Macy was comfortably lying down on her bed. Her mother had the precious time to read her yet another poem by one of Cindy's most favourite poets.

"Child, child, love while you can," Cindy started, Macy listened to her wholeheartedly, eyes glimmering along with the starry night.

"The voice and the eyes and the soul of a man

Never fear though it will break your heart,

Out of the wound new joy will start,

Only love proudly and gladly and well

Though love be heaven or love be hell.

Child, child, love while you may,

For life is short as a happy day

Never fear the thing you feel-

Only by love is life made real,

Love for the deadly sins are seven,

Only through love you will enter heaven."

"What does the poem want to say mom? Does it want to tell us that love is elusive? Because everybody wants to love and yet it's so hard to find, even though it's in our midst."

Each night that they read one of Teasdale's poems, Cindy always asks Macy what does she think about the poem, is there any insight that she has extracted from the content? The truth is, Cindy is only seeking help from her own daughter this way, what is love? Moreover, what is real love? And how must real people love? Is her way of raising Macy the correct way? Is the fact that she is using James Neutron, a man who seems to have no idea what she is doing, for the sake of her own daughter excusable?

"I was strucked by what it said that love may be hell, but love is what makes life real and what makes us worthy of heaven," the brunette added.

Suddenly, someone, some boy came into the little girl's mind. "Is it possible to hate and love someone at the same time mom?"

Cindy could not help but smile. "Why are you asking? You know somebody?"

Macy's cheeks grew red, "Well, there's this guy, I don't know I just find him so annoying and irky but y'know, he's smart and he's cute, I just find it weird how- nevermind...nevermind my question mom." She sighed and tried hard to stop herself from smiling. She wrapped herself in her comforter.

"Well, sweetie, love can come in different forms, varied forms and loving while hating someone is just one of 'em. You see, I experienced the same thing too, darling." Cindy adjusted herself on the bed and straightened out her blouse.

"Tell me more."

"He was a good man, Macy, although, he always wreaked havoc by ironically trying to make our lives easier, he always had a way of destroying our small town, everyone hated him, but everyone discreetly adored him as well, because they knew he was bound to do great things that no one in the community would even dream to do, things that could change the course of history, or even make history!"

"Like building a freeze ray or travelling to dwarf planets?" Macy's eyes glowed.

"He's already done those stuff, Macy," Cindy chuckled at Macy's evident amazement.

"Yes, he was that special. So you see, I was one of those people, I hated him so much my blood would start to boil whenever I saw him, but at the same time, I felt my blood rushing to my cheeks and I tried my very hardest to stop my growing attraction to him, but for some reason, the universe seemed to always conspire whenever we were together and we were always, always stuck with each other especially during the most unconvenient of times!" Cindy continued to chuckle while reminiscing.

"Who is this mom?"

"He was my childhood friend turned sweetheart."

"Who?"

Cindy smiled knowingly, "Your dad."

Jimmy has been standing by Macy's door for a while now and he's completely amused that the two have not spotted him yet. He found Cindy's words silly because "Why on earth would anyone talk to their own kid like like a lovestruck teenager?" He thought.

"Who is this?" He heard Macy ask.

"Macy if only you knew..." Jimmy thought to himself.

"Who?" Jimmy was surprised by Cindy's answer, he did not even have the time to wonder how she would address the question.

"Your dad." He could sense Cindy was smiling whilst she was talking of him.

He shaked his head, uncrossed his arms, and left to go to their bedroom.

Bedroom

Jimmy POV

Among all of the many vexations that I have encountered in life, this matter has to be the most capable of irritating me to no end! Much more than Cindy and I's altercations! I mean I am aware that one of Cindy's quirks is keeping secrets from the people that matter the most, but this is just unacceptable. Why does she have to keep it all to herself? Those who think that I cannot recognize my own daughter have got to be the most noble idiots of this period! What kind of parent would not be able to know that one is his or her offspring at one glance?

Well okay, maybe I didn't, but still! Does Cindy really think that I am incapable of recognizing my own daughter? My blood runs in her bloodstream for crying out loud! Why does she have to hide it? Now I'm FORCED to conceal my knowledge about the matter as well!

But why did I not accept her proposal right away, you are asking?

It's because, the laws of life dictate that I must not. Kidding! Because I just wanted her to feel how it is to be rejected countless of times, I still remember the day she told me that she wasn't "100% sure" that she wants to marry me, that she wants to spend eternity with me, so she broke up with me instead. Cindy has the type of I-hit-you-first-before-you-hit-me personality and I cannot blame her for it. Even though I know that I had a considerable number of shortcomings and ranklings during our relationship, her not putting enough trust in me was what strained it. I know that she still doesn't until now. How so? She wouldn't even tell me about my own daughter, but it's not like I'm afraid of commitment that I would leave them once she tells me, she knows that!

Currently, Macy is 9 years of age, Cindy and I broke our ties about 10 years ago. Assuming Macy was carried in her womb for a normal 9-month period, that would mean she was conceived in April, roughly the same time we ended our relationship. Cindy could not have possibly found a new mate in that short of a period of time! Besides, even if she said Macy's father is long dead, visual evidence says otherwise. Even Sheen, Sheen! could notice our undeniable similarities! Who wouldn't? Even Macy's track coach, Mr. Jalandoni who has never seen me before quickly assumed I was the real father, of course I had to relinquish the truth to him given the circumstances Cindy has made for me.

I still do not understand why Cindy is doing all of this, but I'm going to let her do her own thing...for now. She knows I have a way of finding out everything about everything. Why would she try to hide this from me still?

End of POV