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“Are you reallygoing tobeMary's mother?”
“Her father and I are together, yes.” It was a way of answering without using the weight of the word mother.
I became even more afraid of the situation because I didn't want to hurt them.
“See.” Mary pouted at her colleague.
“Ah!” Camile scowled.
“What do you think about waking up the rest of the class for breakfast?” I changed the subject. “Who's hungry?”
“Me!” They both jumped.
“Let's go!” I made them accompany me.
Chapter thirty
I parked in front of the school and walked to the gate where the children were leaving with their parents.
“Hello, Mr. Lennox!” The woman at the door turned to me as if we were old friends.
“Hi,” I replied without the same enthusiasm.
“I'll call them.”
“Okay.”
I was wondering if I would have to wait long for Helena to leave, but a huge smile formed on my lips when I saw her escorting my daughters to the school gate. The twins were jumping up and down, as happy as I'd seen them in a long time.
At that moment, I realized that it wasn't just myself that I was isolating by depriving myself of deeper involvement with other women. I always did my best for my daughters, but it was clear that I had a void that I would never be able to fill.
“Daddy!” They came running and hugged my waist.
“How are my princesses?” I bent down to kiss each of them on the forehead.
“Good.” Anne shook her head; Mary didn't even answer, coming straight out with another question that must have been the reason for her anxiety.
“Is Helena going with us today?”
I stood up, facing the teacher, who gave me a broad smile of assent.
“Yes, she's going with us.”
“Yay!” The girls celebrated by jumping up and down.
I leaned towards Helena and wanted to kiss her, but before I could, she shook her head no and dodged me.
“Not here.”
“Okay.” I was a little embarrassed, but I understood his reasons for not insisting.
I led them to my car, and we settled the twins in their car seats until Helena sat in the back seat.
“I told the principal,” he said as I started the car and drove to my apartment.
“About us?” I thought.
“Yes.”