Ingrid was waiting outside the classroom of his son and stared blankly at the wall. She hadn't noticed that his son was already on her side and ready to leave. She felt a tug on her dress that made her to look down.
"Mommy, are you sad?" the boy asked innocently.
"Uhmm.. no, no, darling. Why'd you ask?"
"I don't know, I just feel it, mom." She bent and cradled her son and embraced him. "Oh son, I miss you." his son nodded and seems thinking deeply.
"Teacher Mei, we are going. Thanks! Bye!" Ingrid waved at the teacher while her other hand holds her son's wrist.
While they were walking to the parking lot, Ingrid asked Clark,
"Did you have fun today?"
"Oh yes, mom! I met Tristan's uncle and, and –" "And?" She saw the hesitation on her son's face.
"Mom, do you know where my dad is?" Ingrid was stunned and caused her to become speechless for a few seconds. Clark's question caught her off guard.
'Oh God! This is what I'm dreading.'
"W-why? Why you suddenly asked about your father, son?" Her anxiety starts to rise. She have to remind herself not to panic or say something unhelpful.
"I saw someone today, and he seems familiar, mom, and it seems like he's my dad..." Ingrid's eyes grew wider, her face paled, her heart beats faster, and she almost choked with her saliva.
His curiosity always amazes her but this time, it leave her breathlesa. Clark thinks and acts advance than his age. When he was three years old, he could already talk straight. When he reached four years old, he wanted to do things independently, like taking a bath, chose his clothes, and quickly noticed little things around him. He has endless curiosity over things from simple to complex topics.
He wants to watch documentaries, ancient histories of different countries but under her guidance. He loves to go to her workplace and would just be quiet and observe the people around him, would climb to her seat and look at her paper works as if he could read and understood the words written.
That's why she feels helpless now. She could never lie to her son forever; all she could do now is to assure her son with words.
"Someday, son. You will meet him." 'How will I do this? Should I hire someone to pose as his father? That is horrible.' She felt desperate right now. The fear that she is feeling now drives her to become desperate. Doubts are raging within her that she doesn't know how she projects calm and collected in front of him. She cannot give him false hope.
She saw the glimmer of hope in her son's eyes and her heart bleeds.
"When will that be, mom?" the boy is staring at her intently, with so much hope in his eyes.
"I can't answer it for now. Is my love for you not enough, Clark?" Her tears started to pool around her eyes. She doesn't if it's because of fear, helplessness or frustration.
"I'm sorry, mommy." Clark's eyes started to well up, too. "Don't be upset with me."
"Oh, never my love. I apologize because I could not promise you of anything."
...
"Tristan, I didn't know you already have a bestfriend, you haven't introduced me to him." Cliff asked his nephew while they were sitting side by side.
"He's new in our class and I was the one who befriend him first, uncle. And you're not here when we became bestfriends." The child replied.
"Is that so?" the little boy nodded.
Unclear feelings run within his being as he stared at the child. That feeling drives Cliff to see that boy again and meet his parents, too. There is something in that boy that sends him some foreign feeling. Is it warmth? Connection? Longing?
Suddenly, a thought came rushing.
'Is it possible? But, no, I think not.' he shakes off his head and dismisses the impossible idea. He had been very careful. His reverie was interrupted by Tristan's persistent voice.
"Uncle! Uncle! will you treat me with ice cream?" his train of thoughts was interrupted by his nephew.
"Yes, of course! That's why I am here. Teacher, I am the one to fetch Tristan for today." The teacher smiled sweetly to him and nodded, and then she blushed. "Of course, Mr. Cliff."
While they were preparing to go, he spotted the little boy again accompanied by a woman, and only her back was visible to him. How he wanted to call the boy so that he has the reason to take a peek of his mom, but he stops himself.
"Uncle, hurry!" he then shifted his gaze to his nephew, who's eager to go to an ice cream parlor.
"Woah.. okay, okay." He chuckled and tried to forget about the little child and the woman.
...
Days passed. While Ingrid was reading some documents her telephone rang,
"Ma'am, Miss Liane is here." Daisy, her secretary, informed her through the intercom.
"Oh. Let her come in quickly." The door then opened, and Liane was all smiles, then she shrieked.
"Ingriiiiddd!! I miss you so much, sis!" she hurriedly stood up and welcomed her best friend with outstretched arms. They haven't seen each other for a month because Liane was on her honeymoon with her husband, Frank.
"Gosh, look at you! You look lovely, sis. How's the honeymoon?" Liane blushed.
"It was so wonderful." Her eyes radiated love and joy, and she is happy for Liane.
"Frank and I had a great time," she giggled that made Ingrid grin and teased Liane.
"Finally, you have tasted heaven." Liane slapped her arms.
"Silly. How are you? How's Clark?" She paused before answering. She wanted to evade the topic but she needed to unload the burden.
"Hmm, he's okay, but the thing I feared, is slowly surfacing. He's now looking for his dad, and I didn't know what or how to answer him. How to explain to him the complexity of our situation? What should I do sis?"
"Why he asked about his dad, all of a sudden?"