45 11ta Stw’s Already Fe
- I Think She’s Already Forgotten You
Liam
“Congratulations Liam! You’re a dad now”
What is this? A joke? Annie’s little brother greets me with those words. I force a smile and walk towards my mother, who is chatting with Aunt Tanya.
“Mom can someone please explain what’s going on?” My patience is wearing thin. Mom breaks away from
my aunt and approaches me.
“It seems you’re missing out on one of the best moments of your life. But of course! Since your wife will soon give you a child as well, this baby probably doesn’t matter to you. After all, you scorned his mother, so you’ll probably scorn her son too.” The reproach in her words only confuses me more.
I don’t understand what they’re saying. What son are they talking about?
“Mom, I really don’t mean to be rude, but I don’t understand. You brought me here without explanation, only saying that Annie was in the hospital. Now you’re telling me I’m a father, but everyone is ignoring me and not explaining anything. Please, help me understand.” I look at my mother anxiously. A son? But how is that possible? We were always careful. Mom sighs and begins to tell me.
“When Annie left here, she was carrying your child. I found out recently. Your Aunt Sam met me at the mall to tell me that Annie was pregnant and wanted me to know.” I remain silent, stunned by her words.
“But what you’re saying isn’t possible, Mom. If she had been pregnant, she would have told me, and the wedding probably would have happened. I would never let my child grow up without their father.”
Mom looks at me with a hint of pity. She knows that was my pain as a child. Everyone had their father by their side, while I didn’t have one until Dad came into my life. No, I would never have separated from Annie. “I think you know the answer to why she hid it from you. She always loved you so much that she let you be happy with the woman you loved and stepped aside. She’s so selfless that she didn’t want to spoil your recent wedding. And she didn’t want to tell you when we all found out, so as not to ruin the news that your wife is also expecting your child.”
I remain silent. I have no way to refute what she says, except for the last part.
“Mom… why do you say that Maria is pregnant?” My mother lets out a deep sigh before speaking.
“I saw her the day Sam and I met. She confronted me and said she wouldn’t let me meet her son. I had to tell Annie. You know I don’t like secrets. Even if it hurt her again, it’s better to speak the truth.”
I remain silent. There’s so much I need to process.
“Mom, I don’t know why Maria would say that, but it can’t be true that she’s expecting my child. Don’t ask me how, but I’m sure it is.”
She shrugs. I know that the feelings she harbored for her adopted daughter during the years they lived together have slowly faded, and I don’t know if any of them remain.
“Well, you can ask her yourself. She’s your wife, and I don’t want to have anything to do with her. But I do car a lot about Annie and my grandson. His birth came a little early, so she had to have an emergency C–section
45 Think She’s Already For
Now she’s recovering and the baby in in the incubator. Shall we go see him?”
The emotion that is beginning to well up inside me, now that I finally understand everything that is happening, is something I can’t explain. Of course I want to see him, but I also want to know how Annie is doing.
“Mom, I’d like to see Annie. Do you think I can?” She thinks for a moment but shakes her head.
“It’s better if her family sees her first. They were all very worried. Give them their space. After all, you’re only here to see Little Angel.”
When she says his name, my heart skips a beat. Little Angel. Angel Donovan.
Then let’s go see him,” I say excitedly. She nods, and we head towards the nursery. There’s a nurse in charge of access. My mother approaches her and asks about my
u son
“Good afternoon. My grandson was born a short while ago, and his father would like to see him. Would that be possible?” She smiles and asks us for some information. When we give it to her, she points to one of the incubators. She accompanies us to the spot, and when we’re standing in front of him, tears well up in my eyes like they haven’t in a long time, or maybe ever.
“This is Angel Johnson, son of Annete Johnson. Is this your son?” I hear her, but I can’t take my eyes off the beautiful baby boy. He’s restless, so I think he’s hungry, but his eyes are closed.
“Do you know how long he’ll be in the incubator? She shakes her head, explaining that he’ll be under observation for forty–eight hours, hoping there are no complications.
Mom steps away a bit to give me a moment alone with my son. My son. I have so many conflicting feelings. On one hand, I’m so happy. I didn’t expect to be a father so soon, let alone for Annie to be the mother. But I’m also ashamed, because how am I going to explain to him in the future how I scorned his mother? I don’t kno if he’ll understand. Maybe he’ll hate me. Tears of frustration stream down my face. Why did I do everything wrong?
I rest my head against the glass. I continue to cry, but now it’s from sadness. I missed out on the wonderful moments of Annie’s pregnancy. Because of my selfishness and cruelty, I wasn’t there for his development inside his mother’s womb. He’s asleep now. I slip my hand through the sterile glove of the incubator and gently touch him. He’s so fragile. At my touch, he starts to move inside the glass box. I smile at his tender
movements.
I hear someone come in and address the nurse. I withdraw my hand and just keep watching him. I hear my mother call me, and I go to her, although I don’t want to leave my son’s side.
“Mom… I don’t know what to say. I’m so shocked by the news. I swear I had no idea something like this was going to happen.” She hugs me while I cry in her arms like a little boy.
“Calm down. Things happened this way, and there’s no going back. Now all that’s left is to look to the future and see how you’re going to be present in your son’s life.” I listen to her words, and she’s right. I must and want to be in my son’s life. I don’t know if Annie will allow it, but I have to convince her that I’m going to love and protect that little boy. I turn back to the incubator and see a young man I don’t recognize approaching t spot I just vacated. That catches my attention, so I move a little closer and listen to what he says. “Hello, little guy. I’m Aaron. I’m so happy to see you, my boy.” I see him put his hand in just like I did, but unlil in my case, the baby starts to move vigorously, as if he recognizes him. I look back at my mother, and she
451 Think She’s Already For
just shakes her head.
“Mom who is that man?” Before she can answer, I see Uncle David come in and approach him. They chat
and smile. I think my uncle feels my gaze on him, because he looks back at me. He doesn’t speak, doesn’t say anything. He just looks at me with pity.
“I can’t tell you exactly who he is, but he’s very important to Annie. Now you can be satisfied. It seems she won’t cry for you anymore. I think she’s already forgotten you.”
Her words hurt me more than they should. I even feel like I can’t breathe. It’s as if she plunged a knife into my heart. And as if that weren’t enough, what she says next twists it deeper.
Now you can rest easy and enjoy your marriage without remorse. Annie and Angel already have someone to love and protect them. Focus on being happy with the woman you left everything for. She doesn’t say anything else. She just pats my arm and walks away.
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