"Maybe you are a mother. You just don't know it yet."

Sue gave me a look that said something like, "not possible".

"PAT!" came a voice that made both me and Sue jump.

"Uh oh, I better go. Don't want to get in the way of your pissed off-sounding boyfriend," she said.

"Sue!" I said as she retreated and waved me goodbye.

The Half-Lilin
By The Light Of The Moon
Chapter 2
by Shin Eris
Proofreading by Stanman63 and Mystic_dragon

"YOU SLEPT WITH VICKY?!!!" yelled my dear little sister, right into my left ear.

With the volume of her voice breaking the fog in my brain, I gave a little mutter, "Well, it wasn't really sleeping. It was more like 20 minutes of comforting, hugging, caressing..."

"And fucking..." she added.

"Well yeah, if you want to be so blunt."

In a cold tone, she asked, "When did this happen?"

"The night before Vicky left for Massachusetts."

"What were you thinking? She was underaged, and her parents just died!" she resorted to yelling again.

"Uhh, reality check. I was underaged too. Vicky and I were in the same class, remember?" I said, as I got a bit defensive.

"Still! Her parents just died three days previous. How could you take advantage of her fragile state, that way?"

"You weren't there! You can't expect me to just ignore a half-naked, firm-bodied teenage hottie who for some reason was lying on my bed with her head on my shoulders and her naked legs rubbing my own legs."

"You could've tried!"

"I tried! I managed to last for about 30 minutes before she kissed me and started guiding my hands. What was a hot-blooded teenage boy supposed to do? Lie there like a rock? I was a freaking virgin back then!"

"You could've told her to go back to my room!"

"I tried, you daft cow! I tried, but she cried and cried and told me she just wanted to feel my love before she had to leave. I was young, OK?"

"Momma," I heard a small voice hidden by the kitchen isle, "Please stop crying. I'm sorry. I'll be good, please don't fight."

Lauren got down and pulled him to her lap, and said between sobs, "Oh, it's not you, baby. It's not your fault. It's not your fault."

Then the boy turned to me and Tell. "Please don't scold me, Momma. I'll be good. I won't make any noise. I'll keep quiet. I won't disturb anyone."

"No no, it's not your fault, little Vicky. It's never your fault. Stop blaming yourself. It's never your fault," Lauren said as she hugged him tighter to her.

I've always prided myself on being free from emotional distress in most cases, but just this once, I could feel my eyes water. No child should blame himself so badly, for whatever reason. No child should feel like he's the cause of everything bad happening around him. As if on autopilot, I took a step forward, gently took hold of the boy by his armpits and lifted him off Lauren's lap.

"No, it's not your fault. It was mine. My stupidity years ago made life hard for you, Vicky and Lauren. I can't imagine what you've had to go through in your young life, but I promise you, I'll take good care of you. If there's anything you want, anything you need, just tell me and you'll have it, OK?" I said as I held him so he sat on the crook of my arm.

"Thank you, mister, but I don't need anything," he said in his small voice.

Hearing that, Lauren's crying started again. When she calmed down, she said, "He learned long ago to not ask for anything. My dad would get all pissed whenever little Vicky asked for something. Mom was a bit nicer to little Vicky than Dad, and it was she who managed to persuade Dad into taking care of little Vicky after Vicky left. But even..." she stopped for some reason.

Tell, who was behind me, handed her another another sheet of tissue and Lauren blew her nose into it. Then she continued, "But even she took the same stance as Dad. And beyond feeding, schooling and giving him a shelter, he hasn't had the luxury that other children took for granted. I had to save little bits of money from my part time jobs since I was 13 to let little Vicky have a small bit of childhood that he should've had."

"Momma, don't cry. I'll be good," the boy, my son said, which only caused a renewal of sobs from Lauren.

"You must understand," she said after her sobbing lessened, "it breaks my heart to do this, but I had to find you. My parents are adamant about me continuing to college, and offered to take care of Victor while I went off to study. But I've lived with them all my life. I can't trust Dad not to let his temper get the best of him. And Mom, while she has always been at least friendly towards little Vicky, even she wouldn't be able to stop his temper. They have never been very enthusiastic about his arrival to this world. The only reason they even accepted Vicky into their home in the first place was because she was Mom's niece. I can't bear to leave him with them, knowing how they are."

"So you decided to take a chance on little Vicky's real father instead," Tell put in after Lauren was huffing with another sob.

"Yes. When I discovered Vicky's letter, I thought it could be another option. So I borrowed my mom's car and took him to Colorado after Christmas. I didn't tell my parents that I was going to meet his real father, I only said that I was going to a Christmas party that my friends held."

"I was in Colorado, the day before you were there. If only I went back there that day, we could've met. So how did you find out where I live?" I asked with a bit of regret.

She took out a piece of paper and gave it to me. On it was written my name and my address. "The old woman next door, I think her name was Mrs Stilskin. She saw me crying in the car and asked me to come in for some hot cocoa and a slice of cake. I didn't know what to do at that time. I was so lost. She sat me down and asked me what's wrong. Without realizing it, I told her everything. Then she told me to calm down and she gave me that," she pointed to the piece of paper, "and told me that it may have been outdated, that maybe you have moved, but that it should give me some clue as to where to find you."

"Good old Mrs Stiltskin. Baking cakes was her hobby. Remember Tell, how she would knock on our door just to give four slices of her cakes when we were young?"

"Of course," Tell gave a muffled giggle, "Whenever I smelled her cakes baking, I would always be sitting in the living room waiting for her to come offer us some of it."

"Did you like Mrs Stiltskin's cakes, young man?" I asked the small boy in my arms.

"She give me three," he said as he showed me four fingers. I just had to chuckle a bit at that.

She was about to take him back in her arms when I said, "So do you think you can trust me with your little boy?"

"You mean, you would take him in?" she said with a gasp.

"Of course, he's my son, isn't he? Even if I haven't been a father for the past seven years, it's well past time that I finally take responsibility for my actions."

Then Tell's hands appeared and she gently took little Vicky into her arms instead, "And I'll help in whatever way I can. Gosh, I never would've imagined that you'd have a son, Ricky," then she looked at Lauren, "How old is he?"

"Six," she answer between sniffles.

"I'm sorry," I said, as I gave Lauren a hug, "I have messed up really bad. I have destroyed his childhood, Vicky's childhood and I believe I have destroyed yours too. You gave away everything to take care of little Vicky, didn't you?"

"Yes," she said as she buried her face into my chest, "I didn't have time for any serious relationships, and even during the prom, my mind was filled with the thought of going home early. But it's all worth it. Little Vicky is such an adorable child, you'll see. When I got home after school or after my part time work, I would see him running towards me, with that huge innocent smile of his, and my life would feel so bright. He is the light of my life. This is very hard for me to do."

"Don't worry," I said as I rubbed her head, "You can come visit any time you want. Any day of the week. He may be my son by blood, but you're his real mother in every sense and purpose. I'll give him a childhood that other kids will envy," I smiled as she pulled out her face from my chest.

"Oh, don't. Don't spoil him too much, it will be such a culture shock to him. Then when I get him back, he'll be so spoiled I won't know what to do with him."

"Don't worry, I'll make sure he won't go overboard," Tell said with a giggle.

"Ah, I'm sorry," Lauren said as she freed herself from my arms, "Are you his girlfriend or something?"

"Girlfriend? Yuck! He's my brother! Don't put such thoughts in my head ever again," she said.

"As if I'd want my scrawny sister as a girlfriend," I said as I pushed out my tongue and made a gagging sound.

"Oh, you'd be lucky if you can find anyone half as gorgeous as me," she countered.

I wanted to respond but I just didn't know what to say that would be PC in front of a six years old kid, so I just laughed. Then I heard Lauren laughed along and before long, even Tell laughed. Only Victor didn't laugh, probably because he couldn't decide which was funnier.

I mean, there was a spot of chocolate on Tell's chin. And there was a trail of white on her forehead. But I wasn't going to spoil the fun by telling her that.

------

The next day was filled with tears and more tears. Tell and Lauren kept crying as Lauren held little Victor tight to her, as if not wanting to let go. Tell was crying simply because, well, she's Tell. She has always been free with her emotions. Well, except for her anger. She liked to bottle it in and unleash it when it's least expected. That reminds me, I wonder when she's going to unleash her fury on me. I still haven't given any explanation for not being there on our Christmas night.

"Momma will be away for awhile, but I'll come visit every weekend. You be nice to Daddy, OK little Vicky?" she said to the boy. I had asked her to spend the night here instead of getting a hotel room. Partially because I wanted to find out more about the boy from one who knew him all his life. Another because I wanted to ease his transition to living in a strange place while his mother's still here to comfort him if there's any trouble. I of course told them to use my room while I slept on the couch, since the guest room was already taken by Tell. There's another room, but I used it for storage. Maybe I'll fix that room up and turn it into a proper little boy's bedroom.

Lauren called her parents to say that she found Victor's real father and will be going back to get his things before hugging little Vicky once more and saying that she will return in a few day's time to send his toys and clothes. Little Vicky seemed to be having second thoughts as he hugged Lauren a bit tighter and refusing to let go. Lauren to her credit, didn't break into tears, this time. She patted his head and told him that it will only be for a few years, and he can see her every weekend, or call her every night. she further told him that she won't ever leave him alone.

I held one of his hands in mine as we bade her farewell and she drove off. I noticed that she kept glancing back until she turned the corner. I was slightly worried that she would get herself into an accident or something.

"You're my new daddy?" he asked when Lauren's car was no longer visible.

"Yes, and I'll take care of you as best as I can. You know what, since this is practically your first day here, why don't you and I, father and son, have an ice cream? Would you like some ice cream?"

"Momma said I can only have ice cream if I'm especially good."

Tell broke up into a crying fit and hugged him tight. "Oh you poor boy," she said, "let's go to the mall. Daddy's going to buy us some Baskin-Robbins. You can choose which flavor you like. They have vanilla, chocolate, pralines 'n cream, very berry strawberry, pistachio almond..." she trailed on with what must be a hundred different flavors they have there. Listening to her, you'd think that she was in a commercial promoting Baskin-Robbins.

I sure hope she doesn't intend on getting all the flavors they have on offer.

------

"So you have a son? Wow, I never imagined you to be the single father kind," Sue said as she leaned on the partition wall for my cubicle.

"Yeah, me too. I only found out the day before yesterday. And to think, that he had to grow up without a father and his biological mom," I said. I was sitting on my swivel chair facing Sue. She came over just awhile ago bringing me some lunch. I had a bit of work to finish and couldn't go on my now daily luncheon with Sue.

"So... like... what happened to his real mother?"

"I don't know. I was told that she disappeared three days after little Vicky was born. I don't understand. Vicky has always been a very responsible person. I can't imagine why she would leave her three day's old child behind."

"Hm, do you have any idea where she went off to?" she asked, appearing very concerned. Sue has always been a soft-hearted girl, at least for as long as I've known her. It's like she has this emphatic sense that made other people's sufferings become her own.

"No, not even Lauren's family knew where she went off to. There was no credit trail, no news of her whereabouts whatsoever. It's like she simply dropped off the face of the Earth."

"So you took an emergency leave yesterday because of that?"

"Yup. The child grew up for far too long without a dad. It's about time that his dad brings him out to play."

Just then, Steve from the mail room walked by with his mail trolley. He turned to give me a letter and just stopped dead in his tracks.

"Woohoo! Cool hairstyle, dude. Rock on!" he said as he made the Metallica sign. You know, the one where only the middle finger and ring finger is folded? Steve's the stereotypical hippie, with long grungy hairdo, colorful clothing, dopy and stupid sounding voice and he always looked so irritatingly happy. I also suspected that he was a nudist, but as I had never seen him naked (which I hope that I will never get the opportunity to see), I could never tell for sure.

Then he passed by to give other peoples their letters. He stopped at Ariel's place and said in a very loud voice, "Wooah! Stone fox in the house!"

I don't blame him really. Although there are some major cuties in the company, such as Sue for example, Ariel is like a different level compared to the rest of them. She's like a supermodel, thin, slender and pretty face. And her legs, I just can't stop looking at them, even though I used to have comparably gorgeous long legs myself. Come to think of it, Ariel looked a lot like me in my female form. Not the face of course, but her figure was similar, even if her busts were a bit on the small side, a bit bigger than Sue's but nothing like mine. Probably for that reason, whenever I looked at her, it was like I was looking at myself.

"What is it with people's fascination with my hair, though? It just couldn't escape comment," I whined.

"Well, you could've probably style differently. I mean, look at your bangs and the way you did your ponytail."

"Bangs? I do not have bangs. And what's wrong with my ponytail?"

"You don't have bangs? Then what's that on your forehead? Curtains? And men tie their ponytails much lower than the way you do yours. Gosh, listen to me. I sound like someone's mother."

"Maybe you are a mother. You just don't know it yet."

Sue gave me a look that said something like, "not possible".

"PAT!" came a voice that made both me and Sue jump.

"Uh oh, I better go. Don't want to get in the way of your pissed off-sounding boyfriend," she said.

"Sue!" I said as she retreated and waved me goodbye.

I would've left too if not because the exit of my cubicle was suddenly blocked by a big mass mere seconds after Sue fled. "Umm. yes? Anything I can do for you, Chris?" I said to his glowering face, he was so obviously enraged. I couldn't help feeling extremely cowled.

"You can start by explaining what the deal is about you having a SON!" I recoiled a little bit as he practically spat the words at me.

"Ee... it's nothing. I just found out about it myself. Sorry, I didn't mean it to happen. How did you... wait, why am I apologizing... What's YOUR problem? It's my son, so it's none of your business! GET LOST!" I said as I quickly turned my swivel chair back around so I'd face my flat-screen monitor. I love these flatscreen monitors. They take very little space and looks very chic. I wish I had one of these for my 15th birthday, after a playstation, that is.

Chris obviously wasn't impressed with my response though. He grabbed the back rest and spun me around to look at his furious-looking face. I just can't help myself from sinking even lower on my seat. "It... IS... my... business! Don't forget you're mine. Mine!" he said as his face got closer and closer as my own tries to look the other way.

"It's not... I'm not yours. I'm a free person. You don't own me..." I said as I looked at the flyer for 'free coffee for every lunchset at Tony's Bella Vista' pinned to my cubicle wall.

"Look at me when you say that, damn you!" he growled at my right ear.

"I would, if you could perhaps get back a step or two," I said as I mentally read 'Valid until 15th January!' from the same flyer. I've never really taken a good look at the flyer before, but I heard Tony's Bella Vista foods are fairly good.

"Look at me," he said.

"Don't want to." Is it getting hotter in here?

"Look at me," he said again, his voice more menacing this time.

"You're just going to shout at me again," I said, still looking at Tony's Bella Vista flyer.

"Look... at... me!" he commanded. One of his hands was holding my chin, subtly urging me to face him. Umm, no, probably not so subtle.

"You could've told me yourself. Why do I have to hear this from someone else?" he said so softly that it almost made me want to cry.

"Who... who told you?" I asked in an almost inaudible voice. For some reason, his face being so close to mine made me feel, I don't know, uncomfortable I think. If either he or I move slightly forward, our lips would've touched.

"Steve."

"Mail room Steve?" I said as I breathe a little bit heavily. I guess the lack of oxygen from us having to share the same air is having an effect on me.

"Steve Candle. Your friend next door."

"Damned him," I said slowly, I noticed my voice was a bit husky, "You still don't own me, you know. I'm Hades's new consort now, you can't share me and still call me yours."

"Hades as in the god of the underworld?"

"Uhuh, the very same, except people call him Uriel..." I barely managed to finish my reply when he abruptly wrapped his hand around my throat with the same hand that he used on my chin just now.

"You're mine, Pat. I don't care what commitments you have with your fellow demons. You're mine!"

I was choking and unable to breathe for a bit and I don't know, I guess the lack of oxygen to my brain made me incoherent because I then said, "No, no. I'm not yours... not yours. Make me yours... take me... hurt me... own me... make me want you... only you..."

Suddenly he pulled back and shouted, "WHAT!?" His hand was still tightly wrapped around my neck, though not as chokingly tight as before.

I was like 'huh'? Then I opened my eyes and saw him standing up and looking to the side, beyond my cubicle.

"I'm busy!" he said.

As the fog cleared, I could hear another voice saying, "Mike wants to see you now! You know he's not a very patient guy!"

"What's going on?" I asked Chris, who was looking a bit flushed. I also noticed something sharp poking my lips. With the fingers of my left hand, I touched my lips and was horrified to touch two pairs of real fangs. I wondered what was going on. I was in my human form! The fact that my right hand was grabbing Chris's left arm, the one attached to the hand that was choking me and pulling it to me instead of pushing it away wasn't such a morale booster, either.

He grunted, then turned back to me and said, "We'll talk later." Then he let go of my neck, but paused as he looked at my hand that was holding his arm and pulling it to me. The moment I realize the reason for his delay, I quickly let go of his arm before he turned and left. Gosh, that was embarrassing. I wished the earth would just swallow me right at the moment.

"You OK?" Sue asked as she poked her head above the side of the partition separating my cubicle and the rest of the world.

I covered my mouth with a half fist and coughed a bit, feeling a slight pain on my neck. Chris's grip was really very strong. If he lost control there, he could've snapped my neck in half, not that it could kill me anyway. I couldn't let Sue see my fangs though. What would she think? Maybe she'd think that I'm secretly a vampire and tells everyone about it.

So instead, I just covered my mouth and said, "Yeah, what did Mike want with Chris though?" I guessed that it was Sue who told Chris that Mike wanted to see him.

She shrugged and said, "I don't know. Mike complained about the men's toilet not having any tissue paper when I walked pass him just now."

"You didn't!" I chuckled a little which touched that sore spot on my neck.

"I did. He's probably halfway to the mall for a few rolls of toilet paper now," she said with a giggle.

Just then, I saw Steve Candle, the snitch walk pass the entrance to my cubicle. Sensing my fangs retract, I got up from my seat and said, "Hey, Steve. Next time you try to be a newsreader, do me a favor and don't. I had to do some major explaining just now. You have no idea what Chris's like when he's mad."

He raised his hands, palms forward as if warding an attack. "Hey, leave me out of this. I don't deal with lover's quarrels. How was I supposed to know you guys are dating?"

"We're not dating!" I said through gritted teeth as I tried to avoid from shouting.

"What-ever. I'm staying out of this," he said as he turned towards his monitor.

"I swear, Steve. You do this again, I'll rip out your tongue."

He simply gave me a wave without even looking at me. Then Sue said something and I turned to look at her.

"Sorry?"

"I said, I'm going back to work. Are you going to be OK, now?"

"Yeah, now that I know he knows, it will be easier to avoid being cornered like that again."

"OK. If you need me, you know where to find me. Oh and Patty..."

"Yes? Anything else?"

"Cut the nails."

"What nails... arrrgggh!!!" Where the heck this these long nails come from? I'm in human form, damnit!

---

To Be Continued...