𝐀𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐲𝐚
I'd sworn off of love and men after the fiasco that was my last relationship. Until I spent one steamy and passionate night with a dark haired stranger. A man that I thought I'd never see again. Until I found out that he was my new boss...
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Two years later
Remember when I said that life couldn't get any better than this? Yeah well, I was definitely lying. Because what I had right now? It was a thousand times better. I watched our daughter laugh as Neil lifted her into the air, blowing raspberries into her tummy. Her mouth opened in a gummy-like smile as my heart melted. Believe me when I said that I had the cutest baby - I totally wasn't being biased - and the perfect family.
"Dada!" Maia babbled as she smooshed her chubby little face against her father's cheek.
"Who's the cutest baby?" Neil asked in a baby voice as he peppered kisses all over her face. "That's right, you are." See? Like I said, the cutest baby ever.
It had been exactly nine months yesterday, since I'd first held a wailing Maia Joshi-Miller in my arms. I'd go as far as to say that it was the best moment of my life - followed by the day that I got married to Neil, a year and a half ago. Neil had started going to therapy right after we'd reconnected two years back and according to him, I was the one who'd inspired him to make the necessary changes in his life. I totally hadn't kissed the shit out of him when he'd told me that in bed. His parents had come around to the fact that they hadn't been the best role models out there - albeit, after a lot of lengthy and emotional conversations. But they were changing. They were making an effort. Which was why they were also now two loving grandparents to our daughter.
Me, on the other hand? My therapy sessions were still going strong even now, after two years. Turns out, I had a shit load to unpack. There were so many things that I'd come to realise about myself over time. Like how my parents were human in the end as well and they were bound to make mistakes. That they deserved to be forgiven - not for them, but for my own peace of mind. Now, that didn't mean that what they'd put me through was justified. Because it wasn't. Not at all. People like my parents hated admitting that they were wrong. They never wanted to change. And that was where the problem lied, didn't it? There wasn't a single person on this Earth who hadn't fucked up. But the difference between them and people who stayed in that same vicious cycle was that they had the courage to admit when they'd been wrong. Unfortunately, my parents wouldn't be those type of people. Ever. So for now, some distance was best.
But this was an integral part of my healing process. Forgiving people that weren't even remotely sorry was hard. But I did it. For me. Nobody said cutting off family would ever be easy. Because it wasn't. But it had to be done. I wouldn't have wanted my future children to think that it was okay to be treated or treat others this way - especially after meeting Neil, who'd shown me that family wasn't always everything. People say that blood is thicker than water. But I believe that nothing is thicker than loyalty.
"What's going on in that head of yours mama?" Ever since I'd gotten pregnant, Neil had taken to calling me mama - even though he promised me that I would always be his sun, no matter what.
"Nothing." I sighed contentedly, lifting Maia into my arms as I cradled her head against my shoulder. "Just thinking about how happy I am. How I wish I could capture this moment and freeze time."
