18| Motherhood

Dinner was splendid. Thanks to Belinda with her magic cooking hands. She made for us a delicious delicacy I've never tasted in my entire life.

Zürich's favorite. Raclette with Gschwellti"( steamed potatoes), Cheese fondue, Rösti and Zuger Kirschtorte which tasted more like a dessert.

I remember grandma shamelessly asking her the secret ingredients in front of everyone before dinner ended. Dexter was so nice to invite Belinda to join us for dinner.

He is so generous. Not everyone allows their staffs or employees to dine with them on the same table. Especially, when there's no relation. Yet, he took Belinda like part of a family member. Maybe because she had watched him grown from a baby to a well-built adult.

It was surprising to see how mannerless my kids were at the dinning table. They acted like they've lost their table manners and how to behave. You won't believe Billy eating more than two plates and Becca finishing almost all the dessert while Bella...that one's potion is always countless. She eats like a baby elephant. Or even, a baby monster.

I know they have no eating limit back there in NY, especially Bella who wakes up at midnight to crave for food. But getting to Swiss, it turned worse.

And now, it's bedtime.

Everyone has already dismissed to their various introduced bedrooms of peace. I can't believe this luxury loft has about eight big rooms. It never seemed so to me when I first came in but now, it sure is.

Belinda showed my family their rooms. Mom and stepdad Carlos cling to one room because they're married couples. Grandma took one, Shawn did, while I took one for just I and my kids.

Though, Belinda said her boss would be so mad at her if he finds out that I and my kids are squatting in one room when there are empty others waiting to be filled. But as a frugal woman who knows how to manage things, I insisted in sharing one room with my kids.

I mean, what is it?

It's just I and my kids, only. No intruder except someone barging in without knocking.

The bed is massive enough to contain four but the room has two king-sized bed and I begin to assume the other rooms does too.

After taking a cold shower, I changed into one of the light clothes I found in my luggage. By tomorrow, I hope I have the strength and energy to hang them in the wardrobe in the closet because right now, I'm exhausted.

Becca never baths without inviting her little sister, Bella to shower with her. Those two ended up, bursting my eardrums with Miley Cyrus song named 'MIDNIGHT SKY.' Billy is an adult child. That's how I see my son. My first fruit. My charming prince of peace. After bathing, he changed into his favorite pajamas and went to bed peacefully. I allowed him to take one king-sized bed, while I, Becca and Bella, shared the other for ourselves.

After covering Billy with the thick and heavy white duvet covers, I did the same to my daughters, kissing my kids foreheads, I wished them a beautiful night and sweet dreams.

Hehehe. Do you think Isabella would listen to that? If anyone is up awake at 1am till the next morning like a vigilante, it'd be Isabella.

"What is it now, honey?" I groaned when she refused to sleep, sitting on the bed as she muffles fake tears in her eyes. "Okay, go to sleep, it's too early to experience nightmares." A wide yawn escapes my mouth.

"Why is daddy not here?"

Blood of Zachariah.

(☉｡☉)!

I sat up instantly. The sleeps cleared outta my eyes and now, seriousness has enveloped me. Why must this girl reminds me of that man? I was already happy forgetting that I once married a beast in the past but this girl is dragging it to the present, making me scared of the future.

"Your father is not coming, Bella, now go to sleep." I don't want to give her false hopes. The earlier she knows, the better for us all.

"No, no, no, I want to see daddy. I want to see daddy." She grumbled. "I want to see—"

"Stop!" I yelled at her, startling her. "Now, shut up and go to sleep. Your daddy is not coming and you're not gonna see him again, period! Did you get that?!"

Oh, maybe that question was meant for me.

Behold, before my eyes, Isabella bursted into a loud cry, waking her siblings up and I guess the entire neighborhood too.

As a harsh mother that doesn't take shit, I stood up and threatened her with my slipper. I don't pamper kids. Wether they're mine or not. My mother disciplined me, so I'll discipline my kids too.

"One more word from you and your face will go black and blue with the help of this slipper." I threatened her, but she increased the pitch even more.

What kinda attitude is this?

"Mom, please shut her up, I wanna get some sleep." Billy rubbed his eyes and fell back to his sleeping duty.

Meanwhile, Becca got up and was sleep-walking again. Her father hates this type of habits. He usually puts the blame on me whenever he caught her roaming around with eyes firmly closed.

I quickly grab hold of her before she cross the door to the walk-in closet. Now, she's finally back to sleep but Isabella won't.

She's still wailing as if I just gave birth to her today.

Suddenly, a knock appeared on the door. With all the frustration rested on me, I snap at the so-called-whosoever-it-was.

The doorknob twisted, pushing the door open and the 'so-called-whosoever-it-was' person happened to be Dexter.

"OMG," He rushed towards Bella, trying to soothe her. The only thing I now hear from Bella is an automatic fullstop and hiccups which means end point of crying. "Why is she crying?" He asked before looking at me.

I don't knowm I seriously have no idea because all my mind could daze into right now is this image am seeing right in front of me. Does Dexter go to bed shirtless with only beige pajamas trouser?

He was only on Brown–white Men's Beige Plaid Fleece Pajama trouser, exposing his eight packs abs and muscular brawly body. His muscles flexed as he rakes his fingers through his slinky brown hair. And I just gulped, wishing it was my fingers not his.

"Triana?" He snapped me out of my delusional daze for the second time.

"Oh my God, Dexter, when did you come here?" You can see my foolishness? "You should go back to sleep, am so sorry my daughter woke you up, please accept my apologies on her behalf and go back to bed, I promise to sort this out myself—"

"Is there a problem if I join you to sort it out? Or you'll just tell me why she was wailing?"

I paused for seconds like an angel just strolled across. Join me? I tilt my head to the side and then stood it back to it's rightful posture. Bella must be a devil's agent on her own, Lord have mercy, but how did she stopped crying all of a sudden after inviting Dexter with her cry?

"Um—" Why am I always awkward to speak? Or it's just that the words are too hard for my mouth to narrate?

"Stay with us." Isabella pointed out.

I think I felt trumpets blowing hard into my ears. I chimed in before Dexter could process anything to say. "Listen, don't mind her. She's always like this when she had nightmares—"

"It was no nightmares!" Isabella snapped. Making my eyes bug enormously. So am now a liar, right?

I was only defending myself but Isabella made it sound like a cooked up story. Today is the day I'll get to learn the full definition of motherhood.

"Then what was it, princess?" Dexter interfered. He has been addressing both Becca and Bella as princesses since we came in and I assume it's just normal.

"It's... it's..." Bella began to fidget with her fingers, keeping her face down. "I can't sleep without you coming to join us here. Mom didn't even get to read me my favorite bedtime story."

Somehow, I let out a sigh of relief. Dexter just smiled and planted a soft kiss on the top of Bella's head. "Okay, just one jungle story and you'll be off to sleep, deal or no deal?" He made his fist out, waiting for Bella's.

"Only if you promise to spend the night here with us after reading the story." She declared.

I'm tongue-tied. I can't interfere but seems like Dexter loved her speech. He chuckled, "Deal." Merging his fist with Bella's.

That night, I was too shy to tell Dexter the main truth and reasons why Isabella teared up. I hid it within myself, thinking it's not necessary. But how long would I put up with these?

I'm afraid Bella might do the same everyday. But what is so special about inviting Dexter to come share the room with us?

I understand phrases of the past which says kids do see alot but not Isabella. She might just be zigzag.

Even the animal story sound so interesting in my ears than watching Netflix. It was all about a kingdom and a wise king with the bags of wisdom. And the way he said it offhead without a book somehow seem like he has been into royalty before.

I didn't realize when I fell asleep but I'd know that, that sleep was the best sleep I've ever had in my life without taking sleeping pills in twelve years.