NEVER BROKEN

Baby--Cherry on Top

Serena glanced surreptitiously at her watch. She was wondering if she had been too early for this appointment with Diamond Masters. She had learned to call him Diam, as he was one of the doctors that look after her father. Diam's father, her godfather, was their family doctor and James' friend for as long as she could remember.

At thirty-three, Diam was already a brilliant neurosurgeon. She had known Diam for years, but only manage to see him on occasion. This was the first time that he requested a meeting with her.

"Dr. Masters will be down shortly," the waiter announced, setting down her coffee cup.

Serena acknowledged this with a slight nod and the tall uniformed man respectfully moved away. She had almost forgotten that Beryl St. Pierre, Diam's ex-wife, used to own St. Pierre Hotels before her rich ex-husband bought the chain from her family. It was no secret that the two had been separated for two years now.

Since then, Diam had taken residence in this branch's penthouse together with a three-year-old daughter by the red-haired Beryl.

"Do you usually put too much sugar in your coffee?"

She looked up to meet the handsome face of Dr. Diam Masters. She carefully replaced the lid on the sugar canister and set down her teaspoon on the saucer without mixing the hot drink.

"I like it sweet," she answered and found that the adjective described exactly the strawberry-haired child whose chubby little fingers were holding Diam's large hand a little too tightly.

She smiled at the scene. When she looked up again, Diam found her gaze and there was an unfathomable expression on his face. He occupied the seat across her and an attendant rushed to set up his daughter on a high chair between them.

"I hope you don't mind," he said, referring to his daughter.

"Are you kidding? She's adorable!" She had completely dismissed her coffee and couldn't quite seem to take her eyes off the child. "What's her name?"

"Bea," the little girl answered. This earned a smile from her father. She was tapping the flat panel of her seat with her palms.

Reena smiled up at Diam. "She's perfect, Diam. Doesn't she look like you!" she remarked. Bea did resemble her father.

"So I've been told," he answered. "And the little water-worker knows how to twist me around her little fingers."

Serena giggled. "I should imagine you have lots of time for her."

"Unfortunately not. I don't know how I manage to put her in my schedule. Or if I do make an effort to fit her in my priorities. I've said no to her a number of times that it feels criminal."

Serena paled. I killed my own child because I'd been too careless. Had I been more responsible and less jealous I would have known that I was pregnant. I should have taken care of myself more. I'd been so selfish that my baby died. That, Diam, is criminal.

"Reena?"

"Huh?" She blinked. "I'm sorry. I spaced out. I had a fretful night. Dad's been restless."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

She nodded and silently sipped up her coffee. Her eyes once more darted to the cute angel on her side. In her heart, she was wishing for the same bundle of joy that would have reminded her of…

"…the reason why I asked you to come here."

"Yes?" She had done it again. She just hoped Diam's patience with research would apply to her.

"As I've said, your father is the reason," he repeated, disregarding her lapse. Bringing Bea into this appointment had not been a good idea. She was crying, yes, but he had always let the babysitter take care of that kind of squabble.

When Serena was hospitalized for miscarriage about three years ago, Dr. Ami Lawson had spoken to him instead of speaking with his father, Dr. Luke Masters. He and Ami were resident doctors in the same hospital, and she wanted to ask Dr. Luke about certain medical records concerning her patient. He learned that Serena wanted no one, particularly not her father, to learn about her condition but "Dr. Lawson" believed that at least the family doctor should know. As his father wasn't available then, Diam had been all too willing to accept the responsibility.

Serena was asleep when he paid a visit to her private ward. Up to now, Diam believed James didn't have a clue that he almost had a grandchild by his daughter.

"Dr. Masters… " She looked into Diam's eyes. "I mean, your father told me that—"

"My father told you what James asked him to," Diam supplied.

"I'm sorry?" she asked.

"Your father is dying, Reena," he said.

"No." But didn't James always say that? And didn't she feel that way whenever he complained of his pains? "You're lying." Her voice broke. Her eyes glistened with fresh tears.

Suddenly, she was not the confident and dreamy lady of a while ago. She was just a frightened little girl.

"Why would I lie to you?" he asked kindly. He turned to look at his daughter. She was quite busy with her dolls that he put on the mini table of her chair. At three, words were not Bea's strongest point. Grandpa, Papa, and Bea seemed to be the only ones in her vocabulary. But he was a good enough doctor to know that nothing's wrong with his child.

"Your father's condition has shifted from bad to worse and I think it's only fair to let you know. I hope you don't take it against my father that he had kept it from you this long. I would have done the same if it didn't mean giving you false hopes."

She dried her tears. Diam saw her brave face once again. "Isn't there anything that can be done?" she asked, holding the handkerchief on her lap. She knew that it would require money and Heaven knows where she'd get it. But she'd do anything for her father.

"You could ask your friend Mina to be his full-time nurse. She's well-trained for this new—"

"No." Mina was at home right now, looking after James. She was the one who informed Serena that Diam asked to see her. James was sleeping and Mina said that she'd be the one to tell him where she'd gone off to.

Diam raised an eyebrow. He suggested Mina because he knew that money was not an issue with the woman. She was rich in her own right and the Portmans' were a little too conservative in this 'trade.' Of course, he couldn't be as brash as to voice out his opinion to Serena's face.

"Mina's excited about this job opportunity in England. Her grandmother lives there and she'll only be reunited with the old woman after fifteen years. I couldn't ask it of her." And every other full-time nurse is out of the question. If only she was earning enough as a pastry chef. Or if only she wasn't so proud to ask Darien…

How she wished Sammy was more reliable in matters like this. Then again, he was only a kid. And she didn't think this was a good time to ask a reconciliation between him and James.

Oh, Sammy…

She vowed that her brother would be a fine man their father could be proud of.

"The only option left is hospitalization. And I would recommend it. I'm sure you wouldn't like for your father's illness to simply take its course."

"No," she answered stiffly.

"How is James bearing the pain?"

"I can almost feel it when he complains."

"The sooner you bring him in, the better. Reena, this doesn't mean that his case is no longer terminal, but you know how it is…" She nodded. "We discover new things, we try them. That is what we're doing. I sincerely hope that this new method would prolong James' life."

"Thank you. I'll prepare the money."

He did not answer, trying hard not to think how she'd get it. He signaled for the waiter to bring them fresh coffee and asked Serena if she would like cakes to go with it. She did not refuse.

He had tried hard to forget this girl. He never knew that this quiet, innocent beauty would have such a lasting effect on his peace of mind. Sometimes, he would find himself blaming her for his wretched marriage: the reason why he had never fully committed himself to Beryl. Not that Beryl was maternal or housewifely in any way. She married him to support her lifestyle and he used her to get an heir. He wouldn't admit that he did it on the rebound after seeing Reena happily married to the Lawson tycoon.

He would never forget Serena's face on her wedding day.

It struck Diam as paradoxical although not 'intentional' that Beryl did once have an affair with the ACE CEO. After all, Beryl was one alluring socialite and Lawson was no saint. Like him, discreetness was one of Darien's points, but it certainly wasn't Beryl's. Especially when she discovered the feelings, he, Diam, still harbored for the cool Portman beauty.

That was how he learned of Beryl's previous association with Darien. It bothered him because he couldn't seem to find a single nerve to say that he cared. And didn't Beryl know it. She stormed out of the house when she found a stolen shot of Serena in her high school uniform that was placed carefully in a silver glass frame.

She wouldn't be a stand-in for another woman, Beryl said. She drove that night and has since then never reached out even if only to ask about her daughter.

Had it been any other woman, he believed that Beryl would have let it pass. But the woman who stole the Lawson chief executive? That was unforgivable.

Diamond was only too willing to pay her the Earth to get a divorce. She had been delaying the proceedings. He wondered about what tricks she had left up her sleeves.

Reena's picture had been sitting on the antique table in his old bedroom for as long as he could remember. After he was married, his parents moved into a smaller house and entrusted their ancestral home to him. For privacy, he kept his bedroom unoccupied and transferred to the master suite. He should have been a little warier of Beryl's curiosity if not of her cunning psyche.

Photography had been his first hobby. Naturally, though, people thought that he would follow in his father's footsteps and become a doctor. It was not a difficult decision, and the profession moved them, if not him, closer to the Portmans.

The shot was taken when he was passing Serena's high school one day; she had just got out of class. And the warm summer air must have prompted her long golden tresses into a ponytail. He was quite sure Serena hadn't seen him and Diam felt relieved and disappointed at the same time.

He was twenty-four then, and she was only fourteen. At the back of his mind, he was waiting for her to grow up, at the same time mentally berating himself for feeling strongly for a child.

In all the times that she had seen him, he was sure that all that was mirrored in her eyes had been brotherly respect.

Her framed picture was still in his room He had no intention of removing it.

Diam had never quite forgiven Darien Lawson for marrying the only woman—girl he had ever loved. He humbly acknowledged defeat when he received an invitation to the wedding. And the look of love on Serena's face was priceless.

He envied and hated Darien at the same time. Diam hated him more when Serena seemed to have lost all her gaiety and confidence after he had left her. And Diam could almost swear that it was love he saw in Darien's eyes while he looked possessively at his wife while reciting his marriage vows.

Vows that he Diam could have said to that same woman in Lawson's place…

He woke up from his reverie to see the girl affectionately feeding his daughter a tiny piece of cake. It was served unnoticed by him. Diam watched her lips make a motion of opening and closing as if telling the child to mimic the movement and savor the sweet. His daughter gave a gurgle of laughter after downing the diminutive morsel, obviously liking it.

"She's so cute," Serena cannot help remarking.

"Let me do that," he said, trying to get the teaspoon from her.

"No. I mean… it's not a bother. I'm enjoying it really."

"If you say so." He smiled.

She didn't see it. Her full attention was on his daughter. It was not really a good idea to have brought Bea on this… date.

Serena noticed that Diam's daughter had a sweet tooth, like her. She silently waited for the baby's father to admonish her for feeding the child sweet and felt a little happy when no censure came. After three tiny morsels, the baby seemed to be over her fascination with the stuff and Serena turned her attention on tasting the piece herself.

She set down the fork after taking a bite. The cake was good but not as good as the ones she and Lita used to make. It was not very sweet, but as they say, sugar is the main cause of cancer, she felt less guilty about sharing some with the baby.

It had been a long time since she had indulged in a quiet tete-a-tete such as this and Diam's news about the new treatment had somehow enlivened her spirit.

She reached for the tall glass of water on her table. "Will it be okay for your daughter to drink this water?"

"Yes. We only serve the best here. You can't be too careful," Diam answered.

Drinking on the glass must have been a novel experience for Bea and she seemed to enjoy having Serena do it for her.

As soon as Serena set the glass on the table, Diam popped the question. It was not the one he really wanted to ask but it will do for now.

"How would you like to take care of my little daughter?"

She looked up at him, startled. "You're kidding. You must have half a dozen servants, not to mention hotel staff that are ready to run at your beck and call.

"Perhaps, but with you, I'm certain that she's in good hands even if I'm attending medical conferences abroad."

"I… Diam—"

He touched her hand that was softly grasping the linen on the table. "I understand. You need time to think."

"You don't understand. My father needs me."

"Yes, but he'll be well looked after when he's hospitalized. And you need to raise the money. And my offer will come with proper compensation. Also, your father would worry that you know about his condition if you make a fuss about him now." He had thought about this.

"Don't rush me," was all she said.

Diam wished he had asked her to be his wife instead.

Serena raised her eyes to notice the frown on Diam's forehead, but it did not appear to be directed at her. She turned her head in the direction of the entrance and found herself looking at the person she thought she was least likely to see.

Her husband. And Rei.

Rei walked gracefully toward their table.

"Hi, Mrs. Lawson. I didn't expect to see you here." Rei was looking at Diam's child.

Darien was standing behind Serena's chair and she could feel it.

"Do you mind? I want to speak to my wife," Darien told his secretary. "Our colleagues are waiting," he said, looking at the men's direction.

"Hello," Rei bestowed a smile to Dr. Masters before leaving. "You look like a perfect family," she commented and turned upon her heel.

Diam noted Lawson gritting his teeth. "I'm glad you're here, Mr. Lawson. Please sit down. I was just asking Serena to help raise my daughter."

Darien smiled sarcastically as he sat down. "As she can't look after our own child that well, I wonder what made you ask her," he shot back.

Serena stood up but before she could move completely, both men were holding each of her hands. She was forced to sit back. She pulled her arms to herself.

"I'm surprised your sister did not tell you that it was a miscarriage," Diam was saying. He regretted letting go of Serena's hand.

Her eyes flew to the doctor's. She had no idea that Diam was aware about what happened. But then again, Ami would only be so sensible as to discuss it with their family doctor and Diam was nearly that.

Darien was silent.