Peppermint Omega

30

I woke up with a start and reached out for the little body that was supposed to be next to me. Jerking up with a panic, I looked toward the bathroom to see if the light was on. It wasn't. I leaned over the edge of the bed. Sometimes, my weird child liked to sleep on the floor. She wasn't there.

My breath caught in my throat as I grabbed at my chest. I jumped up from the bed, careful in case she was hiding under it and called out to her. 'Mooncake? It's not funny. You are scaring Mama.'

But she wasn't there. Raging panic froze me as I watched a shadowy figure snatch her up. The fear in her eyes. Her little cries were muffled by the large hand. I ran after them. No matter how far I ran, I could never catch up.. I couldn't catch up. Fog filled the room, and they disappeared completely. She cried for me. She screamed my name..

'Moonie! MOONIE!!' I screamed myself awake, jerking up in bed and looking around wildly clutching my chest.

Sweat drenched my forehead and had collected on the back of my neck. I slowly got out of bed and made my way to the bathroom, looking at myself as I wet a washcloth. Deep purple bags were under my eyes and a killer headache was forming.

I looked for the scrunchy from yesterday but couldn't find it, so I used one of Moonie colorful ones to tie my hair up.

I hadn't had a nightmare about her since she was in the hospital. You're scared, little voice supplied when I looked back at my reflection. 'I know.'

You don't trust him. 'No.. I don't.' But he is her father. 'What does that have to do with anything? He is a stranger that shares bio-matter.' You saw how excited he was. 'I also see how he hides himself, too.' You nee--

'No,' I said slamming my fist into the counter. 'I'm not going to instantly trust a man just because he is the father. I don't know anything about him, nor does he know me. This isn't rom-com where everything just works out.'

'And, I really have to stop talking to myself. We are not helping.' I chuckled bitterly.

I needed to clear my head. Luckily this hotel has a small "fitness room." I was definitely going to be utilizing that.

An hour on the treadmill did nothing for my mind, only made my body shake from the detox and lack of hydration.

*--*

'You are here and a few minutes early,' Lucian chuckled as he looked at his watch.

Moonie peeped around me and gave him a small smile with a shy wave. 'Hello.'

He took his eyes off me to squat at her level. Patting her head, he greeted gently, 'Hello, beautiful lady. Are you ready to meet your grandparents and great-grandparents?'

She looked up at me, then back at him, nodding shily hiding herself into my coat.

'Come in. Give me a few minutes.. Then we'll go.'

He stepped back to let us enter the apartment. Immediately, Moonie began to be noisy - another nasty habit learned from her yeye. I bit my lip to keep from giggling, but I knew she was just trying to familiarize herself with the her.. father.

But there was really nothing for her to explore in his apartment other than the glass hutch and kitchen. She got bored pretty quickly and silently asked me to lift her on the single bar stool. Her fingers started to drum against the bar top.

'What are you practicing, baby?'

'I don't know.. I think I have heard it before,' she replied softly as her fingers lightly tapped away. I loved to watch her play. She would be lost in her own world and sway to the music. Her voice wasn't developed - I had thought to put her in voice lessons as well, but she never showed an interest.

'Can you hum it for me?'

She shook her head. I smiled, knowing this was her just being shy. This was especially if she was unsure of the composition of something new. Slowly, I made my way into the kitchen, trying to slyly peep at her face. With just a look, I could tell of it was something she knew or if she was composing.

The expression on her face was something new -- worry. Was she more than just nervous about this meeting? I WILL NOT let anything happen to you, I promised silently, feeling my heckles rise.

Lucian's heavy footsteps had me looking up from her. He had applied some product to his hair, and it looked a mess, but over all he looked good. He had a dark tan three piece on, paired with a maroon button up with gold accents. Quickly, his suit jacket was donned.

'No.'

He made eye contact with me. I moved to help Moonie from the stool. 'Let me fix this mess.'

'Huh?'

'Let Mama work,' Moonie ordered softly with a small toothy smile.

I left them and hurried back through the bedroom to the bathroom, grabbing the discarded brush and blow dryer.

After ten minutes, I had styled his longer under faded undercut into something that resembled an actual adult rather than a child's comb over. He checked himself out in the small wall mirror. The smile that graced his face was.. breathtaking.

Feeling all the blood rush to my face, I grabbed Moonie's hand. 'We'll wait for you outside..'

'Huh? Just give me a moment.'

He moved quickly around the room to grab his heavier coat and stuff his pockets. After another five minutes, we were out the door and walking down to the parking lot arguing about whose car to take and who would drive.

Of course, Moonie offered to drive, which I shut down and her father teased her about not being able to reach the pedals. And that was how I lost the battle of driving. But I wasn't too bitter about it.

It had been once and many years since I had been at his parents' home, and my stomach was in knots. He had explained, closer in proximity because he knew I would have wanted to turn around, who would be in attendance. I did smile knowing that Evie would be there with her partner.

The car pulled down the drive and parked behind a rather large SUV. I got out quickly, before he could come and open my door. Snickering because I didn't miss the grimace on his face, I helped Moonie out of the car. She grabbed my hand a little firmer than normal, but I didn't draw attention to it only put a hand in my pocket to pull out a peppermint. She looked up at me and nodded as if saying "I'm okay."

My baby was braver than I was. I was literally one move away from shitting a brick.