Mark passed a smile and pretended not to realize.
***Mark's though***
[In the morning, when he (Mark) was cutting the trees (in the woods). Mark got a call from Fred. He received the call and said, "Yes, Fred."
Fred: "Hey Mark, uhh. We are coming to your place."
Mark got shocked he put the hammer on the side and raised a question: "What? Why in such a hurry?"
Fred responded (in a whispering sound): "My friend (Jason) wants to talk to you about his personal affair."
Mark: "What personal affairs?"
Fred: "His second child is a transgender."
Mark: "Oh, so what?"
Fred: "So, he wants to give you his child."
Mark: "What? Give me? Man, Is he insane?"
Fred: "I don't know just ask him when he'll get to your place. Hey, I guess he is here. See you later. Bye."
After saying that, he (Fred) hung up the call and Mark held the hammer back and get back to his work.]
[When Jason went to park his car, Fred said: "Mark, please don't tell Jason that I told you the purpose of his coming here.
Mark: " Don't worry Fred."]
Jason (with a fully confused facial expression,): "Mr. Mark! What did you say?"
Mark looked at Jason and said: "Yes Jason".
Jason turned towards Mark and doubtingly asked: "How did you know about that?"
Mark made a normal expression on his face.
Mark: "About what?"
Jason: "About the transgender thing. I mean you said that I want to give you my transgender child."
Mark: "Oh, I thought this was the only reason. If I'm wrong then sorry for that misunderstanding."
Jason: "No, No, it's okay Mr.Mark. and uhhhhh. Yeah, you are right I mean your misunderstanding was not your misunderstanding. It was just the truth."
Mark pretended to get shocked and said: "What? Really?"
Jason nodded and mumbled: "Yes."
Mark: "Why do you think that I am the better choice."
Jason: "My wife, Rocella, is so careless about the upbringing of her children. I mean I should not say that but it's a truth and you know what? She didn't take care of Kevin even though she hired a maid for taking care of Kevin. And for Edina, She (Edina) needs better protection and better care because she is transgender. Moreover, Kevin and my mom are very attached to Edina and I just can't tell them the truth. I don't know what would be the result of all these problems. There are so many evil people on the marketplace who want to humiliate me and my family in front of the association. I hope you would understand my words."
Mark nodded and passed a smile to Jason and said, "But, I still have confusion. I mean why do you want to give your child to me?"
Jason responded: "Mr. Mark, You are the best person and I want my daughter to be with you. When I saw you I was so happy and I got relief. I can trust you and I can tell my wife that Edina is gonna be handed over in generous hands."
Mark: "I don't get attached to anyone, even with my orphan students. I didn't get attachments with them. But what if I got attached to your child and you take him back and apart from him from me? For all this, you have to promise me that you'll never move him/her apart from me."
Jason: "I promise you but you will allow us to meet our child. Okay?"
Mark: "Okay. Even I'll show him your family's picture to tell him that you are his parents and you are his."
Jason: "Just tell her then, that her family was gotten apart from her in an accident."
Mark put his hand on Jason's shoulder and said, "Don't worry Jason. I'll do as you say."
Jason: "Make sure if you need any help financially in her upbringing, then I'll help you."
Mark: "No problem."
Mark stood up and said: "We've talked a lot. Let's get into the house."
Jason: "Hmm okay!"
Jason and Mark headed into the house.
Jason saw Mark sitting on the sofa.
Jason: "Mr. Mark what will you do? I mean you don't sleep. So...."
Mark: "I'll read a book."
Jason: "Oh okay."
Mark: "You better get some sleep. Tomorrow you have to drive."
Jason nodded and headed to the room.
Fred was lying on the bed. Jason got in the room and Fred was using the mobile in the sitting pose.
Fred: "Did you talked to him?"
Jason: "I'm relieved that he agreed."
Fred: "Your wife called you."
Jason suddenly moved towards the bed. His phone was on the bed. He held his phone in his hand and asked Fred, "Did you received the call then?"
Fred: "Bro, why would I receive your wife's call?"
Jason nodded and call back to Rocella. Rocella received the call.
Jason: Hey, Row how are you?"
Rocella responded: "I'm fine. When are you gonna be back home?"
Jason: "We'll lead the way back tomorrow."
Row: "Oh okay. You must be tired get some rest."
Jason nodded and said: Okay goodbye."
Rocella hung up the call and Jason got back to sleep.
But fred said: "Jason! Why do you want to give your child to Mark?"
Jason: "I don't know. I just want to keep my child safe from this cruel world. As I told you earlier my wife is not capable to protect Edina."
Fred: "Do you think mark is trustworthy?"
Jason looked at Fred and acknowledged: "First I had a doubt what type of man mark might be. But when I saw him, I got curious about this appearance and at least, when I got to know the experience that he went through, I was relieved. Mark needs support and my child needs a nice upbringing and protection. By doing this, Mark'll get support to live with and Edina will get a nice person who would bring her and protect her from this cruel society."
[They (Jason and Fred) didn't realize that Mark was not sleeping and They just chatted freely to each other. Mark was listening, while during their conversation, Mark was smiling and nodding his head as if he was agreed.
Jason: "Are your questions over now? I wanna sleep. I'm tired."
Fred: "Hmm! You better get some rest."
***On the next morning***
Jason and Fred were having breakfast with Mr. Mark. Jason stopped eating for a while, looked at Mark, and raised a question.
Jason: "When are you gonna head back Mr. Mark?"
Mark stopped eating to answer the question Jason and passed a smile.
Mark: "Today. I'll take a bus."
Jason: "Mr. Mark, you don't need to take a bus just go with us!"
Mark: "But...."
Jason: "Come on, it would be an honor to take you back."
Mark nodded and said, " Okay. Thank you, Jason."
Jason smiled and said, " Let's get going."
Mark: "What right now?"
Jason: "yes. I have to go home and get some rest."
Mark: "Okay. Let me pack up."
They head back together and reached their places.
After dropping Fred and Mark at their destinations, Jason arrived at his home. He couldn't saw anyone at home. He searched every room but in the end, when he entered Kevin's room, he saw Raina while taking care of Edina and Kevin and playing with them. He asked Raina, "Why are you guys alone in the entire house? Where are my mom (Lauren) and Rocella?"
Raina: "Miss Lauren was suffering from a shortage of breath and she had pain in her chest."
Jason got startled and said: "What? Why didn't they call me?"
Raina: "Rocella mam called you so many times, but your phone was out of service and they couldn't wait any longer for you. So they didn't wait for you and they headed to the hospital with the driver."
Jason: "Which hospital?"
Raina: "The emergency hospital in the city."
Raina was holding Edina in her hands. When Jason realized (that Raina was holding her child), he suddenly snatched Edina from Raina's hand and headed towards his room.
When he entered his room, he laid Edina in the baby cart. He clasped his phone in his hand and phoned Rocella.
Rocella received the call and said, "Hi Jason."
Jason: "Where are you?"
Rocella: "Are you home?"
Jason: "Yes, tell me the address of the hospital."
Rocella: "No Jason you don't have to come here. You just stay in the house. We are coming."
Jason nodded his head and said: "Okay."
By saying that, he hung up a call and headed to the dressing room to get freshen up."
After fifteen minutes, Lauren and Rocella reached home. Rocella was holding a back of a wheelchair where Lauren was sitting.
They (Rocella and Lauren) headed to Lauren's room and with the help of Raina, Rocella grabbed his mother-in-law by the arm to give her support and helped her in sitting on her bed. Lauren sat on the bed comfortably with settling her legs on her bed. The weather was cold because of the winter season. So Rocella covered her mother-in-law (Lauren) with a blanket.
Rocella was talking to Lauren and saying, "You better take care of yourself. From now on, you'll only get the food that was recommended by the doctor."
Suddenly Jason came into Lauren's room while holding Edina.
Rocella and Lauren looked at Jason and Jason looked anxious because of his mother's (Lauren's) situation.
Lauren glowed at Jason and said: "Son! You are home."
Rocella smiled as well by looking at her husband.
Jason nodded to Lauren's saying and step forward near to his mother and said: "Mom, what happened to you all of a sudden. Are you okay? Are you feeling better now?"
Rocella: "Don't worry Jason. Mommy is alright. She didn't take her medicine on time that's why she felt ill and we had to visit the doctor. But the doctor strictly recommended some more medicines and from now on, I own this duty to give her medicine on time."
Jason took a deep breath and said: "oh! It's a relief to know that everything is fine."
Lauren noticed Edina and smiled.
Lauren: "Awww! This sweet little candy is the reason for my happiness in my life. I think I'm alive just because of this angle."
By listening to those declarations, Jason and Rocella looked at each other with troubled expressions.
Lauren: "What's wrong with these expressions. Jason are you upset about something.
Jason and Rocella pretend to be happy.
Jason looked at Lauren and said, " No, it's okay mom. You must be very tired. You better get some rest."
Lauren: "Yes. I feel tired I wanna get some rest."
Rocella: "Mommy, Raina will stay up in your room tonight. So if you need anything, she can help you and if you want me to stay here then I'll stay here."
Lauren passed a smile and said, "Don't worry dear. I'm okay. Raina will stay with me."
Raina: "Yes mam you need to get some rest as well. I'm here."
Rocella and Jason said good night to Lauren and headed to their room. Jason gave Edina to Rocella to bring her (Edina) to sleep.
Rocella: "How was your business trip?"
Jason: "It was good. Have you seen that mom is getting very attached to Edina day by day?"
Rocella: "Yes so what?"
Jason: "I've talked to Mark. He has no problem and we'll hand her (Edina) over to Mark."
Rocella didn't reply and sat on the bed."
Jason: "Edina is with us just for one week and during this one week, I warn you not to give my child to anyone."
Rocella looked at Jason and raised a question: "What do you mean?"
Jason: "When I entered home, Raina was holding and taking care of Edina."
Rocella: "So, what's wrong with that?"
Jason: "You don't understand. Have you ever noticed, what would happen if anyone knows the truth in this house? So that's why I'm cautioning you to take care of Edina by yourself till one week."
Rocella nodded in a conceding manner and slept.
The day was ended here and Jason slept as well.
{Author's note => Please vote with a power stone and add your reviews (via comments) to my story. Let me know how you like my story.}
:)
To be continued!!!