Melwood's Miracle

Chapter 42: A Old Friend

(Just pretend Erin and him didn't date for as long as they actually did. Thanks)

Chris's POV

"Erin?"
"Christopher?"

I start walking towards her, the little girl following close behind me.

"What are you doing here?" I ask.
She waves her hand around. "Getting groceries. What else?"

I laugh vaguely and then a man comes up behind her.
"Hey Erin," he says.
"Connor, this is Christopher," Erin introduces me.
"Thè Christopher?" Connor asks.

The little girl walks up and grabs the cookies from Connor's hands and runs away.
"Madeline!" he yells, chasing her away, leaving Erin and I alone.

She walks closer to me. "Chris, I'm sorry for what happened eight years ago."
"I'm over it, that was a long time ago," I say, looking away, past her eyes.

"I-," she starts. "It's Madeline's eighth birthday today and-."
"Wait, she's eight?"
"Yeah..."
"She's not-."

"No. At least not that I'm aware of. I thought she was yours too for awhile and considered trying to contact you, but it didn't exactly add up. The time when I found out equaled to the time you walked in on us."

Eight years ago I was dating Erin. I had left for thirty minutes to go to the store to get a cake for our one year anniversary and when I came back, there she was on the living room couch. Cheating on me with Connor. I dropped the cake and ran back to my car. I drove to my apartment that I hadn't been to in so long because I usually stayed at Erin's house.

"Okay. Good, good," I say.
"If I told you she was your daughter would you be okay with that?"
"I don't know. She's not though, so there's no bother in thinking about it," I tell her with a bit too much anger in my voice.

"Christopher," she whispers.

I consider telling her I have a daughter and that I'm not still alone because of her. Instead I come to the conclusion that it shouldn't matter to her.
Just then Melissa's voice is talking faintly at the end of the aisle I'm standing in.

"Bye," I say to Erin and turn just in time to see Willow dashing down the aisle towards me.
I walk to her, scooping her up in my arms and spinning around to catch a glimpse of Erin staring at me.

"Good job Lo," I say, hugging her close to me and kissing the top of her head.
When we reach Melissa she asks, "who's that woman looking at you."
"I'll tell you later."

"Okay. Did you get the spaghetti and the sauce?"
"No sorry."
"It's fine. Are you tired Willow?" Melissa steps behind me and brushes Willow's hair out of her face.
She nods.
"Okay, time to go," says Melissa.

—
:)
-E