20. Rendal

CHAPTER 20

Rendal

I sit in the hospital room, my eyes darting between Penelope's small form on the bed and Chloe's tired face. The stark white of Penelope's cast stands out against the muted colors of the hospital room. My heart aches for the little girl, but I'm relieved we got her here quickly.

Chloe catches my eye, and we share a look that speaks volumes. I see gratitude in her gaze, along with exhaustion and lingering worry. I want to reach out and hold her hand, to tell her everything will be okay, but I'm not sure if I have that right anymore.

Just as I start to relax, feeling a moment of peace on this chaotic day, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out, and my stomach drops when I see Valeria's name on the screen. Fuck. I know this won't be an easy conversation.

I glance at Chloe again, torn between answering the call and staying present in this moment. She notices my hesitation and nods slightly, giving me silent permission to step out.

"I'll be right back," I murmur, standing up. I squeeze Penelope's good hand gently before heading to the hallway.

Taking a deep breath, I answer the call. "Hey, Valeria."

"Where the hell are you?" Her voice is sharp, cutting through the hospital's background noise. "You were supposed to pick up Zola an hour ago."

Shit. In the rush to help Chloe and Penelope, I completely forgot about picking up Zola. Guilt washes over me as I realize I've let my daughter down.

"I'm sorry," I say, running a hand through my hair. "There was an emergency. Penelope got hurt, and I had to take her to the hospital."

"Penelope?" Valeria's tone drips with disdain. "You mean Chloe's kid? So you're choosing her family over ours now?"

Her words sting, but I push down the anger rising in my chest. "It's not like that, Valeria. A child was hurt. I couldn't just ignore it."

"And what about our child, Rendal? What about Zola?"

I lean against the wall, feeling the weight of my conflicting responsibilities crushing me. "I'll come get her now. I'm sorry, I should have called."

"Don't bother," Valeria snaps. "I've already picked her up. She was crying, thinking you'd forgotten about her."

Her words are like a knife to my heart. I close my eyes, picturing Zola's tearful face. "Let me talk to her," I plead.

"She's asleep," Valeria says coldly. "Maybe next time you'll remember you have a daughter of your own. Zola needs you too, Rendal!"

"Now, hold the fuck on," I retort. "I'm always there for Zola. Always. You were the one who walked out on us. Don't you forget that."

"That doesn't excuse your behavior today."

I feel anger bubbling up inside me. I've been trying to balance everything, but Valeria's constant demands are pushing me to the edge. "I'm doing the best I can!" I snap back, my voice rising. "You can't keep expecting me to drop everything at a moment's notice."

Valeria's voice grows colder. "If you can't handle it, maybe you shouldn't be trying to juggle two lives," she says coldly.

My grip on the phone tightens as I struggle to keep my composure. I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. "Look, Valeria, I'm sorry about today. It won't happen again. But you need to understand that I have other responsibilities too."

"Your only responsibility should be to Zola," she hisses.

I feel my temper flaring again. "That's bullshit, and you know it. I'm allowed to have a life outside of being Zola's father. I love our daughter more than anything, but that doesn't mean I have to put my entire life on hold."

"Oh, so now we're holding you back?" Valeria's voice drips with sarcasm.

"That's not what I'm saying, and you know it," I growl. "Stop twisting my words. I'm trying to be a good father to Zola and still have a life of my own. Is that so wrong?"

"It is when it means you're neglecting your daughter," she shoots back.

I clench my fist, fighting the urge to punch the wall. "I am not neglecting Zola. One missed pickup doesn't erase everything I do for her. I'm there for every school event, every doctor's appointment, every bedtime story. Don't you dare accuse me of being a bad father."

"Actions speak louder than words, Rendal," Valeria says coldly. "And your actions today show exactly where your priorities lie."

I take another deep breath, trying to rein in my anger. "My priorities are with both Zola and my own happiness. I won't apologize for that. I'm doing my best to balance everything, and if you can't see that, then that's your problem, not mine."

She laughs dryly. "Oh, that's rich. I guess I should start neglecting Zola, too, and frame it as balancing my needs."

"Fuck off," I whisper.

"What's that?"

I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. I know I need to be honest, even if it's painful. "Look, to be completely honest with you, I'm unhappy. Extremely so," I say, my voice quieter but firm. "I don't want to ruin things with Chloe. I need to find a way to make this work, for everyone's sake."

There's a stunned silence on the other end of the line. Valeria starts to speak, but I cut her off.

"I can't talk about this right now. I mean, seriously, I'm at the fucking hospital. And I don't feel like listening to you whining over the phone. So we'll discuss it later," I say before hanging up.

I lean against the wall, my heart pounding. The weight of what I've just said hits me like a ton of bricks. I've finally admitted it out loud - I'm unhappy with how things are, and I want to make it work with Chloe.

I slide the phone back into my pocket. I close my eyes, taking deep breaths to calm myself. The hospital sounds fade into the background as I try to process what just happened.

I know this conversation with Valeria is far from over. She won't let this go easily, and I'm dreading the inevitable confrontation. But for now, I feel a strange sense of relief. I've finally said what I've been feeling for so long.

I think about Chloe and Penelope waiting for me in the hospital room. They need me right now, and I want to be there for them. I push myself off the wall, squaring my shoulders. I've made my choice, and now I need to follow through.

Turning to return to the girls, I realize that Chloe has been standing in the doorway of the hospital room. She stares at me with a pained smile, but there's tears gleaming in her eyes.

Shit.

I walk towards Chloe. Her eyes are filled with a mix of emotions I can't quite decipher. I take a deep breath, trying to find the right words.

"Chloe, I..." I begin, but she shakes her head gently.

"I heard you," she says softly. "And just know that I'm not mad at you at all. I understand."

I look into her eyes, searching for any sign of anger or disappointment. Instead, I see compassion and a hint of uncertainty. The weight of our situation hangs heavy between us.

Without thinking, I reach out and take her hand in mine. Her fingers are warm and soft, and I hope she can feel everything I'm struggling to say through this simple touch. I want her to know how much she means to me, how sorry I am for the pain I've caused, and how desperately I want to make this work.

Chloe squeezes my hand in return, and I feel a surge of relief wash over me. It's a small gesture, but it speaks volumes. In that moment, I know we're in this together, ready to face whatever challenges lie ahead.

We stand there in silence for a few seconds, the hospital bustling fading into the background. I can't help but marvel at how strong Chloe is, how understanding she's been through all of this. I know I don't deserve her patience, but I'm grateful for it nonetheless.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, my voice rough with emotion. "For everything. For putting you through this, for not being there when you needed me. I want to do better. For you, for Penelope, for all of us."

Chloe's eyes soften, and she takes a step closer to me. "I know," she says quietly. "It's not easy, Rendal. But I believe in us. We can figure this out together."

"And don't forget what I've told you before," I whisper. "I'm not leaving you."

Chloe's lips quirk into a smile. "Even if I hired a bulldozer?"

"I'll pop its wheels before it takes me away," I quip.

"No need for the dramatics," she assures me, squeezing my hand in return. "I don't want you to leave me."

That's all it takes. Those little words do wonders to quell the storm brewing in my heart.