Chapter 1

THE BELL sounded, signaling the end of the lesson.

Olivia, thirteen at the time, quickly stuffed her belongings into her school bag and dashed out the door. She nearly trips on the stairwell, but she regains footing and sprints back to the school gate.

She couldn't wait to meet her mother, who was waiting for her outside the school. In the last hour of class, she received a text from her mother saying she would come to collect her today to have supper together. Olivia has been giddy with excitement ever since.

Her mother is a flight attendant, and she has been busy with work for the past few days. As a result, they rarely see each other.

Olivia adores her mother.

Her mother, Victoria Martin, took on the roles of both father and mother the moment she was born.

Olivia's biological father abandoned them before she was old enough to experience the world.

Olivia is baffled as to why her father abandoned them. Olivia was never interested in finding her biological father as she grew up. Olivia watched how her mother battled to raise her independently. Victoria doesn't hinder Olivia from looking for her father. However, Olivia chooses not to because she doesn't care who he is.

When Victoria sought to bring up her biological father, Olivia would divert the issue. Olivia doesn’t want to talk if the topic is about him.

Olivia held her mother in high regard and was delighted to be with her.

Olivia was approaching the school gate, when she noticed her mother's automobile parked nearby. She accelerated and didn't seem to mind whether she bumped into someone.

She arrived at her mother's vehicle. When Victoria noticed her daughter, she lowered the passenger side door.

Olivia flashed a gummy smile and waved to her mother.

"Come on in, baby," Victoria said to her daughter, a smile on her face.

Victoria was overjoyed to see Olivia, so adorable every time she met her.

Olivia opened the car door, and Victoria kissed her daughter on the cheek as soon as she stepped inside.

"Mom... Mom... Stop," Olivia said, attempting to push her mother away. On the other hand, she enjoyed her mother's gestures and attention.

"Why?" Victoria teased her daughter. "Are you afraid your classmates will notice you?"

"Yeah! I'm a big girl now, and it'd be embarrassing if my classmates saw you treating me like a child," Olivia reasoned but lied.

"You are a child, Vi. You are my baby," Victoria said flatly. She teased and tickled her even more.

Olivia whimpered, but she couldn't stop laughing. Her mother is aware of her daughter's flaw. "Stooopppp!!!" she pleaded, unable to bear her mother's tickling.

"I'll stop if you stop acting like an adult around mommy and start saying, ‘I'm a baby’."

"Mooommm!!!"

"Say it out loud."

"All right! I'm a baby!" Olivia exclaimed, pouting.

"That's my baby," Victoria said as she stopped tickling Olivia and kissed her on the cheek. Victoria can't stop smiling as she looks at her precious daughter. Before starting the engine, Victoria reminded her daughter, "Wear your seat belt, Vi."

Olivia complied, and her bright smile returned.

"I love you, baby," Victoria said as she kissed her daughter's tiny hands.

Olivia replied with a gummy smile, "I love you even more, mom."

Olivia always thought it was the best day of her life when she saw her mother healthy, happy, and unconditionally loving her. This was enough for her until her mother decided to marry.

~*~

OLIVIA

MY MOTHER will always take me to a nice restaurant and spoil me with delicious food. So it came as no surprise to me that she took me to one of the best restaurants in town.

I was so used to it that I didn't consider a special occasion or event today.

Even though my fourteenth birthday is next week, I believe Mom has other plans for that day.

I, for one, have no idea.

Regardless, I am overjoyed that I could see her today after a week apart.

That's why I adore her: she always made an effort to make amends with me after her hectic flight schedule. Although my mother was not always present, our neighbor, Aunt Vicky, always kept an eye on me. When Mom was officially accepted as a flight attendant, she was like my babysitter. I was five years old at the time.

My mother had me when she was twenty years old. Her parents did not support her because she was too young to become pregnant, and my grandparents were upset.

My mother's family was middle-class, so they were disappointed when she became pregnant with me at such a young age. My mother was a country girl who only went to the city because her desired course was only available there. She was almost finished with her advanced tourism course when she became pregnant with me.

My mother is astute. But, as she stated, she was once duped and blinded by love. Whatever that means, I have no idea what she was on about.

When I was three years old, my grandparents finally accepted us and helped my mother financially to continue her studies.

My mother took advantage of the opportunity, studying while also caring for me full-time. Mom always says she has no regrets about having me. That I was a blessing, and I helped shape her into the person she is today. I never really understood it, but the looks Mom gives me every time she says those words made me happy.

We live in a condo unit close to school, so it wasn't difficult for me if Mom wasn't there. I saw how my mother raised me on her own, and the last thing I wanted to do was annoy her.

So I made it a point to lessen her burden of raising me by being a good girl in school and keeping my grades up. I'm not as bright as my mother, but I work hard and study a lot.

I never realized it before, but when one of my classmates in grade school lost both of her parents in an accident, I realized that I was still blessed with a mother. I may never understand my classmates' anguish, but the thought of losing my mother in my life makes me wonder if I will survive.

Anyway, as we walked back to the restaurant, I held Mom's hand when we came across a handsome man with a cute little girl beside him.

I was about to ask Mom who the people in front of us were when she interrupted me.

"This is Zaldy and her daughter Zoey, and they will be our soon-to-be family," Victoria says.

I'm not sure if I heard correctly, but the man Mom addressed as Zaldy just said the words I don’t know how to react. I'm at a loss for words.

"Hello Olivia, my name is Zaldy, and I'm your soon-to-be father."