Mommy, Where's Daddy? The Forsaken Daughter's Return

Chapter 14: Crazy Coincidence

"I - I suppose it would be fine." She could not help how her brows drew together. Samantha clarified, "I mean... It's just one dinner, right?"

"Yes, just one dinner. Why? Were you expecting another one?" Ethan asked, raising his chin at Samantha.

With her mouth parting, she thought, 'How in the world were my words interpreted that way?'

"Um. No! Of course not," Samantha awkwardly said. "One dinner."

"Good. Then I'll have my driver take you and the kids to the hotel," suggested Ethan.

"Oh, there is really no need," Samantha said while raising his palm at his offer.

"I have to. You are supposedly my secret wife," Ethan answered. "For all we know, Mr. and Mrs. Song are still waiting outside, observing the building."

After calling his assistant and giving instructions, Ethan said, "I'll have John contact you again for when we will plan the dinner."

"Okay, Mr. Right. I guess I'll see you soon," Samantha acknowledged.

***

"Wow! The donuts are so yummy!" Exclaimed Kenzie after taking a bite of the treat. "What will you have, Kyle?"

Kyle was sitting next to Kenzie in the middle of their living room, installing W******p. He then invited Ethan Wright as his first contact. He smiled right after seeing an acceptance.

Kyle looked up at Kenzie and replied, "I'll have chocolate."

"Daddy is just so great, right?" Kenzie remarked right after taking another bite.

"Yes, he is amazing," Kyle said as he grabbed one chocolate-frosted donut. "He even gave us a ride home!"

As the two youngsters were enjoying their treats in the sitting area of their condominium unit, Samantha was having a serious conversation with her aunt Dianna from the balcony.

"What in the world got into you, Sam?" Diana asked, utterly frowning at the news. "Why would you even agree to that?"

"Shhh... lower your tone, aunt." Samantha glanced at the kids before saying, "My kids got him in trouble! Somehow, I felt... obliged to commit."

Diana shook her head and asked, "Why would they even think he was their daddy?"

"The man kinda... um... looks like Kyle," Samantha revealed before sneering. "Coincidence?"

"Noo! No way! Are you serious, Sam?" Diana asked.

Samantha only nodded and said, "I swear. I was literally staring at him, for I don't know how long! It's a crazy coincidence!"

Sighing at Samantha's tale, Diana suggested, "Sam, what if... I mean, what are the chances that Mr. Ethan Wright is their father?"

The words of her aunt made Samantha laugh hysterically!

She was laughing so hard; she snorted towards the end. "That is silly, aunt. Why in the world would somebody like Ethan Wright stay in a hotel in front of the military camp?"

She raised both her hands and said, "There is absolutely no view!"

"Well, who knows... circumstances brought him there," Diana insisted. "How could a man look so much like your son, then? How do you explain that?"

"Aunt, please. You can g****e many uncanny resemblances between stars and regular people! It happens!" Samantha said while still frequently chuckling.

"Okay, fine! If you insist!" Resting her hand on her waist, Diana mumbled, "I don't know why you did not try to find their father, anyway."

"I told you, aunt Diana. My father already did that. The great General threatened every man who lived within and near the camp!" Revealed Samantha.

"Only people from the military would use the hotel. As far as I know, the hotel rarely gets tourists, and that day was the wedding day of one of our senior cadets. All those who stayed at the hotel were from the military or their relatives!"

"I know what you were thinking, aunt, but I'm sure my father did not miss any details. Nothing slips in his hands. That is how he is," declared Samantha.

"Yeah? Well, what if the man you slept with is more powerful than your father? Someone capable of erasing records, paying off the hotel staff," Diana pointed out. "Did you ever think of that?"

Somehow that made sense, but to Samantha's point of view, the hotel's location was just too inconvenient for prominent people to stay in.

The property was owned by the former general. It was meant for the military to use as part of their relaxation time, and it was also commonly used as a home for those who were temporarily reassigned to Braeton.

"It just doesn't make sense, aunt." Holding her aunt's hand, she added, "It could not be Ethan Wright. It just could not be."

With a heavy sigh, Diana said, "Well, regardless... what is clear to me is that you need to tell your kids the truth... You just have to, Sam. You have lied to them for so long."

Samantha bit her lip at the words of her aunt. She understood how her aunt was right.

Swallowing her own spew, she said, "I'll tell them tonight... I promise."

***

In the evening, while settling the kids under the sheets, Samantha kissed the cheeks of each of her twins.

She sat next to Kenzie on the bed and said, "Guys... There is something that I need to tell you. Something that I should have told you long before."

"What is it, Mommy?" Kenzie asked eagerly.

"I'm tired, Mommy," said Kyle before yawning.

"Well... It's about your dad," Samantha finally delivered after exhaling dramatically. "The thing is... your dad... your dad is - "

"Oh, we already know, Mommy! We found him, remember?" Kenzie emphasized while chuckling. "Silly, Mommy."

"Yes!" Echoed Kyle.

"He is just the greatest, and we love him!" Exclaimed Kenzie with a confident smirk. "He bought me donuts! He loves me so much."

"We understand, Mommy. He is a busy man," said Kyle.

"He needs to protect us from bad guys. That's why we are secret kids!" Added Kenzie, tightening her eyes as she spoke with conviction.

"Ah." Samantha did not know how to react to the conclusions of her kids. It left her gaping for seconds.

"Yeah, rich kids get kidnapped a lot," suggested Kyle.

Samantha choked on that. She said, "You guys are watching too many movies."

"No, Mommy, you said that... You said it was good that we are not rich, so we don't get kidnapped for ransom," revealed Kyle. "Also, I saw it on TV."

"Oh... I did - say that," she acknowledged before forming a frown.

With a sigh, Kenzie said, "Mommy, we are so happy. We found daddy."

"Yeah. I'll finally tell my classmates I have a Daddy," said Kyle. "I hate it when they think I don't have a dad."

Sadly, Kyle's words made Samantha feel a pang in her chest. This was also one reason why she lied. She did not want them to be judged just because they did not have a father.

"I am like mommy, and Kyle is like daddy! Right, mommy?" Kenzie probed with a wide grin. After not hearing an answer from Samantha, she repeated, "They look the same, right, mommy?" Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

"Mommy?" Kenzie repeated. "Kyle looks so much like daddy!"

Bringing her back to her senses, Samantha answered, "Um... Yeah, they have similarities -"

"See, Kyle, I told you. You look so much like daddy!" Kenzie insisted. She placed her hands against her cheeks and declared, "I like daddy so much! Don't you think he is just awesome, mommy?"

"Umm... Yeah... He is awesome. He really is," Samantha replied before taking a deep breath and getting up from the bed. "Okay. Well, you guys better get some sleep now. You'll have to go to school tomorrow."

"Goodnight, mommy!" The kids said in unison.

"Goodnight. I'll be back after I prepare your bags," Samantha said before closing the door.

Right after she shut the door behind her, she closed her eyes and leaned back. When she opened her eyes, she saw her aunt glaring at her. She gulped and said, "I - I'll tell them after the dinner with Mr. Wright's business partners."

"Ah, Sam... You are hopeless," said Diana.