Chapter 3 - The Interrogation

"But he introduced himself to be your daughter's biological father."

"What!?" She was in dazed as she was really flabbergasted.

As she was in a queau, the customer next to her tapped her shoulder telling her that it was her turn to pay. It was only then that she went back to her composure. Not one among the people in that grocery section noticed that she was in turmoil.

She arrived in her apartment safe and sound despite her dilemma how to avoid that man who was hunting her. Would she tell her mother about it? What about her baby? Would he take her away from her? How did he know her identity? How did he get the information that she had a baby? Why was he so sure that he was her baby's biological father when the physician assured her of a hundred five percent confidentiality?

She was really a thousand times in distraught on the sudden appearance of a man claiming to be the father of her baby when she had no contact to any of her opposite sex on or before her pregnancy. Even at this point after her baby was born, he had never attempted to be in contact with a man... even once.. How much more twice, thrice and many more?

Because of her perturbation she was unable to tutor her daughter. Educational learning fun with her child was totally out of her mind in that early evening upon her arrival from her workplace.

It was really irksome that a man would just sprout like a mushroom from somewhere and claim to be my child's biological father. Would I agree for a DNA test? What if it would be positive?

What would I do, now? Tomorrow I should go to Dr. Stevenson Domalaon to ask him about this matter.

That same evening before going to sleep, she called her boss telling him that she would be absent the following morning as she had something personal matter to attend to.

At dawn she was already awake as she was going to tell her mother about her problem. It is not good to keep her mother in the dark regarding her daughter's father.

While her baby was still asleep, she related to her mother how she became pregnant with her baby girl.

"When you decided to undergo pregnancy, you didn't bother to ask whose seed was to be in zygote with yours?"

"I did but Doctor Stevenson told me that the Donor requested to keep his identity. Much as I was also disinterested to know him, I did not insist."

"Do you think it was safe to have accepted it as there are so many kind of diseases that can be transmitted with you and my grandchild?"

"He showed me the laboratory tests. It was hundred five percent healthy."

"So, What is your decision.. now.. that... a certain man was trying to claim as our baby's biological father?"

"I would be going to the hospital to talk to Doctor Stevenson. I have rung her medical secretary to give me a slot to talk to him later. I also told my boss by phone that I would be absent today."

"I just hope you wouldn't be meeting that man in the hospital where you are going to ask that unreliable physician." Her mother ended their conversation whose voice sounded to be mad that she was just trying to control. Like Splash, her daughter, she was also afraid that her mestiza grand daughter might be taken away from her. Her grand daughter was her dream came true. "And who was that man who dared to chase her daughter and her grand child away from her?" She thought nervously.

At 9:00 o'clock in that morning she arrived in the hospital and was luckily given the first slot of an appointment with the doctor.

" Good morning, doc."Splash greeted politely.

" Oh, hello. How are you and your child? "

"We're fine. We were living peacefully until yesterday early evening had you not given away my identity to a man who was suddenly claiming to be my child's father."Then she continued without giving the physician a chance to talk.

" You assured me before our agreement that there was a hundred five percent confidentiality about my identity as well as my child's birth. But with this man who has started pestering me since last night... I am thrillion times certain that the confidentiality you assured me more than three years ago was not at all true."

" Ms Peace, please accept my apology." Doctor Stevenson humbly accepted his mistake. Before she could talked back, the physian continued his explanation.

" I was threatened by him if I wouldn't give him an access with you. The truth is... Until now he didn't know your identity.. I just gave him your contact number... That made me pray to have been changed to a new contact number since three years were quite a long time."

" What excuse would you tell me, doctor, that he went to my workplace yesterday afternoon? I was lucky enough that I was no longer in the office? "

"Did he?" He asked with a facial expression showing remorse of conscience... Tongue tied... Then after a moment... he said... "Maybe your identity was found by him through the social media." He sounded to be talking more to himself rather than talking to Ms. Peace who was seated in front of his desk.

"What do you think I shall do now? Suppose he's going to get my child?" She was really so irritated asking these questions.

"He could not just do that. Where was he during those three years? If he was really interested, he could have done the threatening three years ago so he could have supported you morally, emotionally, physically and financially." Doctor Stevenson said quite exasperated with the man.

Again, Splash asked the doctor." What should I do? Should I talk to him? Should I tell my daughter about him whom I never knew even a bit about his personality except for the healthy seed he donated to me?"

At that moment, both of them were in a hot water. They seemed to be victims of an abrupt volcanic eruption who had to look for a very safe place for their evacuation. But like a prediction, no one can hide from a third world war, if it happens, and may God's power intervene against it, since a fatal chemical would be scattered in the atmosphere once it would be pressed for activation. With the will power of that man, they had nowhere to hide.

Her Interrogation with the doctor who was responsible for her IVF - In Vitro Fertilization implanted in her uterus was fruitless. Only her immediate family could help her.

Never would it crossed in her mind that this kind of problem would crop up. Never would she thought to be hunted by her baby's biological father, though she was still hoping that a DNA result could be negative, if the need arises. Never would she expect that someone might be fighting against her over the custody of her child.

All those thoughts had never alighted on in her mind. She could not have the alibi of saying that "She would cross the bridge When she would be there." because at this time she was approaching really very near the bridge where she would about to cross.

She was not in her work place. She did nothing but she seemed worn out of heavy work, she seemed to be pressured with her duty to be done on due date in rush hour. She seemed to be between two rocks with only a minute gap.... the only means for her to get out from a very dark cave. She seemed to be at the dead end of a road where she could no longer go on walking as the man was trying to trod her dignity as a woman... as a single mother.... as an only daughter of her parents.

She wanted to cry, but no tears roll from her eyes. She wanted to be enraged to breathe out her wrath but to whom would she address it?

Cling! An idea came into her brain. She remembered what her late grandfather would always tell them: An impatient, impulsive and furious person never wins.

I should remain cool. According to the teenagers as of this era... "just chill". And so be it. And I would have just to wait.

Meanwhile, at the office where Ms. Peace was working, the man appeared again. He was looking for his child's mother. Everybody was stupefied as Ms. Peace had never once told them about her child's father. Much as they tried to bluff her, to trick her, to ridicule her about it, her mouth remained shut. Each of them were really tempted to admire how cool she was about her being a mother without giving them even a hint why she became a mother without relating to them a man in her life.

She was really excellent in keeping her secret. Finally, her secret was divulged by the sudden self- introduction of this man.

"I am the biological father of her child." He claimed with self-confidence.

"You mean... You were her boyfriend?" One of Ms. Peace's fellow worker asked him.

"No, the truth was... we had never met... not even once." The man said truthfully.

Everyone was shocked, mouth agaped with incredulity. Then a choral inquiry was heard:

"How come that you and Ms. Peace had a child?"

"I shall only tell you if you can tell me all about her since I am planning to wooe her for our child." The man revealed his plan.