Supposedly, this night was meant to be a happy dinner with his family after so many years of not sitting at the same table. But Tristan’s mood dropped below zero, and sitting with his parents felt like a disaster.
Tristan couldn’t enjoy his dinner at all. He finished his food as if he had eaten tasteless fare.
While his parents chatted, everything they discussed seemed to pass from his right to his left ear.
Tristan’s earlier conversation with Jessica had successfully created discord between them. He didn’t say a word to Jessica, and vice versa.
After dinner, Tristan immediately bid them goodbye. But before he left the house, he had already warned his grandfather not to expose any information about his son, Dax, to his parents.
Deep inside, he began to suspect that there was something that made his mother hate Bella so much. Before allowing his son to enter his family, he needed to discover what happened and act based on it.
****
While at Bella’s house.
Bella asked Dax to come to her bedroom. She needs to speak to him about Tristan’s plan to meet him.
When they sat on the sofa side by side, she didn’t talk to him immediately about her intention. Still, she tried to make Dax to tell her about what he did today with his Great-Grandpa.
"Mommy, today Grandpa Sinclair brought us to his seaside house. Even though the house didn’t have a white sandy beach, there’s a long dock on the sea..."
He continues telling his mother everything he did with his two great-grandparents.
They enjoy fishing, eating, and playing chess like they usually did when they were still in the Lake View Village.
Bella’s heart felt warm as she heard the joy in his tone and saw the light beaming from his eyes. She couldn’t help but smile, feeling his happiness.
"Are you happy to spend your day with them?"
"Yes, Mommy, I’m so happy. Great Grandpa Sinclair said he would take me to his island so I can play on the white, sandy beach."
"I am so happy to hear that, Baby," she said while rubbing his chubby, blushing cheeks. "But if you go outside next time, wear sunscreen, alright? Your skin is sensitive. Look... how red your cheeks are now."
Dax crossed his arms and let out a sigh. "Aunty Noora forgot to bring it for me."
"I will remind her next time."
"Oh, Mom, you wanted to talk to me about something?" Dax’s beautiful blue eyes blinked as he looked at his mother, curious to know what was on her mind.
She smiled before telling him, "Yes. Actually, I met your father and talked about you," She paused when she saw his expression slowly turn stiff. "He wants to meet you..."
"He wants to meet me?" Dax repeated his mother’s words.
"Yes. But I didn’t agree right away before asking you. So—" Bella’s voice hung in the air, waiting for him to respond.
She couldn’t force him to meet Tristan because Dax was very sensitive, and his way of thinking was unlike that of children his age. She had to be careful with him. She didn’t want him to feel hurt because of what had happened between her and Tristan.
"When?"
"Whenever you are ready," Bella answered. Looking at how calm he was now, she felt slightly relieved. At least his stiff expression had faded.
Dax was silent for a moment as if he was thinking about something.
"Baby, if you don’t want to see him now, I won’t force you," she smiled at him, trying to make him feel less burdened.
"I didn’t say... I don’t want to meet him, Mom," Dax answered.
Bella was surprised. She tilted her head slightly to see his face, to know his expression, "Seriously, you want to meet him?"
"Hmm, of course. Why should I refuse?" He said.
Dax would not refuse to meet his father because he had something to ask him. Something that his mother never answered every time he asked.
Bella was amazed to hear his answer. When she was about to say something, Dax spoke again,
"I’m just trying to remember if I have an appointment tomorrow to play online games with my gaming friends..."
Bella, "..."
"And, did you have an appointment?" She asked calmly. Even though inwardly, she held back her laugh after knowing Tristan was only number two on Dax’s agenda. Her son preferred his gaming friend to his father. Sigh!
Dax took a deep breath, remembering he had an appointment to stream a game with Bitter_Coffee.
The man had been asking him to play all day, but he was too busy playing with his great-grandfather, so he didn’t have time to go online with him.
And before dinner, he had promised to play with Bitter_Coffee tomorrow, but now his father wanted to meet. He felt slightly puzzled.
"Mommy, can you ask him if I can bring my laptop!? I mean, I want to play for one hour. I’ve made a promise to my friend, and it would be rude if I cancel again..."
Bella nodded immediately when she saw how adorable her son was pleading to play the game.
"But, Baby... I want you to remember something. I only allow you to play games suitable for your age!" She warned him.
"No worries, mom. We just played Roblox and Online Chess."
"You’re playing with Bitter_Coffee again?" Bella asked. She knew some of his gaming friends because she had peeked several times while they were playing.
"Yeah. He is so stupid! Tomorrow, I promise to teach him a few tricks—" Dax continued to explain his gaming to her.
However, Bella couldn’t understand the games he played. She only smiled at him, pretending to understand what he said.
"Ok. That’s very nice of you, Dax. Your friend must be excited. Anyway…, tomorrow, we will meet your father. Are you excited about that?"
"Really? Of course, mom. He’s my father nonetheless."
"Very well, I’ll contact him," Bella said while pulling him into her arms. And she hugged him tightly until he struggled to get free.
"Ugh, mommy... stop... I’m not a baby anymore, alright!"
"You are still a baby. You will always be my baby, little man!!" She said while kissing his cheeks.
Dax, "..."