Kimberly ran to give her mom a hug as she entered the hospital accompanied by Natalie.
"Mom, Grandma fainted." Kimberly pouted before going to meet Natalie.
"Aunt Natalie, will my grandma be okay?"
Natalie bent and hugged her. "Don't worry, Kim. She'll be fine."
Rachael turned to Layla. "Thank you, Layla."
"No problem. I'm sorry I have to go back to my shop." She said and Rachael thanked her one more time before she left.
"I'll go see the doctor now." Rachael said to them and Natalie nodded.
At the doctor's office, Rachael was looking so baffled and she needed to know what really has happened to her mom.
She asked the woman who was their family doctor, "Doctor Samantha , can you tell me what really is wrong with my mother?"
"Rachael, we ran some tests on your mom and we found out that she had developed Leukaemia." Samantha said, giving her the test results.
Rachel's eyebrows widened in surprise as she shook her head in disagreement. She doesn't want to believe that this is true. If it's a dream someone should just wake her.
"This can't be true. No, no."
"Rachael, the cancer is on its third stage and I'm afraid, it has grew worse. Did she show any strange symptoms lately?" Samantha asked and Rachael shook her head.
"No, doctor. She didn't complain of anything.
"She must have kept it to herself because the cancer had eaten deeper into her lungs. Rachael, I doubt if she would survive this."
"No doctor, please do something. Mom can't die now." Rachael cried.
"We'll try our best but first you have to deposit some money to start immediate treatment on her." Samantha added.
Rachael walked out, looking so dejected and unhappy. Her mom had suffered a lot and this is not the right time for her to die.
Even though their family wasn't a wealthy one, her mom still managed to send her to school and when Rachael was supposed to continue her studies, she got pregnant and couldn't further her education anymore. She had disappointed the woman a lot.
As she sat, she clutched Kimberly close to her chest. She just felt so guilty.
"Kimberly, grandma would be alright." She assured her.
Rachael took Kimberly home that night and when that were at the entrance of the building, they met Gregory who alighted from his car.
He smiled at Rachael who just scoffed. 'Just look at the way he's acting like nothing has happened.' He bent and took Kimberly's hand.
"What's your name, little girl?"
"I'm Kimberly." The little girl replied. Rachael moved her daughter away from him, scolding her.
"You shouldn't be friendly with strangers."
"Mom, he was just asking for my name." Kimberly pouted.
Gregory frowned a bit when he heard the girl call Rachael mom. He even noticed that the girl has the same eye colour with him and he was starting to be suspicious.
"Rachael she's your daughter?" He asked.
"Didn't I tell you to stay away from me? I have no business with you, and if you keep doing this, I'll alert the whole neighborhood that you're a thief! Let's go, Kim." She said turning to her daughter who was reluctant.
"Mom, do you know him from somewhere? Why are you being harsh on him?" Kimberly said.
"Kimberly! What's wrong with you? Come let's go in." Rachael told her.
"Yay mommy! See, there's an ice-cream shop. Mommy, could you please get me ice-cream?" Kimberly pleaded.
"No Kim, it's late already." Rachael insisted.
"Mommy…."
"Don't worry, I'll get it for you." Gregory said. "But not without your mom." He added, making Rachael to roll her eyes at him disgustingly.
Kimberly turned to her mom. "Mom, let's go together please."
"No Kimberly, we can't…."
"Mommy…"
Rachael couldn't resist her and just agreed. Gregory tried to hold Kimberly's hand but she snatched her from him.
"I can do that."
"Allow me, Rachael."
"No, I won't. She's my daughter and I can do that myself. Holding her hand isn't a problem." Rachael argued.
"Let me."
"No."
"Please."
"No."
"Please."
"I said no!" Rachael yelled.
Kimberly looked at the two of them simultaneously as they argued amongst themselves. She shook her head before speaking.
"You guys should just stop arguing. I have an idea." She said.
They both looked at her. "What's that?" They said on unison.
"You both can just hold my hands. It isn't a big deal. You're mommy, " She gestured towards Rachael. "... and you would be my daddy for tonight." She turned to Gregory.
"Tonight we're just a happy family going for a chilled Ice-cream." Kimberly added.
Rachael was stunned, Kimberly was just four years old and she was speaking so maturely. But it's not going to work for her, she isn't going to allow her daughter refer to Gregory as her daddy.
She doesn't want to start explaining to Kimberly how he left them four years ago. She was going to save the story for when she is old enough because she doesn't want anything to affect her mental health.
"Kim, we can have ice-cream with him but I won't allow you address a stranger as your dad." Rachael said.
"Mommy, please."
"Kim, no. You can't."
"It's fine, Kimberly. Let's go." Gregory patted her on the shoulder but the girl wasn't ready to listen but with a stern look from Rachael, she was forced to agree.
"Well, it's fine. At least I'm having ice-cream." Kimberly smiled, dragging the two adults along.
"Let's go."
Gregory ordered a strawberry ice-cream for Kimberly who accepted it with a toothy smile.
"Thank you..umm..you haven't told me your name."
"My name is daddy." Gregory answered, patting the girl's shoulder.
"Really?" A bright smile appeared on Kimberly's face.
"Of course."
"Your name is so special then. Thanks for the ice-cream."
"You're welcome." He nodded.
Kimberly sighted some children of her age playing at the small playground beside the ice-cream shop and she begged Rachael to allow her go play with them.
Rachael saw that it was not too far away and agreed.
"Thank you, mommy." The girl smiled and went away.
"Do you want an ice-cream too?" Gregory asked Rachael.
"Do I look like I want one?" She snapped at him.
Gregory didn't listen to her and went to get her a vanilla flavoured ice-cream.
"Here. Have it while it's still chilled, it shouldn't melt." He said, giving it to her.
Rachael was surprised that he still remembered her favourite flavour and with hesitation, she took it.
"Are you trying to get on my good side?" She suddenly asks, making Gregory to look at her.
"What do you mean?"
"Acting all righteous and funny. Why didn't you tell Kimberly your real name?"
"Kimberly is my daughter, isn't she?" He asks.
"What's with that question!" Rachael looked away, licking the ice-cream.
"Rachael, look into my eyes and tell me I'm not her father. We had sex that night and it was without protection or were you seeing someone else?"
"What's that supposed to mean? That I was cheating on then?"
"Don't get me wrong, Rach. I'm just asking."
Rachael shook her head. "I don't have an answer to your question, just leave me alone."
"Rachael, are you still angry at me? I'm deeply sorry." Gregory apologised again. "Trust me, it was my dad who forced me to leave the country."
Rachael chuckled. "So you're going to blame him for your mistakes? Gregory, you don't have to act sweetly. I know your dad wasn't in support of our relationship in the first place." She mentioned.
"He always told me to stay away from you." Rachael added.
"Let's not go back to the past, Rachael. I truly love you and I'm ready to amend my mistakes. Let's get back together."
Rachael was taken aback by his words, there was no way she's going to do that. Her life is in a big mess already and she doesn't want more complications.
"I'm not interested, Greg." Rachael refused.
"Please, I really mean it." He said, holding her hand. Their gaze locked and Gregory's eyes fell on her lips, he bent his head and placed a deep kiss on them. Rachael closes her eyes as she was completely lost. She kissed him back.
Gregory broke the kiss after some minutes and Rachael realised what she had done. She quickly wiped her lips with her palm. She just couldn't believe she had reciprocated the kiss.
"I have to leave now." She stood up after checking her wrist watch.
"Let's have lunch together tomorrow."
"I'm busy." Rachael refused. This isn't the time to go out on dates, she was fully occupied and her mom's recovery is what she wanted now.
"What about next tomorrow?" He asks again.
"I'm not free next tomorrow and even the day after. I'm really busy."
Gregory didn't take an offence and he nodded. He knew Rachael was a tough person and gaining back her trust would be quite difficult.
"Alright then."
Rachael walked over to the playground but she couldn't see the children there anymore and even Kimberly!
"Kim?" She called, wondering where her daughter had gone.
"Kimberly!" Gregory called too but got no reply. Rachael looked at him with worrisome eyes. Where could she possibly have gone to? Sweat drops began to form on her forehead and she was really hot, really comfortable.