Whispers Turn to Whimpers: Could He Ever Change?

"There you go, good boy."

Sylvia quickly instructed the housekeeper, "Hurry, prepare the medicine again!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Here, give it to him!" Sylvia carried the medicine over to Francis.

Francis coaxed and fed James, who was very cooperative and didn't make a fuss.

"Oh dear..." Sylvia felt a twinge of envy, smiling, "Dad's always the best, huh? I couldn't do the trick."

James' cheeks were flushed as he clung to Francis' hand.

Sylvia, sensing the moment, said, "Daddy's back now, James. You have a good time with dad, and we'll leave you two."

She left with the housekeeper, smiling.

By the bedside, Francis watched over James, applying a new fever patch.

"Daddy..." James' voice was hoarse from the fever, "Are you my real daddy?"

Huh? Francis paused for a second, then quickly understood what James meant. He nodded affirmatively, "Yes, daddy is your real daddy, your very own."

Hearing this, James' lips quivered, and tears started falling.

He was young, but not naive. He understood what that meant.

Sobbing, he asked, "Then, daddy, where's my mommy?"

Pausing, he added, "Not the auntie, I mean, my real mommy, the one who gave birth to me?"

"

loss for words...

his mom was, but their relationship wasn't exactly

"Daddy."

his imagination wander, "Is my mommy... is she dead? Not in this

didn't even have to think before he

much alive! Perhaps not in the best

James' little mouth puckered again, "Does mommy not like

son's thought process, "Why would

"It must

true!" James' tears

the picture of

doesn't like James.

to

Content

pouty rear to his dad

lips parted, wanting to say something but stopping

he supposed to comfort

like James? He

say every mother

had a complicated relationship. Rebecca hadn't wanted James... After James was born, she left him... Probably, maybe, indeed... she

James.

It was his fault.

was probably an existence Rebecca wished to forget

bed, James, still upset, eventually drifted

then tucked

Little James murmured, "Mommy,