ANGELS' HAVEN

HE HAD JUST gone fishing for about two hours but when he came back, Zoe is nowhere to be found in the house.

After Hans cleaned the fishes he caught, his arranged wife still didn't show up and it confused him. He silently went upstairs and stood outside the master's bedroom where Zoe is staying.

It should be the room of the both of them but he doesn't want to stay inside a contained space alone with that woman.

This is what he believes.

Walking closer to the door, Hans listened inside the room but there is no sign of any human presence. He knew it since he was trained to use his senses to its maximum ability.

He suddenly felt the same emotion he experienced last night during the attack.

It wasn't a new emotion but one that was buried a long time ago yet it resurfaced because of the incident last night.

Is he worried with her again?

That could not be happening. It's impossible.

He is worried, but not with her.

It is about what his parents and the Quinn family will say and do if they found out that he let Zoe be in danger. They would probably question Hans' capability as her husband. Even if he was forced to it, he still held responsibility of her.

Yes, that is the reason of his anxiousness and not because of that woman!

Deciding to search for her outside, Hans went down only to be bumped with Uncle Herman who just parked the car.

Then it gave him the realization. How could he be so mindless to not check the cars if she had gone somewhere.

Hans used the backdoor to get inside the house after fishing so he didn't saw the space in the garage and he also didn't bother to ask Dhalia and Herman since weekends are their rest days.

"Uncle, where have you been?"

Uncle Herman was slightly shocked when Hans spoke. He didn't notice him at the door.

"Oh, I just brought Miss Zoe at the city, Hans," Herman answered with a smile.

"I apologize to bother you in your rest day, Uncle."

Herman chuckled and waved his hand in front of Hans, "No, no, don't worry Hans. Your wife is precious and fun to be with. I hope you take good care of her."

Hans just nodded since he doesn't know what to answer. So he changed the topic.

"May I know where did she went, Uncle?"

"It was at the Angels' Haven. She asked me to pick her up later at the evening."

Hans nodded, "Thank you, Uncle. Enjoy your rest day now."

Herman smiled at him and went back to their house to spend time with his Dhalia.

Hans on the other hand, stayed still on the entrance of the house, his thoughts wandering.

***

"... and they lived happily ever after."

Zoe and the kids were sitting on a wide blanket laid on the green lawn under the shade of the big tree. It was already past noon but the sun was hidden behind the white thick clouds.

Today has a nice weather to bring the kids outside and breathe some fresh air.

"Mami, I also want to be Rapunzel. I like to have a beautiful long hair," a sweet voice spoke after Zoe finished reading the story Tangled.

Zoe felt her heart ache for the child, smiling softly she answered, "I believe Denyse will have a beautiful long hair when she gets healthier."

The little girl smiled widely, making her chubby cheeks even more fluffy, "I promise Mami to beat my illness and get healthy to have beautiful long hair!"

"Very good, Denyse!" Zoe grinned and gently pinched the child's cheeks which made her giggled.

Denyse Howl, a five-year old little girl, was diagnosed with stage II Non-hodgkin's Lymphoma. Even suffering such disease, she's still the most cheerful and talkative child in the group. Zoe always admired the positive outlook of this child despite having a cancer in such an early age.

Zoe knows very well why Denyse wanted to have a long hair. It is because she lost all of her hair after having chemotherapy for her treatment.

It always breaks her heart seeing children deprive of the things they wanted because of illness.

"If Denyse wanted to be Rapunzel, I will be Flynn Rider..."

Marcus Walter sitting beside Zoe quietly said, it was almost a whisper but she heard it. It seems that the others didn't heard anything as they continued to discuss what they wanted to be like in the story.

Zoe smiled and stroked Marcus' soft hair.

The pretty little boy looked up at Zoe with his round green eyes, "Mami?"

"Why do you want to be Flynn Rider, Marcus?"

Marcus was stunned at Zoe's question.

'Did Mami heard what I just said?'

The little Marcus averted his gaze from somewhere and the tips of his ears turned red.

"Because... I like... because I want to help someone in trouble!",  he reasoned out without looking at Zoe.

"Wow! That's nice of you Marcus!"

Zoe chuckled softly seeing Marcus being embarrassed. She noticed that Marcus has a secret crush at Denyse but she didn't dare to mention it.

She just let these children understand their feelings.

Marcus, on the other hand, has a congenital heart disease. He is six years old and just recently, it was discovered that his heart has a hole. They were already waiting for his operation next week and also prepare Marcus physically and mentally.

"You can be whoever you want! But me, I just want to marry Mami when I grow up!" Vegas Silvestre, the naughty kid, stood up and announced to them confidently with his little hands on his waist.

"But Mami will be old when that time comes. If this day, Mami is twenty five years old and you are only five years old, meaning there are twenty years gap. If you choose to marry at the age of twenty, then Mami will be fourty. Do you understand that?" Phoenix Martin explained calmly while looking at his tablet, his small round eyeglasses resting on his cute little nose bridge.

"I didn't understand a thing except the word marry and I will definitely marry Mami!" Vegas pouted and glared at Phoenix whose eyes are still fixed on his tablet.

"I always let you borrow my tablet so that you can learn Math, but all you did is download a game and play until my tablet is out of battery."

"Math is boring and your tablet is boring too, that's why I download games!"

Zoe couldn't help but to laugh as she watched the two little gentlemen bicker cutely. Vegas was already fuming mad while Phoenix just sit there, relaxed and unbothered.

The two were both five years old and both have Diabetes. Vegas has Type 2 diabetes yet he is still an energetic and playful child. The calm and smart kid, Phoenix, has type 1 diabetes and everyday he takes insulin shots.

Zoe couldn't imagine the pain they suffered whenever they always have injections.

"Mami, like Rapunzel, I also want to see the outside world..."

An eight-year old girl in a wheelchair spoke weakly while hugging her Mickey mouse plushie, her face as pale as a paper.

Megan Hill, has the worst situation among the others. She was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia and it was already fatal.

She came from an unwealthy family and they sent Megan to the hospital too late. The cancer quickly spread all over her body and is already difficult to treat. They still do their best to treat Megan to give her a longer life.

There is still hope as long as Megan keeps on fighting.

"Don't worry Megan," Zoe reached the girl's hand, "if you will get stronger until the end of the month, Mami will bring you all to the Disneyland!"

"Yehey! Disneyland!" The other children cheered excitedly.

"Sister Megan, you should get healthy so that we can all go to the Disneyland!" A six-year old girl Rhian, approached Megan and hugged her gently.

Curving her pale, dry lips into a small smile, Megan said, "I will, for all of us."

Zoe's eyes welled up but she didn't let herself cry. Looking at these beautiful children, all she wished is to see them smile and be cured.

How could be a child live this way? They should be out there, playing and enjoying their childhood. They should not be weakly lying on the bed, being on a wheelchair and going to intense treatment everyday.

They are too young and innocent to suffer such cruel and difficult life.

"Kids, it's time for afternoon nap and let your Mami rest for a while."

Nurse Wendy, who's standing beside said and started to hand out their small pillows. Since the weather is good, they wanted to sleep under the cool shade of the tree.

"Yes, take a nap and we'll play again when you wake up," Zoe helped the kids lay on the blanket and kissed their foreheads.

Those who are in a wheelchair was brought back by the other volunteers inside so they could rest well.

"Little Phoenix, you don't want to sleep?" Zoe asked as she saw the child still sitting while the others are already in their deep sleep.

Phoenix shook his head adorably, "No, Mami. I am not sleepy. I will just watch some news."

"Okay, but don't stay too long in facing your tablet and give your eyes a rest."

Phoenix stood up and gave Zoe a hug.

"Yes, Mami, and I will look after my siblings. You go have a rest too, Mami."

Zoe smiled and kissed the little guy's forehead.

Phoenix may seem an aloof child when he's with the others, but deep down, he is very sweet and caring towards his siblings.

"Thank you, little Phoenix."

"Mami, I am not little anymore. I'm big already," Phoenix pouted.

So cute.

"Ehh, you're still my little baby. All of you are my little babies and I love you all."

Phoenix' face turned serious and he looked at Zoe, "I love Mami and my siblings too. Phoenix will not get tired of having insulin shots everyday as long as I can be with all of you forever."

The sadness and determination in Phoenix' voice struck the depths of Zoe's heart. It was like breaking her heart into pieces.

Zoe swallowed the lump on her throat and hugged Phoenix tightly, "You are so brave, little Phoenix. I promise Mami will always be by your side to help you."

"Thank you, Mami."

After holding Phoenix for a minute, Zoe's aching heart calmed down a bit. She let go of the hug and helped him sit down on the blanket. She checked the other sleeping children and left Phoenix some few reminders before leaving.

Zoe saw Nurse Wendy waiting for her at the nearby bench so she walked towards her. The nurse in her late 30s was wearing her clean light blue nurse outfit which appeared refreshing to the eyes.

"Nurse Wendy, sorry to keep you waiting."

The nurse smiled, "No problem Miss Zoe. I understand how much you missed each other."