Super long Chapter bear with me please.
For susansaumu
*****
Jason could feel his body shaking as he shot out of the car towards the aquarium where a small crowd was gathered. Immediately he came into view Tiara leapt into his arms, her eyes where bloodshot and voice hoarse from crying.
Jason held Tiara in his arms as her tears soaked the front of his shirt. He wanted to comfort her as best as he could but he also needed comforting right now.
The duo stood in front of the aquarium where their daughter Lily went missing earlier today. Lily and her classmates went on an excursion to the city aquarium and the little girls absence wasnt noticed till they had returned back to school.
At first Tiara didn't know what to do till it was almost seven at night and they couldn't find her baby. It felt like she was going to go crazy anytime soon. She clung tighter to Jason's shirt as they waited for news. The entire aquarium has been combed twice and still no sign of Lily.
Jason's phone was ringing and he quickly dug it out with his left arm his other hand around Tiaras shoulder. It was the head of his security team calling. He had asked some men to hack every camera in the city and they were probably calling back to inform him of their findings. He held the phone tensely almost like he was going to break the device with all the pent up frustration he was experiencing right now.
"She entered a taxi?" He asked in disbelief. Where the hell will a five year old go in a taxi?
Tiara let out a ear piercing scream and moved towards the teacher who was in charge of the children. Jason quickly ran after her and stopped her.
"Calm down Tiara please!" He begged.
"Dont ask me to calm down. Do you know how scared she's going to be? Its almost 10pm.How could she have left the group and entered a taxi? Where were are teachers?" As the questions rolled off her tongues so did balls of hot tears.
Jason couldn't imagine anything happening to Lily. He hasn't gotten around to spoiling her silly, or taking lily to see Iya Agba or even get to know her. He muttered silent prayers and his phone pinged with another text from Liz which he ignored.
Jason called Xavier and his dad, letting them know what was going on. He needed the boys to be on site now with everything that was going on. Not long after he called Xavier drove in alongside Asher, Xavier and Hammeed. Luckily for him they were all around in San Fran for his birthday.
"Hey bro!" Asher greeted and they took turns giving him the brotherly hug which was mostly a hug with a gentle slap on the back to show reassure him.
"What do you need?" Hameed asked his Arabic accent making his speech thicker.
"Could one of you guys go with Tiara to the police station. I need men checking every major hospital in the city. I have to go to the office myself and oversee the digital check."His voice portrayed a strength he didn't feel, so much was counting on him he needed to be strong now. Immediately after he finished speaking the guys where dispersing to follow his command, they didn't argue or ask questions about a child from no where they knew nothing about.
Jason was moving towards his car when Xavier stopped him. "No bro I'll drive you to your office. Come on." Jason's face relaxed with gratitude as he went sure he could drive right now.
The drive down to his office was one of nerve wracking silence, he couldn't bring himself to smile or to say anything. His phone's screen lit up in his hands again and it was Liz calling. He silenced it and threw it back into his pocket.
"Is that Liz?" Xav asked and Jason nodded his answer.
"She's worried about you man. You should tell her what's going on or reassure her of your safety." He advised.
Jason tried typing out a message but it didn't feel right so he saved the draft and let out a tired sigh. This wasnt how he imagined the rest of his birthday going. Also, he knew telling her via text not to worry was only going to make her worry even more.
Jason, Xav and three other of his analysts set up shop in the conference where it was easier to connect to the mainframe network and they could update each other easily of their progress. They began scouring every CCTV camera in the city alongside all Police Amber reports in case of emergencies. They where also monitoring all 911 emergency calls round the clock.
The last footage they found was of Liz getting into an unregistered Taxi nd they couldn't find the car on camera since it turned on the main bridge road. They would need larger grid access to use as there was no CCTV on the main bridge.
Jason was presently working on hacking one of the FBI's satellite for a clearer grid view. He was the one who built the system so even he knew it was hard to crack since the one thing he built it to be was impenetrable. The firewall was a four tiered wall of tough code that was going to take him time to crack.
They where all at it till time chimed twelve when he got up to get a code he wrote locked in his safe.
Jason opened his office door and used the voice imputed command for light. Light flooded the dark office and what he saw stopped him in his track.
Life has a funny way of messing with you, sometimes what you're searching for the most is right there in front of you. There curled up on the sofa was Lily. She was sleeping peacefully and his system screen was on alongside some snack wrappers laid haphazardly on the floor.
Lily's hair was in two cute buns, her lips was pouted in sleep with a tiny puckered shape frown that made her look so cute and mature at the same time. Jason looked his fill at this tiny bundle of miracle in front of him, he knew deep down that he was a goner for life.
Hr tiptoed gently towards her and stroked her hair not wanting to wake her up. He let himself soak in the relief which her presence brought and his chest tightened with pride and love.
This tiny princess was his own to love and hold. Jason bent and left a tiny kiss on her forehead.
As he stared at her tiny face that looked too much like his he found out that he wanted to have a lifetime getting to know her. To protect her, to memorise her laughter, to hold her hands, to walk her down the aisle,to love her__ his list was endless. He scooped her into his arms and carried her tiny backpack in his arms and left the office.
Somehow she had found her way to him, but he was going to spend the rest of his life paving the way for her.
Everyone set up in the conference room stared at him shocked and it was at this time Lily woke up. It didn't take them long to stop marvelling when they saw the familiar blue greyed eyes on both father and daughter.
She wiggled to come down from his hand and he let her down gently almost like she was a priceless porcelain figure.
"Where's mama?" She asked looking into the five unfamiliar faces that gathered around her.
Jason didn't know what to do, he didn't know how to react so he was grateful when Xav stepped forward and crouched to the little girls height.
"Hi lily" he stuck out his hand and gave her a bright smile. Lily looked at him skeptically and Xav could swear those mismatched orbs could see into his very soul. She analysed him for a while wondering if he was friend or for then finally stuck her tiny hands into his large ones.
"I'm Xavier. You can call me uncle Xav," he smiled with pride as he spoke.
Lily just gave him an unsure smile then walked back to where Jason was and tugged at his trousers. "Daddy where is mama?" She asked innocently that Jason felt air clogged in his throat alongside a boatload of emotions.
She called him Daddy! Jason was shocked momentarily but recovered quickly. He tried to put a lid on his emotion as he bent to her level just like he saw Xav do. "Hey baby, Let's go meet mama okay." He opened his arms hoping she would step into it, praying she would let him crush her into his frame for a hug. His heart felt too full, it felt like it would burst.
Lily disappointed him by moving towards Xavier who carried her. Immediately he did she pulled his beard so hard and he winced in pain which made her chuckle.
Like father like daughter.
****
Tiara had probably hugged her little girl for more than fifty times tonight since she was found. They were all hurdled in Lily's room with Lily tucked in and flanked by both parent.
"Don't ever go anywhere without telling me again!" Tiara warned harshly and Lily's bottom lips shook in fear and her mismatched eyes filled with tears instantly.
Tiara calmed down then asked gently, "baby how did you know he was your daddy?"
"You told aunty Mel! That he was my daddy!" Lily returned staring at Jason, she was scared now.
"Why didn't you tell your teachers how could you just leave?" Tiara asked and shook the little girl gently by her shoulder almost as if she was trying to shake some sense into her.
At this point Lily burst into tears, the entire experience was just too confusing to her, "I just wanted my daddy. Everybody has a daddy."
As she wept Jason felt his heart clench. It was time to make a decision about making Lily a permanent part of his life. He didn't care about what this will cost him but he needed a lifetime now of seeing her smile, seeing her wake up and every other little thing.
Jason gathered Lily into his arms and she went easily, finally trusting the man whose eyes looked exactly like hers. He comforted her till her cries became sniffles and Tiara stared at them they looked so alike and peaceful she felt scared of loosing Lily.
"So how did you know that was my office?" Jason asked lastly.
"Let's just leave it till tomorrow_____" Tiara began before Lily cut her off.
"Daddy was on the big television. I told the taxi man I was going to my Daddy and showed him your picture from the big television." Lily eyes got animated at this part as she started explaining. Suddenly it began to make sense, the big Television she kept referring to was a giant billboard opposite the aquarium.
Jason had his company did a big advert for their latest device launch. On the advise of his marketing team he had personally done the Ad.
"I told the lady at the desk you were expecting me. So she let me inside your office." Lily lowered her eyes in shame now, "I'm sorry I lied. Its just everyone has a Daddy but me." It made sense to believe especially with their eyes color and Jason actually went into the office today for Liz's ultimate search. Andrea his secretary must have assumed he saw the little girl already or came with her. She had to leave for a quick emergency which he gave her permission on the phone for.
"I'm sorry mama!" Lily hugged Tiara now who drew her close.
Jason put his little girl to bed and leaned over her alongside her mother and felt nothing but love and adoration for her.
He stroked her hair gently and she rubbed her mismatched eyes staring into his identical ones. She looked like a princess in her cute sky blue pajamas.
"You won't leave again right Daddy?" She asked her mouth puckering slightly as she tried not to cry.
"No baby girl. I'll never leave now that I've found you." Jason swore with his entire heart and kissed her forehead. He stayed there with her till she finally fell asleep tired as a light from all the activities of the day.
After tucking Lily in Jason and Tiara sat on the couch and her eyes filled with tears again.
"This is all my fault. I was so selfish, I didn't think of Lilly and you. I'm so sorry Jason!" As she spoke fat balls of tears rolled down her cheeks again and Jason sighed heavily. He wouldn't lie that he wasnt hurt or angry but Tiara had cried enough already today. Her body radiated heat from her woolen sweater and he was sure she would soon start burning up.
"Enough tears Tiara, Its enough. We can't change what happened we just have to do better from here henceforth." He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight into his body.
He patted her back gently as she cried and tried soothing her. When Tiara finally raised her head she bit into her lips and stared at his lips. Jason would have sworn he was possessed because of the random thought that flashed into his head about how easy it would have been if he was with Tiara, that way this daughter will grow up in a cemented home.
As the thought passed through his heart so did the guilt. Here he was being attracted to another woman that wasnt his wife especially knowing his woman was at home waiting for him.
He adjusted himself quickly and got up were his mind conjured more thoughts especially with the way she was pressed close into his body.
"I__ I have to go now" Jason finally stammered out. "Take care of yourself okay. I'll be back tomorrow."
***
Jason pushed his weary body through the door. The room was shrouded in darkness so he didn't expect her to be sitting alone in the dark.
"What the hell is going on?" Liz asked sitting cross legged on the couch a glass of wine swirling gently in her hands.
Jason was too tired to this right now, yet he knew he couldn't lie anymore.
"Could we please talk about this in the morning." He begged again. Asking for more time because he really didn't want to continue the roller coaster of emotion from Lily's disappearance.
"Do I look like a door mat to you? Do you really think you can throw me aside like a used rag all day and come back with no explanation." It may have been from the wine but her eyes where burning with a fire he knew was ready to consume him.
At this point what good will hiding do. He really wanted to love that blue_grey eyed girl who had stolen his heart from the first moment she opened his mouth.
"I have a daughter Liz. I have a five year old daughter with Tiara. I didn't know about it till recently and she had an emergency so I had to leave. It wasnt something I could tell you about in a hurry or via text which was why I didn't respond." His shoulders slumped under the weight of the words he just uttered and he found himself taking a huge gulp of air waiting for he storm of her reaction to hit him.
****
Heyyy! So almost everyone got it right, it was a daughter emergency.
How do you react to heavy news? How do you process it?
Thanks for reading this far. Please vote, comment, share, recommend, follow and add to your reading lists.
Love
Orex