Besides, even if go home, no one would be there yet. Nana was with Demi. She accompanied my daughter in a regional quiz bee. Since it was far away, they would be staying in a hotel which was all shouldered by the school. They would return home tomorrow morning.
Jasper was also busy with his thesis and he would spend the night at his classmate’s house.
I would have accompanied Demi myself but I didn’t want to slack off. Nevertheless, I was happy. Demi called to inform me a while ago that she won the competition.
If there was one good thing I feel thankful about meeting Alexandros, it was Demi. I remembered the days when I felt lost because I’d suddenly see her making the things inside our room float and then she would cry because she didn’t know how to put them back to normal.
When she was five years old and we were playing together, I was trying to catch her when she suddenly passed through the wall.
But I feel relieved because Demi was like that only when she was with me. It meant that I was the only she felt comfortable with that’s why I was also the only one who could see her wield magic.
Each time she would unconsciously reveal her powers, she’d feel so frustrated that it’d often take me an hour to pacify her. And whenever she was calm enough, that was the only time when things around her would go back to normal.
Being her mother was hard. Actually, it was hard to be a mother, at all. But every time Demi would smile at me, it would make me feel like motherhood was an incredible thing. And in the end, I’d regret thinking that it was hard.
I shook my head and started opening the scrapbook. After a while, I started smiling when I saw photos of Jeremiah and I when we were kids. Some were taken in the playground, in each other’s birthday parties, and in every special occasion.
I absentmindedly removed the plastic cover and took my photo when I was around Demi’s age. I was wearing a birthday hat there. My eyes were glowing while Jeremiah was carrying me on his back. I was chubby at that time and he was thin that’s why he looked like he was having a hard time.
I giggled. Time really passed by so quickly…
I kept unconsciously flipping the picture while browsing the scrapbook. I was about to close the scrapbook when I noticed that I hadn’t returned the photo yet.
I was surprised when I noticed the words written behind the picture.
My forehead knotted while reading it.
“I know just how lazy you could be at times that’s why I also know that you wouldn’t be able to see this. You’d never waste your time doing such thing. But in case you actually see this, then maybe… just maybe I can begin to hope that it’s meant to be. We were this young when I realized I liked you, Ali. And that feeling kept growing more and more for the past years. Alison, I’m in love with you.” –Rem
My eyes widened. The picture slipped from my hand. It fell on top of my glass table.
‘Sis, why can’t you just give brother Rem a chance?’
I suddenly remembered that question from Jasper the other day.
My brows furrowed. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘Didn’t you really know?’ Jasper rolled his eyes. ‘Rem is in love with you. Everyone who sees how he looks at you could tell. Even Nana could tell as well. Even his parents knew and they’re still hoping that both of you would eventually come to your senses, especially you. In short, everyone could tell, except you. Maybe because you’re still too busy waiting for someone who will never come back.’
And then I suddenly remembered the day when I gave birth. It was two in the morning when Jasper, who was freaking out, called Jeremiah. His hair was still messy and he was wearing his sleepwear when he rushed to our apartment. And because he was in a hurry, he came wearing different slippers.
He was the one who carried me and brought me to the hospital. His parents were also there. According to Nana, Jeremiah looked more nervous than her and Jasper. The latter kept facing back and forth to the hall while I was in the delivery room.
‘Alison, breathe in… breathe out. Everything’s going to be all right, remember that.’
Those were Jeremiah’s words when I was lying on the stretcher and was about to be sent to the delivery room. He held my hands. ‘Just calm down. Oh, God. We both need to calm down.’
I remembered smiling despite the pain. Jeremiah was always calm and composed but that day, between us, he was the one who couldn’t calm down. He looked like he would freak out any moment that time.
‘Can someone give this man a tranquilizer, please?’
I remembered how the doctor teased him which had broken the tension between Nana, Jasper, and I. It made us all laugh.
‘Don’t worry, Mister. We will deliver your baby safe and sound.’
‘Please do,’ Jeremiah answered and didn’t bother correcting the doctor.
I was the one who corrected her because I felt embarrassed. ‘But he’s not the-‘
‘It doesn’t matter. I’m going to be the baby’s second father. She’s going to have three fathers. And it’s going to be amazing, Ali, trust me.’ Jeremiah smiled encouragingly. He wiped the sweat off my forehead before planting a soft kiss on my hair.
Jeremiah, who I thought was allergic with kids, turned out to be one of the people who took great care of my daughter. He was often mistaken as Demi’s father because the two of them were really close.
If Jeremiah would have his own kids one day, I’m sure that he was going to be a wonderful father. With or without special occasion, he was always present in our lives.