Chapter 107: At the Park

MIA'S POV

I stood in the park, surrounded by the vibrant sounds of children laughing and playing. Angel, now two months old, gazed up at me with big, round eyes in her baby carrier. Her tiny smile lit up her face, and I couldn't help but chuckle at her adorable expression. My left hand gently rested on her soft cheek, feeling the warmth of her skin.

As I stood there, taking in the joy of the moment, my phone suddenly rang, vibrating in my trouser pocket. I reached for it, but it was too late; the call had already gone to voicemail. I slipped the phone back into my pocket, not wanting to disturb the peaceful atmosphere.

But before I could even process what had just happened, my phone rang again. This time, I quickly pulled it out to check the screen. After a few seconds, it rang again, and I quickly picked it up. Mrs. Claire's name flashed on the display, and I felt a surge of surprise. What could she be calling me for?

I stood there, frozen for a moment, weighing my options. Should I answer the call and potentially disrupt the serene atmosphere of the park, or should I let it go to voicemail again? Angel's gentle cooing and the sounds of the park seemed to fade into the background as I deliberated.

Finally, I decided to answer the call. "Hello?" I said, trying to keep my voice warm so as not to disturb the other people in the park.

"Hello there," Mrs. Claire's warm voice said on the other end of the line. "It's been a while since I heard from you, and I was just checking in to see how you're doing with Angel."

I smiled, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Mrs. Claire. She had always been a kind and caring presence in my life, and I appreciated her concern.

"I'm doing well, thank you for asking," I replied. "How are you doing too?" I asked, trying to show interest in her well-being.

"I'm glad you're enjoying this special day with Angel," she said. "How is she doing? Is she sleeping better?"

I chuckled, happy to share stories about Angel. "Actually, she's been doing great. She's been sleeping a lot better, and she's such a happy baby."

We chatted for a few more minutes, discussing everything from Angel's feeding schedule to my plans for the rest of the day. As we talked, I couldn't help but feel grateful for Mrs. Claire's presence in my life. She was more than just a friend; she was a source of comfort and support.

We wrapped up our conversation, and Mrs. Claire said, "I'd love to come visit Angel soon in Texas. Would that be okay with you?" She asked, and I just smiled.

"We're not in Texas anymore, Mrs. Claire. We're now in New York," I replied, explaining that one of my mother's relatives had contacted us after learning of my father's death.

"Oh, that's great," Mrs. Claire exclaimed, sounding excited. I smiled, feeling happy at the prospect of sharing Angel with Mrs. Claire. "That would be wonderful," I said. "I'll let you know when she's a bit older, and we can plan something big for her together."

We said our goodbyes, and as I was about to hang up the phone, I was carried away by the moment we were sharing together. I didn't notice when the baby carrier had moved itself towards the main road.

What snapped my brain and body back to reality was the sound of screeching tires and the driver's frantic cry of "Mama!" echoing in my ears. "Angel!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, nearly bursting my throat, when I turned back to see Angel in front of a moving car that had screeched to a halt just inches from her.

The driver, a tall man with dark hair and a round, black eyeball, wearing a white T-shirt and black jeans, complemented by playing glasses on his eyes, quickly stepped out of the car. "I'm so sorry, ma'am. I'm so sorry," he repeated, his voice filled with fear and apology.

I quickly rushed to Angel, lifting her from the baby carrier and pushing the carrier to the other end of the road. Holding her close, I tried to comfort her as she cried. "Ah, ah, Angel," I cooed, patting her gently and putting her on my chest to warm her up.

Everybody was staring at me, and I knew it wasn't the driver's mistake. It was also mine. I had lost control while I was on the phone with Mrs. Claire. In fact, I hadn't even noticed if I had ended the call or if it was still ongoing.

The driver tried to take Angel from me, but I couldn't let him. Instead, he went back to his car and parked it properly away from the road, not causing any traffic that could warrant his arrest. Then, he returned to us and followed us into the park.

Together, we entered the park, with him pushing the baby carrier and me holding Angel in my two hands.

As we walked together for what felt like two minutes but turned out to be an hour, I couldn't help but notice that he was still going with us every step of the way. I finally summoned the courage to introduce myself. "I am Mia," I said, just as he said, "I am John." We both spoke simultaneously, and I couldn't help but smile and giggle.

"You go first," he said, allowing me to speak. But I insisted, "No, no, you go first." He smiled and began to speak.

"Before I start any discussion, I'd like to say I'm sorry for startling little Angel like that," he said, facing Angel directly and leaving my sight. He began to play with her in the baby carrier, touching her cheek, and Angel giggled and smiled back at him, throwing her hands and legs back at him like he was her real father.

"It's not a problem, actually," I said. "I lost concentration while I was on the phone, I guess. Ah, motherhood is not my kind of way yet."

"No, no, don't say that," he replied. "No mother can be downgraded for taking care of her daughter. You're trying your best, and things happen like that." He tried to give me an excuse for what I did, but I knew I was at fault.

"I'm not Angel's mother," I declared, surprising myself with the admission. I didn't know why I said that to a stranger I had just met on the street.

"Are you serious?" he asked, looking at us with a sharp and smart gaze. "You both look like... well, it's a long story that I itend to keep for now."

"So, what are you doing around here?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

He folded his arms together, with his keys on his left hand. "Actually, I'm going to a friend's place. I just decided to visit a friend down the road, but I guess I'll find another friend if you allow me." His voice was soft and calm, and he meant every word he said.

"We're not staying very far from this place," I said. "We just got here and tend to keep it that way."

"Alright," he said. "Please just give me the opportunity to pay for your treat in the park."

"No, no, please don't let us disturb you with our problem," I said.

"It's not a problem at all," he insisted. "It's a treat I intend to cover. Just take this as me pleading to you." And with that, he covered all the expenses.

After spending two hours and thirty minutes together in the park, we decided to move out. As we walked side by side with John, we got to the main entrance of the park, and the security guard opened the gate swiftly to his side with a remote control in his hands. As we stepped out, I smiled back at him and waved goodbye for now.

Then, I turned my back with the baby carrier to the side of the road and stepped back, waving at a cab. But before I could stop one, John whispered into my ear, "Don't worry, I'll take you." I didn't even notice when I waved at the cabman, and he drove away.

John followed behind me with the baby carrier, folding it into a small size and putting it in the open boot of his car. Then, he opened the car door for me, and I stepped in after putting Angel in the back seat.

As we drove, my mind kept on saying, "He's such a nice man. It's been a while since I saw any man being so nice to me." I whispered this to myself and giggled. I guess he noticed my giggles, so he smiled back at me.

In a low tone, he spoke, "I hope you're doing fine." I could sense that he was trying to catch up with me, but I was trying to be simple and not get ahead of myself.

"Mia, so how can I see you again after this, after today?" he asked swiftly, sending a shiver down my spine. I didn't know how to reply to his request.

"Ah, well, I don't know for now, but maybe if you call me, maybe we'll know what to do next," I said, trying to play it cool.

"Alright, maybe I will get your number right now and call you tomorrow. Do you have any schedule already booked for tomorrow?" He asked, and I was speechless. I didn't know how to respond to his questions, but I remained silent and calm.

"I don't want to lose the opportunity with him, and like I said earlier, I don't want to get ahead of myself. I guess we'll know when you call me," I said, giggling.

He smiled and drove me to my apartment. As we drove, my mind kept on disturbing itself with so many questions that I couldn't answer by myself. "Is this what they call true love? Is he the right man, or is he here to play with my emotions? He could have just left, but he stayed back. Is he a nice man?”