Chapter 7
“Mommy!!” Lucio’s loud voice greeted Lorraine as soon as she opened the door to
their home.
we out and he fell onto
Don’t run, you’ll trip- Mona’s warning came too late. Before Lucio could reach Lorraine, his legs gave out the tiled floor.
“Oh no! Lucio!” Lorraine’s happy expression immediately turned to concern. She quickly set down the gifts she had brought for the kids on the nearby sofa and rushed to pick up her son.
“Ouch.” Lucio muttered softly, feeling the pain in his knees.
Holding him close, Lorraine gently caressed his cheek, full of worry. “How many times do I have to tell you not to run? You know how fragile your bones are, right?”
“Mommy, it’s because I missed you!” he said, using his big ocean blue eyes and pouting lips to charm her. “Mommy was gone so long. I got excited… now my knees hurt and you’re scolding me…”
Lucio, I’m not mad. I’m just reminding you to be careful because you’re clumsy and your body is fragile. If you get hurt, Mommy hurts 100.
“Okay,” he pouted even more.
Lucio’s illness hadn’t been fully diagnosed yet. He had been misdiagnosed twice already due to the complexity of his symptoms, while Lucian’s health remained perfectly normal. This gave Lorraine hope that Lucio’s condition wasn’t serious
“Where’s Lucian!” Lorraine asked Lucio.
“In our room. He stayed up all night thinking you’d come home late. Now he’s sleeping like a log”
“Aww…” Lorraine gently set Lucio down on the sofa next to Mona
“You told me you’d be home last night, so I told your eager boys Mona explained. “Why did you just get back now?”
Lorraine sighed, feeling a weight on her chest as she remembered yesterday’s encounter at the hotel. She opened one of the gift boxes and handed Lucio a box of healthy snacks.
“Let’s talk about it later, Mona,” she said.
“Oh,” Mona responded, sensing Lorraine’s seriousness. “Did something happen?”
“Kinda…”
“What happened, Mommy!” Lucio asked curiously. “Did someone bully you?”
She laughed at his question, lightening her mood. “No, baby, Jus eat your veggies. I went through a lot to get them for you.”
He pouted but reluctantly started opening the box. “It’s unfair. Lician gets to cat pizza. We’re twins, so why can’t I be as healthy as him, Mommy?”
She didn’t know the answer. She kissed his forehead and cheek and smiled gently. “You won’t be unhealthy forever. We’ll do our best to build your strength so you can eat whatever you want Okay, honey? For now, let’s follow Doc Cady’s advice to help you get better quickly, okay?”
He sighed and nodded. “Okay, Mommy”
“Lucio is a big boy and always listens to adults. That’s why he’ll get what he deserves in no time!” she praised, brightening his face as he eagerly started eating the veggies.
Chapter 7
Lorraine excused herself and went upstairs to check on Lucian
She found bin sleeping in his pajamas. Hearing Lucio earlier, she softly approached and sat on the edge of his bed.
He’s so cute with his mouth wide open and drooling. She regretted staying at the hotel all night, fearing her father might find her, which kept her from coming home to her kids and made Lucian stay up late waiting for her.
His little ways of being a sweetheart truly warmed her heart. Knowing that Lucian showed no signs of illness like Lucio was a relief beyond compare. She couldn’t handle the worry if both of her twins had serious health issues.
Lucian’s health was the hope Lorraine clung to
“Lucian, honey?” she gently stroked his soft, chubby cheek.
She knew Lucio might be jealous that she brought pizza for Lucian, but she wanted to avoid making Lucian feel neglected because of Lucio’s needs. Mona had once mentioned that Lucian felt left out, thinking she only cared about Lucio.
Balancing attention between the two was tough for Lorraine. She tried her best to be a good mother and fair to both, so neither would feel favored. Her love for both of them was equal and unmatched. They were the reason she survived the severe depression that once drove her to consider ending her life
If it weren’t for the twins, she would have met her downfall years ago. They were her salvation.
“M–Mommy?” Lucian woke up and quickly sat up. “Mommy!” He hugged her neck tightly.
Lorraine’s smile grew wide and sweet as she cradled him, laughing softly. “Oh, sweetie, do you miss me that much?”
“Mm–hmm! Why did you come back so late, Mom? I thought something happened to you on the road, like a car accident! I was worried all night!”
“Sweetie, why would you think that?”
“Because I’ve been having nightmares about car accidents lately, Mom! It’s very, very tragic!” He looked genuinely worried as he faced her.
“Aww, Lucian, Uncle Hector is a very good driver, and we’ve never had a car accident.” She sighed, shaking her head. “What did I tell you about watching Final Destination?”
“I stopped watching it since you forbade me months ago, I swear!”
“Then, I guess it left a trauma in you.” She picked him up. “Mommy will take a break from work for a week, so I’ll help take away the nightmares, alright?”
“Really?!” His face lit up as she carried him downstairs.
“Really. How about starting with some pizza?”
“How unfair!” Lucio shouted from afar, still upset as he ate the veggies she gave him earlier.
“Baby, we just talked about this,”
“Whatever.”
“Yay, pizza!” Lucian happily jumped down from her arms to grab the treat.
“Whew, raising identical twins with different personalities alone is really tough. I wonder how easy life must have been for the other supposed parents of the twins.
After divorce he wants[/caption]
