Chapter 4 Daddy

“Dana, my dear!” Mommy Lourdes greeted me, kissing my cheek.

It has been five years since I left the country, five years since I left my family, and left him. Mommy Lourdes was the one who saved me. She was the one who found me lying unconscious on the side of the road. She rushed me to the hospital, where it was confirmed that I was indeed pregnant.

After I opened up about everything I had been through before she found me, she brought me here to Australia. With no family left to turn to, I was completely alone in the world. Taking pity on me, she clothed me and put me through school until I was finally able to stand on my own two feet. But I will never turn my back on this woman who treated me like her own; I will take care of her for the rest of my life.

“Mommy! It’s so good to see you again. How was Thailand?” I asked with a warm smile.

She took a sip of her tea before answering, “It was wonderful, but just as hot as back home,” she chuckled.

“Mamita!”

Mommy and I both turned toward the joyful shout.

My sons came running toward us, throwing their arms around Mommy in a tight hug. They had missed her terribly; for almost two weeks, they hadn't stopped asking when she would be back. She had been away on a business trip in Thailand, a trip I initially offered to take for her, but she refused, insisting that no one would be around to care for my boys.

“Where’s Cronus?” I asked the two.

“Here, Mom,” Cronus said coolly, as his two brothers immediately rushed to guide his steps.

I smiled softly, watching Elliot and Elion help Cronus along. Cronus was born blind, and at the time, I blamed myself incessantly... and deep down, I still do.

Doctors said complications arose during my pregnancy due to extreme stress and severe homesickness when I first arrived in Australia. Guilt continues to consume me, knowing that my pain caused Cronus to suffer.

When I first learned of his condition, my world completely shattered, and I spent days drowning in tears. With no family to lean on, I felt utterly lost, but thankfully, Mommy Lourdes was there to anchor me. She gently guided me through the darkness and helped me understand that I was so young back then, and so deeply immature in dealing with life's hardships.

“You okay, Cronus?” I heard Elliot ask softly.

“Yes, Elliot, I’m okay,” Cronus replied.

The moment Cronus reached us, Mommy pulled him into a warm hug. She showered my sons' cheeks with kisses and tickled their sides, filling the room with their bright laughter as they played with her. Since my biological mother and Mommy Lourdes are around the same age, it felt so natural for me to love and cherish her like my own mother.

I stood up to fetch them something to eat, plating a batch of sandwiches prepared by our Filipino housekeepers, and carried the tray back to the living room.

“Are my boys doing alright?” I asked them.

“Yes, My!” Elliot beamed.

Among the three, Elliot was born first, followed by Elion, and finally Cronus. At first, back in the city, I thought I was only expecting one child when my pregnancy was first confirmed. It wasn't until I arrived in Australia and had a proper ultrasound that we discovered I was carrying triplets. I was completely stunned; Eros and I had only been intimate that one time, yet it resulted in triplets…

“Boys, let Mamita rest now, okay?” I reminded them. The three nodded, their mouths still full of sandwich.

Mommy stood up, supported by her personal assistants, and headed toward her bedroom. I turned my attention back to the three boys munching on their food. It felt like just yesterday they were tiny babies, and now they were already four years old.

“Mommy, I’m full,” Elion said, handing me the small leftover piece of his sandwich.

I took the bite-sized sandwich from Elion’s hand and ate it. Elion slipped away from the table and grabbed the iPad sitting near the TV. Out of the three, Elion is the adventurous one, always curious to discover new things and constantly watching shows intended for older kids.

Standing side-by-side, the three of them look almost identical, though I can easily tell them apart by their subtle birthmarks: Elion has a tiny mole near his neck that his brothers don't have, Elliot has a small mole on his forehead, and Cronus has no moles on his face or neck at all.

“I’m done, Mom,” Cronus announced, raising his hand slightly.

I smiled as I watched them gather around the iPad to watch a movie, thankful they weren't squabbling over what to play. Tomorrow was their first day of school, so I made sure to wake up early to get them ready.

Even though each of them has a dedicated caregiver, I refuse to step back from being a hands-on mother. They are all I have left in this world, and as long as I am able, I will care for them with everything I have.

“Time to wake up, my babies,” I whispered to each of them, pressing soft kisses to their cheeks.

“Good morning, Mommy... I had a dream last night,” Elliot murmured in a raspy, sleep-laden voice.

I lifted him out of bed and set him on my lap, kissing his neck before asking him about his dream.

“Do we have a daddy?”

The question hit me like a physical blow. My lips parted in shock, caught completely off guard.

“Yes, you do... why do you ask, baby?” I managed to respond.

He rubbed his eyes and looked up at me. For the past few weeks, Elliot had been asking about their father relentlessly. I never had a real answer for him, constantly brushing it off with excuses about him being busy with work just to stop him from probing further about that man.

"Because I dreamed that he saved me from a monster that wanted to eat me. He punched it with his fist and hugged me, Mommy... but he didn't have a face in my dream." He pouted as he finished his story.