Chapter 62 Zeke's Word

"One of the best feelings, is for God to give you a second chance, to do more of your things or mission here on earth."
I tightened my grip on my wife's hand beside me as I listened to what the priest was saying. I'm not against it anymore because I've proven that.
When the mass was over, my wife was asked to come first. It just nodded at me and then I went straight to the back. Light the carrying candle. I stared intently at how that would shine. It's been 13 years since I had the accident, miraculously waking up after four years of sleep. Such a thing is very impossible because my whole body is almost broken. I smiled in front of the boy who had been staring at me before deciding to follow my family.
From a distance I could clearly see how Gale was teasing, his other two twin brothers. But because of their strictness and fear of their mother, their eyes immediately widened. The fear on the faces of the two little boys only disappeared when I was able to get closer to them.
"Come on? Where do you want to eat?" I asked them as I lifted Aidan and held his twin Adison on the other side.
"Park!"
"Arcade!" I escorted the two in the back with their mother, while Gale was next to me.
When I got in the car, I ignored what they were saying. "Uhuh, you're not allowed there first, eat before the game. It's just like that, we'll just go home and I'll cook," I suggested, which they agreed to.
I was content to drive and inevitably shook my hands. I don't want to think about what happened to me then, especially with my family. As much as possible I just run as slow. I smile every time I see from the front mirror Adison hugging his mother. Sometimes he even fights with me and cries every time he sees me kissing Annika. My twin children, Adison and Aidan, have been together for three years.
And in that moment I had the opportunity to take care of them, things I had never done with my oldest son before. I really thankful to my wife. He made Gale understand what had happened before and did not question my shortcomings.
"I want baby sister," Aidan said softly, causing me to smile.
"Me too! I'm going to name him something right away," Gale added with a slight nod.
I immediately looked in the front mirror because I hadn't heard Adison's voice yet, it was just pouty and badly staring at the twins.
"I don't want to, maybe he'll take mama's milk," he muttered so Annika laughed spontaneously.
Adison, is my frequent enemy of my children. For her Annika, he captures everything in his mother as well as his face. There was still a debate between Adison and Gale, but in the end no one won. My wife is always the winner.
I immediately took care of what they were going to eat, while they were busy playing in the living room I let Gale do his school projects first. I noticed Annika entering the kitchen. I smiled sweetly at her, she still hadn't changed, she still looked rude and was often angry with me. I turned down the fire then she whistled reason forstop it with brewing coffee.
"Why?"
Instead of answering and I immediately closed the kitchen door and then hugged him. I pressed my head against her neck and kissed it softly. But I immediately let go because she slapped my finger hard.
"Stop flirting with me, Zeke, a. Your children are there," she said stiffly and then turned to face me.
I just laughed at it, then pulled the waist closer to me. I heard its faint swearing which made me smile even more.
"They're just playing. Where's my kiss? You didn't even kiss me last night." I nodded then kissed him on the forehead.
"You shouldn't have come home last night, it's too dangerous on the road. You should have just spent the night in your office."
"I prefer it here. I'll just take you home," I whispered then slowly kissed her neck.
Gradually her fingers pressed against my arm and slid it down, holding her breath until my hand crawled to her lower back. I couldn't help but laugh especially since she was preventing a sound from coming out of her mouth especially since our two children were just near the kitchen.
"Z-Zeke, what are you cooking, heck!"
"Shhhh, hmm..." When I was satisfied, I immediately kissed him and he accompanied me.
It became more aggressive especially since I was already feeling weird. But we were in the wrong place, and I was doing something too.
"Ahh! Go away! Me too! Kiss!" My momentary longing for Annika was shattered, when we heard the children's voices. I could see its redness and its turning away from us.
"Kiss? Here." I sniffed and then spontaneously kissed the two children who squatted down.
Annika did the same and then she mixed. We looked at each other but it just stared at me as it helped its son pick up food. I just shook my head and went back to cooking. After that day I put the children to bed. Annika still has school tomorrow and I don't. I couldn't help but feel guilty, especially since I had used up the money I had saved for my treatment.
Everything is back to zero.
I still pay for school with my three children. They and my family are growing up. The bill is also increasing so I still need to save. Even if I wanted to stop Annika from working, I couldn't do anything. She wanted that.
"Pa? What's tomorrow's dish?" Adi asked, as I tapped it softly.
"Dish? You're just going to sleep, the dish you're thinking of right away?" I said laughing.
"I don't like vegetables, e. Ugly taste, yak!"
"Mama will be angry, Adi. You need to eat vegetables, so that you can grow up," I replied, to which someone next to him nodded.
"It's just pumpkin. I don't like okra," he said sleepily and I immediately nodded.
"Hmm, go ahead. I'm asleep. We're going to see your grandparents tomorrow. Good night." I kiss their foreheads as they did to me.
When they closed their eyes I waited a few more minutes, it was true that I heard its snoring so I turned off the light and closed the door. In the other room I carefully opened the door, a thirteen -year -old young man opened up to me. He was sound asleep so I decided to close his room. I went to Annika's room, it opened up to me preoccupied with papers. I could see the tiredness in its eyes. It looked at men and then knit.
"They're asleep?" she asked then I hugged her.
"Hmm. Just sleeping. Is that a lot more?" I'm referring to the papers.
"Yeah. I'll just finish this one. Go to bed first."
"I'll wait for you."
Like I said I actually waited for it to end. As always, we were talking about our children and other expenses. Several times I had planned to sell the three houses but he did not consent. Maybe that's why we are. We have been talking about such things as much as possible. Especially since we rarely have time with each other. I only come home four times a week, and we still rely on Gale, taking care of the two kids or leaving the mansion.
I'm getting shy. It would have been my obligation, but she chose to help me. I didn't mind the numbness of my arm, I just tried to stare at my wife who was fast asleep on my arm. Its gentle face is the opposite when he is awake. Jer hand was wrapped around my waist. I immediately kissed her on the forehead and then closed my eyes.
But before I could close it, I caught a glimpse of a large photograph where one of my dreams happened when I was a young man. In that photo, the white dress that I had only seen in my dreams was just right for her. Holding the cluster of flowers and couldn't believe she gave that very day the best smile I could ever see.
The next day I immediately heard the loud alarm clock. I forced myself to get up even though it was only four in the morning, I was used to it so I had no problem.
"Honey? Wake up, take care." I patted her hip but she just turned her back on me.
I got out of bed and then put on my slippers, shook my head and left the room and then knocked on the next door.
"Gale? Get up," I whispered at its door and intensified the knocking a little.
I went downstairs to cook their breakfast, I had very few plans to cook, especially since we would spend lunch at the mansion. I was busy arranging the dishes on the table when two dwarfs who were still drowsy entered.
"Good morning, papa—"
"Why— son of! You're not in Adi, go upstairs," I ordered and the plates were almost broken.
"Dandan said, we're going to school," he said, referring to his twin Aidan.
I just wiped my face because they will have a long time to reprimand me. I tapped the two chairs for them and they immediately sat down, they were still asleep and staring at me.
"Morning," Gale said then sat down.
"Your mom?"
"Mama is going to throw up, a lot," Aidan told me so I was stunned.
I have noticed that in him several times. She has been vomiting more and more this past week, she also often says that she is okay so I am reassured. I knew Annika was sick, but only now did she vomit like that just in case it was because of her illness. I stopped when I felt its kiss on my cheek.
"Morning," she sparingly greeted me in return with a kiss.
I was just quiet at that time, I monitored her movements and became more frequent in choosing food.
"Why are you quiet? Don't you have any plans to eat?"
"Ahh, I just remembered something," I lied.
"You two, stop catching cats, you don't even know how to take care of them," Annika began.
I noticed the twins frowning, their mother forbade them because apart from not knowing how to take care of them they might not be watched either. But because Adi inherited it from his mother, I know he won't follow that.
"We know," Adi defended, so Annika's eyebrow rose.
"Wise? Why are you beating me? You're still pulling the tail."
"Eh, because they're naughty mama. You too, we get beaten up when we're naughty, then you pull our ears. Isn't that right Dan?" Its tapping on its twin to nod.
I couldn't help but laugh especially Gale. Add to that Adi's humiliation of his mother. I can't do anything, because Adi inherited from him from the beginning. Only Adison. Good and just him.
That morning ended with Annika's hot head. After I take them to school, we then go straight to the mansion, maybe I'll just talk to a client there. Even though we weren't even in the most it looked like the others were there because of the vehicles.
"Grandma! Grandpa!"
"Oh my god! They're here!"
The two children quickly ran closer to mommy. Others stopped what they were doing especially Lucas who even smiled at me.
"No work Zeke? You have a meeting with Sir Vladimir, ah," Lucas said then I sat down next to mommy.
"He step back. Let it go, there are many more clients there," I said with a smile and then leaned on the sofa.
It's unfortunate. Especially since I need a client now and I've been waiting a few months. Just a little bit, I might lose my job.
"Just tell me if you want, I'll give you Ms. Clara—"
"No, Thank you," I snapped at Lucas as Adi was staring at me.
I might report to Annika. I decided to go for a walk first. I left the two children with their grandparents. I can't help but smile especially here that Annika and I grew up.
This is where it all started with us, this is where I first saw her get hurt when I introduced the woman I thought would help me to forget her. I witnessed how she would cool down and get away from this house. She showed bad habits because she knew that way, no one would love her. But she's totally wrong.
There I proved more to myself how much I loved her. How much I accept being like her. It's hard, yes, but she just doesn't know how happy I am every time I tame a lion.
Annika doesn't know how grateful I am because God gave her to me. I stopped walking when I came across a room where I had been staying with four people. By the time I left Annika and that was why she got even stronger. I couldn't help but smirk when she told me that I had almost removed the machine from my body. She didn't have any money then and they, mommy, also convinced her to just remove that device.
Not until her booksigning came. That plan failed, and I woke up that very day. Her birthday. I am very lucky. So in my second life I never wasted the opportunity. I married her in front of people who had witnessed my husband's suffering. I married the woman who trusted me.
My eyes hit the thick book, widowedt in black cover and many wishing lanterns. Our story that was she wrote for almost five years. He wrote that when we were in Thailand. He made the story the title I gave him.
Everything was there, how we started, until we moved on to new life. Even in the book she made, I was alive. She revived me in the book itself even though she was losing hope of waking me up. I immediately wiped my eyes from the accumulated tears. I was about to go to my old room when suddenly my cell phone rang. Annika.
"Love? You were called?"
[Can you pick me up now? Please?] I cringed because of its weak voice.
"All right. Wait for me there. I love you."
I hurried downstairs and then caught sight of two children playing with the cat scattered in the mansion. "Adi? Dan? You're just here first, a. I'm just going to mama," I said to them which immediately surprised them.
"You're leaving us again." Adi then bites the apple.
"I'll be back. Mom, you take care of them first."
"O-Okay. Take care." I immediately exited the mansion and sped off driving.
As much as possible I calm myself down because this is exactly what happened before. It was so close that in less than fifteen minutes I saw her at the school gate. I was about to get out when she immediately got into the car as if she was fainting.
"Are you okay? Are you dizzy again?" I asked as she nodded.
"Yeah. Diret— where are the twins?" she asked looking back.
"It's in the mansion I left. Where are we?"
"At home. I want to rest," she said softly so I immediately drove off.
I can't be bothered with her actions. I wanted to take her to the hospital but she was fighting me. She was not even able to take medicine. Arriving home I let it rest in the bedroom. A few hours later I picked up Gale and his siblings.
"Dad! Mom!" I quickly stood up on the sofa because of Adi's voice rushing down the stairs.
"A-Adi, what happened?"
"Mama said she want coffee."
I thought it was something!
"Why do you have to shout?" Gale asked laughing holding the broom.
"Because when I whisper, papa can't hear," he replied so Gale and I were both stunned.
I could do nothing but brew coffee, even at night she had nothing left. I found it sitting on the sofa while wiping the back of the two twins. Gale was just sitting next to it. Adison quickly sat down next to his mother and glared at me. He knew I would take that seat.
"Come on, you two go to sleep."
"No, it's too early," Aidan replied, hugging his mother immediately.
"You just want to be next to mama, e. Then you'll kiss her again. Then you'll fight. Just over and over again," he continued to insult us so I sat opposite the sofa.
"I'll take care of you from next week. You won't see me at school either," Annika said looking at her children.
Annika's voice was more dominant than we were watching. Sometimes I looked at her and at the papers I was holding. Her three sons looked at her looking surprised as well.
"Why? It's almost the end of your school year. Plus the school foundation event," Gale said.
"Yeah. I'll just fix the kids grade doneI will not enter. Oh! Before I forgot, Ms. Montano told me that your grade dropped in Science, not a big deal for me but that was one of the major subjects, why did that happen? Did you miss something?" Aidan sat down next to Gale, while Annika was busy putting on Adison's dress.
"That's it. My project was ruined so it wasn't passed." It was pointing to Adi whose eyes widened.
"Because, that fish! They shouldn't be hanging, they should be swimming. So I put water on them."
"Your box is broken. That's why I wrapped it in blue to pretend to be water."
"It's not water, it's paper! Blue paper!"
"Stop! Very noisy!" Annika's rebuke caused them to stop.
I won't wonder why Annika looks older because of Adi. Aidan just laughed at the end of the sofa as he sipped his mother's coffee. The children went upstairs, Annika left us in the living room where she was finishing what needed to be finished. I was about to put it aside when my boss suddenly texted.
[Mr. Roux. I cleaned your office. I've removed your belongings there. I moved you next to my office. I want to promote you as the Head Engineer of our team. Lots of work waiting for you right away. So sleep soundly. See you tomorrow, I will introduce you to Mr. Smith, your big time client.]
"Shit!" I smiled and then ran to Annika.
I couldn't stop hugging her and repeatedly kissing her cheek.
"Hmm? What's that smile? Do you know what I should say?" its question that amazed me.
"What's that? You haven't even told me yet."
"You go first," she said laughing.
"Honey? I'm already a Head Engineer at the company I work for," I smiled as I pinched his cheek.
"Maybe it's just a prank, you know your boss is joking—"
"No. That's true. I'll have a client tomorrow." I kissed it happily and he returned it.
More money is earned especially if there is a client. So I don't quite think that my problem this past month has been repaid twice as much.
"And I'm leaving work," she whispered, causing me to stop.
"It's okay. It's also okay that you have the kids with you. Those two kids are upset because you're always away," he complained with a laugh.
"Who said that?"
"Your eldest. I already doubt if Gale is really the eldest or Adison."
We both laughed because of that. I know she pays attention too but she just keeps quiet. It lay on my chest and voluntarily hugged me. I kissed her forehead and placed my chin on her head.
"It looks like they'll be even more jealous when they finds out I have a baby in my womb," she whispered then tightened her grip on me.
My eyes widened spontaneously because of what she said. I was stunned for a few more minutes before I felt a long object she squeezed into my hand. A pt. There are two drawings. Possitive.
"A-Are you pregnant?" I asked with a smile but she answered with a deep kiss.
"This will be the last, Zeke. No matter how much you ask your child to be a woman, but if it's a boy, this will be the last." She glared at me and went back to what she was doing.
I could do nothing but hug her. I have nothing to say today. I'm getting too much now. Not kor to avoid tears especially since I only asked for a simple life then. With so much to come, she was the most simple and important.