My struggle has just started

The Rejection

*Chapter 5: The Rejection

"Elena?"

When I heard my name in that school yard, my blood became cold. I knew that voice. Even after four years, I could never forget that voice.

It was Daniel.

I was holding Sam's hand, standing in the line for his school admission at Elm Grove Elementary. My old shoes, my cheap sweater, my hands full of papers. And there he was, standing just two steps away from me, with his wife and his daughter. Looking rich, happy, and shocked to see me.

He looked at me and his eyes became big. "Elena... oh my god, Elena, is that really you?"

For a second, I could not breathe. My heart was beating so fast, like it wanted to come out of my chest. Sam looked up at me, "Mama, you are hurting my hand."

I loosened my grip, but I did not let go of Sam.

Daniel took one step towards me. His wife was looking at us, confused. "Daniel, do you know her?" she asked.

Daniel did not listen to his wife. He was only looking at me. His face was full of guilt and shock. "Elena, I... I have been looking for you everywhere. For four years. I thought you left the city. I thought..."

"You thought what?" I finally spoke. My voice was not loud, but it was full of ice. Cold ice that I had kept inside me for four long years. "You thought I would die? You thought I would disappear so you could live happily?"

People in the line started looking at us.

Daniel's face became red. He came even closer and said in a low voice, "Elena, please, listen to me. I know I did very wrong. I know I left you in a very bad way. I took your money and I ran. I am a very bad man. I know. But please, let me explain. I was in big trouble. Bad people were after me for money. I had no choice. Please forgive me."

Forgive him? He was asking for forgiveness? After what he did to me?

I remembered that day. I was three months pregnant. I had given him my last 5,000 dollars, my mother's jewelry, everything I had saved for my college, because he said he had a great business idea and we would have a great life together. And the next morning, I woke up and he was gone. My money was gone. My jewelry was gone. His phone was switched off. I was alone in a small rented room with no food and a baby growing inside me.

And now he was standing in front of me, wearing a 500-dollar shirt, asking me to forgive him.

I looked straight into his eyes. My eyes had no tears now. Only fire.

"No." I said. One word. Loud and clear. "No, Daniel. I will never forgive you."

He was shocked. "Elena, please..."

"No!" I said again, louder this time. Sam started crying because I shouted. I picked Sam up in my arms. "Don't you dare say my name again. Don't you dare come near me. You have no right. You lost that right four years ago when you slammed that door and left me alone on that floor, crying, pregnant, with nothing."

His wife came and pulled Daniel's arm. "Daniel, who is this woman? What is she talking about? What money?"

Daniel was sweating. He said, "Nothing, nothing, let's go, we are getting late for Lily's admission."

He tried to walk away, but I stopped him with my words. "Tell your wife, Daniel. Tell her who I am. Tell her you left a pregnant girl alone with no money and married her for her father's money."

Daniel's wife looked at me, then at Daniel. Her face was now angry.

Daniel turned back to me, his hands joined together like he was begging. "Elena, please, not here. Not in front of my family, not in front of everyone. I will do anything you want. I will give you money. I will give you anything. Just please, don't create a scene here. I am sorry, I am really sorry. Please forgive me."

I held Sam tighter. Sam was hiding his face in my neck.

I looked at Daniel, from his expensive shoes to his guilty face, and I said in a very cold, very strong voice, "I don't need your sorry. I don't need your money. I don't need you. I needed you four years ago. I waited for you. I cried for you. I almost died for you. But you never came. So now, I don't need you. I have my son. I have my life. I built everything without you. So please, go away. Go and live your happy life with your wife and your daughter. And leave me and my son alone."

Daniel's eyes filled with tears. "Elena, please, just one chance to..."

"I said NO!" I shouted, and this time the whole admission line went silent. Everyone was looking at us. The school guard came towards us.

I took a deep breath. I looked at Sam. I had not told anyone who Sam's father is. Not my neighbors, not my boss, not even Sam himself. Sam thinks his father is dead. And I wanted it to stay that way for now. This was not the time. This was not the place. And Daniel did not deserve to know that Sam is his son. Not yet. Maybe later. Maybe when Sam is older. Maybe when Daniel has truly suffered for what he did. But not today.

I looked at Daniel one last time and said, "This child is not yours. He has nothing to do with you. He is only my son. My Sam. So don't ever ask about him again. Just go."

Daniel's face became white. He looked at Sam, then at me. He wanted to say something, but no words came out.

His wife pulled him hard, "Daniel! Let's go! Now!"

Daniel slowly turned and walked away with his wife and his daughter. He kept looking back at me, again and again, until he disappeared into the crowd.

I stood there, holding Sam, my whole body shaking. My legs were feeling weak. I wanted to fall down and cry, but I did not. I could not cry in front of Sam.

Sam touched my face and said, "Mama, why are you crying? Who was that uncle?"

I wiped my tears quickly and smiled at him, "No one, my love, no one. Just an old man who lost his way. Come, it's our turn for your admission."

I held his hand and walked to the admission desk. My back was straight. My head was high. I had rejected him. I had told him I don't need him.

But inside my heart, a storm was starting. Because I knew, this was not the end. He had seen me. He knows I am in this city. He will come back. He will try again.

And I also knew, I cannot hide Sam's truth forever.

But for today, for now, Sam is only mine. And I will protect him.

*To be continued...

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