One More Chance novel Chapter 70

~~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-

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"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?"

I first heard her sigh before her answer.

"Because I really want to stay here, mom. I want to stay with grandma, grandpa, uncle Dave and of course, I want to be with daddy."

"Hmm..." I said nodding, but deep inside I was holding my breath as I didn't expect her to ask that question.

"I also want to study here, mommy."

"Okay, but how about your friends in New York, are you gonna leave them? You can't be able to see them every day when you stay here."

"I know, but we can still call each other as we promised before the end of the school year."

"Oh..." I opened my mouth, but unfortunately, no words came out. It seems that she really has decided to stay here. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes, mommy, please?"

"Okay, 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 together."

She happily nodded and ran to the bathroom.

I wonder if that decision has something to do with her father. I just hope it's not.

* * *

Two weeks...

Two weeks have passed and there's a lot of things has happened within those weeks.

Jack flew back to San Francisco and has a bunch of documents that needed my signature and that when my brother found out she's back, he suddenly decided to 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 worse is that he's using Cali. And every time he does that, every time I saw him, I couldn't explain why the anger arises again inside me.

But the happenings weren't just ended there because it's not just once but twice that I had encountered Cherry.

A little flashback:

"Oh, am just seeing things?"

That was the first line that came out of her mouth when she walked into the boutique where I was. It was exactly three days after Luke had joined us to watch a movie and spent time with Cali.

Almost all the customers inside were stopped from what they were doing when she walked in, not because she's a model but because of her dress, which has a plunging neckline and literally short that leaves a little to the imagination. And because she feels famous... or should I say she feels really proud of herself, she didn't even realize that the people around were looking at her with a different expression on their faces, but most of them have changed from surprise to sour.

"So it's true, you're back." She added raising her fake eyebrows.

But instead 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 the boutique.