Alpha Aidan's Rejection Chapter 83

TARA

　　"You know how Aidan has been here for a very long time making sure that we're okay, we're happy, and we have everything we need?" Nadia's eyes brightened as she stared between me and Aidan, nodding. "Good. And how a dad always does these things because that's what they're supposed to do?"

　　Nadia's smile faltered, mirroring her confusion now. I quickly went on. "It happens that Aidan is your dad, just like you've always wished. He always has been, and he's here for you now." My forehead had gone clammy with the tension of the moment, and I felt my heartbeat thrashing in my ears. "How do you feel about that, baby?" I asked when Nadia hadn't said a word for too long.

　　"He…Aidan is my daddy?" Nadia's voice was unrecognizable. Small, and unsure.

　　Aidan answered this time, cautiously. "Yes, Nadia, I'm your daddy."

　　I'd thought about how this was going to play out in my head, and thought about the many scenarios in all directions that this could take. Only one truly stuck, hence my surprise when Nadia's initial shock wore off.

　　First, her eyes glazed over like they usually would at the start, then her cheeks fell as her cheeks curved downward, ushering in an unexpected wail. She'd burst into tears.

　　My jaw slacked as the situation took a one-eighty-degree turn within seconds, and I threw my hands around her in shock, looking over to an equally confused Aidan.

　　What the hell?

　　"Nadia, baby, please stop crying and talk to me, okay?" I tried to pacify her, but she wouldn't relent. All I could do instead was hold her through the tears, willing mine not to break past the barrier holding them back in my eyes.

　　Nadia coughed repeatedly, and I pulled her from my embrace to steady her by the shoulders, my mind thinking about what in the heavens went wrong.

　　"Can you tell me what upset you?" I spoke, fighting to conceal the hollowness in my voice, as I already suspected what it was.

　　Nadia pointed at Aidan, confirming my fears. "Daddy h-hurt you, and he made you cry," Nadia wailed, each word bringing out a fresh streak of tears. I ran my thumb over her cheek, drying her tears, but she wouldn't stop.

　　Aidan got up to his feet, speaking now, and I could hear the hurt in his voice. "It's not like that, Nadia, I didn't mean to…" As Aidan's fingers reached for Nadia, she recoiled into my chest, her cries increasing in ferocity.

　　Aidan took two unstable steps back, bringing his hands to fist handfuls of hair on his head in horror.

　　"It's okay, Aidan, I'll talk to her."

　　As soon as I said that, Nadia yelped. "No!"

　　Pulling herself from my embrace immediately, Nadia bolted in the direction of the rooms, abandoning everything.

　　I shot up to my feet too, my mind going crazy at the thought that my baby was hurting and didn't even trust me to help her through it. She was alone in there, and who knew what could happen. My steps were just as hurried as hers, but Aidan held me back by my arm, a pained expression on his face.

　　A door banged in the distance, but I couldn't chase it as Aidan's stuttering sounded.

　　"It's my fault, Tara, it's my fault. I should go and apologize to her and tell her that this is all just a misunderstanding. That's an easy way to get her to not feel this disappointment, Tara. I'd tell her it's a prank, and she'll believe it, right?"

　　I thought about it, and Aidan wasn't wrong. It would be easy to go to Nadia and tell her that Aidan wasn't her real father, rather, we had only entertained the thought of us being a family, and although it would take some convincing, we could get her to believe.

　　But I shook my head. Keeping Aidan's true identity from Nadia all these while was one thing, but lying straight to my daughter's face was something else that wasn't an option. This was the rougher way out, for her and the both of us as her parents, but it was needed.

　　"Better now than later, Aidan. We've started it already, so we have to come clean completely." Aidan winced painfully, and I almost saw where he was coming from. Hurting Nadia was a lot, and if not handled properly, it could be a catastrophe. "I'll be right back," I said with resolve, hoping that Aidan too chose this rough path and waited for us, so that we could come out stronger, as one.

　　With that, I hurried to Nadia's room where I was sure I heard the banging sound of the door came from earlier, and I knocked rapidly.

　　"Nadia, Mommy's coming in," I said, giving her a second before pulling the door open, only to be met with resistance. The door only gave in a little, and from the small space, I could see a small structure blocking the entrance. It looked like a stool.

　　With a little push, I could have gotten the door to open fully, but I gave Nadia her semblance of privacy.

　　She was under the covers, and I could make out her outline as she shook with sobs. My heart clenched, wishing there was a way to feel all the hurt instead of her.

　　"Nadia, baby, listen to Mommy, okay? Aidan made a mistake just like you and I do sometimes, but you know what? We end up forgiving each other because we realize that we're humans and it's not in our intentions to hurt others." I watched her frame go stiff on the bed, and I knew I had her attention.

　　I went on, sniffing back my tears.

　　"Our ability to forgive others who are deserving of it goes a long way to show how strong we are, so will you open the door and let me explain? You can decide for yourself if Aidan deserves our forgiveness or not. How does that sound?"

　　The atmosphere went silent as Nadia soaked up what I just said, and even if I knew that Aidan was the most deserving of forgiveness than any other, I still let Nadia take her time.

　　When her small frame shuffled out from under the covers, and she appeared at the door, scraping away the stool that I could have easily pushed down, I smiled affectionately at her, saying, "That's my big, strong girl."