Until Forever Wasn't Temporary

Chapter 3—A Child's Impossible Request

“Theo! Theo! ”

Theo was playing in the garden when he came running toward the call. He ran happily towards the woman, embraced her, and said.

“Mommy!”

Theo said with a smile as he stared at the woman he called Mommy.

It was Ms. Adriana smiling at him.

“Yes, baby! What is it?”

Theo had tears following down his eyes. They were not tears of sadness, but tears of joy. He hugged Adriana tightly.

“Thank you for being my mommy.”

Theo then woke up from his dream to an alarm clock going off. He opened his eyes and saw Sebastián in his room.

“Good morning, little master. Time to wake up.”

Theo nodded, but he was still in a daze. That dream was really so real for him. After his preparation, he saw his father in the dining room downstairs.

“Good morning, Theo!”

Dante greeted his son; he noticed it was out of the blue.

“Are you alright, Theo? Do you feel any pain?”

Dante's face was filled with worry. Theo sometimes hides his pain from himself.

“I am alright, Daddy. I just had a dream.”

Theo said as he sat down beside his daddy.

“A dream? What is the dream all about?”

Dante was curious. Theo looked at him and flashed a sweet smile.

“I dreamed that Ms. Adriana had become my mommy.”

The silence could be heard throughout the whole dining room. Theo was smiling from ear to ear and staring at his daddy.

“That is an interesting dream. Are you not mad at Ms. Adriana? Especially about yesterday?”

Dante tried to stay calm, as he was indeed caught off guard by Theo’s remarks. His mommy, he said. Dante rarely talks of his son’s mother; it was a tragic event, and he doesn’t want Theo to know yet, as he is too young to understand things.

“Daddy? Can Ms. Adriana be my mommy?”

Theo boldly asked his daddy the question.

Dante’s eyes widened at Theo’s question. How can he ask him something like that?

“Theo, now hold on. I know you like your teacher. But she is only your teacher; she cannot be your mommy?”

Dante replied to his son’s remarks. Theo pouted his lips and was frustrated.

“I like Ms. Adriana. I am not mad at her. I want her to be my mommy.”

Theo’s tantrum is on another level. When he is like this, Dante is also frustrated. They finish their breakfast and head out to his school. Theo was ignoring his father all the way to Redwood.

Adriana was busy greeting the students at Redwood.

“You really did argue with Mr. Vescari?”

Madeline said to her while they were busy with the morning greeting.

“I do know what story had reached you, but it was nothing like that.”

Adriana replied to Madeline as she waved hello to the kids.

“You really are a different breed, Ms. Adriana Hartley. Do you really have no fear, Mr. Vescari?”

‘Why would I be afraid of him? I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Ms. Adriana!”

The two of them were caught off guard as Theo came running and hugged Adriana.

“Oh! Good morning, Theo.”

Adriana greeted Theo and smiled.

“Ms. Adriana, I have to tell you something. I had a dream last night, and you are…”

“Theo!”

Before Theo could finish his sentence, Dante called him. Adriana was surprised to see Mr. Vescari again.

“Daddy! I am telling Ms. Adriana my dream.”

“Maybe later; you better go inside the classroom. Ms. Adriana and I need to talk.”

Adriana was surprise of what Dante said; she then led Theo inside the room. She approached Dante.

“How can I help you, Mr. Vescari?”

Adriana was actually nervous, as she had no intention of insulting or disappointing Mr. Vescari.

“Theo and I talked, and he agreed that we would apologize to his classmate about yesterday.”

“Oh, good to hear. I assure you, Mr. Vescari, your son will have many friends at school. Theo is a charming and intelligent boy.”

Adriana was caught off guard when Dante approached her; he leaned forward, and he stared at her. His blue eyes were cold, but very beautiful.

“Ah, Mr. Vescari.”

Adriana awkwardly called to Dante.

“I hope you are the real deal. My son likes you too much.”

Dante said in a stern tone. He wanted to tell Adriana what Teho said, but how could he? This person is a stranger to them and also a complicated person.

“I also like Theo, Mr. Vescari. I hope we can work together regarding his education.”

Adriana replied. Dante moved away from her. He fixed his suit.

“Vincent will fetch Theo later. I hope that is alright.”

“It is, thank you for informing me.”

Dante smiled and waved goodbye to Adriana.

“God damn, he is so hot.”

Madeline said without a second beat.

“Ms. Reeds, please go back to your classroom.”

Adriana said to Madeline. She was actually nervous, as Mr. Vescari is indeed a handsome man. Theo is also indeed a fine young boy; the passing of genes is really something.

The class started without a fuss. Theo and Andrei have now apologized to one another and have now become friends.

“Ms Adriana, look at my drawing.”

Theo called and showed Adriana his drawing. It was a drawing of three people: a man, a woman, and a child.

“What a pretty drawing. Who are they?”

Adriana innocently asked Theo about the picture. Theo smiled at Adriana.

“This is Daddy, me, and you.”

Theo proudly showed Adriana the drawing. Adriana, on the other hand, was trying to process the drawing.

“Why am I there? Your mommy should be there.”

Adriana said, and Theo suddenly became sad.

“Daddy said my mommy is not here in the world anymore.”

Adriana understood what Theo meant; she then placed her hands on Theo’s head and ruffled his hair.

“It is alright, Theo. I am sure your mommy loves you very much.”

“Can you be my mommy, Ms. Adriana?”

Theo's words surprised Adriana; this boy is asking her to be his mommy.

“Theo, I am your teacher; as much as I want to be your mommy, I think it is impossible.”

“Why is it impossible? Is it because my daddy is a scary person?”

Adriana shook her head and smiled at Theo.

“Theo, if I become your mommy, it means I need to marry your daddy. How can that be if we do not like each other?”

“You do not like you, Daddy?”

Theo asked Adriana the dreaded question. As a newly divorced woman, the last thing she wants is to be in another relationship.

“That is not what I mean. Marrying your daddy is not a decision you can make on your own, Theo. He and I need to get to know each other, fall in love, and maybe the time for marriage will happen.”

Adriana tried her best to explain the situation to Theo. Theo, on the other hand, looked at her.

“If I can make Daddy like you. Then can you be my mommy?”

Theo boldly asked Adriana, his eyes filled with determination.

“Perhaps, but please do not force anything, Theo.”

Theo smiled and nodded at Adriana. Adriana was in a state of shock and despair. She now understood that Theo craved a mother who would care for him.

Dante was in a meeting at the office. His head was in the cold while thinking over the words his son had said to him.

“Ms. Adriana is indeed a fine mother for Theo.”

Dante glared at Vincent with his remarks.

“Do not get mad; she might be a divorcee, but she is a good woman. "

“We do not know the reason for her divorce to begin with.”

“From what I have gathered, Daniel Lewis is the one who filed for divorce; from the files, it was because of infertility.”

Dante let out a deep sigh as Vincent continued to talk about Adriana. She is indeed a fine young woman; he could not find any fault with her.

What is more important is that Theo likes her.

“Her ex-husband is Mr. Daniel Lewis; those names sound very familiar.”

Vincent said while scanning through the files.

“Look into Daniel Lewis; I need to know everything about Adriana Hartley.”

Marriage was something Dante never thought of; Theo has never once expressed his desire for a mother. He thought Theo was alright, but now his son is asking for a mother. Dante has conflicting feelings.

Adriana Hartley is indeed a beautiful and charismatic woman. She is the first woman who ever answered back to him. The only woman who looked directly into his eyes.

If this is fatal attraction, what else could it be?

Adriana ended her day by going to the supermarket to shop. She brought groceries and flowers. Suddenly her phone buzzed, and it was a notification from Elena.

It was from her account, a picture of her hands with a ring. The caption said:

He finally proposed!

The post garnered hundreds of likes and positive comments. They congratulated Elena on her engagement.

Adriana just let out a deep sigh as she recalled how her dear friend Elena betrayed her.

Elana Cole, her former friend, and Daniel Lewis, her ex-husband, are now engaged. In fact, while Adriana was still married to Daniel, Elena was already seducing her husband. They had an affair behind her back, and that affair made Elena pregnant.

The reason for Daniel’s and Adriana’s divorce was ‌Elena. It was never infertility or her failure to give him a child. It was their betrayal.

If only Adriana could turn back time, she would ‌never have gotten married to Daniel. She would also never be friends with Elena. The two of them had destroyed her life; they had only brought her pain and misery.

At that moment, Adriana thought of what Theo had said. Her being his mother.

What a lovely idea; if she had a son, she would love it to be ‌like Theo, but alas, it is not. Even as a stepmother, Adriana would not dare to think about being involved with Theo and Mr. Dante Vescari. She is already damaged goods to begin with.

No right man will marry a divorced woman.

Adriana had already accepted the fact that she would live her life alone.

If only her life had turned out better.

She would not be experiencing this pain.

Sometimes in life, some lessons need to leave a permanent mark before learning even ever comes.