child by saying she would help her in finding her future daddy.
"But mommy said she's okay" the child whispered with her head lowered and her tiny fingers fiddling with her frock.
"What?!!" Helena screamed in amusement.
Isabella didn't understand what exactly happened between these two for them to mumble among themselves.
"Yeah...she said it's all a play of science and there's nothing wrong in it" Tina explained in her sweet, childish voice.
'Oh god....Isabella. How can you behave like a child along with your child?' Helena thought suppressing her overflowing emotions.
"Isabella.. what's with Eric?" Helena asked straightforwardly.
"Eric cancelled my registration. I wasn't in my right mind and I told him I was playing around just like last time" Isabella said holding her aching head with both her arms.
"What?!! Well that's not what I was asking about. Tina's saying you didn't mind with that Eric as her father. Are you even in your right mind??" Helena walked closer to chat seriously with Isabella.
"What nonsense? When did I...?" Isabella understood it was all her daughter's play and she instantly scowled at the child standing across her.
"Hey...you little devil. What have you been thinking? Come here...you" Isabella moved to hold her child's arm but the child started weeping even before Isabella could touch her.
"Mommy....hates me. Mommy... doesn't want me to... have a good.. daddy. You are a bad mommy.." the child cried with tears running down her tiny face.
Before Isabella could gain her senses, the child ran out of the living room.
Watching the child's reaction, Helena was scared to hell but she couldn't bring herself to go persuade the child.
"Bella...go and talk to her. Why are you standing here like a rock?" Helena patted Isabella's shoulder.
"Well..yeah. I should go talk to her" Isabella mumbled as she walked out of her trance.