Gerald had never felt this cold before. The Christmas morning air seemed to be more chilly than he could ever have imagined. It was as if Kim’s departure left a void of emotions...taking away all the warmth...leaving only coldness, shock, bereavement in its wrath.

Gerald, sitting dejectedly on the edge of the bed, immediately grabbed his cellphone. He tried to dial Kim’s number several times but to no avail. He immediately threw the cellphone at the wall, much to the shock of the Thomas.

“Sorry, baby...” Gerald said immediately. “Daddy was just angry...”

Thomas, still slightly staggering from the impact of the broken cellphone, immediately moved closer to Gerald and hugged him.

Gerald felt almost feint from the gesture. He felt ashamed for himself for losing his temper.

“Thanks, son...” Gerald uttered to Thomas.

“Is Mommy ever going to come back?” Thomas asked, struggling not to cry.

“I don’t know, Tommy...” Gerald said.

“But why did she leave, daddy?” he asked once more.

Gerald lifted his son up and sat him on his lap.

“I wished I knew, son...”

"Were you a bad boy, Daddy?" said Thomas.

"Maybe...I don't know..." Gerald mumbled.

“Daddy...” Thomas said in the softest of voices. “Aren’t we going to get Mommy back?”

“I don’t know, squirt...” Gerald answered. “I really don’t know...if she would want us to do that?”

"Why?" Thomas asked once more.

This time, Thomas’ inquisitiveness didn’t bother Gerald. In fact, he even found it comforting. He felt that this validated the pain and confusion he was feeling. For a moment, Gerald felt defeated. He felt really hurt. He felt betrayed. Why did she leave just like that? No explanations. Not even a small note on the desk saying, “it’s over...” Gerald felt he deserved at least a brief justification for her rushed departure. So many emotions took over him. Anguish, guilt, frustration...many scenarios played out in his mind.

Seeing that his dad was so overwhelmed by his own emotions, Thomas slowly put his hands over his.

“Daddy, I think it’s time we look for mommy...” Thomas said resolutely.

“What?” Gerald said, slightly confused...

“I said, we need to look for mommy...” Thomas replied, jumping away from Gerald’s lap. He then tugged his arm, “Come on, daddy...put on your jacket. Let’s go to mommy’s house!”

The proud Gerald inside him was telling him no. IF she left hastily on her on resolve, she should learn to come back on her own. His hurting ego was telling him to stay put and remain despondent. A blatant thought crossed his mind. Maybe if she sees him suffering in misery, maybe she’ll come back.

“Daddy, what are you waiting for?” said the impatient little boy.

Gerald looked at him. He was so proud of Thomas. He was way stronger emotionally than he was right now.

“Daddy, let’s get the car...” plodded Thomas. “We will find her...”

“I can’t guarantee that we will...find her...”

“Of course you can, daddy...”Thomas cheered on.

Seeing his son’s optimism brought Gerald back to his senses. He felt the sudden rush in his system. A rogue sense of confidence trickled into his very core. He can and he will take her back!

Gerald immediately stood up. Thomas’ eyes brightened up in glee. That was when Gerald realized that his love for Kim was way more important than his self-pity. He thought that if there ever was a time to lay everything down the line...this was it. IT had to be!

Gerald immediately grabbed a sweater from the closet and ushered Thomas out of the door. TO his surprise, an old nemesis was waiting for him in the living room.

It was Matt.

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Matt immediately stood up. He gave Thomas a warm smile then looked grimly at Gerald. For a minute, they sized each other up. It was like a scene from an old western movie when the two protagonists were about to engage in a quick draw under the scorching heat of the sun. Gerald hid Thomas behind his back.

“What are you doing here?” Gerald said, his voice stern.

“I had to see for myself...” Matt said dryly.

“See for yourself what?” Gerald asked.

“IF what Kim said was true...”

“Kim...what did she say?” Gerald said, slightly shocked. “How did you know her...when did you see each other?”

“She asked me to meet her yesterday,” Matt said mockingly. “Didn’t you know?”

Gerald didn’t answer his question.

“How did you know her?” Gerald repeated instead.

“Didn’t she tell you?” Matt queried, his face incredulous.

“I said, how did you know her?” Gerald yelled annoyingly.

“I guess she forgot to tell you that one tiny detail...”

Gerald remained glum. Matt was really getting under his skin. He gave him another impatient look. Matt was only too excited to reveal what he knew.

“Well, didn’t you know that you are actually dating the ex of your ex’s ex?” Matt answered with much fervor.

Gerald took a minute to process what he said.

“Kim was your ex?!!!” Gerald exclaimed finally.

“It’s good that you can follow some simple logic...”Matt said arrogantly.

Gerald felt Thomas grip firmly on his shirttails. He turned around and immediately motioned the boy towards the kitchen. Feeling the tension in the room, Thomas runs away from the agitated environment of the living room.
Upon Thomas’ departure, Gerald slowly faced Matt. They gave each other poisonous looks.

“If you give me one more smartass comment like that I’ll make sure I will disfigure your face so much, that even your own mother won’t recognize you...” Gerald warned him calmly, but sternly.

Matt suddenly felt the sincerity of Gerald’s threat. He immediately toned his candor down.

“Whoah! I am not here to cause trouble...” Matt nervously laughed.

“Then why are you here?” answered Gerald sarcastically.

“I am here to see if there was a hint of truth to what Kim said...”

“And what the heck did she say?”

“That Thomas was my son...” Matt haughtily replied.

Gerald immediately bellowed a hallow laugh.

“And you believed her?” Gerald cackled.

Matt felt his own confidence diminish.

“As a matter of fact, I did...” Matt said. “She said she saw a video of Anna confirming it...”

“Kim said that?” Gerald said disbelievingly.

Matt eyes glinted. “Do you deny the existence of that tape?”

Gerald paused for a minute as several thoughts entered his mind at the same time.

“No, I don’t...tape was real,” said Gerald. “I was just wondering why she left...”

“Ha?! Kim left you?” Matt said, his eyes exploding. It was his turn to gloat. “What do you know, Mr. High and Mighty couldn’t keep a girl to save his life...”

Gerald seethed under his collar. IF only he wasn’t interested to hear what else he was about to say. Otherwise, he would have made a whopping of Matt’s head.

“What else did she say?” Gerald asked calmly.

Matt excitedly recounted his meeting with Kim. He gloated at the fact how Kim came to him first when she found out about Thomas’ real identity.

“She was so mortified about telling me all of this...” Matt said of Kim.

“She should...” Gerald said glumly.

Matt ignored Gerald's last quip.

“Now, Mr. Garcia, I would really demand a paternity test...” Matt said. “Once more...”

“Are you thinking that I might have duped the test the first time?” Gerald said tauntingly. “It seems like you are implying that...”

“I didn’t say that, but I know what you can do with your money!” Matt answered with much contempt.

“But you are the one who picked the DNA lab, Matt!” Gerald said.

“Yes, I did, but who knows how your associates may have tampered with the results!” Matt insisted.

“I wasn’t the father either, Matt, we both know that...” said Gerald. “Why would I tamper with the results of a test where I have no claim against?”

Matt was stumped. He felt foolish.

“I don’t know what your hidden agenda was...” Matt said indignantly. “All I know is that Anna’s son is my son! Thomas...is my son...”

“You are a fool Matt...” Gerald said, challenging him. “ DNA tests are hard to fake...we both know who the real father was, right?”

“That Carl Wong?” Matt muttered.

“Yes, Anna’s Math professor. He was the one who came out positive...” said Gerald. “We both knew that...”

“Yes, I know that.” Matt confirmed, visibly irritated. “But how could he so just conveniently handed over Thomas to you? Not unless you had something to do with it...”

“Let’s admit it, the guy was a loser...” Gerald answered.

“Not if you paid him to give Thomas up for adoption to you...” Matt said accusingly.

“I didn’t pay him...” answered Gerald. “Let’s just say I was very convincing...”

“Convincing, my !” Matt cried.

Gerald let out a heavy, impatient sigh.

“All I did was to tell him what he needed to hear,” revealed Gerald. “I told Carl I was relieving him forever of his responsibilities to Thomas. Fortunately, he saw my offer as an opportunity. An opportunity to keep his affairs the way it was before he had that brief affair with her. He said he wasn’t ready to be a father, and so were you...”

“You must have threatened him somehow...” Matt said adamantly.

“I would have...if only he wasn’t too willing...” recounted Gerald.

Matt’s face was suddenly crestfallen. It was like a rug was pulled from under him. “But why did Kim think that what Anna said in the video was true?”

“She saw the video of our honeymoon...” inferred Gerald. “At that time, Anna really thought her child was yours...”

“Anna...” Matt said, wincing from the pain of Anna’s memories.

“If I were you, Matt...” suggested Gerald. “Go home...You and I know that Anna will be much happier that Thomas is in my care. Why would you like to be a dad anyway when you are enjoying this grand bachelor’s life?”

“But I want to do the test once more...” Matt demanded, still a bit confused.

“It’s up to you...” Gerald said with a sigh. “Just remember how much it costs to do so...”

Matt lumbered a little. “You are paying for it, right?”

“Why would I?” answered Gerald cryptically. “I got the results that I wanted....”

Matt suddenly felt weak. In as much as he wanted the DNA test done, it costs way more than he could ever shell out at the moment.

“Can I see Thomas instead?” Matt begged.

“Why...?” Gerald said.

“I just want to be sure...”

Gerald impatiently called out, “Thomas, come in here...”

Thomas obediently made his way back into the room. He nervously looked back and forth between Matt and Gerald, making sure they weren’t about to hit each other now.

“Nice to meet you Thomas,” greeted Matt, immediately giving out his hand, which Thomas reluctantly took.

Matt took one last look at Thomas. He looked at the boy’s features. Now that the kid has aged a little from the last time he saw him, Matt realized that Thomas doesn’t look at all like him anymore. He looked more like Anna than he does his real dad. Matt was somehow expecting this sudden rush of feeling to come after seeing Thomas. But, he didn’t feel that sudden surge of emotions people say come upon discovering one’s own bloodline. Maybe, Thomas, wasn’t his child after all. That, he was almost sure...

“Thomas, this is your Tito Matt,” introduced Gerald. “She is your Mommy Kim’s friend...”

“Mommy Kim?” Matt said astoundingly.

“Yes, she and my dad are married...” Thomas interrupted. “They even have rings...”

Gerald smiled as Matt’s face fell to the floor.

“Why...she didn’t tell you?” Gerald said to spite him.
Matt shook his head in disbelief. “No, she didn’t mention that to me!”

“Well, she must have forgotten to tell you that one tiny detail then...” said Gerald sarcastically. “I can’t believe you didn’t know...”

“My Kim...married?” Matt said in a hushed breath.

“Well, your ex is now Thomas’ mommy...follow the logic?”

Matt was dumbfounded. HE was speechless.

“I guess you better leave now, Matt...” said Gerald. “I have to go look for my wife...”

With that, Matt nodded dumbly and left Gerald’s house once more...once again, defeated.

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Kim, meanwhile was sulking in her room. Her memories of Gerald and Thomas were tearing her apart.

She was fighting with herself. Why did she have to leave without saying goodbye? Why did she have to break her promise to Thomas? She was such a wretched person.

Kim cried profusely.

Suddenly, she heard a knock on the door. It was her mom, Josie. Kim quickly wiped away her tears.

“Darling, why are you sad this Christmas day?” Josie probed, brushing away the loose strands of Kim’s hair that was wet with her tears. “Didn’t you have a good time at your friend’s house...even Lilly, she seemed more down than usual...”

“It’s nothing, mom...” Kim denied.

“It sure doesn’t seem like nothing...” Josie noted of Kim’s sniffles. “Would you like to tell me what happened?”

“Mom...” said Kim. “I’ve done something to hurt two very special people...”

“Now that is a surprise,” Josie answered as she sat on the bed with her.

“I feel so horrible for doing it, mom!” Kim cried, finally breaking down. “I knew much better not to do it...!”

“Sweetheart, I can’t help you if you won’t tell me what happened...” Josie said, rubbing her arm.

Kim felt it was time to come clean. She slowly recounted how she had met Thomas and how she agreed to spend her holidays with the father and son. She spared no details. Kim felt that her mom deserved to know the truth. She finally confessed on how she deliberately misled them into thinking that she and Lilly were vacationing somewhere else. She told her mom about her six amazing days she has spent on the mansion.

Josie listened patiently to her daughter. There is this uncanny sense of calmness about her.

Kim, in the end, finally told her how she had fallen in love with Gerald...and how her meeting with Matt sealed her fate.

Before she said anything back, Josie gave Kim a very assuring and very maternal hug.

“So, you love them both?” asked Josie.

“Mom, you should meet Thomas...” said Kim. “He’s the most amazing little boy in the world. Even our little Lilly likes him.”

“And how about this Gerald guy?” her mom probed. “How do you love him?”

The question itself made Kim think.

“How do I love him?” Kim echoed.

“Your father asked me that very same question before...” Josie said looking longingly into her daughter’s eyes. “I need to know how you feel about him...”

Kim thought for a moment. Her heart glowed as Gerald's face entered her mind.

“I don’t know how I love him, mom...” Kim answered truthfully. "I just do..."

Josie gave out a heavy sigh. That very moment, she watched her daughter transform before her eyes. She no longer was the little girl she had grown accustomed to see. She now was the passionate young lady she never knew existed. Josie knew Kim was in the very threshold of her life. Sooner or later...she will have to let her go.

"You must really love him..." said Josie.

Kim with bated breath, slowly revealed what she truly felt about Gerald.

“All I know is that when I am with him, all sense of doubt, of fear...disappears. When I am in the same room with him, all I see is him and how he loves me. The immeasurable amount of happiness his presence alone brings me...it defies logic...The way he looks at me...so intense and beautiful and the same time. When I am with him, all the unhappiness in the world seems to disappear. I don’t know, but I think we exist for each other. When he laughs, I laugh. When he cries, I also feel the need to cry. I have never felt this strongly for anybody before, mom. It feels like I was meant to love him and him to love me in return.”

Josie smiled and hugged her daughter tightly.

“Mom, I think I love him as strongly as one person can love anybody...”

“You are more eloquent about it than I did with your father, “ noted Josie.

“Didn’t you feel the same way about dad too?” Kim asked.

Her mom smiled, “Of course, I did...only a tad less obvious...”

Kim laughed in between chokes.

“But seriously, Kim...” Josie said. “I wished you didn’t have to lie...about him and about a lot of things. You even brought Lilly into it...”

“Mom, I really don’t know why I did that,” Kim admitted. “It all happened so fast. I was swept away by my emotions...”

“You know...I believe you, my dear...” said her mom. “Sometimes, more than you give me credit me for...”

Kim immediately hugged her mom once more. She felt safe. Some of the confusion and the guilt she was feeling seemed to have ebbed away.

“Thanks, mom...” Kim muttered. “But, what do you think should I do?”

“I think you already know the answer to that...” replied Josie.

Kim thought for a second. She knew somehow that she needed to talk to him.

“But, I betrayed him...” added Kim. “I don’t think he’ll talk to me anymore once he had learned of what I did...”

“But, isn’t that for him to decide...not you?” Josie answered.

“But, I know that he’ll hate me...” Kim added, looking down. “That’s for sure...”

“Okay, so you knew that...” Josie explained. “You knew that he’ll feel that way, right? It’s the consequence to your hasty actions...”

Kim nodded.

“Knowing you somehow have to face that, why did you leave so abruptly then?” Josie asked. “ You left without even giving him the chance to be angry at you? Without any explanations to your wrongdoing...”

Kim never felt more unsure in her life. Each of her mom’s questions seemed to lead her to the very cause of all her grief.

“I guess I was.... afraid...” Kim mumbled.

Josie simply nodded. She slowly touched Kim’s delicate face. "Fear...is love's worst enemy, my dear..."

“Mom, I was too much of a coward...” Kim cried. “I couldn’t bear to see his face once he learned that I betrayed him. I couldn’t bear to see him hate me...”

“Kim, you simply just can’t run away from things...and leave things to chance,” said Josie.

“What do I do now, mom?” Kim asked. “How do I rectify everything that I wrongly did?”

Josie placed a finger on Kim's delicate nose. “IF he truly loves you, he’ll understand...don’t worry, I know you’ll both soon find a way...”

“You think so?”

Josie smiled back at her daughter. “Ah, young love...so intense, yet so foolish...”

Suddenly, they heard a knock on the door.

“Come in...” Josie said, helping Kim compose herself.

IT was Kim’s dad, Charlie.

“Kim...there is this guy with a kid downstairs...” he said.

Kim gave her mom a shocked look, her eyes aplomb.

“See, you get your chance sooner than you think,” whispered Josie. “Don’t waste it...”

Kim smiled cheerily back at her.

Meanwhile, her dad seemed a little confused standing by the doorway.

“The funny thing was,” added Charlie. “The cute, little boy thinks you are his mommy...”

Kim jumped off her bed. At that same time, Lilly rushed into the room.

“Ate Kim! Your husband is here!” said Lily. “They’re here!”

Charlie’s eyes widened. He gave Kim a grim look.

“Husband?” muttered Charlie.

Kim ignored her dad. She instead kissed her mom and said, “Thanks, mom, for understanding...”

“Go get them...” Josie said with a huge smile.

“You better explain yourself, young lady!” Charlie said tersely.

“Dad, I’ll explain later...” said Kim, giving him a peck on the cheek. “Now, I just need to clear some things up...”

With that, Kim left the room with her dad’s jaw still cocked open. Lilly rushed out of the room with her.

“Do you know anything about this?” Charlie asked his wife.

“Just women issues, dear...” said Josie with a laugh. “I’ll explain it to you later...”

Josie then gave a wistful sigh and stood up from Kim’s bed. She smiled warmly at Charlie and made her way out of the room.

“Where do you think you’re going?” asked Charlie as he stopped her from the door.

“I’m just going down to meet our future son-in-law...” Josie said confidently.

Charlie’s jaw dropped even further.

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_____

Final chapter coming up...

I'll post it as soon as I can...

Thanks everybody for all your support!!!

Special thanks to Lilacblooms/Kay for her very lengthy blow by blow comments. I really appreciate it coming from you.

I'm just sad this story is ending...

regina