Chapter 12

“Mommy!”

Fahnareeh’s little voice rang through the room like a burst of sunshine breaking past the clouds, her tiny feet pattering quickly against the floor as she ran into Becky’s arms. Becky instinctively bent down, catching her daughter mid-run, lifting her close to her chest before showering her cheeks with kisses again and again as though she hadn’t seen her in years.

“I miss you, my little princess,” Becky whispered in a tender voice, kissing her daughter once more, unable to resist the warmth that filled her heart.

“I miss mommy too,” Fahnareeh murmured, curling her small arms around her mother’s neck.

Becky pulled back slightly and brushed a stray strand of hair from her daughter’s face, her smile radiant yet soft. “Where is your phi Rox?” she asked curiously.

“There he is,” Fahnareeh pointed towards Fosbein, who stood calmly nearby, carrying something in his hands.

Becky’s smile widened at the sight of her eldest son. She gently set Fahnareeh beside Fastian, who was waiting on the bed, and immediately Fahnareeh wrapped her arms tightly around her brother.

“I miss you,” she told Fastian, her voice filled with affection.

But Fastian, with that playful streak only he could carry, pouted and tilted his head away. “You don’t miss me. You hugged mommy first before me,” he muttered, pretending to be sullen, though his eyes sparkled with mischief.

Becky chuckled softly, watching the adorable quarrel unfold, her heart swelling with gratitude for these little blessings. She shifted her attention to Fosbein, scooping him into her arms.

“Mommy, can you put me down?” Fosbein’s voice was calm yet firm.

“Why?” Becky teased, kissing the side of his head. “Mommy hasn’t even carried you for five minutes. I want to hold my handsome boy.”

“Mommy, look at my both hands,” Fosbein pointed out, his voice slightly strained.

Becky blinked, finally noticing that her son still holding food, carefully balanced in each hand. Her laugh escaped like music. “Oh dear, handsome boy. I’m sorry.”

She called out to Ayon, who came forward and carefully took the food from Fosbein. Only then did the boy throw his arms around Becky’s neck, hugging her tightly. “I miss you so much, mommy,” he whispered against her shoulder.

“I miss you too, Rox,” Becky said.

Meanwhile, Fahnareeh was still clinging onto Fastian, who finally softened under her persistence. “Phi Tian, I miss you too. This is real,” she insisted with puppy-like sincerity.

Fastian crossed his arms dramatically. “But you miss mommy more than me. I don’t want to share my toys with you anymore.”

Fahnareeh pouted. “I miss mommy more because mommy is like a superwoman. Not like you.”

“Tian, Nareeh, stop fighting,” Becky cut in, though her lips twitched in amusement.

“We didn’t fight, mommy,” Fastian quickly defended, patting his sister’s head with brotherly gentleness.

Satisfied, Becky set Fosbein on the bed beside them, letting all three settle together like little ducklings huddled side by side.

“My handsome boy,” Becky said softly, turning to Fosbein again, “there are some fruits. Do you want to eat them?” She already knew the answer, aware of how her eldest son loved fruits more than anything else.

“Mommy, is there a mango too?” Fahnareeh’s eyes lit up at the thought.

“No, little princess. Do you want mango? I can ask uncle Ayon to buy it for you.”

“I want mango!”

Without hesitation, Becky asked Ayon to buy mangoes. She turned back to her children with a reassuring smile. “Just wait a little while, princess.”

She busied herself cutting up other fruits nearby, occasionally glancing up at the three of them as their laughter and chatter filled the room. Not more than thirty minutes later, Ayon returned with a bag full of fresh mangoes. Becky dismissed him with a kind firmness.

“I’ll call you if I need you to send them home,” she said.

“Okay, madam.”

“Becky,” she corrected him sternly.

Ayon hesitated, then gave a small grin. “Okay, Becky.”

Becky shook her head lightly, returning to the counter where she carefully peeled and sliced the golden mangoes. Behind her, the sound of her children’s giggles reached her ears, warming the air around her.

“Phi Tian, do you want to know something?” Fahnareeh asked suddenly, her tone conspiratorial.

“Spill it,” Fastian leaned closer, curiosity sparking in his eyes.

“Aunt Freen is a mean person,” she declared, her voice serious.

Fastian’s jaw dropped. “Really?”

Fahnareeh nodded firmly. “She’s the one who bullied us at the toy store. If you don’t believe me, you can ask Phi Rox,” she added, pointing at her brother.

Fosbein, with a solemn expression, nodded his head in agreement.

Becky, overhearing the conversation, turned around with a sharp look as she handed them plates of fruit. “Is it true, Rox?” she asked, her voice steady though her heart pounded.

“Yeah, mommy,” Fosbein confirmed quietly. “She came to school with Prawit. She even held his hand.”

Becky’s breath hitched, and she exhaled sharply through her nose, anger simmering beneath her calm exterior. She hadn’t expected Freen to step that far.

She let the children continue their play afterward while she sank onto the sofa, her phone in hand, trying to distract herself with messages from friends.

A sudden weight pressed against her stomach, and she looked down in surprise. Fahnareeh had placed her head gently on Becky’s lap, her eyes sparkling with mischief and innocence.

“My little princess,” Becky murmured, caressing her daughter’s hair.

“Mommy, can you give me a little sister?”

Becky froze. “A little sister?!” she exclaimed, completely caught off guard.

“Yes,” Fahnareeh nodded earnestly. “I want her to play toys with me.”

“Your phi Rox and phi Tian always play with you,” Becky reasoned softly.

“They don’t like plushies or playing doctor,” Fahnareeh pouted. “Mommy, you must promise me to give me one.”

Becky swallowed hard, the request hitting her heart like a weight she couldn’t carry. She gathered all three of her children onto the bed, looking at them with a serious expression.

“From now on, please don’t ask mommy for little siblings,” she said, her voice steady though her chest ached.

“I don’t want it anyway,” Fosbein interrupted. “I already have Fahnareeh and Fastian, who’s just a monkey.”

Becky burst into a soft laugh despite the heaviness in her heart.

“Why, mommy?” Fahnareeh tilted her head, eyes wide with confusion.

“Because mommy can’t.”

Fahnareeh blinked. “Is it because we don’t have a daddy?”

The question struck Becky like lightning. She froze, her heart racing, her mind scrambling for words.

“My friend said that if we want a little sister, mommy and daddy must be together,” Fahnareeh added innocently.

“What the heck,” Becky muttered under her breath, shaking her head.

“No, little princess, it’s not because of that,” she tried to assure her.

“Then why?” Fastian pressed curiously.

“Because mommy can’t have a baby again,” Becky admitted softly, brushing a hand over their heads. “You and your siblings are the last babies mommy will ever have.”

Fastian frowned. “I don’t understand.”

“You will,” Becky whispered. “When you grow up, you’ll understand.”

—

Meanwhile, in a different corner of the city, Freen eased into her office, the air heavy with her own thoughts. Her mind had been tangled all day, spinning in endless circles around the same subject-the triplets.

“They are my triplets too, right?” she whispered to herself, her voice trembling between hope and fear. “But what if…” She shook her head violently, trying to banish the dark thought. “No, no, no. Not now, Freen. They look too much like me. I bet they’re mine. A hundred percent mine with Becky.”

Her whisper was desperate, almost pleading with herself to believe it.

The office door swung open suddenly, and Tzuyu and Jennie stormed in. Their eyes widened at the sight of Freen slumped over her desk, her face pale, her hands trembling slightly.

“What the fuck, Freen?!” Jennie’s voice cracked like thunder as she rushed over, grabbing Freen’s shoulders and shaking her. “Are you trying to drive yourself insane? Do you want me to drag you to a mental hospital?”

“Stop!” Freen snapped, her voice sharp but weak.

Jennie froze, her grip loosening, her eyes narrowing in worry. Tzuyu quietly sank into the chair across from Freen, studying her carefully.

“What happened to you, Freen?” Tzuyu asked gently.

Freen dragged her hand through her hair, her expression raw. “I’m thinking about the triplets.”

“Just that?!” Jennie’s eyebrows shot up, disbelief written all over her face.

“Yes. What else did you expect?” Freen shot back, her voice hoarse.

“That’s such a small matter,” Jennie muttered, shaking her head in disbelief.

“It’s not small,” Freen insisted, slamming her hand on the desk. “It’s not small at all.”

“It is small,” Tzuyu countered with calm logic. “You could easily ask someone to investigate their background. Or better yet, you could hire Namtan. She’s good at this.”

“I already did,” Freen admitted. “I asked Namtan to look into it. The results will come tomorrow.”

Jennie sighed in relief. “Good. Finally. I can’t wait to know the truth.”

“Me too,” Tzuyu added with a faint smile. “Even though I’m already sure of how the results will turn out, I’ll still pretend to be shocked.”

Freen leaned back in her chair, exhaling shakily. Tomorrow would either crush her fears or confirm her deepest longing.