One More Chance by Jaycelle Rodriguez

Chapter 70: Don't underestimate what I can do!

~~All my windows still are broken but I'm standing on my feet. You can take everything I have. You can break everything I am like I'm made of glass, like I'm made of paper. Go on and try to tears me down, I will be rising from the ground like a skyscraper, like a

skyscraper.~~~

-Demi Lovato-

"I'm so sorry, mommy," Cali said for the third time. She wasn't looking at me but at her hands resting on her lap.

We were in my room and I waited for her to wake up the next morning because I wanted to talk to her what happened yesterday.

"I wasn't mad that your dad gave you a phone and you talked to him even though I don't know, but I was disappointed you didn't inform me that you also invited him to our supposed to be mother and daughter date yesterday."

I paused and knelt in front of her as I held both her hands.

"Cali, baby, I'm not against if you really want to be with your dad, spend time with him or if you want to stay with him, but I just want you to tell me everything and not like what happened yesterday. I wasn't expecting to see him in the fast-food because you told me you wanted to watch a movie with me."

"I'm sorry, mommy."

"You can ask me anything you want, baby and I'll try to give it to you, but I want you to be always honest with me."

"Yes, mommy."

"No more secrets."

"Hmm." She nodded. "No more secrets."

I smiled and pulled her into a tight hug. I have already explained to her everything that happened between me and her father. I had to do it because I don't want her to grow up having questions in her head about why her parents were living separately and why she doesn't have a complete family like her classmates and friends.

She was too young then when I started to tell her all those things and thanks to Jack and the rest of my family for helping her understand the situation. I know it wasn't easy for a child not to wish or dream of having both parents on her side, but she eventually adjusted and got used to seeing her father only by a video call or hearing his voice on the phone.

I stood up and sat in front of my makeup stand, ready to apply my moisturizing cream.

"Mom, are we going back to New York?"

That question stopped me from what I was about to do and turned to her.

"Are we going to live in New York again?"

"Why do ask, baby, I mean, why do you suddenly ask that question?"

her sigh

here, mom. I want to stay with grandma, grandpa,

deep inside I was holding my

to study here,

New York, are you gonna leave them? You can't be able to see

as we promised

my mouth, but unfortunately, no words came out. It seems that she really has

but let me think about first, huh? For now, you should go to the bathroom and do your morning routine, so we can have breakfast

something to do with her

***

Two weeks...

passed and there's a lot of

stay in my parents' house where Jack was staying--- and the chaos between the two started, again. And about Luke, well, he comes to the house almost every day, twice a day having a single alibi to my parents that he was just visiting his daughter, but the truth is that he was bothering me. Honestly, I had already forgotten how many times I slapped him with the truth that I've already moved on from him and he was no longer a part of my life, but he kept pushing himself to talk to me and what

A little flashback:

am just

that came out of her mouth when she walked into the boutique where I was. It was exactly three

or should I say she

of talking back, I chose to ignore her and pretended I didn't notice her or didn't hear what she said. I turned to the rack of evening gowns to avoid making a fuss inside

me and drew the

give

I couldn't help the annoyance that crept in me. Didn't she know how

she disappeared from our sight,

love to shop? Well, Luke always

the cocktail dresses on the next rack. But I don't

so lucky as he came back into

fists in annoyance when she emphasized the word 'back'. I really wanted to shout in her face, 'he came back to you because you stole him from me and he let himself be stolen by you,

was about to go back to the rack of the evening gowns but she stopped

deaf? Didn't you hear

I sighed loudly and turned

are you talking to me?" I asked, pretended to

named Samantha

you ask them one by one to find out if there's anyone here who has a name

She whispered-yelled but I

just one of the names that suit you and your

"How dare you!"

as far as I can remember, we're not close even then, so don't talk to me as I will do the same, plus my mother taught me not to talk to strangers." I gave her a satisfying