"Mommy, are you sad?" the boy asked innocently.

"Uhmm.. no, no, darling. Why'd you ask?"

"I don't know, I just feel it, mom." She bent and cradled her son and embraced him. "Oh son, I miss you." his son nodded and seems thinking deeply.

"Teacher Mei, we are going. Thanks! Bye!" While they walking to the parking lot,

"Did you have fun today?"

"Oh yes, mom! I met Tristan's uncle and, and –" "And?"

"Mom, do you know where my dad is?" Ingrid was stunned. 'Oh G.o.d! This is what I'm dreading.'

"W-why? Why suddenly you asked, son?" she started to become anxious.

"I saw someone today, and he seems familiar, mom, and it seems he's my dad..."

His son thinks and act advance than his age. When he was three years old, he could already talk straight, when he reached four years old he wants to do the things on his own, like taking a bath, chose his clothes and would easily notice little things around him. He has endless curiosity over things from simple to complex topics.

He wants to watch doc.u.mentaries, ancient histories of different countries but under her guidance. He loves to go to her work place and would just be quiet and observe the people around him, would climbed to her seat and look at her paper works as if he could read and understood the words written.

That's why she feels helpless now. She could never lie to his son forever; all she could do now is to give her son an a.s.surance.

"Someday, son. You will meet him." 'How will I do this? Should I hire someone to pose as his father? That is horrible.' She felt desperate right now.

"When will that be, mom?" the boy is staring at her intently, with so much hope in his eyes.

"I can't answer it for now. Is my love for you not enough, Clark?" she stared at his son, and ready to shed tears.

...

"Tristan, I didn't know you already have a bestfriend, you haven't introduced me to him." Cliff asked his nephew.

"He's new in our cla.s.s and I was the one who befriend him first, uncle. And you're not here when we became bestfriends." The child replied.

"Is that so?" the little boy nodded.

Cliff really wants to see that boy again and as well meet his parents. There is something in that boy that sends him some foreign feeling, is it warmth? Connection? Longing?

'Is it possible? But, no, I think not.' he mused.

"Uncle, will you treat me with ice cream?" his train of thoughts was interrupted by his nephew

"Yes, of course! That's why I am here. Teacher, I am the one to fetch Tristan for today." The teacher smiled sweetly to him and nodded and then she blushed. "Of course, Mr. Cliff."

While they were preparing to go, he spotted the little boy once again accompanied by a woman and only her back was shown. It seemed that he has seen her somewhere.

"Uncle, hurry!" he then s.h.i.+fted his gaze to his nephew who's eager to go to an ice cream parlor. "Woah.. okay, okay." He chuckled and forgot about the little child and the woman.

...

Days pa.s.sed. "Ma'am, Miss Liane is here." Daisy informed her through the intercom.

"Oh. Let her come in quickly." The door then opened and Liane was all smiles and she shriek.

"Ingriiiiddd!! I miss you so much, sis!" she hurriedly stood up and welcome her bestfriend with an outstretched arms. They haven't seen each other for a month because Liane was on her honeymoon with her husband Frank.

"Gosh, look at you! You look lovely, sis. How's the honeymoon?" Liane blushed.

"It was so wonderful." Her eyes radiated love and joy, and she is happy for Liane.

"Frank and I had a great time," she giggled. Ingrid grinned.

"Finally, you have tasted heaven." Liane slapped her arms.

"Silly. How are you? How's Clark?" she paused before answering.

"Hmm, he's okay, but the thing I feared, is slowly surfacing. He's now looking for his dad, and I didn't know what to answer. How to explain to him the complexity of our situation? What should I do sis?"

"Why all of a sudden he asked about his dad?"