It's Just Casual

Chapter 4

"Dad always lets me watch very scary movies," Henry said as we stepped inside Granny's. It was Sunday morning and I still felt incredibly embarrassed about my conversations with Miss Mills. It was very hard, knowing I had to see her again at work on Monday. I'd planned on apologizing to her, blaming it on the alcohol.

"Your father loves those," I replied with a smile. "We went to the cinema once, when we were teens and I thought we were going to watch a funny movie, but your dad had picked out something so scary I couldn't sleep for days."

Henry seemed to find this funny, because he laughed wholeheartedly. I loved hearing his giggles, they were the most genuine sound in the world. He had cute dimples in his chubby cheeks and his eyes lit up.

"Dad's got a new girlfriend," Henry said and I smiled slightly. I knew Neal had been in relationships since he and I broke up, but this was the first time he'd told Henry about one. That meant it was serious and I couldn't be happier for him.

"Really? That's great! Do you think she's nice?" I asked and Henry bobbed his head.

"I met her. She's really nice," he said. Before I could say something, Henry started waving at someone. The door had just opened and when I turned around, I saw that Luke had come in. He caught Henry waving and approached our booth. "Hi, Luke."

"Hi, Henry. I didn't know you'd be here," he said, with an incredibly polite smile for a seven year old.

"Are you here for breakfast? My mom and I have yet to order, do you want to join us?" Henry asked and looked at me for approval. I nodded. I didn't know what this child was doing here alone, but that was all the more reason to get him to sit with us.

"I'd like that a lot," Luke replied and sat down next to Henry. "If this is alright with you, ma'am, of course," he said that to me and I nodded profusely. Ma'am, where had he learned that? "My mother is just parking the car. Could she sit here as well?"

"Of course," I replied. I was really curious to meet Luke's parents. Henry and he had been hanging out more often, but I'd never learned anything about his family and I wondered what type of person could raise such a well-mannered, polite boy. "I haven't met your mother yet, have I?"

Luke shrugged. "Her name is Regina, but she doesn't usually stand with the other mothers in the schoolyard."

"I haven't heard from her, no. It'd be nice to meet the mother of my son's best friend," I said and the boys smiled at each other.  I felt myself relax as I let my eyes wander across the menu, listening to the soft chatter of Henry and Luke.

Until I heard the little bell jingle and saw Miss Mills entering the Diner. I felt my heart sink, because if Miss Mills were to be a mother she'd have a child like Luke and I suddenly knew they were related. I could see the resemblances in Luke's little face.

Miss Mills scanned the room and found her son. I truly hoped that she wouldn't recognize me - Friday's embarrassment still fresh in my body - but for that to become reality, I'd have to gauge her eyes out.

Luke waved and smiled at his mother. "Mommy, Henry said it's okay for us to sit here. Can we eat with them, please?"

Regina.

It hit me way too late. Luke had told me her first name and she couldn't take it back from me. I didn't know what the teachers at school owed me, but I was going to demand some money for discovering it. They'd all failed.

"I'm sure Henry would like to spend the morning just with his mother, Luke," Regina said. She clearly wasn't interested in eating her breakfast next to me and because the feeling was mutual, I couldn't blame her.