Strength

26.3

Excuse any mistakes. Rayne in the mm.

Calabasas, California
Next morning

"When we speak we are afraid our words will not be heard or welcomed. But when we are silent, we are still afraid. So it is better to speak."

Audre Lorde

—

"Mommy, can we go to the beach today?" Storm asks Rayne while stuffing a cinnamon roll into her mouth. Rayne took Storm out with her since Storm was out of school. AJ and Sunshine, unfortunately, had school. However, Storm didn't snitch much so Rayne didn't have to worry about her telling them.

   Rayne smiles at her as she shake her head lightly. "It's cool outside now."

Storm looks up, licking the icing off the side of her lips. "It's not that cool."

     "I'll see what I can do." Rayne answers, hoping that Storm would eventually forget about it.

The sound of the waves were crashing against the shore. Rayne always enjoyed the local bakery by the beach. It was busy, but relatively quiet.

    It wasn't the kind of place that did forty kinds of everything, the baker just did a few things to perfection and stuck to them. Somehow the aroma captures everything good in there.

The feel of the place was modern yet had some rustic charm at the same time. The cafe tables were chic and almost everything was white or mid-grey. The coffee was rich and full-bodied, the pastries and baked goods were a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. Behind the server you could see fancy cakes being iced, workers moving in harmony.

     It was Storm's favorite place as well.

"Mommy?" Storm calls her name, taking her out of her own world. She looks at Storm whose eyes are big and curious.

    "Yes love?"

Storm blinks. "Where's Daddy?"

     Rayne sighs, knowing that eventually the children would notice that they hadn't seen Amir in a long time. She wasn't sure what happened with Amir.

He didn't call to meet with them or anything. After he signed the divorce papers, it seemed like be disappeared. All Rayne knew was that she wasn't going to force him to stay in their lives.

    But, deep down, she knew it had to be something else. She knew Amir loved his kids and wouldn't dare abandon them.

At least she hoped not.

      Rayne gives Storm a small smile. "Your Daddy is making himself better for you."

"I miss my Daddy." Storm pouts. "He don't tuck me in no more."

    "I know, I know." Rayne runs her finger through Storm's hair. "He'll be back soon, okay?"

Storm nods, and finished her cinnamon roll. Something made Rayne sit up straighter. She felt someone's eyes on her, and discreetly, she scanned around the room to see who it was.

    A man was seated in the adjacent corner with a Macbook in front of him. Clearly whatever was on the Macbook wasn't as interesting as staring at Rayne.

Rayne returns the favor because he was definitely something worth looking at.

    The stranger smiles, showing his perfect teeth. Rayne couldn't help the blush that was forming on her face. The man was beautiful. Hell, beautiful wasn't the word.