I stood frozen as Red and Felix chatted outside Isla's room. I couldn't help but feel nervous and unsure about what was happening. I had hoped to avoid Felix for a while longer, but fate had other plans.
As I stood there, trying to calm my nerves, the door suddenly opened, and Lily stepped out. My heart skipped a beat as she called out to me, "Mom!" and ran towards me, her tiny arms are outstretched.
I was about to embrace her when she suddenly turned towards Felix and hugged him instead. I could feel my heart sink as I watched them. Felix was Lily's doctor, and she had grown fond of him. I could feel Felix's eyes on me as Lily hugged him, and I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. I knew that he had a right to know about Lily, but I wasn't ready to face him just yet.
After Lily hugged Felix, she turned back towards me, "Mom, Doctor Felix makes me feel better," she said with a smile.
I could feel the weight of Felix's gaze on me as he waited for me to say something. I felt the urge to explain everything to him, but my nerves got the best of me, and I couldn't bring myself to speak.
Felix must have sensed my discomfort because he asked me if I had anything to say to him. I shook my head, unable to look at him, and he walked away from me and Red.
I watched as Felix walked away, feeling a mix of frustration and disappointment. I knew that I needed to talk to him at some point, but I just wasn't ready yet.
Red looked at me with concern, "What the hell just happened?" he asked.
"I don't know, Red," I replied, still feeling rattled. "But it seems like Felix knows about Lily now."
I wonder what he thinks now that he heard Lily call me mom.
I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the sudden turn of events. I had come to the hospital to visit Isla and hopefully avoid any awkward encounters with Felix, but now everything had changed. Felix knew about Lily, and I didn't know how he was going to react.
I couldn't stop thinking about Felix and what he must be thinking. Did he feel betrayed that I had kept Lily a secret? Or was he understanding and just waiting for me to explain?
I knew that I needed to talk to him and clear the air, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I was afraid of his reaction and didn't want to cause any more stress than there already was.
FELIX'S POINT OF VIEW
As I overheard Lily refer to Iris as her "mom," my mind was flooded with confusion and questions. I had always assumed that Lily's mother was someone else entirely, and I couldn't help but wonder if I had been mistaken all along. The toddler that goes to my clinic every now and then, was my ex's daughter. That's too much to take. I knew Lily was almost 3 years old. It means that Iris was pregnant with her when I left. I felt betrayed, Is that the reason why Iris broke up with me? because she's pregnant, with whom? Who's the father? I was furious as I drove my car on the way home. Too much information in just one day.
"Why happened to you?" Jake asked me as I sat beside him on the couch.
"What are you thinking?" he added, "Did something happen? Iris has a lot on her mind too," he chuckled.
"Did you know Iris has a daughter?" I ask him.
"Daughter? Are you sure?"
"I have a patient named Lily, and I heard her call Iris her mom," I said.
"Maybe it was Iris's niece, you know sometimes nieces call their aunt mom too,"
"I don't know, what if she's the real mother of Lily?"
"then what?" Jake ask me.
"Who's the father?" I ask him.
Jake looked at me with concern. "Felix, you need to calm down. You're jumping to conclusions without any evidence. Even if Iris is Lily's mother, it doesn't necessarily mean that she was pregnant with her when you were together. And even if she was, it doesn't mean that the reason why she broke up with you was because of the pregnancy. You need to talk to Iris and get the facts straight before you start making assumptions."
I knew Jake was right. I needed to take a step back and approach this situation with a clear mind. I couldn't let my emotions cloud my judgment. "You're right, Jake. I need to talk to Iris and figure out what's going on. I can't keep speculating about this."
I know this wouldn't make me sleep well, so I called Red to ask him. He had gotten closer to Iris as well, maybe he knew something I don't.
"Hello?" Red answered my call.
"Hey Red, it's Felix. I need to ask you something."
"Sure, man. What's up?" Red replied.
"I overheard Lily calling Iris her mom today, and it got me thinking. Do you know anything about Iris having a daughter?"
There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before Red spoke again. "Yeah, I know about Lily. She's Iris's daughter."
My heart sank at Red's confirmation. It was true then. Iris was a mother, and I had no idea.
"I had no clue," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Do you know who the father is?"
Red hesitated for a moment before answering. "I can't say that, Felix. I think it's best if you ask Iris herself."
I understood Iris's need for privacy, but I couldn't shake off the feeling of betrayal. If Iris had kept such a big secret from me, what else had she been hiding? I knew I had to talk to her, but I didn't know if I was ready to hear the truth.
Am I the father of Lily? Or is there someone else? Did Iris break up with me because she got pregnant by another guy? Did she cheat on me while we were in a long-distance relationship before? A lot of question was in my mind. I need an answer.
Is Iris hiding lily from me? But I guessed not, since I was a pediatrician of Lily.
A lot had really happened to Iris when I left.
I decided to take a walk to clear my head. As I walked, memories of Iris flooded my mind. I remembered how much we loved each other and how happy we were together. But now, everything had changed. I had so many unanswered questions, and I didn't know where to turn.
I had tried dating other girls after Iris and I broke up, but it never seemed to work out. Every time I met someone new, I found myself comparing them to Iris. No one else could measure up to her, and I always ended up feeling disappointed.
As I continued my walk, I realized that I needed to talk to Iris. I needed to hear the truth from her, no matter how painful it might be. I picked up my phone and dialed her number. It rang a few times before she answered.
"Hello?" Her voice was soft, and I could hear the sound of Lily playing in the background.
"Iris, it's Felix. We need to talk." I said, my voice trembling with emotion.
"I know," she replied. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Lily."
"I need to know everything, Iris. Please tell me the truth." I pleaded with her.