Ten years had passed since the world had been struck with the worst pandemic in modern history. Billions of lives had been affected, with millions even losing their lives. Jobs were lost, economies were broken, and lives had been tragically taken away from their loved ones.
However, through a feat of modern humanity marvel, the world persevered. Vaccinations beat the virus to the ground, and the mysterious pandemic, which had taken so many lives, was now endemic.
Needless to say, the pandemic had changed many people's lives. Some for the better, others for the worse.
As for me…
"Carl! You haven't emailed me the code yet!"
"Sorry, Desir! I'm still compiling it! I'll get it to you before we get off work!"
"Urgh, fine… Tomorrow's a public holiday, so you best finish it on time!"
"U-Understood!"
Deeply sighing, I waved the stuttering man away from my office. Oddly enough, even though this man was incompetent at the beginning, Carl had become one of the best programmers in my department. So even though I had become his manager and had the power to fire him immediately, his assets were just too valuable for me to let go.
The age of working from home had largely died down, and even though I was reluctant, I still returned to the office. Fortunately enough, my accelerated position meant that I had a private room where I could do my own things without getting disturbed.
Even so, I missed the days where I could just laze about at home.
"Haha, you seem to be busy."
While I was busy checking my emails, a familiar voice entered my office, breaking my concentration and drawing my attention to him.
Len, now a man in his thirties who was quickly approaching the big forty bomb, sauntered into my office with a sassy bravado. He was still as handsome as can be with a face that seemed to deny any semblance of fat. Good grief, why is the world so unfair? Even at thirty-seven years old, I had to work out for at least two hours to keep my figure. And this brat somehow manages to keep his body in shape by doing the bare minimum of exercise!
"It's just the usual..."
"So, are we still on for dinner?"
"Of course, it's our tradition, right?" I smiled tiredly. "But I won't be able to cook for your birthday."
That's right. Today was Len's birthday and, at the same time, the eve before the Holy Night that comes once a year. As per our tradition, I should be cooking for them, but well…
"It's fine! I know your current situation! How would you ever find time with all the projects and personal matters you have?"
"Thank you for understanding."
"Haha, I told you for the millionth time! It's fine! Sienna said that she's excited to host our party this year! It also gives the kids something to do rather than eat their faces off."
Len smiled brightly as he talked about his two sons. I'd never thought that I would see Len as a father, but fate was a strange thing. After their marriage, Len and Sienna quickly got to work. In less than a year, their first son was born, and two years later, their second one came along.
Two sons, huh… I'm really getting old. To think that the bug-catching Len was now a proud father of two.
"Alright, since you're busy, I won't hold up much of your time. I'll see you tonight!"
"Yeah, I'm looking forward to it."
As Len left my office, peace and quiet returned to my domain. The silence of the room really gave me time to empty my mind. Memories started to resurface, and my eyes began to stare into the distance.
"Christmas Eve, huh?"
❖❖❖
A few hours later, I hurriedly finished my work and rushed over to Len's house in the suburbs. Now that we were in our late thirties, the city's high life didn't really suit Len and Sienna anymore. The cocktail parties and badminton games that they attended when they were young were now swapped with parent-teacher meetings and planning their children's next meal.
Haha, just imagine if I told them ten years ago that they would be forgoing their apartment life in the city. They'll probably freak the hell out!
I parked my car on the driveway and casually walked onto the front porch.
Usually, I would expect either Len or Sienna to welcome me. Heck, even their two sons saying hello wouldn't surprise me. However, what greeted me wasn't the familiar faces of my two best friends and their children…
But a little angel that was cuter than anything else in the entire world.
"Daddy!"
The black-haired angel ran out from the house and grabbed onto my legs. She was a little over half a metre, and her distinct mochi-like cheeks were plastered onto my shin. Smiling, I bent down and lifted the girl onto my chest. Pulling her into my embrace, I whispered into her ears.
"Sorry I'm late, Amy. Did you miss Daddy?"
"Ump! I missed you so much!"
Amy's beautiful hazel eyes stared right into my soul as she rested her arms on my shoulder. Thankfully, those eyes were the only thing she'd inherited from me. The rest of her appearance all came from my goddess-like wife. Her long black hair. Her pointed nose and heart-shaped face… Everything came from my beloved wife…
Althea Snow.
"Where's Mommy?"
"Hmph! Even though you have Amy, you're immediately looking for Mommy!"
"Haha, I'm sorry!" Goodness, my precious daughter seemed to have inherited a little too much from her mother. Amy's possessiveness was something that could give Althea a run for her money. "So, how was your day?"
"I had so much fun! Tyler, Lucian and Aunty Sienna taught me how to bake a cake!"
"Oh? So did you bake the cake today?"
"Yeap! It's very nice!"
"Hoho, I'm looking forward to it!"
A cake that was made from the hands of this little angel?! I'm not going to let anyone else have it! So what if it was Len's birthday? I'm not allowing anyone else have my angel's cake!
Carrying the precious gem of my life into the big house that laid before me, I quickly found my way into the living room where Len was waiting for me with his two sons. Oddly enough, our wives were nowhere to be found.
"Hmmm? Where's Althea and Sienna?"
"I don't know," Len replied honestly. "Maybe they're discussing work."
"Oh, makes sense."
After Althea had graduated from university, Sienna helped her get an internship with her fashion company. Now, Althea wasn't a designer or anything, but her love for fashion products and her expertise in business administration was a valued asset for the company. So after she finished her internship, Althea got a job offer and had been with the company ever since.
"Sorry to keep you waiting..."
Just as I was about to go upstairs to look for my wife, a beautiful voice came from the second floor. A red-haired woman, who looked no older than thirty, walked down the stairs in her casual wear.
Sienna didn't seem like she had aged a day since she got married for some weird reason. In fact, you would be hard-pressed to find anyone who looked as good as her at thirty-seven. There were hardly any wrinkles on her face, and her sultry body seemed to grow even more intoxicating. Even a young man in his twenties would try to pick her up if he saw her standing alone in the bar.
But well, all of my attention was plastered on the other woman who walked down beside her.
Tiptoeing down the stairs with grace and nobility, the black-haired lady locked her emerald eyes with mine. Even though she had gone through childbirth, the gorgeous woman still kept her perfect curves and hourglass-shaped waist.
The woman seemed to have taken a sip from the fountain of youth, and so even though she was thirty-two and had an adorable daughter, she seemed no older than she was at twenty-five.
"Mommy!" Amy separated from me and ran straight to her mother. "Daddy is bad! Even though he has Amy, he keeps looking for you!"
"Haha, he's not bad, Amy. He's doing the right thing! After all, your Daddy is mine!"
"Hmph!"
Jesus… Why are you fighting with your own daughter? Still, I couldn't help but laugh as I approached my warm family of three.
"Baby, are you alright?"
"Hmmm? H-How did you know?"
"Know what?"
Wait, was she really feeling unwell. I'd just asked her because she seemed a little paler than usual, and it felt as if she had been purging her stomach in the restroom.
"Haha, I guess the father knows best!" Overhearing our conversation, Sienna bellowed out in laughter. "Come on, you just confirmed it! There's no better time to tell everyone the news!"
Wait a second… Don't tell me…
I looked at my wife, wide-eyed, as my heart rate began to accelerate. Don't tell me… Could it be…
"I'm sorry, Desir… Looks like we might need to babyproof our home again..."
"No way..."
My mind went blank for a moment. But it didn't take long for it to reboot entirely. Immediately, I brought my hands under Althea's arms and gently lifted her into my chest. I wasn't able to control the broad smile on my lips as I stared deep into Althea's eyes with apparent glee in my heart.
"I'm going to be a father again?!"
"Yeap!"
"Another child?!"
"Most definitely!"
"HAHA!!! I'm going to have another child!!!"
I felt like my soul had been lifted up to the moon. Oh, what have I done to deserve such happiness? Mother, are you watching this? From the looks of it…
Yet another angel is going to come into my life.