At first, Becca thought that Dan didn’t hear her clearly, because he was still looking at her with the same vulnerable expression that had been on his face when she delivered her news. So she repeated herself in a shaky voice, looking at him to make sure he heard her this time around. “Huh?” He said at last after a minute had passed. The expression on his face now gave way to a very confused look. He smiled a little, as though he was not sure if she was toying with him or not, the look of confusion increasing when he saw how deadly serious she was.“Emma’s father is not dead. We’re just divorced. I told you he was dead because…” Becca began.“Emma’s father…”“Yes, my ex-husband.”“He’s not dead…” Dan asked.“No, he’s not. I only said that becau…”“The one that was supposed to have died in a ghastly motor accident?” Dan asked again. He wasn’t letting her finish her sentences, and the confused look had finally left his face. A look that Becca had never thought she would see Dan direct
For some moments, Becca and Dan simply stared at each other, neither of them saying anything. Becca fought the urge to drop her gaze. Already, she could see what she thought was judgment in Dan’s eyes and in the way he was staring at her as if she was a different person from the woman he had known for the past eight years. She had nothing to be ashamed of though and so she raised her chin defiantly and waited for him to say something first. “I didn’t know anything about the man before the divorce, but Sandra was always watching the news about him because she loved the gossip channels and he was trending then. No wonder I thought you looked familiar when I first saw you…” He trailed off and looked away, but not before she spotted the troubled look in his eyes. “You thought I looked familiar?” “When I newly met you, yes, but I couldn’t place where I had seen you. But then, you changed your appearance immediately. I’m guessing it was because of what happened you did that.” “Yes, it wa
I met Ryan six years after Peter and I started dating, while I was still working as a clerk in the company. At first, I did not even know who the hell he was because I first met him at the restaurant where I was working. I know, it sounds stupid because the man is filthy rich, and I work in his company, but that restaurant was the last place that I would have expected to find someone like him. It was a middle-class restaurant, not the type that rich people frequented at all. I still remember that night crystal clear.” Becca paused a little, her eyes taking on a dreamy look that told Dan all that he needed to know. She was clearly still in love with the man.“He was so handsome and well-built. I noticed him the second he walked in because it was kind of a dull night, so there weren’t many customers in the restaurant. He was dressed simply, and he was alone, so he looked every inch the average but insanely hot adult male. I was the one who waited on him. You probably don’t want to hear t
Throughout the rest of the camp, Emma and Taylor were practically inseparable, so much so that Alex got a bit jealous at the fact that Emma did not mind that he was not tagging along with her, but Emma did not care the slightest bit. She loved her new friend, Taylor, with whom she talked about everything and nothing, and whom she spent most of her time with, carrying out camp activities, or just having fun and playing around. Taylor told Emma all about her dad and how much she loved him, and Emma told her all about her mother, Dan, and Sandra.“You know, my mom and Dan obviously like each other. I don’t know why they don’t just get married.” Emma confided as both girls sat on Taylor’s bed, snacking on some expensive biscuits that Taylor’s dad had packed for her. According to Taylor, the man was super rich but didn’t like to show it.“Oh, you’d like it if they got married?” Taylor asked in surprise.“Of course, I would. I would have a dad then. I don’t know my real dad, you know. He di
The days after Becca told Dan what had happened between her, Peter, and Ryan passed quickly, and before she knew it, it was time for Alex and Emma to return from Camp. It felt like ages since she had last seen her daughter, even though it was only just over two weeks. Right now she was waiting eagerly and somewhat anxiously for him to return with the children, and Sandra, who had stopped giving her the cold shoulder, was seated with her in Dan’s living room. Becca still hadn’t told her any of what she had told Dan, and she did not think he had told her either.“Listen, Becca. I’m sorry for the way things have been between us. It’s just that I feel so sorry for Dan, and I know you’re not in love with him, and…”“You don’t have to apologize, Sandra. You were being protective of your brother, and I totally understand. I’ll do the same if some girl was stringing Toby along endlessly. It’s cool, we’re cool.” Becca told her. They were silent for some time, the silence between them broken on
The weeks after Taylor came back from summer camp passed in quick succession. Taylor spent most of her time with Ryan, and to her annoyance, his girlfriend, who had now become a permanent fixture of sorts in the house. The lady was almost always there, so much so that Taylor had had no choice but to grudgingly accept her, much to Ryan’s delight. Taylor still kept in touch with Emma and Alex, her friends from summer camp, and talked with them every day, both on video calls and on voice calls, and had even spoken with Emma’s mother and Dan once before. They sounded so nice. Ryan was thankful that she was now getting along well, at least to an extent, with Tracy, whom he actually felt a little sorry for. The poor lady was going out of her way to be nice to Taylor. Ryan knew that Tracy wanted them to work out by all means, and he wasn’t averse to the idea at all. She was a good woman, he knew this deep down, and he knew that she was not just pretending to be good. Things were going just f
Preparations were underway for Emma’s seventh birthday and she was beside herself with excitement because all of her friends had been invited. She was a bit sad because her other ‘best friend’ Taylor was not going to be there, but that sadness was overshadowed by the excitement that she felt at the fact that she was going to have a party. Alex did not get what all the excitement was about and told her so, but Emma dismissed him with a flick of her finger, calling him a silly little boy who did not know any better. Dan and Becca found her excitement funny, especially knowing that it was going to quadruple the minute she found out that Taylor was coming, but Taylor’s dad wanted it to be a surprise, so they were keeping it from her.The party was to hold in a skating rink event room and everything had been prepared for it. Dan was communicating with Taylor’s father, whom Becca hadn’t spoken to yet, and neither did she see any need to talk to him over the phone. She would meet him at the
The next day, which was Taylor’s friend’s birthday, dawned bright and early. The presents for Taylor’s friend, which Ryan had arranged for to be delivered to the hotel that morning arrived, all boxed and wrapped in pretty pink gift wrappers. Taylor had insisted that the gifts be wrapped in pink wrappers because pink was Emma’s favorite color. Taylor was still asleep when they were delivered, so Ryan had them stuffed in the trunk of the car that he had rented, hardly able to believe that he was actually pulling all this off. He guessed having more money than you knew what to do with was not bad at all. Finally, he had to wake Taylor up to have breakfast and take her bath, if not, she would probably have slept till noon, and he didn’t want her to be late for her friend’s party.“Good morning, dad. Are we going to grandpa’s house today?” She asked as soon as she woke up.“Yes, honey. Come on, we have to bathe and dress you up so we won’t be late. They’re waiting for us. I’ll call for bre