Chapter 3
I told Teresa the good news.
She sprang off the couch, barely able to contain her excitement.
"Yay, I knew Chester wouldn't forget!" Teresa exclaimed.
"Mom, I gotta tell you a secret. I think Chester's kinda starting to like me," she whispered.
I knew she was trying to convince me to give Chester another chance.
Honestly, I was hoping Chester would actually show up, too.
Or maybe I just wanted him to realize how important family really was.
But I couldn't bring myself to trust Chester, so I just smiled at Teresa and stayed quiet.
As I expected, near our agreed time, I lost contact with Chester.
Outside the window, the sky gradually darkened.
Streetlights blinked on in gentle succession.
Teresa couldn't hold it in anymore and asked if we could call Chester.
With a mix of feelings, I pulled out my phone and dialed, but someone else picked up straight away.
On the other end was a young boy's voice.
Teresa paused and then answered carefully, "This is Teresa. Who's that?"
"I'm Rory. Are you looking for Chester? He's making cinnamon oatmeal for me right now. I'll get him to call you back in a little bit, okay?" Rory replied.
Not long after, Chester posted on Instagram.
The photo showed an adorable mixed-race boy enjoying a bowl of cinnamon oatmeal.
I tapped the like button without thinking.
Chester called me right away. "What's that supposed to mean, Zera?
"Scarlett had an emergency meeting and asked me to watch Rory. So don't go throwing shade or posting anything sketchy on Instagram, alright?"
"Scarlett and I are in a different league than you."
He always thought I'd schemed to get him into bed, using him as a ticket to a better life.
"I know it's Teresa's birthday, and it happens every year, but what if something went wrong with Rory? How could I ever face Scarlett?" Chester added.
I couldn't help but sneer, "The Geddes family's got a whole crowd, and still nobody can watch a single kid?"
With all their cash, they'd have a nanny.
Honestly, it was just another excuse for those two to cozy up together in private.
Teresa's eyes filled with tears when she heard Chester's words, and she tugged on my sleeve to tell me to hang up the phone.
Then she buried herself in my arms, trembling with little sobs.
She whimpered, "Mom, Chester's just mean. I don't ever want to like him again.
"Let's leave. We're never coming back."
But after her tears dried up, Teresa began looking for reasons to defend Chester.
She said, "It's probably Rory's fault. He must have been clinging to Chester and wouldn't let go.
"Maybe if Chester makes it back before midnight, I'll forgive him."
Just as I was about to speak, my phone buzzed. Chester sent a message. [I'll be home in an hour. Tell Teresa to wait for me.]
With a little hesitation, I held out my phone for Teresa to see.
"It's okay, Teresa. Chester says he'll be here soon," I assured her softly.
Teresa paused, her eyes still red from crying, but a hopeful smile slowly appeared on her face.
Teresa's first, second, and third birthdays all went by without Chester ever showing up.
But this time, it almost felt like he was finally acting like he actually cared.
After seeing Chester's message, Teresa put on the little crown she'd been saving for this day.
She stood in front of the mirror, smoothing out her dress.
"Mom, does this look all right? Chester always says girls should be cute and fancy, never sloppy," Teresa said.
Even at such a young age, Teresa knew all the little things that Chester liked.
She tried so hard, doing everything she could to win her dad's approval.
I paused for a second, and my heart ached even harder for her.
I just kept hoping nothing would mess things up, so Chester would really make it back on time.
Before we left, all I wished for was that Teresa's final wish would come true, even though it wouldn't change the fact that we never truly mattered to him.