Learning to love again

Chapter 2

On the weekend, Denise only had the night shift, so she decided to go out to town with her son.

"Mommy, I'm tired," complained Peter after hours of walking down the main street.

"Just a little further sweetheart." she pushed guiding him down the stairs of trinity centre.

Midway down the stairs, Peter refused to move another inch making her sigh as positioned her bag right to pick him up.

"Need help?" asked a male voice from behind her making her turn and freeze in shock.

"Kyle?" she called breathlessly making the man freeze as she turned to face him.

"Denise," he replied just as breathless. "I never thought I'd run into you," he said as she tensed and turned away slightly.

"Me neither," she said grimly.

"Mommy, I want to go home," whined Peter catching her attention again as she turned away from Kyle to give him her attention.

"I know, I'm sorry, we're going home now," she said lifting him out of his sitting position on the stairs.

"How are you get home?" asked Kyle as she picked him up making her tense again her heart constricting.

She doesn't have time for this right now! Why now!? Why did she have to run into him of all people now!?

"We'll walk," she replied briskly taking a step to leave only for a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"Let go!" she snapped spinning around and out of his grip as she glared at him.

"Sorry," he replied pulling back. "Just-, let me drop you." he proposed making her gaze darken.

"No thank you." she snapped doing her best to readjust her bag one-handed only for it to slip off her shoulder making her internally curse.

Before she could pick it up, Kyle picked it up for her hitching it on his shoulder.

"Give it back," she growled.

"Don't be like that, just let me drop you off. We can catch up," he said walking past her with her bag forcing her to follow grudgingly.

Once in the car sitting behind so her son could sleep peacefully on her lap, an awkward, tense silence fell.

"So, how have you been?" he asked trying to break the tension making her glance up to look at him through the review mirror.

"What does it matter?" she replied coldly shutting him down.

"Well, we haven't seen each other in eight years after all," he said awkwardly.

"Right, so what are you doing here?" she asked ignoring his previous words.

"I live here."

"Since when?" she pushed uneasily.

"I came back last month."

"I see." she simply said letting the conversation drop again.

Clearing his throat, Kyle searched for another topic his gaze falling on Peter before he looked back at the read.

"So, I didn't know you had a son, how old is he?" he asked making Denise pause in the middle of stroking her son's hair and glare at him.

"Let me just get this straight," she began with an edge. "You and I aren't friends, so don't ask things that don't concern you." she threatened making him gulp.

"Right, well, we're here," he said awkwardly parking up in front of the high rise before opening the door.

Stepping out with her son, Denise turned away ready to leave.