“Dad…” Jamie uttered.
Robbie and Ellie’s eyes widened as if to question how quickly their brother had been co-opted.
I just did it,” Jamie replied sheepishly. “It’s not like Mommy disapproves or anything like that.”
The three children then turned in concert to regard Charlotte.
Their mother appeared quite abashed and did not know how to respond.
Jamie asked softly, “You wouldn’t be against us treating Uncle Zack like our Dad, would you, Mommy?”
“Whatever do you mean by treating me like your Dad?” Zachary frowned. “I am your Dad, to begin with.”
“Huh?” The children were dumbfounded as they glanced at Zachary and Charlotte.
“Let’s go inside. I’ll explain this to y’all.”
Charlotte concurred. A matter of such importance should be discussed when everyone had settled in.
“Okay!” The children nodded obediently. However, their mood was somber, as they sensed their mother had something important to announce.
The entire family bundled into the study when they came back in.
Mrs. Berry and the three kids were seated side by side, while Zachary and Charlotte occupied the couch across from them.
The housekeeper was a little uptight. “Perhaps I should step outside while your family talked, Miss.”
“You are family too, Mrs. Berry.”
Charlotte then gestured for her to sit.
Mrs. Berry could only stay put on the one side with the half-asleep Fifi nodding off in her lap.
“What do you want to tell us, Mommy?”
Robbie was as self-assured and collected as the eldest amongst the children ought to be. He mustered the courage to speak up even though he was quite the nervous wreck himself.
“Mommy had never broached this subject with you before…” Charlotte stuttered as she had no clue as to how to even begin. “The truth of the matter is…”
“Allow me,” Zachary interjected. “I’m actually your father. Your real father.”
“Huh?” The children’s eyes were forced wide as they glared at him, dumbstruck and in absolute disbelief.
“I met your Mommy four years ago and left a seed in her body, which grew to become the three of you…”
Zachary appropriated the descriptions used in some illustrated books which he had consulted previously on the subject.
“We didn’t know each other that time, and I wasn’t aware that she was pregnant until we met again four years later under a different identity. We didn’t get along at first because we had a number of misunderstandings between us, but that’s out of the way now. Since then, I’ve also learned that you’re my children, so…”
“Hold on a second,” Robbie interrupted, as there was much he did not understand. “Why did you leave a seed inside Mommy when you didn’t even know each other? That doesn’t seem very logical.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Jamie and Ellie quickly concurred as the trio shared the same stance.
“That…”
Zachary’s brows furrowed as he considered how to best explain in a comprehensible way for children the stimulating yet bizarre manner in which they were conceived that fateful night.
“It’s because it was dark. We couldn’t see each other.”
Charlotte’s attempt was brusque and tactless.
Zachary rolled his eye at it. The children were bound to end up learning the wrong things with that approach.
“How did you know that we’re your children then?” Robbie’s rational mind continued to whirl.
“Yeah, yeah. How did you find out?”
Jamie and Ellie merely echoed what was said. They did not know as much, but they knew Robbie was bright. It was safe for them to assume, therefore, that Robbie’s questions had to be on point.
“It’s because you and I both share the same allergy towards the kiwi fruit. That was what prompted me to do a DNA test for both of us. The result established that you’re my son. As Jamie, Ellie, and yourself are triplets, it naturally follows that they must also be my children.”
Zachary then passed the DNA test results along to Robbie.
He did not speak to the children like they were three year old, but treated them as though they were his equals.
That made them feel respected and therefore take his words seriously.
