THE SURROGATE MOTHER

Chapter 20

A/N: In this chapter, it is Lisa and the twins moments. And a bit of throwback.

[LISA's POV]

I heard a muffled sounds, something like a flip book?

‘Book?’

‘Photo album?’

My album!!!

I woke up suddenly, afraid that my wife might have seen the photos of me and Jennie.

but I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that my daughter was the one holding it.

“Hey baby, what are you doing here?” I looked around and notice that I'm still sitting on my swivel chair.

I look for my phone to see the time. And it showed 8:23 am on the screen.

“Sorry Dada, I touched your album without your permission. It caught my attention” Chiquita said, handed me the thing.

I get it and gently grab her hand then made her sit on my lap.

“It's okay baby. Looking for me?” She nods.

She has a habit of looking for me when she wakes up in the morning. No specific reason, even her, doesn't know the reason.

“Dada, who's this girl?” She pointed to the picture where I was hugging someone.

“This girl..... her named is Nini”

“Is she the same girl in the photo in your wallet?”

“Yup, baby”

She observe the face of the woman I was with, and I was sure she already knew who the woman was.

“Dada, is she Nini, our teacher?” She look up on me.

“Yes, Nini the teacher”

“So that's why you seem close in the way you talk” She flip another page. “Don't worry Dada, I'll keep this as our secret”

She once promised not to tell anyone about the picture she accidentally found in my wallet.

“Aren't you mad at me? I lied. I said she was just an old friend of mine”

She sat properly, facing me.

“Dada. Why should I be mad at you? Even if you lie about Nini, I can understand that, because you definitely have a reason to do it. And that's your life, Dada. I have no right to care about your past”

“I'm just a kid, you know” She added, then giggles.

“No way, after you say those, you'll say you're just a kid?” I laughed and she joined.

“I'm proud, baby. You're getting matured” I pinch her cheeks but not that hard. “Wait! speaking of matured, your birthday is coming, this month, right?”

“What date is today, Dada?”

“It's 21 of August, a month before your birthday”

“Dada, can we just have a small celebration? Just us as a family. It should not be the same as last year, there were many guests that Hyeonie and I didn't know. Grandpa's invited business partners are more than our friends” She complained while playing with my necklace that now has no pendant.