The Way of Fate (Book 1)

17. Tension Relief

Chapter 17: Tension Relief

Allen

I didn't want to leave Sarah alone with Mika, but I also didn't want to ask him to grab Sam. I figured that for the two minutes I would be gone, she wouldn't ask too many uncomfortable questions. She had a habit of digging into people's personal lives, even minutes after knowing that person. Mika definitely wouldn't appreciate that.

And of course, even hurrying as much as possible to get Sam to stop crying, I almost walked into the living room just in time for Sarah to ask the one question she shouldn't have.

"Do you love Allen?"

I stayed just out of sight, hoping Sam doesn't give me away. I desperately wanted to hear what Mika had to say to that, but I also felt weird about listening in. If he were to say it, he should say it to me, not to her with me eavesdropping. 

After a moment, when Mika still hadn't answered - verbally, at least - I decided to save them both and enter the room. He looked absolutely relieved when I walked in. Sarah, who didn't seem to be affected by the tension she created, looked at Sam with a huge smile on her face.

She lifted her arm slightly, like she wanted to reach out for Sam, but I chose to sit back down next to Mika, still keeping Sam in my arms. She may be his mother, but I didn't trust her the way I once did. There was something about her being here and her story that didn't fit right with me. Maybe it was because she broke my heart, or maybe it was something else. It was hard to tell. She was tiny, a shell of the person she used to be, so I didn't doubt that she got sick. I just had my reservations about her refusing to talk to me back when we were still together.

"Can I?"

I hesitated answering her question to hold Sam. I barely even knew why. When I first met Mika, I had no problems handed my son over to him, who, at the time, was a complete stranger. This was Sarah, Sam's mother. So why didn't I want her holding him?

Sam had been standing up on my lap, holding onto my shoulder for support. But then he quickly turned around, the movement knocking him down to a sitting position. Sarah looked concerned for his safety, which, I have to say, earned her some bonus points. Her face softened as soon as Sam burst out into a fit of giggles, completely unharmed and unfazed.

Maybe she would be okay holding him.

Sliding my hands under Sam's little arms, I lifted him up and handed him across to Sarah. She eagerly took him, making sure to be extra careful with him, as if she had never held a toddler before. Maybe she hadn't.

It was hard watching her hold him. I never expected it to be this difficult, especially when I've handed him off to plenty of different people before. Was it just the fact that it was her that was bothering me so much?

Mika placed a hand on my arm, bringing my attention back to him. Without even saying anything, I could see the question on his face. Are you okay?

I nodded. It's fine. Of course it's fine. Sam was absolutely fine right now. Sarah wasn't going to hurt him anyway, and even if she tried, I was right here to take him back before she could. Not like that would happen.

After linking my fingers through Mika's, I looked back at my son and his mother. She had him sitting in her lap, just staring at him. He held a similar expression as he looked up at her with those wide eyes and his index finger half in his mouth, probably wondering who she was.

Then she had to go and try to take his hand out of his mouth. I was just a fraction too late, reaching for him just as he started screaming.

"What did I do?" Sarah asked, panicking. "How do I turn it off?"