Six Years Later.
Delfina flagged down a taxi and prayed she wasn't late. She would hate for him to be awake and she wouldn't be by his bedside.
"Can you go any faster mister?" she asked the driver.
"Any faster will get us killed. The hospital is just down the road, please be patient," he replied.
Delfina sat patiently until the taxi pulled into the driveway of the hospital. She paid him and hurried inside.
"Good morning, Miss. Giovanni!" Delfina smiled at the nurse sitting at the reception.
"Beautiful morning, nurse."
Over the last six years, they've become very familiar with her in the hospital but it wasn't her fault, it was her son's health condition.
He had been hospitalized again for the past three days and he was getting discharged today. She had just rushed home to gather a few things for him before he woke up.
She entered his ward and saw him sitting on the bed while the doctor asked him some questions and examined him.
"Hello, Miss. Giovanni," the doctor acknowledged her. "Hello, doctor. How's he feeling?" she asked worriedly.
The doctor gave her a small smile. "As I said a few days ago he'll be better today and there's a noticeable change. He's better now but please endeavor to always give him his drugs."
Delfina nodded. "Thank you, doctor."
"You're welcome. My nurses will give you the discharge papers and the rest of your bills. Have a lovely day, Miss," the doctor concluded and left.
Delfina's heart sank at the mention of bills. She had stretched her wallet to the limit. She couldn't pursue her dreams of being an actress because she couldn't complete her schooling as a drama major student due to her being a surrogate. Now that dream was over and to make ends meet for her and her son she worked as a typewriter in a small company.
"Mommy!"
She stared at her handsome six years old son with his dimpled cheeks, his blue eyes like his father except his eyes were warm and shining with happiness.
His black curly hair lay a mess on his head and his two front teeth were missing when he opened them to laugh at her.
Despite his illness, he still looked very chubby and handsome. He was a happy child and she would do anything it takes to make him happy and healthy even if she had to work three jobs and lots of extra shifts. "Hello, my darling." she kissed his forehead and ruffled his hair.
"Mommy, are you crying?" he asked with a small frown.
Delfina chuckled. Ricco was very perceptive right from an early age so she wasn't surprised that he had dictated her mood.
"No, my love. I'm not crying sadly I'm just so happy that you are alright now. I was scared when you collapsed days ago," she replied honestly.
"So mommy isn't sad?" he asked again.
Delfina chuckled. "Of course not. In fact, because I'm super happy and you're happy and healthy, I've decided to take us to the restaurant to eat your favorite cake!" "Yes!" Ricco exclaimed happily, "I can't wait, mommy."
Delfina nodded. "First, you have to promise me that you don't feel any pain."
Ricco stood up from the bed and placed his hands on his chest, giggling excitedly.
"I'm fine, mom. I promise."
Delfina laughed. She loved seeing him so happy and she blessed her stars daily that she had gotten to take care of him.
"Alrighty, let's go on an adventure of cake!" she exclaimed.
Hands in hands, the excited pair left the hospital, and Delfina ordered another taxi after she was comfortable with the price.
They alighted at a small restaurant and Delfina took him inside.
"I love you, mommy!" he exclaimed in glee when he noticed the atmosphere and environment.
Delfina smiled. She loved making him happy and he made her happy too.
"I love you too, my darling."
They sat down by the side of the window and she ordered the cake. She knew she was stretching her wallet so thin but she didn't mind, she wanted to make Ricco happy today and she would do that.
He took one bite at the tasty chocolate cake but it was pure bliss. He sighed heavily and closed his eyes.
"The taste is still the same mom, delicious," he said.
Delfina took a small bite of the cake and her tastebuds were on fire.
"This is really delicious, Ricco. Now I get why you're always craving them."
He giggled softly, still stuffing his face full of cake.
Delfina watched him and she glowed with pride. Deep down in her heart, she prayed she would get a permanent solution to his health problems.
***
On the other side of the city, halfway across town, a little boy was ushered gracefully into a Bugatti ZB16-4 Veyron.
His bodyguard shut the door and then proceeded to drive out of the school compound while the little boy glanced at his iPad.
"How was school, champ?"
He wasn't much of a talker so the bodyguard wasn't surprised when he ignored him.
The bodyguard knew it wasn't his place to ask or initiate a conversation between them but he couldn't help but take pity on the lonely boy.
He was always glancing at his iPad if he wasn't in school. There was no one to ask him how his day went so even though he didn't respond the bodyguard knew he still appreciated the questions. The little boy came across a photo. Normally, he would skip such pictures or anything at all and focus on his games but something caught his eyes in that picture.
Something he wished to have.
Something he was beginning to wonder if he'll ever have.
He glanced at the mother and son eating cheap cake in a cheap restaurant.
They didn't seem to mind the fact that the environment they were in was cheap or they were eating what could damage their health since it was a cheap cake.
They just focused on their love for one another because it was obvious from the picture that they both loved each other.
His heart ached.
He didn't want all the money in the world, he just wanted this kind of relationship with his father or at least a mother.
That wasn't too much of a request for him to make. He just needed love, the kind that this woman and her son shared as they are their cake happily.