Present.

Jules walked to the room next to hers and pushed the door, it was like her little girl knew she was coming.

"Momma." she was up in her cot smiling at Jules as she walked in. Her little arms were stretched out to her.

Jules' heart leapt for joy every time her little Munchkin called her that. She had started speaking a few weeks ago and 'Momma' was the first word that came out of her mouth, the rest were words she picked up from anyone and everyone. Jules was shocked at first but her heart bubbled with happiness, she was a proud Momma.

Walking towards her cot she picked her up.
"Happy Birthday, Ivy" Jules said to her, smiling "You turn one today."

Ivy giggled like she understood what Jules said. She was the perfect child and she couldn't have wished for a better baby than her little Ivy. Ivy was the most beautiful little baby and she was smarter than other babies her age.

Jules wondered how her biological parent could have given her up like they did. It was beyond her. But that's all in the past. Now, Ivy belonged to her and her love for her grew every single day and she wouldn't stop loving her because she was just so darn cute and lovable and most importantly, she was everything Jules wanted. Jules was a sucker for the dimple on her left cheek, she'd always wanted one but luck hadn't been on her side.

Today was Ivy's birthday and she was going to make it as special as she could for her. She couldn't wait.

________

Speaking of waiting, Ceaser wondered what was taking Daniel Smith so long.

Bea's lawyer had asked to see him today and he was running late. Since Claire - his assistant – had given him his today's schedule, he had wondered why Daniel wanted to meet him today of all days. He had expected him to call a month ago when he became a widower but he didn't.

Why now?
He wondered.

"Sir, Mr. Smith has arrived." His assistant's voice blared out of the intercom.

"Let him in Claire." He said,

His office door opened after a moment Claire stepped in with Daniel following behind. Daniel was a young and successful lawyer who handled most of Bea's family's legal cases. Ceaser stood up as Daniel made his way towards his desk.

"Sorry I'm late." Daniel began "My last client got me tied up."

Ceaser stretched his hand out giving Daniel's a firm shake.

"Please have a seat." Ceaser gestured to one of the seats in front of his desk "Would you like my assistant to get you something to drink?" Taking his own seat after Daniel was seated.

"No, I'm alright. Thank you." He said,

Ceaser looked at Claire who stood near the door and he gave her a nod which she understood. She left the office giving them privacy.

"Thank you for taking the time to see me." Daniel began "I know you might be wondering why I asked to see you."

"That I am," Ceaser replied.

"Well, it is very important," Daniel stated the obvious.

"Why today?" He asked.

"That is what you're about to find out," Daniel said opening his briefcase and he pulled out a brown envelope.

He looked at Ceaser while adjusting his glasses.
"Your late wife Mrs. Beatrice Thompson specifically told me to give this to you on this particular day. She said I wasn't supposed to give you a day earlier or later." He said,

Ceaser wondered why as his brows furrowed. He reached out to take the envelope from Daniel and studied the envelope in his hand. It weighed next to nothing, he thought, but he could feel the weight of whatever was inside in his chest.
"You don't happen to know why?" Ceaser asked

"Not a clue. My job is to deliver and not find out."

Ceaser nodded.

"I'll take my leave then." Daniel said as picked up his briefcase and got up.

Ceaser got up as well and shook his hand.

"Thank you, Daniel." He said,

"Just doing my job Mr. Thompson." He said then left.

After Daniel left his office, his gaze shifted from the closed door to the envelope on his desk. He sat down after a moment of staring at the envelope and beeped Claire telling her he didn't want to be disturbed for a while.

He finally picked up the envelope and tore it open.

Whatever was inside would satisfy his curiosity, but he was nervous at what he might find inside. Knowing Bea as well as he did, she could drop a bomb and smile seconds after it had gone off like nothing happened.

He emptied the envelope and a piece of neatly folded paper fell onto his desk. Nothing more. The white paper laying there on his desk threatened to go off in seconds. He picked it up and slowly unfolded the paper.

It was now or never.
He thought.

He sighed when he noticed Bea's writing on the paper, his chest tightening as he began reading her words carefully.

Dear Ceaser,

If you're reading this letter then I'm no longer with you. Even though there was no love in our marriage I still cared about you. You know that, right?

Yeah, you had a really weird way of showing it. Ceaser thought.

I'm very sorry for what you're about to find out. But know that it is the truth and I kept it away from you for selfish reasons and couldn't find the courage to tell you when I knew I wasn't going to make it through.

A month before I left, I found out that I was pregnant. I didn't know how to tell you or what your reaction would be so I decided to leave.

Ceaser's eyes widened at this revelation and he continued reading to find out what the heck this woman was thinking.

You could have simply said 'Ceaser we're having a baby.'
Ceaser thought.

I wasn't ready for a child and I didn't know if you wanted one either...
The letter said. He didn't but when is there ever a right time for a child. He thought. He would have accepted it and they would have figured it out together.

...or if you were ready for one. So, I lied and ran away, like I always do. I couldn't bring myself to get rid of it so I carried the child and went into hiding. I didn't want anyone finding out especially the press.

I finally gave birth to a baby girl, at least that's what I was told. I didn't get the chance to see her because I'd told the nurses to take her away immediately. I honestly don't know what happened to me afterwards. I planned on coming back to you after I had lost my post-baby weight but I went off the rails. My therapist said my reason for getting drunk and doing drugs was guilt from giving up our child. Maybe she was right. The drinking and the drugs had a way of making me forget it and it became my comfort before you found me.

I've kept this dark secret since then and I knew I'd have to tell you someday. And now that I know I wouldn't make it, I realize now that I was a coward for not telling you as soon as you found me.

Ceaser's sight became blurry as he teared up.

I decided to write a letter to you instead of telling you because I didn't want to spend my last days with you hating me.

We have a child Ceaser, and she's out there, somewhere. I told Daniel to give this letter to you today because it's her birthday.

I hope you can forgive me for not telling you sooner, I wish now that I had. We could've been with her together. I'm sorry. I'm really very sorry. I hope you can forgive me, Ceaser. Please...

-Bea.

A tear dropped on the white paper as Ceaser stared down at the letter in shock. No! Shock was an under-understatement. This was the bomb he had expected and it just went off in his head.

How the heck could she do this to him, to their child...to them? The unanswerable questions began.

How could she? He asked no one in particular.

He didn't know what to do because Bea wasn't here for him to yell some senses into her. He was so mad at her he wanted to take it out on a punching bag. And that was exactly what he did.

He told Claire to cancel all his appointments for the day and he left. He got home, went to his room and stripped down to his briefs pulling on a black pair of joggers he went to his gym downstairs and punch the shit out of the punching bag as he let his thoughts run through his head, haywire.

He couldn't do anything to change the past. What's done was done. All he could do was look for his daughter, by all means necessary.

He got on his phone half an hour later and dialled Tom who answered on the third ring.

"I need you to look for someone for me, Tom" He told him.

"Who?" Tom asked.

Ceaser sighed heavily rubbing a towel down his neck
"I don't know." He said knowing how stupid he sounded at the moment.

Tom stayed silent on the other end of the line.
"Any detail about this person?" He asked.

"I'm the only family she has." Ceaser said as if that would help Tom find her.

"Okay. What do you know about this girl...or woman?" He asked clearly hopeless.

"Today's her birthday...and, she's my daughter."

Silence
"Oh."

'Oh' was right.