Chapter 16 – A Woman’s Past (Part II)

After everything was settled in our old country Takahiko took us to where his son was living, a place in a middle sized town a few kilometers away from the capital.

As we were approaching the place I could see how Rina and Anna were excited about the prospect of having a brother. They couldn’t stop smiling and discuss about how we would turn out to be.

Despite their enthusiasm I was actually very nervous. The poor kid would suddenly receive the news that he would gain a new stepmother and be separated from the two cousins that he knew and likely loved. There was a good chance that he might end up blaming me for it and starting to hate me.

I didn’t knew him and didn’t expect him to recognize me as his mother but considering how Takahiko treated him, with so much lack of care or concern for his feelings, made me want to form a more health relationship with him. I was also afraid that he might treat my daughters poorly as a result as well.

The closer we were, the more nervous I got. I could feel my stomach twisting from the anxiety. I couldn’t stop to worry about what was going to happen.

Once the moment that Takahiko would introduce us arrived I breathed deeply, trying to control the beating of my heart, and tried to give the best possible impression of myself that I could.

In front of me was an adorable 10 years old child. He had short dark hair and black eyes as well, different from his father that had light brown hair and almond colored eyes. He likely got those features from his mother.

I was able to notice that he didn’t had a very high opinion of Takahiko, judging by the way he was frowning when I first looked at him, but the moment he looked at me it was like he turned in a completely different person. The tension on his shoulders disappeared and his eyes widened like he was looking at something completely impossible in front of him.

It looked like my looks had also affected him. I called for him, trying to make our presentation to move one, but that caused him to stammer his words which resulted in him blushing in embarrassment and avoiding to look at me in the eyes.

I couldn’t help but to chuckle at his actions. He was a really cute kid.

I presented my daughters and things with them were as good as I might expect. Rina was very open from the beginning but Anna was a little nervous. Despite being excited she was also a little afraid that Takashi, Takahiko’s son, might not like them but that turned out to be an unnecessary concern.

We stayed in the house for a couple of days and them came to the capital. To my surprise, and happiness, Takashi didn’t blamed us for the change in his living situation. He even asked me if he could call me ‘mom’.

I felt like an enormous weight had being lifted from my shoulders at that moment.

The next couple of years passed quickly and they were without any doubt the best moments of my life.

My daughters adapted very quickly with our new home and it wasn’t long until they were bringing friends to our house or going to their houses. Each of them were very popular in school and I rarely saw them without a smile on their faces.

Takashi seemed to be a more reserved kid, not going out as much as Rina and Anna would, but he still was very sociable for a 10 year old boy. Not only that but he seemed to be very intelligent. So intelligent that sometimes I caught him helping Anna with homework, and she was one year his senior in school.

He spend most of his free time with either Anna or Rina, but sometimes he would also choose to spend time me. Even if I was busy with tending the house he would help, whether it was washing dishes, preparing food, sweeping the house.

As time passed I noticed that I was enjoying yo spend my time with him more and more, until eventually I would be just as happy to be with him as I would with my daughters.

I was just his stepmother but he was my son, and I loved him with all my heart.

Once I finished the final touched in the pizza and put it on the oven I thought it was a good time to deal with another chore.

I went to the laundry room to fold the dried clothes from the dryer and put the next batch of dirty clothes into the the washing machine.

I had already finished to deal with Anna and Rina clothes and my clothes were next to be put on the dryer. The only batch that still needed to be washed is from Takashi.

As I approached his clothes I felt again a very familiar smell. A smell that reminded me of a different time.

...is this coming from there?!

I could feel my heart drumming for some reason. At each step I took it was like the beating of my heart was getting louder and louder. I was afraid that the entire house would be able to hear it.

The moment that his dirty clothes were in my reach I started to look for the source of that smell. I didn’t knew what I was doing, it was like something inside of me making me look for whatever was the cause of that smell.

The moment I found what was releasing that aroma I felt like a bolt of electricity passed through my entire body and my mind was numb.

I finally remembered what was that smell.

It was something that I had forgotten.

Something that I dreaded.

Something that I worked my best to walk away from.

But maybe most important of all...

It was something that a part of me that I didn’t knew it existed deeply missed.