Chapter 104 - Damien Lewis

With the word, ‘fatherless’ Arabella was stunned, but she managed to stand up with elegance and with confident poise.

“I didn’t know that bullying in this school is allowed and the person who was bullied would get the punishment. Pls. correct me if I am mistaken Mrs. Principal.” Arabella looked at the old woman who was sitting uneasily. The principal was obviously embarrassed by Ms. Thompson’s confession.

Based on how Arabella talked and her arrogant demeanor, the principal was thinking that she was really a professional lawyer. From that moment, she knew that she could not mess up with Arabella, or else her position as a principal was at stake.

“Ms. Thompson, how dare you to tell lies to me? Please submit your resignation letter right away.” The principal demanded, showing her disappointed look and her full authority to punish her employee in front of Arabella.

Ms. Thompson cried with regrets in her expression, then she bowed.

“I am sorry Adam. I am sorry Ms. Jones.” Ms. Thompson said before she left remorsefully.

The three mothers were stunned as they were being slapped hard, directly to their faces.

“If we are finished here, May I excuse ourselves first, Mrs. Principal?” Arabella had no time for a fake show, but she was quite satisfied that she gave justice to her son. Adam had a higher IQ than the other kids. He was 10x advanced that he could already hack an IT system of a company. Thanks to his dad who had genius and good-looking genes, while Arabella could only take part in protecting Adam.

“Of course. Thank you for your time Ms. Jones and sorry for the little trouble.” The principal replied quickly like she really wanted Arabella to be gone right away so she could breathe.

“Child matter isn’t little. It’s always their foundation for growth. I hope this will not happen again.” Arabella lifted Adam and turned around to leave, but she stopped in the middle to see clearly the 3 mothers who bad-mouthed her.

“And please before you judged someone looks at yourself first in the mirror. A mango tree would not grow a banana fruit. I may be a single mother, but I work hard and I had given my best to raise a kind and respectful son.” Arabella sarcastically commented to the three mothers who were rooted to their seats.

“I hope this school would not put my best in vain.” She made her closing remarks without turning her back to face the principal then she strode out with Adam clinging to her neck.

Adam looked at her like he had the toughest mom in the whole world.

Arabella put Adam in the back seat. Her boy was very quiet. It was quite unusual for him.

“Baby, are you okay?” Arabella asked before starting the engine. She knew Adam had something bothering him.

“Hmmm…” He replied plainly. The vigor of his voice couldn’t be found.

“Come on baby. Tell me or I am gonna be sad. You want mommy to be sad?” Arabella knew Adam was holding his emotion.

Adam didn’t look at Arabella and his stare was outside.

“Does it hurt? Are you in pain now? Let me see your wounds.” She was already in panic as her heart was heavy to see for the first time Adam was distracted and sad.

“No mommy. These wounds were nothing.” Adam replied to stop her panic attack.

“Then tell me. What’s bothering you?” Arabella had teary eyes already. When it came to Adam’s emotions, she was very attentive.

Adam was like his dad.

He was cold and unsocialized.

No one could touch him except his Uncle Damien and his mom.

“Mom, stop. I am just hungry.” Adam then laughed silly at her.

“You rascal!” Arabella reached out and tickled Adam at the back. Adam laughed and begged her to stop.

They drove to his favorite restaurant. He ordered pizza and spaghetti, then he ate it all. Just by looking at her son actively eating like the food on his table was the most delicious food in the world, she was already full.

She was full of happiness and satisfaction.

Arabella was still observing her son, but in just a blink of her eye, she saw Bill eating in the presence of Adam. His expression was the same when he enjoyed the food he was eating. Seeing Bill in her sight, Arabella’s grip on the tissue paper became tight.

“Mom, are you okay?” Adam asked that made her back to her senses.

Hearing Adam’s voice, she regained her senses and drank the water in the glass beside her in one gulp.

“Mom, are you okay? Are you that thirsty?” Adam commented as he saw his mom almost drowned herself with water.

“I am okay. Finish your food now so we could go. Uncle Damien just texted me. We are going to have a barbecue at his house tonight.” Arabella happily announced, but deep inside she just wanted to flee immediately from the place. She hated things and places that could remind her of the cruel Bill.

“Mom, I am already finished,” Adam replied with confusion as he was already finished before she drank the water. His mom was obviously distracted.

“Ohhh… Okay, let’s go now.” She quickly held Adam’s hand and they exited the place.

Night came and they were getting ready for a barbecue night at Damien’s house.

“Adam, are you ready? Let’s go!” Arabella shouted as her little boy was still inside his room.

“Adam? Adam!” Arabella shouted again, but Adam didn’t reply.

She quickly went straight to Adam’s room, then she saw Adam was lying in his bed shivering.

“Baby? Baby? My Baby!” Her panic attack instantly came out again.

She quickly touched Adam’s forehead and she was alarmed when his forehead was bursting. She quickly called Damien.

“Damien, help! Adam has a high fever!” Arabella wanted to cry in panic, but she held it as she knew it would not help to be fragile where her son needed her the most.

A sudden screeching sound of a car stopped outside her house. She hurriedly carried Adam and put him in Damien’s car, then they drove to the nearest hospital.

“Relax Bel, Adam was tough like you. He will surely fight his fever and regain his strength immediately.” Damien was trying to calm Arabella as she was walking back and forth like she was inspecting the floor of the hospital.

“I know he’s tough but he never had a fever before. It’s his first!” Arabella muttered as she was puzzled by the sudden sickness of his son.

“Come on! All kids went through this kind of sickness. It’s a common thing. What did he do this morning that caused him sick?” Damien asked.

Arabella had suspected the food they ate and she told it to Damien.

“I don’t think so. That restaurant is famous in the city that they could afford to ruin their reputation in serving spoiled food.” Damien commented as he frowned.

“Anything else?” Damien asked again trying to find out the cause of the problem.

Arabella was stunned upon recalling the incident in Adam’s school in the morning.

‘Could it be?’ She asked herself.

“Are you okay?” Damien saw her sudden change of reaction.

“Yeah. I’m fine. There’s just one thing that happened this morning in his school…” Arabella told Damien everything.

Damien Lewis was her secret keeper and included in her favorite person list.

He once saved her life 6 years ago.

When she went to Country Y, she had no place to stay. She was like a tourist in a foreign land with Adam in her tummy. On her first night, she booked a hotel in a small suburb area, then the next day, she scouted around to find a place that she could rent. Her goal was to find a place that’s near to the hospital as she had no one to depend on if she’s going to give birth to her son.

When she was walking that day, three boys blocked her way and asked for her money. They looked like natives in the place. That time, she realized that the place was unsafe. Arabella refused to give her only money, so she escaped from the bad guys, but one man caught her hair and dragged her in the corner. After getting her money, the men didn’t intend to leave her alive so a black man raised his sharp blade to stab Arabella’s stomach. She taught she’s finally going to die and her baby, but someone caught the blade for her.

It was Damien Lewis.

He saved Adam.

He was like a nomad in the place. A free man who wanted to seek inspiration to write a song.

Arabella sent him to the nearest hospital. She was very thankful to him and never left him until he could go home.

Since Arabella was seeking an apartment, Damien offered her his other apartment next to his house. He was right at the center of Country Y so she needed to change her plan and live within the city.

From that day, he became her landlord and Arabella became his tenant.

The relationship grew more when Damien was by her side during her pregnancy.

As a neighbor, he took care of her and drove her to the hospital when she was about to deliver her child.

Damien stayed in the hospital overnight like a dad that was worried and yet excited to see his newborn.

When Arabella successfully gave birth to her son, she named it Adam as A stands for Arabella and Dam for Damien. This is her way of showing her gratitude to him for saving her son.

“I am going with Adam to his school when he’s okay,” Damien announced with an imposing voice. It was obvious that he was angry with what happened to Adam.

“Okay. Thank you for the non-stop support for us.” Arabella had become emotional. Without Damien how could she survive? He was like an angel to her as he came right in time of her distress and helped her to rise up again.

“That’s nothing.” He answered plainly.

Suddenly, Adam’s doctor strode towards them.

“Adam’s fever had lessened, but we still need to observe him. He is now in a private room.” The doctor announced the good news.

Damien and Arabella quickly went to Adam’s room. He was still sleeping. Arabella gently took out his hand and kissed it tenderly. Then, her tears rolled over her cheeks. She seemed to hold her tears and couldn’t stop holding it when she saw her son lying on the bed with pain.

“I could take any pain in this world. If only I can take yours. Of all people, I never want to see you in pain, my baby.” Arabella whispered softly as she was afraid that she could wake up her son.

Damien looked at the mother and son moment. He understood Arabella as she was a single mom who raised her kid from scratch and by her sweat and blood. Damien decided to walk out silently to give them space.

Arabella’s expression was full of pity to her son as she stroked Adam’s hair gently.

In just a little while, Adam shouted in his sleep.

“Stop talking nonsense!”

“I have a father!”

“I have a father!”

He seemed to be fighting someone in her dream. He was shouting loudly while his eyes closed and his hands were clenched into fists and punching in the air.

“Adam! Adam! Wake up! Wake up!” Arabella was alerted. She shook Adam’s body.

“I have a father!”

“I have a father!” Adam continuously shouted. He seemed to be caught in a deep horrible dream.

“Adam! Stop! Wake up!” Arabella shouted stopping his arms and forcefully lifting his head up.

Adam suddenly opened her eyes. His face was haggard and lost.

“Baby, are you okay?” Arabella alarmingly asked.

“Mommy is here.” She then gave Adam a very warm and tight hug.

“Are you okay?” She asked again, wanting to hear her son’s voice.

Adam didn’t answer, but he simply nodded.

She put him again to bed and fixed his quilt on his body.

“Good boy!” She complimented him for being brave.

“Mom?” Adam finally said something.

“Yes, baby. Anything you want?” Arabella asked lovingly.

“Where is my father?” Adam asked her suddenly with a downhearted expression.