"Uh, I will wait outside the hospital."
"Why?" Adrian asked.
"I feel nauseated whenever I visit a hospital."
"Alright. I hope I can handle her," he scoffed.
Aurora smiled and looked over at her. "Be a good girl, Stacey."
"Okay, mom."
Aurora planted a soft kiss on her cheeks and left her in Adrian's care. She stood afar, watching him walk Stacey into the hospital. He held her hand as they walked together and lifted her into his arms at some point. She smiled at the pleasant sight.
He fixed his gaze on Stacey's face as they walked in silence.
"Why do you keep staring at me?"
"You are… adorable," Adrian confessed. More like he admitted.
"I know. My mom tells me every day before I leave for school," she stated.
"Oh. And your dad?" he asked, scratching his hair slightly.
She frowned, "I don't know. Mom doesn't talk about him, and I haven't seen him either. I never get the chance to talk about my dad with my friends at school, because I haven't met him."
"Sorry," he apologized, on behalf of her dad. "So, how old are you?"
"Almost two," she said, illustrating with her fingers.
"Hmm."
"Why are you asking me all this?"
"My secret. I can't tell you," he said.
She shrugged, "Okay. I won't tell you mine as well."
"You keep secrets too?"
"Everyone has a secret, big or small."
"Yes, Stacey–"
"Hey! Don't call me that," she shunned. "Only my mom may do so. Everyone else calls me Anastatia."
She was harder than he thought.
"Sorry, kid. Stacey's your nickname, I guess."
"Mhm. So, what can I call you?"
"Any name that suites you? I don't mind," he replied.
"Okay, I'll think about that later. What if I don't see you again?"
"I don't know."
"But wait…" she paused. "Who are you?"
"I might not be who you think I am," he said.
"You speak in parables," she sighed.
"Well, you'll understand everything soon. Just don't ask any further questions."
"Fine." She went mute while he made a few inquiries with the receptionist.
…
"Anastatia, come back here."
"No, I hate injections! First, my hair, and now this? Sorry, but I can't agree with it."
"It won't hurt, I promise."
"You can't just force me. Why are you doing all of this? I want to see my mom now," she sniffed her tears.
Adrian knelt before her, wiping her tears with his palm. "Listen to me, please. You are a brave girl. Close your eyes, and hold me tight. I'm here for you. Pretty girls don't cry, so you don't have to."
"O-okay," she hiccuped.
"So, are you ready?"
She threw her arms around him. "Yes," she whispered. There was a strange connection he felt when she hugged him, and it hurt seeing her cry because of him.
"Will you hug me, please?" her cute voice snapped him out of his daze. His mum always hugged him when he couldn't handle certain things, now it felt as though it was his turn. He nodded and reciprocated the hug, patting her back gently.
One of the nurses pierced the needle through her skin, and she flinched in pain, but Adrian ensured she remained still. In a quarter second, it was out. The nurses took away the samples to the medical laboratory, assuring the result would be out the next day.
…
"How did everything go?"
"You never said Anastatia was a crybaby." That statement explained everything, making Aurora giggle. He opened the backdoor and sat Stacey down, then walked over to Aurora.
They didn't want Stacey to be aware of anything happening, until the truth was out.
"The result will be out by tomorrow. Be in my office at noon."
"I'm sorry again for putting you through this–"
"Hold it. Save your apology for another day, and get into the car now. I'm dropping you off."
"We never agreed on that."
"Blondie–"
"That's not my fucking name. It's Aurora."
"Like mother like daughter. It runs in the gene."
Before she could say a word, he spoke up. "Stop exchanging words, and just get in."