Chapter 47

"Ahmm..." Anya didn't know what to say.

"What?! Don't feed me with lies again, Anya. I'm still pissed! Tssk!” Andrius angrily glanced at her. His jaw was clenched. He also holds the steering wheel of the car tightly and breathes deeply.

Anya leaned back in her seat. She closed her eyes and massaged her temple. She's so nervous about what might happen later. She didn't think that Andrius and their son would meet so soon. Perhaps, it's by chance or indeed timely. She wasn't sure. As far as she knows, Andrius was angry with her.

She looked up and sighed. She also calmed her troubled heart. Then, she glanced at Andrius again. She thought she had to face his anger towards her.

"I'm sorry, okay?" She interrupted the prevailing silence between them.

“You should be. Five years, Anya... Fuck!” Andrius' answer made Anya shake her head. She heard him sigh several times. He was obviously trying to calm himself down.

"I'm naïve and I just did what I thought was right five years ago. I was just scared. I know, it's my fault. Because I'm a coward," Anya's voice broke. It was as if someone choked in her throat because of what she said. The pang of pain instantly hit her.

Andrius slowed down the car and looked at her. He stopped driving when he noticed Anya's teary eyes. He cursed in his mind as tears finally fell from her beautiful face. Seeing her cry is the least thing he wanted to see in her.

Andrius blue eyes instantly changed emotions. Suddenly the anger in his eyes disappeared and it was replaced by concern. His dark eyes stared at the girl. He raised his hand and wiped her tears that were falling in her cheeks. Anya will always be his weakness.

"Save your sorry, baby. Save it when I punish you," he said softly before planting a sweet kiss on her lips. "Stop crying, okay?" he added before breaking away from her.

Anya nodded and tried to fix herself. She also wiped her face and tried to calm herself down. The situation is still very difficult. She was thinking about how her father would react as well as Atreus. They are all unprepared.

Andrius started the car again, while Anya was looking at what they were passing by outside of the car. She doesn't want to think about anything anymore. She will see what happens next.

Anya could only see the beautiful different lights on the pole of Tandag Boulevard. They alternately change colors as if dancing in the waves of the ocean. She thought that she was like the lights. Adapting to circumstances. Dancing with destiny like a wave when it comes to her life.

When they finally passed the boulevard, Anya knew that they were getting close. Even though she was nervous, she also knew that what was going to happen could not be stopped.

"Stop beside the church." Her voice sounded nervous .

"I know where you live, baby," Andrius replied to her.

Anya nodded and did not speak again. When the car finally stopped, she quickly took off her seatbelt. She also took the paperwork of her students that she almost forgot because of her thoughts. Andrius came out first and he immediately opened the door for her. She wanted to thank him but no words escaped from her lips.

When Anya finally got out, she immediately walked away from Andrius but the young man turned her again to lean against his car. Keeping the paper of her students, he locked her in both hands.

"What are you doing? My son needs me. I have to go home!” Anya said. She looked up to look Andrius in the eyes.

"Not until you tell me about him. What's his name? Fuck! I don't even know the name of my own son." Andrius' voice is full of frustration. He is mad. He wanted to be angry with Anya for keeping him a secret. By hiding his son from him for five years. But when he remembers her crying face, he is just dumbfounded.

“Atreus. He is four and he—”

"What?!"

"He looks like you," Anya whispered.

Andrius bit his bottom lip to stop himself from smiling. From everything Anya said to him, it was the latter that seemed to be music to his ears.

"I'll go with you. I don't care if it's late or not. I wanted to see my son," he said firmly to Anya before letting her go.

Anya nodded. Andrius walked first. They entered a small alley before a small house came into view. A house made of hollow blocks but without finishing. Typical provincial house.

When Anya opened its plywood door, the dark living room was immediately revealed to their eyes. The two entered and only the light coming from the open room illuminated their vision. While she carefully put down the papers and bags, Andrius was busy observing the whole place.

The house has no ceiling. It also doesn't have much use inside. Except for a small T. V. stand opposite the bamboo living room set. Floor Mat is also used as a floor covering and not tiles.

Andrius cursed in thought. How can his Anya live a life like this and his son? As he thought about the suffering in life that they were experiencing, he wanted to punch and curse himself over and over again. He's at fault too.

"Oh my god!" Anya's Pappi screamed in shock when he saw Andrius's bulk after lighting up the entire living room. He never thought he would see the young man again. His eyes widened as he watched the young man look around the entire household. "Anya!" He shouted.

"Pappi," Anya hurriedly approached her father and stopped him by the arm to calm him down. She also signaled Andrius not to pay attention to Pappi's exaggerated reaction. The young man's forehead was wrinkled, staring at her father.

"What is that man doing here?!" Pappi asked Anya.

"Pappi, he's here because—"

"Mommy!"

Atreus, Anya's son, came out from inside the room. Anya immediately extended her two arms to him to lift him up. She smiled and she immediately lost her tiredness the whole day while observing her son's smiling face.

"Why aren't you sleeping yet? Didn't mommy say the baby is going to sleep?" Anya said while kissing Atreus' neck.

"But I want you, Mommy. Atreus can't sleep because Pappila shouted." He innocently looked at the girl while snorting.

When Anya remembered why Pappi had shouted earlier, her eyes immediately went to Andrius. The man was stunned as he stared at them intently. His eyes were full of longing and sadness.

Again, something choked in Anya's throat. She didn't know how to start it all. How to introduce the two. When she felt the child coming down from her lift, she carefully placed him on the floor. But she was surprised where he was going. Her son is walking forward to Andrius. Atreus was looking at him intently while Andrius' eyes were on Atreus too. His eyes were bloodshot, a sign of impending crying. When Atreus finally got close, he stopped and looked up at Andrius.

"Mommy, why does he have the same eyes as me?" Atreus asked innocently while looking at Anya. "Mister, we have the same eyes!" Atreus smiled. He talked in front of Andrius.

Anya gasped when she saw the happiness on her son's face. She could not stop the tears from flowing again in her eyes. The last five years were coming back to her memory. Her what ifs'. But no matter how much she thought about it, it was meaningless. What has happened has happened and cannot be undone. But what she sees now, she knows will remain a living memory that in the end, despite forbidding her son to meet his father, fate itself will make a way.

"Pappila said my daddy has the same eyes as me. Are you my daddy?” Atreus spoke again, full of hope. He even pointed to his blue eyes.

After hearing what the kid said, Andrius knelt in front of his son. He held his small shoulders and looked at him carefully. He stared at his blue eyes that resembled even his pointed nose.

This kid is his son.

During the period of time that the young man's business was flourishing, he never once thought that he was successful. There is always something missing in himself that for a long time he could not find what. But now, as he stared at the gentle face of his son, he knew within himself that he had succeeded. He has found the missing pieces that will complete his life.

Andrius hugged his son very tightly. He let his tears fall. He doesn't care. He cried because of happiness. He also looked at Anya who was just behind him and their son.

"I love you. Daddy will never leave you, son. I love you so much," he whispered to Atreus. He buried his face in his small neck.

"Daddy? My dad? You are my dad?” Atreus was still confused. He asked him again to confirm.

Andrius smiled and looked into his son's eyes. He knew the little boy was confused by what was happening. It was evident in his innocent eyes that were about to burst into tears.

"Yes, I am your father." Andrius nodded.

He decided not to speak again. He will let Anya explain all the things to their kid. What is important to him is that he is with her now and with their son. He could finally hug them tightly.

Andrius has many regrets in life. Things that cannot be returned. He has hurt many people in the past. He knew he wasn't a saint or anything. But he also knew that he never asked for anything that he never got. And now, he only has one wish—his son and Anya.

A family.