Love At First Sit

You Got Me

For the first time in five years, Roxanne understood what she had been missing. As the days went on, there was no denying the inevitable. She was slowly opening up herself.

Roxanne felt different, a good type of different. It felt like a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders, bringing a smile back to her face, something she hadn't had in a long time.

She had reached the point where she was beginning to believe that she might finally be returning to something resembling her former self. She believed she had taken the first steps to move on.

She had been heartbroken. But she could handle being hurt. She was more concerned about her children.

Wish was becoming a constant presence in their home. He was helping her set up the restaurant, run errands, play around with the kids and get them to sleep.

Take it slow, Roxanne. Get to know him. Give him a chance, she told herself.

"I'm here!"

"Mommy!" The twins ran to her.

"How're my favorite villains?" Roxanne said, lifting the twins with her strong arms, finally home from the restaurant debacle. "Mommy had a long day." She kissed their foreheads.

"Mommy let's play," said Maximus.

Daniella wiggled from her grip. She went down from her arms and ran to get her notebook.

"Just give Mommy some time to rest." She sat Maximus down on her lap and brushed his hair with her fingers.

"Mommy, teacher told me to give you this." Daniella handed over her notebook and sat beside her.

Roxanne flipped through the pages, and what caught her attention was a receipt stapled on one of its leaves showing a paid tuition fee.

"Ma," Roxanne called. "Ma!" When she got no response, she assumed her mother might be sleeping. She got up and opened the door of her room very slowly.

She slipped inside. "What?" Roxette peeked one eye open to the sight of Roxanne looking down at her. "I'm trying to get some sleep."

"Ma, did you pay the twins' tuition?" Roxanne showed her the receipt.

"Huh?" She sat down on the wood frame bed, pressing her palms into the cushion. She took out the notebook and looked at the receipt. "I didn't pay for this. I was planning to, but someone must've beat me to it."

"Ma, you think it's him?" Roxanne's voice quivered.

"It could be him. Chris finally came to his senses." The anxiety she'd seen so many times on Roxanne's face resurfaced. The mention of Chris' name immediately shut down any progress they'd made. What made her think it would be any different this time around? Her daughter hadn't gotten over him yet. "Come here," she took Roxanne's hand.

She'd spent more than a decade wishing she and Roxanne could sit down and have a heart-to-heart.

For years, she'd been going through her own set of depressing thoughts, yearning for a husband who was never coming back. She'd been so weak herself that Roxanne had probably taken her cue about love from what she saw in her own home. But why would she ever want to go through what her mother had? Why would she ever want to love someone again if they would leave and she'd be stuck with a broken heart?

"I know what you're going to say." Roxanne bit her lip. "That I'm such a fool. That he doesn't deserve us. That I shouldn't let him into our lives, or let the kids get near him."

"That's not what I'm going to say." Roxette wrapped her arms around her daughter's shoulders. "I just want you to know that you're okay. That you're ready to see him again."