One More Chance by Jaycelle Rodriguez

Chapter 34: Breakfast Together

~~~Everything I know about love, I learned from you and everything I know about pain, I learned from you. But the most important thing you ever gave me was the one that hurt the most. So thank you for the broken heart and thank you for the permanent scar, 'cause if it wasn't from you, I might forget how it feels to let go and how it feels to get a brand new start...~~~

-J Rice-

"Good morning, mommy."

I opened my eyes only to see my daughter who had the brightest smile on her face.

"Good morning." I got up and kissed her on the cheeks. I also checked the time from the mango-shaped wall clock that's hanging above the television set and I couldn't help but sigh and smile at the same time. It's only 7:30 am... San Francisco time.

My mom told Jack and me to stay and sleep in the house last night and she'll just ask the driver to get our things from Jack's apartment. And as usual, Jack initially refused as she thought of seeing my brother would lose her insanity... but when mom told her that he no longer stays in the mansion, she excitedly agreed. She used the guest room which was right next to my room while Cali slept with me.

"Breakfast is ready, mom and we're all just waiting for you."

"Ohh... yeah."

I slapped my forehead. I almost forgot that in this house, we should all get up by 7:00 and eat breakfast before 8:00.

"Uhm... why don't you go first and I'll follow you when I'm done changing my sleepwear?"

"Okay." She nodded. And I noticed her hair was already wet.

"Honey, have you already bathed?"

"Yes, mommy." Her smile almost reached her ears as she tried to curl up her hair using her tiny fingers. "And daddy helped me find this dress earlier."

That made me frown.

"W-What? Who helped you to find that dress?" I asked her again as I wasn't sure what I had heard.

"Daddy." She shrugged. "He does it every day before going to work and sometimes he let me go with him to his office and play games on his computer." She beamed upon mentioning the word 'games'.

But that's not what made me stop.

"If your daddy helped you find your dress, does that mean he came here early?"

just woke up

"But that's the same."

because he slept here. He used the other

and he still has good communication with our family, well, of course, apart from the fact that our parents were

to do my morning routine and changed my clothes into something comfortable. And when I say 'comfortable', of course, it's based on my taste preference... white maong shorts and beige spaghetti-strap for the top.

asked me instead of

rolling my eyes but

me and I didn't wait

"I missed you, mom."

me back. "We

I thought the breakfast was ready? Cali told me that

we're still preparing and it was who asked her to tell you because

I've changed, mom." I said taking the glass of juice from her hands and winked to

my daughter's voice and I turned around only to be surprised seeing her holding her father's hand as she

the wooden chair, but since it's too heavy for her age, Luke helped

to my mother with furrowed eyebrows. I thought he was

me this morning, but

he's having breakfast with us today, including your brother." "Dale

mom could answer, Dale

here. Good morning, ladies." He hugged me and mom before giving us a loud kiss on the forehead. "And of course, to you, weirdo." He

on me, but I pretended to be oblivious of it. I was about to take a seat when Cali pulled me to sit next to her father.

when he looked at me. I also noticed the way he tightened his jaws, but instead of being

wrong

clothes, because if I would look back from four years ago, I always wore pants and pajamas and he never saw me wears shorts like this.

eat." I smiled when I heard

She was sitting across my seat and her eyes have the looks that silently telling me 'huh! let's see if you can prove your words that you're

***

done eating when my phone vibrated on the table

daughter as she squealed excitedly and she asked

smiled and placed the phone in front of her, but I didn't know

somewhat surprised as he was expecting to hear my

just bit my lip as everyone suddenly stopped moving and started listening to the unexpected

fine. I asked mommy if I could