Seemingly not bothered by Kathleen’s bewildered expression Shawn added, "I’ll be most grateful though, if you can allow to see them once in a while."
His voice carried the impression of soone who had surrendered to a superior power.
There was nothing forceful or authoritative about his words.
’These were his flesh and blood for Pete’s sake.’ Kathleen couldn’t believe he left such a crucial decision for her to make.
If Joanne, his mother, had heard what he had just said now, she was sure she would have fainted from anger.
Shawn was the only heir of Joanne and Shawn’s late father and hearing Shawn sounding unconcerned about the two children, she would have cursed him to death and without fail, blad her for everything.
All the argunts Kathleen had spent the entire weekend piling up, dismantling and finally fine tuning before coming to see Shawn in case he demanded to take the children, beca useless at the face of Shawn’s concessions.
This was way beyond how she had imagined he would react. She was angry with herself for spending those sleepless nights for nothing.
Maybe it was the way he left everything to her discretion, but she felt guilty all of a sudden if she denied him this one request.
"You can see them whenever you want," she found herself saying.
"Really!" Shawn’s eyes lit up like that of a little boy who had been given his favorite candy. "You seriously don’t mind?"
"I’ve said you can see them. Or do you want to change my mind?" Kathleen sneered as she started to question the wisdom in what she had just done.
"No, no, no," Shawn quickly shook his head. "Don’t change your mind."
"When do you think I can see them?" Shawn asked, making no effort to hide the excitent from his voice.
Kathleen’s slender brow arched in a slight flown. "Do you have to ask that?"
"Of course, I have to get your permission as their mother," Shawn pointed out.
Kathleen pinched herself to be sure she was not dreaming and winced from the pain.
She could tell that sothing was just off with Shawn today. But she couldn’t place a finger on it. ’Anyway, I’ll just wait and see how long he was going to put up with the act.’
"You can see them anyti but on one condition."
Shawn’s mood dampened all of a sudden. Why is there suddenly a condition?
"What is the condition? I hope it’s not that I have to forget about you, because if that’s the case, I’d rather not see them."
Kathleen couldn’t help but burst out in laughter at the sudden change in Shawn’s behavior.
"They are your children. Don’t you love them enough? I guess your love is not strong enough to make sacrifices for them."
"When the sacrifice involved is you, I’m afraid I have to be selfish. I would choose you over everything and anyone."
’Besides, once I have you, I’ll have them and even more.’ He could only say that in his heart, though.
"But I wouldn’t mind either if I can have both." This ti, he said it to Kathleen’s hearing.
"Do you take for a fool? Who doesn’t know what your true intentions are?" Kathleen sneered.
"My intentions are always pure, especially when it concerns you and the children."
"You are already planning your life around the children yet you pretend not to be interested in them," Kathleen exposed Shawn.
Shawn pretended to be surprised. "Don’t tell that you are jealous of your own children. If it bothers you that they are encroaching on our privacy, I will not ntion them whenever we are together," Shawn promised solemnly, but the glint in his eyes didn’t escape Kathleen’s skeptical gaze.
"Tsk! Dream on. Who is talking about privacy with you?" Kathleen snorted.
The corners of Shawn’s lips curled in a slight smile.
Children were indeed a blessing. He couldn’t believe that just talking about the children had livened up the suffocating atmosphere around them. He couldn’t help but imagine how lively and interesting the days ahead were going to be.
If only he had known of their existence earlier on, he was sure he would have made significant progress with Kathleen. "Better late than never" they say.
He was sure he could do anything to have them in his life, but of course, not at the expense of losing their mother.
"So what’s the condition for to see them, your highness?"
"The only condition I have is that your family must not know about them, at least not for the anti."
"Is that all?" Shawn asked, finally letting out a sigh of relief.
This wasn’t sothing to think twice about before giving his answer. He thought it would be sothing more difficult than this.
If there was anybody he would have told, it was his Nana. Apart from her, nobody was qualified to et his children.
"So what do you say? Can you do that? If not..."
The rest of Kathleen’s words were cut off by Shawn as he quickly said. "Of course, no one will know until you decide to tell them yourself."
"The children will be dining out tomorrow night at The Masters Place by 5pm. You can et them there if you are not busy," Kathleen said as she rose from her seat and headed for the door.
Before Shawn finished digesting what she said, Kathleen’s hand was already on the door handle and in just two strides, he arrived by her side and helped her to open the door.
Before bidding her goodbye, he took her hands in his and muttered a disarming "thank you Kathleen, for this wonderful opportunity you have given . It ans so much to ."
He bent his head and kissed the hand he was holding adoringly like a national treasure.
He watched until the car had disappeared completely from his sight before turning back.
He was literally walking on cloud nine as he returned back to his office hardly able to wait for tomorrow to co.
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