The Strong One

Episode 18

“Why?” He asked.

“Why what?” I asked him confused.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked, it took me a second but soon it hit me.

“How do you-“ I started to say but he cut me off.

“Why didn’t you tell me you had gotten pregnant, why didn’t you call me to tell me I was going to be a father!” He screamed, tears filled my eyes and I hung my head down.

“Mama.” A little voice called from the crib, I should have told him to quieten down.

“Hey baby I’m here.” I said to my little boy who was getting standing up in his crib.

He put his arms out for me to grab him and I did, his eyes were wide awake but he laid him head on my shoulder.

I was about to go sit down with Charlie when I heard another.

“Mama.” Coming from the crib.

“Im here little one.” I said putting Charlie a bit to the left and held him with one and and use my free arm to pick up Charlotte.

“I made my way to the sofa with both my babies and sat down, both of the babies laid to the side with their heads on my lap.

I was so distracted with the babies I forgot Diego was in the room.

“What are their names?” Diego asked quietly sitting on the floor in front of me looking at the babies only moving his eyes when to look at the other one.

“Charlotte Sofia Wells and Charlie Ty Wells.” I said looking down at them.

“You named them after my mum and dad and your parents, and you gave them my last name.” Diego said tears flowing out of his eyes.

“Alex why didn’t you tell me?” He asked again.

“Do you know how many times I picked up my phone to call you but then sat the phone back down thinking of everything you always told me you wanted to do but you wouldn’t be able to if I told you, do you know how many times I cried looking into my babies eyes thinking of your eyes looking at me everyday for nearly 16 years of my life, do you that your eyes haunt my dreams every night guilting me for not telling you even though I didn’t tell you because I wanted you to achieve all your goals and dreams, do you k-“ I was trying to finish everything I wanted to say my voice would no longer come out as words but hiccups and sobs came out instead.

“Alex...” Diego said his eyes also full of tears, “My goals were never as important as you, or them now too, Alex I could have been there you were only about to turn 16, no one should go through that alone, Alex...”

Now we were both sitting there crying our eyes out, with the babies still laying on my lap.

“Can I...can I hold them?” Diego asked and I nodded.

He slowly scooped up Charlie, Charlie looked at me with confusion for a bit but then laid his head on Diego’s shoulder. I then helped set Charlotte and he held her with his other hand, tears were rolling down his cheeks and I cried too at the sight in front of me, a sight I didn’t think I would see.

“Alex I’m sorry for what I said about you and them.” Diego said looking ashamed and I just nodded my head.

“Why were you at the medical wing today, are you ok?” Diego asked panicking. 

“Yes I’m fine, it was Charlotte, I took them to a park this morning and they wanted ice cream, I asked the ice cream man to make sure no strawberry came in contact with her chocolate ice cream but some how it did and Charlotte had a bad allergic reactions, she is extremely badly allergic to strawberries.” I said looking at my baby girl.

My parents and Lee soon arrived and they were all shocked, Diego did not want to set the babies down and when he did he sat and played with them, every time I looked at the I felt guilty and my eyes filled with tears, I not only deprived my babies from their father but him from them.

After eating and singing happy birthday the twins started to cry, I decided it is time to take them to bed, Diego asked if he could help and I said he could, he was however confused when I packed the things I had and made my way to the door to leave with the twins.

“Don’t you stay here?” He asked.

“No, not anymore, I needed privacy so I moved to the guest house.” I said to him.

After arriving there I showed him how to dress them in their night clothes, washing their very few teeth and brushing their hair, after setting the twins to sleep each with a bed time story we made our way to the living room very quietly not to wake them up.

“Tell me everything, about how you found out to having them and about them.” Diego said looking up at me curiously.

“Only if you tell me how you found out.” I said to him.

“Ok deal.” He said putting his hand out for me to shake.

“Diego... do you... hate me?” I asked him scared and waiting for an answer which only took seconds but seemed to make hours.

“No, I could never hate you, i was mad, extremely mad, but when I saw you picking both them up that all went away, I could only think about how if I had put in a bigger effort to be there for you you wouldn’t have had to go through that alone.” He said sadly.

“No, no, no, don’t think that, it’s my fault, I didn’t tell you, it was your right and I took it away.” I said arguing with him with tears down my face.

“How could I put you at fault, you were trying to protect me, you wanted what was best for me, how can I put you at fault when you went through everything you did with our children alone so that I could accomplish my goals.” He said also in tears.

I was about to argue even more when he pulled me in and hugged me, holding me tight.

“I missed you so much Alex.” He said.

“I missed you too.” I told him.

After that we both laid there, him with his arms around me, taking about the twins and everything that happened the past two years.