Chapter 37


    Chapter 37 – Leave of Absence (Anj‘s POV)


    Dn pushed the door of the convenience store to treat Anya and me, and as he promised mest night,


    he would buy me ice cream after his crazy joke of marrying him.


    “I want a chocte ice cream,” I demanded him as we crowded around the refrigerator. “You can‘t have


    chocte,” Anya said. “You don‘t want your baby to look like a cacao,” she chuckled at her joke, but


    Dn ignored her and opened the refrigerator, getting expensive ice cream.


    “Hey,” I protested, taking the ice cream pint from him and returning it inside. Instead, I chose the less


    expensive brand and gave it to him. “You have to save money,” I said, making him raise his eyebrows. “I


    might need to borrow money from you for baby stuff.” His lips twitched as he shook his head and turned


    to Anya, waiting for what she liked.


    “I had ice cream yesterday already, and with those calories, nuh–uh!” She took a yogurt instead and


    gave it to Dn. “Make it two,” he said and waited for Anya to give him another yogurt before heading


    to the counter, but he stopped when my foot braked in one aisle, eyeing the sour candies. “You like


    it?”


    I nodded sheepishly but immediately pulled the mini candy bag before he could get one. “I‘m paying for


    this, Dn.” “It’s okay. Let me pay for this one, too,” he said, holding the edge of the candy bag.


    “No. It will take time. I have to smell each, making sure I‘m not puking them after,” I lied as I moved my


    head toward him. “Go. My ice cream is melting because my cousin is on fire,” I joked as I puckered my


    lips, pointing at Anya, raising her eyebrows, and sneering her lips at us. “Let her melt the ice cream. I‘ll


    get you more,” He waggled his eyebrows, smiling at me, but when I raised my eyebrows at him, he


    chuckled and walked toward the counter.


    I sighed as Ipared the money I had in my pocket, so instead of choosing from the colorful and


    mouthwatering sour candies from the candy dispenser, I settled on taking a small pack of skittles sour


    candy and followed Dn. “What happened to the candy mix?” He asked as we walked toward the table


    outside. “The baby changed his mind,” I grinned as I put the candies in my ice cream, making them look


    like colorful toppings. “E!” Anya twitched her lips as she watched me. She shivered and looked at


    me with disgust as I enjoyed my ice cream. “Geez! What does it taste like? No wonder Mrs. Antta


    could guess about your condition.” “His mind,” He whispered.


    “Huh?” Anya and I uttered at the same time and nced at him as we sat on the chairs. He smiled at


    me. “You said his mind, so it means you‘re hoping it‘s a boy,” he exined while opening his yogurt.


    Ta


    l e


    of Africa


    “Ah! I‘m not really thinking of the sex of my baby right now. He could be a boy, and if she‘s a girl, that‘s


    also fine with me,” I scoop another spoonful of ice cream as I imagine little Sky if my baby is a boy or the


    adorable Olivia if she is a girl. “I should have used them, right?” I turned to Anya to ask. She giggled.


    “Gosh! I don‘t care about taking care of half a dozen little Angs as long as their brains are as big as


    yours.” Dn hissed. “Half a dozen? What do you think of Ang? A dog?”


    Anya looked at him. “I have a dog, and Maki only gave birth to two puppies. Ang is different because


    she‘s an alien, and aliens can produce more babies.”


    He rolled his eyes at her. “I can‘t believe you‘re talking to Ang that way,” he shook his head, looking


    disappointed when Anya and I burst outughing. “Do you think the babies wille out of my mouth?” I


    joked, making Dn more pissed at


    1. us.


    Anyaughed at me. “Probably. We’d better stop, Anj. I don‘t want to pay for this yogurtter if this man


    here gets mad at us.” I nodded in agreement, focusing on my ice cream and candies. “Are you not really


    going to tell us who the father is?” Anya asked again. I swallowed the food in my mouth first before


    turning to her. “I told you I don‘t know.”


    Dn sighed. “That‘s impossible, Anj. You must have at least remembered a little about him.”


    I squinted, showing them I was thinking really hard. “He has eyes, nose, and mouth, and his head is as


    big as that balloon,” I pointed at the white balloon the little girl was holding as she walked toward the


    convenience store.


    “She must have been drugged that night,” Anya shook her head, but when Dn red at her, she


    continued, “Or her alien family came, and they got her married to a royal family.”


    The word married choked me, causing me to cough, and they panicked when I was not stopping. Dn


    had to rush back inside the store to get me water, and when he returned, he found Anya tapping my back


    lightly while I coughed andughed. “Are you okay?” He asked worriedly, opening the bottled water


    before giving it to me.


    I wiped the tears which rolled down my cheeks and took the bottled water from him.” Thanks,” I said in a


    raspy voice while I massaged my throat. “I guess the candy went into the wrong pipe and head straight


    to my lungs.” He sighed, sitting beside me. “Only you, Ang, can find humor in your situation.” I smiled


    at him, embarrassed at the thought that he had to take care of me instead of Sky, but the moment I left


    their home, I had to forget him and believed that he didn‘t exist, and now that I have a baby to remind of


    him, no one has to know who the father is. Only Father Jesse and Sister Grace knew the truth, and I was


    hundred and one percent sure that they would not tell anyone about it.


    “I bet Uncle Jesse knew the truth. I saw you in the confession room yesterday,” Anya said, waiting for my


    reaction.


    I kissed her cheek. “Why don‘t you ask Uncle Jesse? Let’s see if he will tell you.” “Ha! Ha! Don‘t be


    funny,” she smirked at me. “We both know he will never divulge anything to us.”


    “I love his job,” I sighed, finishing my ice cream and ignoring Dn staring at me intently.“ But I can‘t do


    it. I want to tell you anything, everything!”


    “Except telling us who got you pregnant,” Dn cut in.


    I pursed my lips and narrowed my eyes at him, realizing he won‘t let this go. “I told you, Dn, I don‘t


    know who he was, and I have no intention of knowing and finding him.” I snarled at him, standing up to


    put the empty cup into the trashcan and walk away from them.


    “I‘m sorry, okay?” Dn rushed to my side and held my forearm to stop me.


    “Why is it so important for you to know him, Dn?” I asked angrily, surprised that Anya stayed on the


    table and just watched the two of us fight.


    “Because I want to make sure he will note back, Ang,” He retorted.


    stop cryin


    I pressed my lips to ston


    because I was hurt by what he said. I hate to admit that my heart was hoping he would find me, that our


    path would cross, and that he would stop me again from leaving


    I shook my head. “I told you I don‘t know him,” I whispered before brushing his hand off my arm and


    walking past him.


    Anya stopped Dn from following me. “Don’t push her hard, Dn.” I hailed a taxi, but instead of asking


    the driver to bring me to the nursing home, I asked him to drive me to the university. I spent time in the


    library, writing one thing I didn‘t know I would do during myst semester in college.


    As I wrote my Leave of Absence application, tears were rolling down my cheeks. I made a wrong turn


    in my life, but despite that, I still hope to finish my business degree. With Anya always asking who the


    father of my baby is and Dn always wanting to save me and desiring to like him to be part of my life


    and heart is too much.


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    I wish to breathe...


    After writing the letter, I went to Dean Jones‘s office, and luckily despite the time, she amodated


    me, wondering why the genius in her department was seeing her. My heart was hammering in my chest


    as I handed her my letter, and as she read it, I was sure I saw the surprise on her face


    “Are you really sure of your decision, Ang?” she asked worriedly. “Your graduation is in four months


    and...”


    I nodded.


    “This is the first time things got out of my hand, and I wanted plenty of time to think about how to steer


    my life,” I exined to her, hoping she would approve my leave. “I‘m sorry, Ang, but I can‘t approve


    your application,” she said, handing the letter back to me.


    My mouth half–opened, surprised by her decision.


    “But let me help you by talking with your professors and see what we can do for you. For now, I


    understand you wanted to leave, and if you thought that would help, then do it, but make sure toe


    back.” She rose to her feet and walked in my direction, giving me her card. “Call me at this number if you


    need my help.” I smiled and thanked her for her time before leaving her office. Sighing, I walked toward


    Heaven Avenue, not to the nursing home but to the church, to talk to Father Jesse about wanting to


    leave soon.