abcnovels
Chapter 53
Chapter 53
Chapter 53
Chapter 53 – Pass The Egg (Sky‘s POV)
Anj and I were not the only ones with three kids, but theirs were of different ages, while our children have the same age. She even has to put name tags on the girls so teachers would not get confused in calling them.
As the hosts explained, there will be games involving everyone and ones just mommy and daddy. If I did not come, I wondered who would be her partner? Would it be the guy who asked about me a while ago? He seemed to know Anj very well and looked at her like he was ready to fight, and I hate to admit, it made me feel jealous.
We sat on the floor after the two tiring relay games we had as a team, which we did not win, but as the host began to tell the next game, the three girls widened their eyes as they listened. “Mommy, Daddy,” Leyanne stood up, pulling Anj, while the two pulled my hands to stand up, leading us to the middle, wanting us to join the game involving only the mom and dad. I could see Frank scanning the area but recording us; again, it was part of Dad‘s instruction. “This is going to be a messy but fun game, mommy and daddy,” The host chuckled as she announced that the game would be Pass the Egg. I knew this game as I constantly see this as part of the team–building activity in the company, but I have never participated in one. How hard would it be?
I smiled when I saw Anj exhaling, smiling anxiously at her kids. “We will win this pumpkin!” I said, kissing her on her forehead, making the girls giggle. “Daddy, win for us!” I was sure it was Lyra Helene who shouted excitedly.
The host told everyone the mechanics of the game while the teachers gave the eggs to the mommies. Facing each other, as Anj held the egg carefully in her hand, I stole a kiss on her lips, startling her.
“You‘re making me nervous, Sky,” she whispered, blushing as she glanced at her daughters as she passed the egg to me. “Don’t make your daughters cry, Anj. We have to win this,” I teased her, doing one step backward as the host instructed. I gave the egg back to her, and I could feel how cold her hands were.
“I‘ve never played this game before, Sky,” she admitted, smiling sheepishly at me, doing another step background, and passing the egg to me. “Me, too, pumpkin,” I winked at her, wondering why I kept saying and calling her pumpkin as endearment when there were other sweeter names for husband and wife.
The crowd cheering was crazy, but I focused on the beautiful girl before me. As we moved away from each other, tossing and not passing the egg anymore was intense, especially when couples near us started dropping the egg, causing them to be eliminated from the game. I never thought how nuts this game was as my hands trembled, wanting to curse Joe, one of the dads I met, shouted from the bleacher. “Make sure to catch the egg, Anj! Don‘t split it into three.” They laughed at his joke, but I could only smile as I readied myself to pass the egg.
“I won‘t, Joe,” she shouted back. “Daddy would be in big trouble again,” she joked, making those people with us roar with laughter.
We were almost at the maximum distance when she grinned, ready to get the egg from me. I breathed out deeply, puffing out air as if taking all the air out of my lungs as I tossed the egg to her. My eyes followed the egg in the air, and just like everyone watching, it went quiet for a few seconds, and Ani‘s eyes widened as she perfectly caught the egg in her hand.
Her eyes widened, and her beautiful mouth made an O as she gaped, staring at that egg safely landed in her palms. She screamed in delight, running toward me, and I didn‘t know what got into me that I also ran in her direction, hugging her tight when she wrapped her arms around my neck
“I saved the egg, sky,” she cried as she moved slightly away from me, showing the egg in her palm.
“Good job, pumpkin,” I planted a kiss on her lips.
“You‘d better stop, Sky. It‘s your tenth kiss already,” she uttered in a low voice when the children ran in our direction to cheer with us.
“My goal today is one hundred,” I winked at her, carrying Leyanne in my arms. I tapped her nose and took her name tag, returning it to Selene. “I told you, Leyanne. I know my children.”
“Messing with Daddy?” Anj raised her eyebrows, but the girls only giggled. Her head turned to the stage when the host called us to give us our prize.
We went on stage to receive a handmade ribbon and a cute big egg stuff toy. As we returned to the bleacher, the three girls argued about who would keep the egg.
“How about Daddy keeps the egg?” I suggested as we sat on the bleacher bench. “Daddy‘s always sad when I leave for business trips.” The three girls looked at each other, nodded, and gave the stuffed toy to me. “Are you leaving on a business trip again, Daddy?” Sitting on my lap, Lyra Helene asked.
“Hmm,” I mumbled, looking at their mother. She managed to smile despite seeing the panic in her eyes. “Yes,” she answered. “Daddy already missed five birthdays...” Selene sighed as she played with the ribbon on her mother‘s shirt.
“He‘s on a business trip next week and –”
“Let me check with Frank,” I cut her, raising my arm to call Frank. He ran toward us and glanced at Anj for a brief second before looking at me. “What‘s my schedule for next week?” I also wondered why I was asking him in front of the kids.
Frank seemed to doubt if he had to tell me in front of the three children, but he took his smartphone and checked my schedule. “You‘ll be in Singapore tomorrow and will be staying there for three days before flying to –”. “Frank, our birthday is on Saturday, our sixth birthday,” Leyanne said, clearly telling him
they were not interested in knowing everything. “Is Dad busy on that day?” He smiled at her. “He‘s actually free on Saturday, but sometimes there are emergency meetings he has to attend,” he explained.
When the girls pursed their lips and went quiet, my heart pounded as if I had disappointed them. “Block that schedule, Frank. I‘m bringing my girls to Disneyland.” To my surprise, no one cheered or even smiled when I said it. “Or...”
“But Daddy,” Selene moved her head closer to me, stopping me from talking. “We want to go to the beach and make sandcastles with mommy.” She blinked her eyes many times as she waited for me to answer. “Girls,” Anj bit her lower lip, sighing as she bent down, placing her hands on Selene‘s shoulders. “Let‘s understand, Daddy, okay? I mean, I can bring you to the beach on Saturday.” My forehead creased, not understanding why she had to disappoint the children. “Pumpkin, haven‘t you heard my secretary. I‘m free on Saturday, and I just block that day for them.” She turned her head to me, seeing worry and fear flooding her face. “But Sky...” I understand her worries and fears because my heart is screaming right now, telling me I am crazy for making another time for them. I reached for her hand and pulled her to me, planting a quick kiss on her soft lips. “I‘m not missing their birthday this time, pumpkin,” I whispered, turning to Lyra Helene. “I lost counting, baby. Shall daddy start one again?” I asked, referring to the kiss. She giggled. “That‘s eleventh, eighty–nine more, daddy.” Eighty–nine. I nodded, kissing Lyra Helene on her cheeks as I promised myself to have my hundred kisses before this day ended.