Chase returned to the tree he had left his father and the children, but they were nowhere to be found. Heaving a sigh, he reached for his phone and dialed his father’s number.


    Richard picked up at the first ring, and Chase found himself rxing his shoulders.


    “Where are you, father?”


    “We had to get some ice cream, son. Where are you? You know we have to head to the hospital to prepare for the surgery.”


    A small smile formed on Chase’s face, it had to. He slid his phone back into his pocket and started to make his way to the ice cream truck, searching for his father.


    He was happy to see that his father who felt as though the world was going to crumble into shards light up with happiness all of a sudden.


    Chase tilted his neck to watch three children run around a ferrous wheel. He could feel the happiness that followed having kids around, now that he knew he had kids of his own. He could tell his father was feeling it too.


    His father was now willing to have the surgery, and would go into the room with a sound mind, hope and happiness, with something – or rather, twins – to look forward to, which was very important if the surgery was going to be sessful. Chase was both relieved and delighted for that reason.


    Chase knew Mackenzie was walking behind him. The wind that blew past his nostrils carried her scent along with it, but he did not turn to look at her. He couldn’t bear it.


    He slid his hands into his pockets and bit his lower lip, hard.


    She had betrayed him, even when she knew that he would have done anything and everything for her. The whole world had found out about his children before him, what did she think she could say that would justify her selfishness?


    Still on that thought, he took out his phone and dialed Nora’s number.


    “Yes, sir?”


    “Nora,” Chase started to speak, through bared teeth.


    “I need you to track the identities of the people who released the news, the DNA results, the pictures, everything. I am going to sue every single person responsible for this bullshit. Do you understand me? Not one person must be spared.”


    “Yes sir.”N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    Chase sucked in a deep breath, but he wasn’t finished yet. Not nearly.


    “Make sure the pictures, videos, and every single blog post about this is taken down immediately. Summon the entire tech team if you must, but this news must be as good as non-existent in less than an hour, one hour tops.” He found himself squeezing his phone harder than normal as his footsteps quickened.


    “Do you understand me?”


    “Yes sir.”


    “I would sue anyone who dares to put any of the pictures or the news up, anywhere in the world.”


    “Yes sir. But sir, have you found Mackenzie?”


    Chase’s gnashed his teeth at the sound of her name.


    “Thank you, Nora,” He stopped speaking when he caught sight of his father and the twins in front of a pink truck.


    “I’ll see you in the office tomorrow.” He concluded, before ending the call.


    From afar, Chase watched as his daughter ravaged her chocte ice cream, smearing little bits all over her mouth, even beneath her nostrils. Cameron held a mixture of vors in his hand, one Chase assumed to be peanut butter – from the aroma – and strawberry – from the bright shade of pink beside the brown.


    He finally stood before them, and his children’s eyes sparkled with ecstacy, and an innocence that caused Chase’s heart to squeeze in his chest.


    Calista moved to hold Chase’s hand.


    “Our family isplete now! We have a daddy, and we have a mummy!” She giggled and pointed a finger at Mackenzie, who still stood in silence behind Chase.


    Richard cleared his throat and started to speak.


    “Do you kids want more ice cream?”


    Both Calista and Cameron shook their heads, a collective sign for “no.”


    Calista let go of Chase’s hand and rushed to hold Mackenzie’s. Mackenzie let out a deep breath, she had no idea how long she had held that in, until she felt her daughter’s rxing touch.


    Mackenzie smiled down at Calista, but the little girl squinted her brows at her mother.


    “Are you okay, mummy?”


    “Of course, baby. Mummy’s doing great.”


    Lies.


    Chase stretched his hand to Calista and beckoned on her. Excited to be with her father, she slipped away from Mackenzie and ran back to Chase. He carried her in his left arm, while he held Cameron with his right.


    Mackenzie took it upon herself to hold onto the puppy’s belt.


    There was silence, but only between Chase and Mackenzie. The children could not stop talking. Both of them wanted to fill Chase on all that he had missed in the past four years of their lives, and they wanted to know what they had missed too. They asked questions, answered questions, Chase could not stop smiling at them.


    When they finally arrived in the parking lot, the sun had began to set. The sky above them was no longer bright, but a dark orange colour.


    Richard was the first topliment the sky. He walked to his car and pulled the door open before Maxwell could get to him.


    “Maxwell can take me to the hospital, Chase.” He tore his gaze away from his son and smiled at the children.


    “I’ll see you two big kids tomorrow, ayy?”


    Calista pouted. She didn’t want to see him go yet. She opened her arms and ran to hug him, Cameron followed suit.


    “Do you really have to go, grandpa?”


    Richard pressed a kiss on her forehead.


    “I wish I didn’t, sunshine.”


    “We will see you tomorrow, right?”


    He ruffled Cameron’s hair with his fingers.


    “Of course, little man. I’ll see you tomorrow.”


    Maxwell ushered Richard into the car and closed the door for him. Calista and Cameron did not stop looking at him, until Mackenzie ced her hand on both their shoulders.


    The driver of the Te led them to the ck vehicle waiting at the side of a coconut tree.  The puppy was buckled to the front seat, while Mackenzie carried Cameron on herps, while Chase carried Calista.


    “Where are we going, daddy?” Calista asked. Chase held both her hands.


    “We are going home, princess.”


    “Home? But I didn’t want to go home.” Cameron pouted, folding his arms underneath his chest.


    “I wanted to y handball with some kids at the park.”


    Mackenzie parted her lips to speak, but Chase was faster.


    “You don’t have to worry about that, big boy. We can alwayse back to y together, we will.”


    “Really daddy?” He stretched his little arms wide and yawned.


    Chase nodded with a smile.


    Cameron rested his head on Mackenzie’s chest and she wrapped her arms around his small body. Calista was starting to feel sleepy, so she melted into her father’s hold. Immediately her head came in contact with his chest, Chase could feel his heart threaten to burst his chest open. The feeling was soothing and exciting, a mix of emotions he had never experienced before.


    “Daddy?” She called out, her tone groggy from the sleep she could not avoid.


    “Hmmm?”


    “Are you going to leave us again?”


    Shit.


    Chase’s heart seized for a second. It started to sink to the bottom of his chest with a pace he could not help.


    How would he ever make it up to them?


    “I never left you and Cameron, sweety? I only went…I only went on a journey, and now I’m back.”


    “So you’ll never leave us again?” She gripped the fabric of his shirt in her small palm.


    “You’ll be here?”


    Chase nodded, the hurt in his chest caused tears to burn the sides of his eyes.


    “Yes, I’m never going anywhere.”


    “Would youe with us to school? We would love to show you to our friends. All my friends in school bring their dads to school. But now that you’re here, you’ll alwayse to school.”  Cameron called out from Mackenzie’sp. He must have been listening to everything his sister had said.


    Chase was pleased, but surprised by how quick they had epted him, Calista in particr.


    Soon, Chase heard Calista’s light snores. She had fallen asleep.


    He smiled to himself as he continued to tap her back gently. He would be putting his princess to sleep for the first time.


    It made him feel fulfilled.