Chapter 3 The Best Thing

• "Nervous?" I asked Ben with a smile.
• "I am." Ben nervously smiles back but with eagerness in his eyes.
• "You'll be doing great on your first day baby. You always do."
• When we arrive at his school, I held his hand tight as we walk together to the building. I can tell he was nervous but he was trying his best not to freak out. I walk him to his classroom and to be honest, I feel like I was much more nervous than Ben when we reached his school. I know how it goes in schools and there are always going to be bullies which is one of the reasons why I am scared about. Ben’s a very nice kid and he’s too good that I am scared other kids will bully him because he doesn’t have a father.
• I squat down before him as I push his curly hair off from his forehead. He smiles at me sweetly and kisses my cheek then hugs me.
• "Thank you for driving me to school for my first day mommy." He says too adorably that it’s warming my heart.
• I kissed his temple and pulled myself away from him as I smile back trying to hide that I am nervous for hi,, "Not a problem baby."
• "Will you pick me up after school mom?"
• I nod. "Of course sweetheart. Enjoy your first day alright? I love you."
• He smiled happily, "I love you too mommy."
• "Follow what your teacher tells you, okay?"
• Ben nods.
• “Be a good boy!” I added.
• I stand and watch him as he walks towards his classroom. I am already proud of him even at that age. I tried to tell myself that there were other kids his age so he would probably meet new friends. He always blends in any group of people and always excels in his grades.
• Ben is shy at first but I'm sure he'll get along with his classmates the more he spends time with them. Ben is a very patient and cool-headed kid. I taught him about staying grounded and I always taught him to be nice even if to those kids who's not nice to him. I marched my way back to my car and drove to the hospital.
• I’m not a registered nurse which is something that I am so proud about myself.
• When I was pregnant with Ben and studying in a medical school at the same time, it was the hardest thing I've ever been to. Juggling things all at once was something totally worth thriving for. There were days when I had to control myself from throwing up in the middle of the class or when I am engrossed by the cadavers for our gross anatomy. It was hard. It was terribly and awfully hard for me.
• But I know I had to be strong for myself and for my baby that's why I passed all through those trials in my life, all on my own.
• I didn't care anymore of what the people were saying about me and against me and who I was. All I cared about was to finish my studies and that was it. I had to face everyone with chin up even though my baby had no father. It was a big issue when I was in college and everyone had bad things to say against me. I couldn't tell people who my baby daddy is. No one would believe me if I tell them.
• Also, it would be too risky for me.
• If I were in their shoes, I'd do the same thing. I wouldn't believe me either if I say Hugo Saintclare from Satellite Patrol got me pregnant.
• Come on, it's Hugo. The name itself is already too precious and too highly respected. People will only think I was doing it for fame.
• There were people asking me a lot of things which I also asked myself beore that I still hear in my head such as, did I ever regret conceiving this child? Nope. I love Ben.
• Did I hate the fact that I was pregnant by Hugo? Nope. It was the best thing that ever happened to me.
• Did I get mad because I got pregnant at a young age? Hell no. Ben is one of the best blessing in my life.
• Did I hate Hugo for what happened and what he did to me? No. I couldn't because he doesn't know that he's a father to my child.
• I raised Ben all alone for seven years without any form of help from anyone to be a father for Ben. Selfish, I know. I think I can continue on supporting him all by myself until I can have work and I can save my salary. I haven't been in a relationship either because I want my time only focused on Ben and my career. There are some men who doesn't really want women who have kids and I understand that.
• "Morning Miranda." Christian, also a nurse, greeted as he walks towards me.
• "Morning Chris." I smiled.
• "Coffee?" He offers.
• "You know the drill.” I smiled. “Thanks."
• "You're lucky I bought two."
• "You always buy one for me and you never forget it." I joked.
• He smiles as we walked together to our station, "How's Ben?" He asks excitedly.
• "It's his first day being a first grader today. He was so excited. I was nervous for him." I chuckle.
• He joins me. "I'm glad to know that he was excited. Most kids would be afraid. I'm sure he'll be okay. He's gotten bigger now."
• "Yeah. It takes a lot of getting use to."
• He smiles. "Are you going to pick him up after his class?"
• "Yeah. I made a promise to him. You know how he reacts when I say my promises."
• "You're such a hardworking mom."
• I smile at myself. "I only want what's best for Ben. You know I don't have someone to help me."
• He smiles back, "Oh come on, you have me."
• I look at him and sometimes I think Christian likes me because he's giving me hints. It was not so hard to see and the other nurses here are aware about it too. They tease him that he is only staying single because he's waiting for a chance from me.
• He flashes me a smile, "And your girlfriends too." He adds.
• "Thanks.” I answered. “We need to hurry up I heard there's a patient in the O.R by eight."
• It's always busy here and that's what I love about my job because as long as I'm busy, I can't think about the time. I don't notice the hours that pass by and I like it a lot. The hospital has always been busy for the past weeks and I don’t want to complain unlike the other nurses around here.
• When you’re a nurse, you're always needed in every part of the hospital. Everywhere. It's crazy tiring. But you know, it's a good feeling to be able to help to other people. Seeing them smiling at you and thanking you for things you do for them, it's such an amazing and extremely rewarding feeling. I love helping people just as how it also hurts me seeing a patient expire.
• Since high school, I wanted to be a nurse by choice because I know I can help my countrymen. I was inspired by the nurses on that movie Pearl Harbor which was really a brave thing for them to do. Ever since after I saw that movie, I wanted to be one someday.
• Look at me now, a licensed nurse.
• As the hours pass by, another tiring day came to an end and I hurriedly grabbed all of my stuff to fetch Ben. I got inside my car and drove my way to his school. When I got there, I was right on time when Ben was rushing out from his classroom. I squat down as he rushed into my arms with a smile on his face. He hugs me tight and I'm sure he had a great day in school.
• "How was your first day baby?" I push his hair off his face.
• "I had so much fun mom! I met new friends! We introduced ourselves and I didn't shy away. My teacher even liked my hair because she said it's curly. She said she remembers someone from my hair and my eyes." He begins to talk.
• I smiled at myself, I'm sure his teacher was also a SatPatter before. A name for a Satellite Patrol fan back in the days.
• "And this boy named Jason came up to me, we both like chocolate and banana shake mommy!" he breathes.
• I smiled at Ben. "That's lovely to hear honey. How about we go grab your all time favorite pizza and pasta for dinner? How's that sound?"
• "Delicious!" He chimes.
• Both of us walked our way back to the car and drove to his favorite food place called Johnny's. We ordered a box of pizza, one chocolate and banana shake for my little boy and a vanilla latte for me.
• Ben talked to me about how his first day went in school and mentioned that there were these older girls who kept staring at him. He asked if something was wrong with him and I shyly smiled at how innocent and adorable my six year old son is.
• He's a natural born charmer.
• Like father like son, indeed.
• After having dinner together, we went home and watched his favorite TV show, Adventure Time which became my favorite too.
• The following day, I was on night duty in the hospital to cover for my coworker who swapped with me since she was having an emergency. I was busy checking IV bags of the patients then I would rush to the third floor nurse's station because they needed assistance for doing round in the presidential rooms.
• "Randy, huge favor. Could you check the IV bag of the patient in room 202-A?" The head nurse asked.
• "Yes. Sure I will." I answered with a smile even though I just got on this floor. I guess it is going to be a busy shift.
• "Here are the medicine she needs to take. Make sure you take good care of her, she's a pretty valuable patient to us."
• I nod at the word, valuable.
• I grabbed everything I needed before marching my way to room 202-A. I wonder why she's such a valuable patient to the head nurse, well from the room itself which is a Presidential Suite, I'm sure it's someone with a high profile.
• I glance at the patient's medical record, before taking a step inside her room.
• Wait, this name seems familiar.
• I grabbed the doorknob and smiled as I take a deep breath in while I begin to enter the room.
• "Good evening!" I smiled, glancing at my watch to check the time.
• Ten thirty-two in the evening.
• I walked near the patient's bed and I take a grip tight on the patient's medical record once I saw who the admitted patient was. I was reminded instantly of who it was and I couldn't believe that she is actually here. No wonder her name looked familiar to me.
• This is Hugo Saintclare’s mother. AnneSaintclare.
• I hear a door creaking open which came from the bathroom and a light from behind me reflects on the wall in front of me. My heart drops as I feel my body stiffened like a plywood.
• Holy shit, I don’t have a good feeling about this at all.
• "Someone came in?" A voice called out and the light from behind me quickly turned off.
• That voice.
• I know that voice.
• I know that Essex accent.
• My heart is racing. No.
• This can't be. No.
• "Dear, the nurse just came in." Anne says with a smile as she looks at me. Anne has always looked lovely.
• Oh my god. Oh my god. Kill me now! Please be her husband. Please don't be that man who I'm guessing you should be. I thought and inwardly chanted those words in my head over and over.
• All of a sudden, he pops out from behind me and stands on the opposite side of the hospital bed. I completely froze. Hugo Saintclare stands in front of me with both hands inside his pockets, wearing a black suit on and his long brown hair pushed back.
• He's grown a lot more mature and he's taller than I remember seeing him almost seven years ago. He's not the young man I used to fangirl when there was still Satellite Patrol five years back. One thing is for sure, he is still handsome and charming as hell.
• "Hello." He greets.
• That deep raspy voice of his makes my underwear twists in knots. My heart is beating so hard and pounding even harder. I hope he can't hear it. I feel myself breathing fast too.
• What's wrong with me? Relax Miranda.
• He doesn’t know.
• "Good evening." He greets me again with that dimpled smile just like Ben's.
• Well I’ll be damned but Hugo Saintclare is fucking back.