One More Chance

~~~I'm never gonna let you go, I'm gonna hold you in my arms forever. Gonna try and make up for all the times I hurt you so. Gonna hold your body close to mine, from this day on we're gonna be together. Oh, I swear this time, I'm never gonna let you go~~~ -Sérgio Mendes-

"Mommy, why are you still awake?"

I took a deep breath before glancing at my daughter to my left side and smiled at her. She asked me tonight if she can sleep in my room and of course, I always love that idea.

It's already 11:00 pm, but drowsiness hasn't visited me yet.

Her eyes shined as she looked at me when the moonlight peeked through the window of the terrace of my room.

"Uhmm..."

I don't know what to say to her, no, the truth is that I lost my words when I looked into her eyes. Those eyes that resembles much of her father eyes.

"I was just thinking about the coffee shop," I told her, but the truth is that I was thinking about what her father and I talked about earlier.

"Why? What about the coffee shop?" She asked again, turning her whole body to face me.

"Well, I'm thinking of starting to renovate the small portion to convert it into a flower shop."

"Do you want my help, mommy? I'll just go with you instead of going to Uncle Dale's office tomorrow."

"Huh? But why? I thought you loved feeding Uncle Dale's fish?"

"Yeah, but you need my help more than his fish. He can just ask Uncle Patrick to feed him. I want to go with you so I can help you in the coffee shop."

"Ahh... my baby." I bit my lip to stifle my laughter as hugged her.

I kissed her on the forehead. I was touched by the idea that she would come with me to the coffee shop and would be willing to give up what she loved to do every day, feeding her Uncle Dale's fish pet.

"It's okay, my baby, mommy can always ask Auntie Jack's help and of course, all our friends in the shop to renovate the coffee shop." When I said friends, I was referring to all of our employees.

"But I want to help you, mommy. What help could I give you?"

"Well, if you really want to help mommy, you just have to give me a good night kiss every night and good morning kiss when I wake up. How's that?"

She giggled and started kissing me on the forehead, on my cheeks and all over my face.

"I love you, mommy."

"Ahh... that's so sweet. I can feel my tiredness from the whole day gone away. That's the effect of your kiss, honey."

"Then I would kiss you more often to fade your tiredness." She said smiling.

"I love that idea." I hugged her again. "Anyway, you should take sleep now, it's getting late."

"Okay, goodnight, mommy."

"Good night, my baby."

I couldn't help but sighed a few minutes later when I saw her back into her sleep. I looked at the ceiling and then outside the window where the moonlight peeking through its glasses and that creates a perfect and beautiful luminescence inside the room. I sighed again as I remember what happened in the coffee shop before Luke went back to his office earlier.

***

FLASHBACK...

"Sam, can I talk to you about..." He paused in the middle of his sentence and became hesitant. And since I got confused and intrigued at the same time, I urged him to continue.

"Talk about what?"

He took a deep breath.

"Can we sit on that side?" He pointed to the table in the far corner and I frowned.

"Why do we have to move to that corner? Why don't you just ask your question or tell me what you want here?"

"Because it's a serious matter."

"What---"

"It's about marital property."

"M-Marital property? What do you mean?" I asked a little surprised as I didn't expect that subject to come out of his mouth.

"Let's go to that corner. I promise, it won't take much of your time, besides I still have a meeting to attend this afternoon." He didn't wait for my answer as he immediately walked towards the corner that he was pointing to earlier. "Haist!" I muttered but eventually followed him as I was left without a choice.

And as soon as I was seated, he started speaking.

"It's about our house, Sam."

"House? We don't have---"

"The house we lived in four years ago."

"Ohh... what about it? You've already sold it for a long time, didn't you?"

"What? No!" He said surprised, shaking his head.

"You mean to say, you didn't sell the house?"

"No, of course not! Where did you get that idea? I never thought of selling it before..."

"But?" I'm sure his statement has 'but' so I already mentioned it before him.

"But..."

(I was right.)

"I'm thinking of doing it now, but of course, I want to ask your opinion about it. And if you don't agree with my plan, then I would keep it."

"Uhm..." I gulped, trying to sink what

I had just heard in my head because

all these years I thought he had already sold the house and then aff of a sudden he would tell me he kept it. "But why do you still need my opinion? Your dad was the one who bought that property. It's his gift to you when you got married."

"Yes, dad was the one who bought that property and it was his gift to 'us' not just me when we got married." He emphasized the word us. "And I couldn't decide for myself because it's a marital property."

I sighed.

"Okay---"

"But as I told you if you want to keep it, then we will keep it."

A slight chuckle left my lips.novelbin

"And why would I want to keep that house?" I asked that it shocked him. His mouth hung slightly as he stared at me. "I mean, is there still a reason for us to keep that house? We won't be back together and we already got divorced four years ago." I know those words put him back in his place, but that's the truth.

"For Cali."

"And what do you mean for Cali?" I asked raising an eyebrow when he answered after a few minutes of being silent.

"For Cali's future. We can save the house for her future---" but he never got the chance to continue what he was about to say when my sarcastic laugh interrupted him.

"I'm sorry, but what did you say

again---for Cali? Oh, come on, Luke Marcuz Williams, you're a rich and famous businessman. In fact, you're one of the richest businessmen in California and I know that you can buy your daughter a much bigger. house than that in the future. You can even give her anything she wants with just a flick of your finger, so why would you think of keeping the house? Besides, Cali doesn't have such fond memories in that house and we as well and I know you know that, right?" I raised an eyebrow, waiting for the words he would say. I know he knew what I was talking about.

"Yes, and I'm sorry---"

"Oh, shhh! We don't have to discuss those 'memories' again, let's get on with this conversation. Now, if all you need is my opinion and my permission, then go, you can take the house and sell it, I don't care. But..." I stopped and looked directly into his eyes.

"May I know what are you going to do with the money?" I couldn't help but asked as I have no idea of what's running in his mind for why he would suddenly think of selling the old mansion.

I didn't miss the way how he took a deep breath before opening his mouth.

"Well, that's a good question. Honestly, I'm thinking of donating half of my shares to the charity I was personally helping. This charity is different from the ones the company is helping and the other half will go to Give a child love foundation." "Hmm... so you're not taking any cents from your share?"

"Nope, because you said I'm rich."

"Tss!" I rolled my eyes which I hadn't noticed I did. "Alright, you can take my shares then and give them to the children most in need so it will help them survive and achieve their dreams too."

"No, I won't take them. Just put them in Cali's trust funds---"

"No. As I said my daughter's father is

rich." I couldn't help the smile that

curled against my lips and I

continued. Her Uncle and all her

grandparents are also rich, so I'met

sure she won't run out of money and wealth when she grows up and not to mention, the love and attention from us, especially from me, unlike these children who have been deprived of the opportunity to dream by fate and their own parents."

"Are you sure about it?"

"Yes, I'm sure of it." I nodded.

"Alright, but... can you come with me to visit the house when---"

I suddenly frowned.

"Why do I still need to visit the house?"

"I mean when I already get a sure buyer."

I stared at him for a few seconds.

"Can't you just do it on your own? Or why don't you just ask your lawyer to come with you or maybe Dale? He's the head of a real state company and I'm sure he could help you."

"I know, but I need your signature when the buyer already signed the documents."

-'Haist!'- I mentally slapped myself. "Okay, I'll go with you, just inform me ahead of time when to visit the house."

"Yeah, I will. Anyway, I have to go." He checked the time from his wristwatch. "I only have 30 minutes to go back to the office."

"Okay." I shrugged and nodded.

"Thanks for your time, Sam and also for helping the foundation."

I just replied with a smile and a simple nod, but deep down inside, I wanted to ask him why he's too eager to help those children that he was willing to give up all his shares when the house was sold.