Chapter 5 The Reunion

You don't have to go to Lil, Tee.

Lilian:

I won't abandon her on my own.

Tee:

It won't happen. Lil

Lilian:

I'm just worried, you see.

Even so, are you ready? You

You ought to pick me up.

Tee:

Theo will be here in place of me.

He should be with you, I wished.

to ensure your safety.

Lilian:

You weren't required to

But thank you anyway.

Tee:

He was devoted to her, and

You guys are his sisters, he said.

And he cares deeply about you.

I do, as much as

Lilian:

I adore you all very much,

He must be here. Bye and take care.

Tee:

Bye, don't panic.

It won't happen.

Before leaving, I put my phone away and clasped Ava's hands.

Theo signaled for me to tell him to wait inside as he opened his door to come down.

As Ava entered the vehicle, I unlocked the back seat door, and then I sat in the passenger seat.

I warned you a thousand times not to leave your car running in this area.

"Shut up, are you okay?" He asked me quietly.

I pretended to smile as I said "great" before he laughed.

As we sang, the girls sang the songs they knew while Theo played music.

Before we all descended, Theo finally parked his car in the parking lot.

I raised my head and fixed my eyes on the large words Liam Enterprise used.

This evokes so many memories.

"We're here!" Screamed Olivia.

"I'm eager! Dan told us he had a surprise in store for us!" Clapping her hands, Ava said

I held both of the girls' hands as the four of us descended.

As we walked through the office doors, Theo replied, "Everything will be fine."

"Miss Stella," While students stood in lines, both girls ran to her.

The teacher called out, "Hey gals, you two are here! She continued as Theo and I shook hands, "You were a little late, but Mr. Liam requested we wait for you both.

I added, gazing at Theo, "He waited for them," but he just shrugged.

Theo and I both turned to face the singular Daniel Liam as he said, "Ava, Olivia."

"Dan!" He kneeled down and gave them both hugs as they both exclaimed, "Running to you."

The question "How do you know him?" Theo inquired about

She looked triumphantly at Dan as he fluffed her hair. "He came to school, and he asked for my name, and we are friends now."

Dan asked the girls, "Hey pretty girls, how are you doing today?" as they responded, and then he did something that stopped me in my tracks: he kissed Ava's cheek and then whispered something in her ear that made her laugh.

He greeted me by saying "hello, Lilian" as I simply nodded.

"Theo? Right?" His query

Rolling his eyes, Theo remarked, "Good thing you still remember me," before taking both of the girls' hands and directing them to depart with their classmates.

The girls complained, "But-," but Theo shook his head and added, "Go now."

They're handling Ava like your kid, so you know nothing will happen to them, Dan added.

I questioned, "How do you know?"

He answered, "The girls told me."

Whether you like it or not, Ava will always be my daughter, Daniel. She may not be biologically my child, but who cares? Theo muttered, clenching his hands into a fist, but I grabbed his hand right away.

Theo, no, I uttered

Theo said, "Daniel Liam, you heard me! If you did anything to Lilian or Ava, you will regret living; did you hear me?" but Dan only laughed.

Theo, please, I whispered as he nodded and stared at me.

We were watching the girls with Theo as they colored when Daniel, Thomas, and a man who seemed enormous in age came, and I realized who he was right away. Daniel and Thomas had arrived at the last minute to take the kids to the event he hosted for the kids at the company.

Benjamin Liam, Dan's father, said, "Lilian."

I shook his hand and greeted him as "Mr. Liam," but he embraced me instead.

Why are you in this place? We haven't seen you in seven years, he remarked, adding that "you were missed at the company, darling."

Before Ava got up to shake his hand, Dan remarked, "Ava, look, this is my father, Benjamin." When Benjamin saw her, his eyes were startled.

She is my mother; I'm Ava. Hello. "This is Uncle Theo and my best friend Olivia," Ava added, gesturing at me.

"Your daughter?" Benjamin said, looking up.

Since Dan resembled his father and Ava resembled her father, Ava shares some traits with Benjamin.

Before turning to face his son, Benjamin stated, "Hello Ava, you are pretty, and the same goes for you, Olivia."

He told his son, "We need to talk," before they both got lost in the business.

Theo took my hands and said, "We need to talk.

Theo, I don't want to do this all over again, I beg of you.

"Because he knows; just look at how he behaves with Ava! Nobody would think he accomplished everything for Ava alone! When Theo remarked, "He is the Daniel Liam," I nodded, and we both entered one of the meeting rooms, which was always vacant when I worked here.

Theo remarked, "You know his father saw it too."

"I know Natalie, what would I do? How can I tell him, Well, hi Dan, Ava is your daughter; she's six. Yeah, I'm sorry for hiding her from you for six years and nine months of pregnancy? Do I need to tell him this? And how would Ava feel knowing that I had been lying to her all week? Theo, I really do, but she doesn't realize that her father is sitting here. I found a figure standing behind Theo and stopped crying.

He was upset; his hair was a mess, and I could see he had run his hands through it several times. He had his hands clenched into fists.

I suddenly found it impossible to breathe as I sensed the world changing.