This Time...Maybe - Anderson Family Series Book 2

Chapter 4: Odds and Coincidences

Several days already passed since the wedding reception, but Ellie still cannot fathom the fact that the twins met someone named Alessa. What are the odds of her being related to their father? Though Mel insist for her not to think deeply into it, she cannot help it, and the kids asking the said woman to come to their birthday party is another problem to ponder. She dreaded everyday that the twins will remember and ask her for that matter, for them to contact her and ask.

Her current predicament makes her jumpy and hinders her to finish the sketches she is making for a customer's wedding gown. She doesn't want to pile up her work but her problem at hand makes it impossible for her to finish each work.

Her musings were interrupted by a knock on her door and Mel's smiling face peeked through once it opened.

"Hey girl! Hope I am not interrupting something." Mel said while walking in and sitting at the chair in front of her table, and raising a questioning brow at her. Ellie just smiled at her friend's quirky comment. She knows she's been staring blankly these past days and her friend knows the reason why.

"Ellie, you cannot control the will of fate." Mel's opening statement made her brows to furrow. Not receiving any response from her because she opted not to comment, she added.

"If what you are thinking is true, that the person they met at the reception, is in fact their grandmother, then be glad that they already met without any help from people, and you, praying without end for them not to meet this soon, is not good."

"It may only be just a coincidence that she and their grandmother have the same name. There are so many people who have the same name in this entire planet, so stop worrying."

She sighed at her friend's statement, this is the reason why she doesn't want to say anything because she is hoping that Mel will stop saying something that may change or open her mind, for she knows it will be true. Taking another deep breath, she broke her silence.

"I know Mel, I know, but you cannot blame me. I already sever my ties with their father that fateful day. Though I know that his family, even him, do not know what happened, much more our existence, I still cannot help to feel the betrayal and pain."

Mel reached out her hand to her to offer strength and understanding. So Ellie sent her an appreciative smile especially when she changed the topic.

"So, how's Lucas and Claire? Is he allowing visitors already?"

Ellie laughed at first before answering. "Oh, you know him. He still refuse to let anyone enter that building much more going up to his place. But he invited everyone next week for a party, it signifies that anyone can visit Claire and Luke anytime. He is also planning to propose to Claire that very day. He already asked me to prepare some sketches for a wedding gown as well as for an engagement party."

"Really?" Mel asked wide-eyed.

"Yeah. It is already late as it is but as the saying goes, it is better late than never. Both of them deserve to be happy after everything that happened."

Mel nodded her agreement. They talked for more about anything and everything until Mel suddenly shrieked about the time. She has an appointment in about thirty minutes. But before she left, she turned to her again put a kiss on her cheek and said.

"Lucas and Claire deserves to be happy, I agree. But how about you, you deserve to be happy too, as well as the kids."

---

The statement Mel said left her pondering again even after she went home, prepared for bed, kissed her kids goodnight and even after she woke up. The twins are adding to it by constantly asking her if she already sent a message to their 'grandma' and ask to agree to their invitation. Though she didn't do it yet, she cannot say that she did for they will ask if she agreed, she cannot say not yet as well, for she doesn't want them to feel like she doesn't want them to be with her. She doesn't want to lie to them but she does not know how to say that they cannot invite Alessa, for her refusal will lead to series of questions that she knows she will have difficulty in answering. How can she tell them that she is afraid of so many things. Afraid for the woman to come and be able to meet her with the possibility of her being their real grandma. For if she really is, she is afraid that she and the whole family will know their existence, and it is coming sooner than she expected. That she is frightened as well of their father's wrath because she withold the information of their existence. Most of all, that she is scared to see the disappointment in her children's faces, if they will know that she has been lying, though indirectly by evading, to them all these years.

She thought they will stop the first time she said not yet but they went back to her again later that day to ask again. So she did what she said she will not do, she lied and told them she already sent a message but no response came yet as of the moment. She knows that what she did is not right, because as what Mel said, she is only prolonging the inevitable if what she guessed as the older woman's identity is correct. She hated what she had done, but it is the only way for them to stop bothering her.

That was yesterday, and she thought that what she did will make them feel disappointed about the person but her hopes were crushed when they ask her again. She was thinking a way to escape when the two beat her into saying.

"How about you call her mom? Maybe she is busy to send a message." Nate started which Ally instantly added.

"Yeah. That way we can ask her again, maybe she forgot about our invitation, older people tend to forget something sometimes, isn't it?"

Ellie felt herself being cornered by her children, she can feel herself becoming angry but the expectant faces of the twins tugged at her heart. Mel was right, she cannot negate what fate brought into them. Something already happened without anyone's interference and calling Alessa 'grandma' brought so much joy to her kids so how can she take away something that will make them happy when their happiness is of great import to her who is their mother. She will leave it to this Alessa if she will accept their invitation or not, since, what she presumes is not yet proven to be true. Maybe Mel is right again as well, that the woman only have the same name as their biological grandmother. She just need to stop being fearful of meeting them. With that thought, she took her phone, opened her contacts and searched for Alessa's name, she peeked through her lashes to watch her twins' reactions, both of them are wide-eyed, disbelief evident on their faces which eventually turned into glee when they saw her press the dialer and turned the speaker on.

It took three rings before a male voice answered. "Hello."

Heart hammering, Ellie answered in a controlled voice.

"Hi, good afternoon. I believe this is Ms. Alessa's number, am I wrong?"

"No, you are correct, this is Alessa's phone number. She happens to be busy, her hands is sticky with flour so I answered your call. I am Nathan Anderson by the way, Alessa's husband, may I know who is on the line."

Ellie blinked several times at the sudden onslaught of emotions brought by the situation and caught herself in time before she can cut the call. Is it another coincidence that the husband's name is Nathan? For if it is true, then the odds aren't with her. What will it be next time? That the couple have five children? Four sons and a daughter? It will be too much for her not to think that this is really the Andersons that she so much wanted to avoid meeting and to stay away from. The question on her mind made her stop cold and hand shaky. She cleared her throat first to control the sudden rush of disbelief, wonderment and awe, for now, she strongly believes that this is not merely an intuition, it is not coincidences anymore. This is it, the connection has already been constructed.

She was snapped out of her trance when Nate tugged her hand.

She saw them staring at her wondering why she stopped. Looking at their faces and their cerulean blue eyes, she mustered the courage to speak and found her resolve.

"I'm sorry about that, my name is Ellaine Margaux Wilson, my kids has been meaning to talk to your wife, Alessa about their invitation for her to attend my children's birthday party a week from now. They met her at a wedding reception a few days back."