Chapter 6 Resemblance

• "Mom!! I can't find my Ironman shirt!"
• Because of him.
• “Mom!!!”
• "Are you sure it is not there?” I hollered back.
• “No!! It is not here. I can not find it.”
• “Honey, try looking in the top drawer!" I yelled sweetly.
• "Mom I really can't!” He answered quickly. “It's not here! Moooom!!"
• I groaned inwardly as I quickly wiped my hands over my apron after washing the dishes in the sink. I pulled the apron off from my body and ran upstairs only to find Benedict still wearing his black jeans with no shirt on him. All of his clothes from the top drawer were scattered on the floor and his room, as always, was a mess.
• "Ben…” I groaned as my eyes looked at every scattered shirt.
• “I am sorry.” He pouted.
• I sighed inwardly and forced a sweet smile on my face while telling him, “Look at how messy your room is." I tried to sound calm as much as I could.
• "Because I can't find my Ironman shirt. Did you wash it mom?" He asked me, still pulling out all of his shirts from the drawer.
• "Yes. I did." I responded right away. “Now stop getting all of them out. Please?”
• I stared at him as he was still not listening to what I told him not to do and he was still doing it.
• "Ben, will you stop throwing your clothes everywhere?” I complained while searching for his favorite shirt. “And look at you, you're still on your socks!" I walked towards him and grabbed all the piles of clothes and placed it on top of his bed.
• "Mom! My Ironman shirt.” He demanded while stomping his little feet on his bedroom floor. “I am not leaving if I'm not wearing it today. It's Monday today. Monday is Ironman shirt day. It is an Ironmon-day shirt." He seemed to start crying. Oh God, whoever told him Monday is Ironman shirt day needs to be put in prison.
• I started opening the other drawers and looked for his favorite Ironman shirt. "Okay okay. Mommy will look for it. I will look for it." I said quickly as I glanced at him pouting, "Shoes up, baby. You will be late for school."
• "Okay mommy." Benedict obeys and sits on the foot of the bed as he laces his own shoes. “You are the best.”
• I kept looking for his all time favorite Ironman shirt and I'll be damned if I can't find it right away. After watching Ironman movies, it's always been something that he loves to wear since he has always idolized that hero.
• "Found it." I pulled it out with a smile of relief and rushed towards him.
• He pulled his head up and smiled widely, "YEY! You're the best mommy! Ever!"
• I knelt in front of him as I put on the shirt over his head and fixed his hair then his shoelace. I kissed his temple and helped him grab his Ironman backpack. Of course, it also had to be Ironman. I stare at my son and I am amazed at how fast he grew up.
• Before, I used to carry him in my arms and change his diapers or wake up in the middle of the night when he cries for milk or just cries for whatever baby reason he has. It was tough but now, he's already a first grader and I can't stop feeling all scared for him. Not that he is a naughty little boy because Ben’s smart and kind. Also, I get a little anxious thinking about his first day in school. I mean, it’s good that he will meet new friends but there’s still that motherly fear I have for him, especially about….
• "Are you ready baby?" I asked him.
• Benny answered me with a nod and an ear to ear smile on his face. "I'm a big boy now. I am six." He pulls out seven fingers.
• "Is that six?" I arched an eyebrow, playfully grinning.
• He giggles. "Oops! I mean... One, two, three, four, five, six. Six!" He counts carefully as he pulls one finger after the other. "Six." He smiles widely.
• I smiled and kissed his forehead, "Very good. What a smart boy you are. Let's go. Time for me to drive you to school."
• Both of us stumbled our way downstairs and grabbed his lunch bag for him. I opened the passenger door and he got inside all by himself like a big little boy. He says he doesn't need my help getting inside the car anymore because he's already a big boy.
• Because it's so cute, I let him do it, but I still help him out when he requests.
• My son has been really understanding and nice, and I'm proud of him for it. Despite the fact that he still doesn't know who his father is and occasionally asks me about him, he makes an effort to comprehend what I say to him despite how young he is.
• I'm not yet ready to tell him the truth, and I don't want to raise his expectations for the day he learns who his real father is. And, I do not know when I will ever be ready for it. I don't think he would accept his own son in the first place. The previous several years have seen a lot of things happen to me on my own.
• "Buckle up sweetheart." I told him as I drove out of the driveway.
• Ben does what I told him and he kicks his feet mid air on his seat continuously and bites his fingernails at the same time, I know he only does that when he's scared or extremely nervous about something. I don't do that, it's sort of his own habit. Maybe he got it from his father.
• Well, based on Ben's undeniably mop of brown curly hair on top of his head, his bright bluish greenish eyes and that cheeky dimpled smile which is awfully too familiar, I know he got it all from Hugo.
• Benedict looks like an exact copy of Hugo Saintclare.
• It's nothing to be discussed.
• He resembles Hugo so much, it’s actually too scary.
• Of course, he is Ben's father.