Chapter 160: That’s My Baby
Silence hummed inside the car as neither Lola nor Atlas spoke a word since leaving the twins’ school. He just drove slowly, waiting for her to start. As for Lola, she drew a deep breath before she turned to face the driver’s seat.
"Atlas," she called, her hands tight on her lap. "Are you crazy about me?"
"Crazy is not the word I’d use."
Lola cleared her throat. "But you’re inlo—you’re interested in me, right?"
"That is what I’ve been telling you."
"Why?"
"Do I need a reason?"
"It just doesn’t make sense to me." She shrugged. "Is it because your kids like me?"
"Do I have to repeat myself that my children’s nagging rarely affects my decision?"
Lola leaned her back against the seat. "If not because of the twins, was it... my makeup? Do you kind of have this strange taste too?"
This time, he just gave her a slow side-eye. He didn’t need words for her to understand that he found her idea ridiculous. She frowned a bit, humming while thinking about it.
"Obviously, it’s not my body you’re after," she murmured, not noticing the slight smirk that curled at his lips. Lola huffed faintly as she snapped her eyes back at him. "Well, I guess that doesn’t matter anymore."
She twisted her body, facing him squarely. "So, you’re interested in me? Like, you want to date me, Lola Young?"
"You can say that."
"Okay!" she clapped.
"Why are you asking?" he asked, a little bothered by this act. It made him wonder if leaving her alone this morning so she could function well gave her the time to rethink their setup. Should he have stuck to his current plan: attack, attack, attack?
"Because... whatever the reason you’re interested in me, I think there are a lot of things you don’t know yet," she answered, her tone suspiciously calm and direct. "You don’t know me yet, Atlas. And there are things that you might want to know before getting yourself involved."
Again, Lola paused as she gazed at the windshield. A part of her told her to simply ignore him and continue living the way she had been. The other part of her, on the other hand, was dancing in bliss, as it was more like a dream come true.
He was her first love, after all.
But there was this little part of her that kept whispering at the back of her mind all night and morning. And it was telling her... it was easy to fall for someone or be interested in them. However, sometimes, because of that, one could also easily get hurt or betrayed once they found out about the other side of the person they had fallen in love with.
Just like Loren and Lawrence—was what she believed.
"I don’t want to hate you, Atlas," she continued in a quiet voice, eyes fixed ahead. "And I don’t want you to hate me in the future. I’d rather we be friends forever than become lovers and end up hating each other. I don’t want to regret anything, and I don’t want you to, either."
She forced a smile and turned to him. "Because, like I said, there are many things you still don’t know about me."
"Like?"
"Like..." she pursed her lips, her heart ready to give the most important example she could think of in this situation. But somehow, her tongue felt stiff and wouldn’t allow her to speak.
He didn’t urge her as he kept driving at the same slow pace, waiting for her until she was ready. But then, the next second came, and what he heard was something he had yet to expect.
"I had a kid, Atlas."
Atlas stiffened a little, but his exterior remained unbothered. His attention, however, was focused on her.
"I was a mom once," she added, biting her lips as she let out a shallow and nervous laugh. "I thought you should hear that from me because I feel like you’d eventually hear it from someone else."
Slowly, he gave her a sidelong glance. "Are you embarrassed to have a child?"
"No!" Her answer came quickly. "No, no. I’m never embarrassed about having a kid. Haha. I’m — I’m at the right age when I had him. Besides, I love him more than I ever loved anyone—more than I loved myself."
"I’m just saying this because, for many reasons, being a mom in this society sounds like it’s a sin or something to be embarrassed of," she added with a short smile. "And you might feel betrayed by it."
"I had kids," he returned without giving her a look. "And we’re living with you, somehow."
Somehow, huh? So, he does know they just somehow started living with me.
"As long as you are not currently married or seeing someone else, don’t worry about anything else," he continued, his tone the same—firm yet calm. "Don’t overthink... or just stop thinking at all."
Lola pressed her lips together as her eyes shone with different emotions. But before she could say anything in return, his voice caressed her ears again.
"Where is he now?" he asked, pressing on the brake as they were nearing the stoplight. "Your child?"
"Ahh... about that." The smile on her face faltered. "Heh."
"I want to meet him."
"Meet him... I don’t think—" she trailed off as she puffed her cheek, looking at him. "You do?"
"Mhm."
"Then, do you have extra time?"
"I don’t," Atlas answered in all honesty, and saw how her already faltering smile shifted a little. "But I can make time."
A brief look of surprise turned onto her face as he offered her a short smile. Her smile returned, biting her lips to stop it from stretching broader.
She whispered, "Okay."
*****
Moments later...
Atlas and Lola stood in front of a grave that had a toy house on top of it. The corners of her mouth hooked up, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes.
"That’s my baby," she said, keeping her attention on her kid’s grave. "This... is where he is."
Meanwhile, Atlas stayed silent, but his eyes never left her figure.
So, it’s true, he thought. She only knew that she was having one.