Anya was caught of guard with the child’s question. She doesn’t know what to say. She could only bite her lip and look sadly at the child.
She wasn’t prepared for this. She might have been too happy for the past few days that she forgot about their circumstances.
She’s ashamed. She doesn’t know how to face her son and this question. So she could only stammer and excuse.
“Uh, sorry baby, uhm can I go to the bathroom?” She excused as she looked at Damon too.
Damon had been watching Anya’s expression till now. He knew she was startled and a loss of what to do. This is his fault. He hadn’t cleared their situation yet. He was not rushing things, he wanted to take it slow and build trust and love between them as family. But who knew some untactful people would tattle to their son?
Allen was still so young, he shouldn’t be questioning this thing in a young age. There could only be a perpetrator.
Damon took Anya’s hand and gave it a light squeeze before letting go, to assure her. he then nodded at her.
Anya pursed her lips and lowered her head as she stood to go to the bathroom. Damon turned to their young child and took his spoon.
“Mon, it your food first.” He said gently, trying to dismiss the child’s previous thoughts, and fed him food.
As expected of a child, when he saw the food, he forgot the previous scene and happily munch on his food.
At this time, Veronica and Amanda approached their table. Damon’s expression immediately tightened as he wrinkled his brows at them.
“Grandma!” Allen saw his grandmother and he was happy. He waved at her.
Amanda saw her son’s ugly expression and he averted her gaze away from him. fortunately, her grandson called to her, so she paid her attention to Allen and smiled at him.
“We were dining here and saw you eating here as well. What a coincidence.” Amanda said as she went to Allen and held his little hand. The child looked smilingly and innocently at her.
Damon smiled sarcastically at these words and threw a gaze at Veronica. “Really, what a coincidence,” He repeated but with a much darker voice.
Veronica’s smile twitched, but she braced herself and smiled even more brightly at them.
“Hello Damon and baby Allen! Mind if we join?” Veronica tried to cheerfully ask.
Damon pursed his lips but before he could answer, Veronica had already sat beside him.
Amanda also sat beside Allen and took his hand. The child smiled kindly at Amanda, but when he turned his head, he then pouted.
He just saw his father beside another woman. That was his mother’s seat! This was what Allen was thinking at the moment.
At the bathroom, Anya was leaning on the sink with thoughts bothering her. She remembered her son’s question to her and her heart tightened. She sighed.
She was confused and their situation was complicated. Her and Damon was just starting their relationship, and she doesn’t want to be hasty. To be honest, Anya wanted the situation to be smoothed out first. Deep inside, she wanted to be worthy of Damon and her son. She also wanted the approval of the people around Damon, especially his mother.
Anya once again sighed and raised her head to stare at her face at the mirror. She was wearing a clean attire right now. Her face and hair were also well made, just for this meal.
But no matter how much she looked, she still can’t see if she was worthy of them. If she was worthy being beside Damon, and if she was worthy of being her son’s mother.
Anya tried hard to brush this kind of feeling off, because she finally decided to fight. She wanted to work hard to prove herself to be worthy of them. but she still can’t help but feel insecure.
She was quite happy that Amanda was no longer hostile with her, but she knew she was still far from being accepted.
But she comforted herself to look at the bright side. She neither wanted to be so doubtful and hurt Damon and herself more. She just wanted to build their relationship and foundation as a family step-by-step.
Yet, she didn’t expect such a question with come out of her child. One shouldn’t underestimate a child. Because even when young, they already have feelings and understandings. And her son was smart.
However, Anya realized that maybe, it was inappropriate for her to be called mother when she is not even part of the family yet.
Anya became sad. She loved hearing her son call her that way. Being told by other people that why is he calling someone mom was such a heartbreaking thought. Her son doesn’t have a mother. He wasn’t like other kids, and she feels awful for this.
She wanted so much to shout to the world that she is his mother, but it wasn’t time yet. She could only work hard, so that someday, she could finally earn them.
Acceptance and respect, from the people around that powerful family.
Back at their table, Allen became grumpy. Damon saw this and tried to coax him. “What’s wrong, Mon?” He grabbed a napkin to wipe his son’s face.
Allen raised his whining head to Damon.
“Mommy’s seat. Only mommy’s!” He exclaimed indignantly as he pointed at Veronica. Veronica became awkward and embarrassed because of this.
‘This annoying child!’
Veronica thought, dissatisfied. She never liked this rascal. It’s because of him and his mother that she is having a hard time right now.
But Veronica tried to cover this and smiled at the boy.
“But, there are no other seats left. Can’t I seat her, darling?” She tried to coax him. But who knew a child would retort back.
“Outsiders here. Daddy there is outsiders.” Allen said in his baby voice but one could tell he was upset.
The people were surprised with what he said. Damon can’t help but turn to his son.
“What do you know about that?” He can’t help but wonder. His child was still young, he shouldn’t be thinking this way, even though it’s true.
With this thought, Damon still can’t help but smirk slightly.
Allen turned towards his father and blinked innocently. He then looked at his grandma.
“Grandma said outsiders no no to family. Only Mommy, Daddy and Grandma. Outsider.” The little boy tried to explain and then pointed to Veronica- the outsider.
Amanda was stunned when she heard this. She can’t believe her words will back fire at them when she was talking bad about other people. She was a very egocentric woman, especially in terms of their family. So even as a child, she already said that outsiders are not allowed in their family to the young little Castellanos.
Who knew he would say this to the daughter-in-law she liked?
While Damon, on the other hand, looked satisfyingly at Allen. He also had an amused smile on the sides of his lips.
‘Very good, son. You are really your father’s child.’