Alex had been battling a long conversation with her daughter for the past half hour regarding where she was supposed to sleep. The ten year old girl, despite of being a bit grown up, acted like a toddler, insisting her to sleep beside her.
Robbie, on the other hand, gave her a cold stare but insisted on having him inside his bedroom which still made her wonder why.
"Mom is coming tomorrow. If she sees us sleeping in separate bedrooms, her suspicions will just increase, and we don't want that," he whispered to her so Sasha won't hear it.
Alex looked at Robbie as Sasha pulled her dress.
"Mom, I'm scared. Please, can you stay in my room even for tonight? Pleeeassee..." Sasha pleaded and Robbie despite of his annoyance could not get himself mad at his own daughter.
He tried not to roll his eyes and smiled faintly at Sasha. A part of him just want to reprimand his daughter for acting like a toddler having a tantrum, but then he realized it was not yet time for him to do that.
'Patience, Robbie... Patience,' he reminded himself.
Alex felt like she was in between two boulders that her lungs were being crushed as both kept hovering around her like hawks, waiting for her response.
Sighing, Alex decided to go with Sasha, and Robbie couldn't help but shrugged at her response.
"But we still need to talk," Robbie said.
"Yes, after Sasha fell asleep," she replied.
She felt like they were an actual family, a husband and wife having an understanding, letting their child win the "war" today.
She loved the idea of it but then she tried not to think more of it as well, since she knew it wasn't real.
After helping Sasha get ready for bed, she planned to stay in the room for thirty minutes only. But then her daughter had another idea because a secret was needed to be told.
A secret worth all her time as a mother.
"I like Kellan, Mom," Sasha told her while nipping her fingernails with her teeth. It was obvious that she was a bit nervous telling her mom about this.
Alex loved these moments where Sasha would open up to her. She cherished them because there will be a time wherein her daughter would become an adult and she would looked back on this. She just hoped the conversations would continue as Sasha grew.
"He's my savior," Sasha added.
"Savior, how?" she asked.
"Well..." and she turned to her side to face her. "Promise first you won't get mad at Auntie."
"Why would I get mad at Auntie?"
The girl lowered her eyes.
"Well, Auntie told us to keep it a secret."
"What is this secret?"
Sasha sighed. "Promise first, Mom."
"Okay. I promise," she said and lifting her palm. "So what is it?"
"I almost drowned," she whispered.
"You, what?! What happened?" and concern was on her eyes. She sat up in surprise as well.
"Don't get mad please."
"I won't. But what happened?"
Sasha sat up and told her the events of what happened that afternoon.
"Then Kellan came and pulled me out of there just in time," and she beamed. "He's brave and strong, Mom. You know, like Iron Man when he saved Pepper."
Alex laughed. It was nice to see her daughter seeing someone as a superhero, and she didn't want to steal that moment to get mad at anybody. For her, she was grateful that somehow her daughter had the courage to tell her the truth. She knew Aunt Bernie probably just didn't like her and Robbie to get worried, so he asked the kids not to tell them.
"Mom... is it okay to like boys? I mean..." Sasha suddenly felt shy.
"Of course, honey. It's okay to have a crush."
"A crush, really?"
"Admiring a boy makes you feel happy and inspired. It makes you feel warm inside. Like you just wanted to be with him all day and everything he does is amazing in your eyes."
Alex smiled dreamily. She remembered the feeling of admiring someone for the first time.
The sudden rush of heat whenever she saw him. That sweet smile with cute little dimples...
Her heart leaped in delight as she remembered him.
Her first crush was someone she had known for so long and yet, had disappointed her through the years. The one who actually had told her how cute she was when they were kids, only to find out he was not what she thought he was.
She had wished him to be like other guys and yet, he was not. He was different in the most disappointing way and she soon gave up hoping she could change him. His father had changed him a lot into the extreme that he never dated any woman in his lifetime... or maybe not that she knew of, and even modeled more to his gay uncle rather than other men.
So she stopped admiring him into something more and just settled for the bad boy, Miguel, who had given her more attention and made her feel like a real woman.
And the boy just remained to be her best friend and nothing less..
Until now...
"Did you have a crush, too when you were a kid?"
"I did," she answered simply. She didn't dare to tell her daughter that at some point she had a crush on her father. She still felt stupid having those feelings back then.
"Anyway, you need to sleep, honey. Your daddy and I just needed to talk but I will come back and sleep beside you tonight."
"Okay... I'm sorry, Mom. I know you might want to sleep beside Dad but... I kinda miss you."
Alex pushed a strand of hair from her daughter's face and smiled.
"I understand, Sasha. I know this sleeping arrangement must be new to you."
"Yes... will you and Dad be..." and she bit her lip.
"What is it?"
"Are you making a baby already?"
Alex blushed as she suddenly remembered the scene in the basement.
"W-Why did you think of that?"
"Well... I thought of Aunt Clarice and Uncle Armand. They sleep together, are married and then suddenly they had Sonny.. I don't want to have a sibling yet, Mom."
"Is that why you insist me on sleeping beside you tonight?"
Sasha nodded and she lowered her eyes. She couldn't lie to her mother.
Alex took her chin up and she stared at her face.
"Remember, no matter how many babies are born after you, you will always be my first baby and I will love you no matter what. No one can ever change that," and she kissed the girl's head. "And for now, you don't need to worry about that."
"Thanks, Mom. I love you, too," and Sasha yawned. Her eyes getting droopy.
"You have to sleep, honey."
"Yes, Mom. Goodnight," and she laid her head on the pillow. Alex pulled the blanket on top of her and gave her a peck on the cheek.
Standing up from the bed, Alex watched her daughter as she closed her eyes. She wouldn't trade anything for this and she promised herself that no matter how chaotic life would be in the upcoming days, she would still try her best to have these moments with her. She gave her another kiss on her forehead then walked towards the door.
The door opened and Robbie peeked in. His eyes settled on his sleeping daughter.
"Do you want to kiss her goodnight, too?" Alex asked. She could see in his eyes how desperate he looked.
"Can I?" he asked.
"Of course," and Robbie opened the door wide. He walked over to his daughter whose breathing was now calm. Sitting beside her, he caressed her cheek and the girl furrowed her eyebrows.
"Goodnight, princess," he whispered and bent over to kiss her cheek. A sleepy smile was formed on her lips.
"Goodnight, Daddy," she replied sleepily.
He smiled. Hearing her call her "Dad" was enough for him. He hoped in a few days he would hear much sweeter words like "I love you" and he knew it would not be long.
He stood up from the bed and walked towards Alex by the door.
"Let's go," he said and took her hand.
She suddenly felt nervous when he brought her to the master's bedroom.
What exactly was on his mind?