Chapter 53

Harvey knew this wasn’t a fabrication of his sleeping subconscious. The colours around her were too vibrant to be the mere re-creation of his mind. Her smile had the power to pull his lips into a mirroring smile as he regarded her speaking animatedly to the woman towering over her. For the moment he’d forgotten about that woman and the question mark she caused to hang above his head.
Mia had been visiting his dreams since he last saw her, a small mercy he looked forward to every night he laid his head down onto his pillows. His only complaint was that her dream version had never been able to have this effect on him. His thoughts were a muddled mess, his palms were sweating despite the air-conditioning unit and his chest felt as if it was caving in on itself, his heart growing hands to push against the walls and preserve its own life despite the betrayal by its own soldiers.
Should he acknowledge her? Let her know of his presence? By God he wanted her eyes to meet his so that he could commit the feeling to memory. He’d been racking his brain to unpack his emotions in the past weeks and yet he couldn’t synthetically recreate anything.
He couldn’t talk to her either, he concluded, allowing another person to walk ahead of him and join the line. They had agreed to be strangers and that was what he was going to do.

His eyes fell on the being beside her, shovelling ice cream into her tiny mouth. She’d been opening her mouth wider than was necessary to place the spoon in. Harvey couldn’t control the overwhelming warmth that cascaded over him. Her daughter was the spitting image of her, so much that his eyes had glazed over in awe staring at her. She stared at her mother and giggled; his heart wrenching at the sight. It was as if he’d been looking at the life he craved and could never have. If it had been him, he would have cherished every moment with them.

Sensing Mia was about to shift her gaze in his direction, Harvey immediately turned his back to the image of her and joined the line. He had no need to see her. Her life size abundance would aid his dreams, he was hoping his brain could conjure her up more vividly now.
He heard the bell on the door and gazed out as a female exited. It was the woman who’d been talking to Mia. Harvey’s mind was once again taxing him. He knew her from somewhere and he could tell from the emotions she evoked in him that he hadn’t a good opinion of her. He just failed to remember why.
He stared off into the distance, considering her face. Where—

And it hit him; harder than a ton of bricks. A stonewall mixed with confusion and disgust erecting on top of him. It couldn’t be.

Anderson Porter. Baxter and Porter and Associates. He was certain that woman was under their employment. Worst of all, he was almost certain that she was one of Gabriel Evans’ mistress’. If he wasn’t mistaken and he rarely ever was, she was the very woman who’d been playing footsy with Gabriel Evans underneath a table during a business meeting. Ethan had pointed out to Harvey at that time that the man enjoyed multiple relationships outside of his marriage. At that time, Harvey had felt for his wife but now that it turned out to be the one woman who stirred his deepest desires his temperature was rising.
What in God’s name was she doing talking to Mia? Better yet, why was Mia so friendly with her husband’s mistress? Harvey didn’t particularly like jumping to conclusions but perhaps Mia knew of her husband’s mistresses. Doesn’t explain why she’d be friendly with them though. The whole situation was baffling and scornful in Harvey’s eyes. How can one woman be sleeping around with another person’s husband and yet face them as casually as friends?

It would have made more sense to him if they’d broken out into a fight right here and now, but the civility and kindness in Mia’s eyes haunted him. How could one person put up with so much? The more he thought on it the more he wanted to steal her away. She’d forbidden him, of course; a startling decision that he was still grappling with. It was clear she hadn’t felt the intensity he did.
Harvey shoved his hands into his trouser pockets to remove his wallet as he placed his ice cream order. He had to wipe his mind clean. His parents had only stopped worrying about him two days ago. He was finally able to return to his own place without fuss. He had to hold his ground.

“Thank you.” He said to the server, hooking his fingers into the handle of the bags and walking away. He defied the screaming in his head to have one final look at her. He couldn’t give in. Giving in would mean he lost and he couldn’t lose himself for someone who didn’t want him. Their paths were diverted by the fates; he had to continue along on his. Nothing good ever came from going against the fates.

***
“Ready to go home?” Mia cleaned the corners of Amiyah’s mouth for the millionth time. Amiyah gazed at her mother with the saddest eyes she could muster. “You’ve had a lot of sugar for today.” Mia said softly, crinkling her nose up at her daughter. She was desperately trying to be sterner with her but the love she had for her daughter made it difficult not to cave and give in to her every demand.

“I want the swings.” Amiyah swallowed another spoonful of ice cream, this time spreading some of it on the tip of her nose.

“Okay, but just for a little bit.” Mia said, sliding out of the seat and holding her hand out to her daughter.

“Excuse me,” Mia turned her attention to the high school student dressed with the ice-cream parlour’s uniform.

“Yes?” Mia smiled at her politely as she eased Amiyah off the seat. Her legs were still too short to climb down on her own.

“This is for you.” She held out a bag of ice-cream, cakes and other goodies. Mia stared at it and back and the girl.

“I didn’t order it.” Mia said patiently. Perhaps, she’s mixed up the customer.

“I didn’t, that man over there sent this over for you and your daughter.” She said, a slight blush sweeping across her face. Mia’s smile faltered as she gazed about. She saw the back of his head. She had to be blind not to recognise him despite not seeing a frontal view of his face.
It was him. She sucked in a breath. “He said you were friends and he didn’t want to bother you and plus he was in a hurry.” The girl rattled off but Mia’s eyes were trained on him, begging him to turn around. She longed to see him again, if only for a moment. He didn’t heed her silent plea and too soon for comfort, he disappeared from sight. This didn’t break her attention to the spot he was last seen, in fact she was praying to see him re-occupy it.
Mia couldn’t hear anything past the sound of her own breathing. “He recognised that you had already ordered so he made sure it was packaged to go.” The girl was still talking since Mia had yet to accept the package, not that she had minded. She had been star struck by the handsome stranger and as young as she was she read enough romance novels to recognise parted lovers.
Mia finally turned her attention back to girl blocking her path. She was thinking about her next course of action. Could she really accept this? She regarded the bag in the girl’s hand. She was holding it as if it were precious cargo.

“Oh, one last thing.” The girl piped up excitedly. “There is a note inside that he wrote to you.” She was beaming.

“What?” The word exploded out of her mouth as a reflex. The need to possess the bag went from zero to a hundred. What could he have possibly written?

“The gentlemen said that if you seemed hesitant to accept his gift that I should let you know about the note.” The girl felt as if she was cast in a romantic love story. Her heart was swooning at the thought.

“Thank you.” Mia said, not knowing what else she should say to the girl as she accepted the package. She fished out money from her handbag and gave it to her as a tip. The girl’s eyes widened in appreciation.

“Thank you!” she squealed. “I have been saving up for my prom dress, this will definitely help.” She said to Mia as she made a funny face with Amiyah. “All the best with your love story!” she said with an extravagant wave as she walked away.
Mia wanted to correct her. There was no love but the girl was already out of earshot.

“Mommy, swings.” Amiyah was yanking at Mia’s top and pointing outside.

“Yes, my love. I haven’t forgotten.” She said, taking Amiyah outside on the swings. She looked on as her daughter ran about gleefully, but her mind was otherwise occupied. Mia untied the bag and gazed inside. She saw a rectangular card resting on the very top, she took hold of it, and her hands trembling as she pulled it closer to her.

His handwriting swept across the card in an elegant line; her own handwriting mediocre in comparison. She inhaled as she brought herself to read the words written on it.

*‘Here’s to redefining our relationship from lovers to strangers. PS Motherhood suits you.’*