Shattered

Chapter 3

During the drive Leo was quiet until he popped a question, "mommy where is my daddy?" He asks which catches me of guard. This topic was still a sensitive topic that jabbed at my still healing wounds. Yes, this question has came up before, but now it's starting to get more frequent and my responses were running low. I can't bare to break his heart about his father knowing he wouldn't want him or anything to do with me.

"Uhm," I stutter, "your daddy just needs a break from mommy, one day your daddy will come baby. Just not today," I tell him, even after knowing that Nathan was never going to come back. I know soon I'll have to explain to him what happened, but right now there was no plan for me to crush his heart.

"Thomas at school always laughs at me, because my daddy didn't come to 'meet my dad' day. His dad is a doctor." Leo says, it crushes my heart that me and Nathan had to leave things the way they were, yet Leo had to suffer the outcome of it.

"Don't listen to them baby, they are just mean kids okay?" I tell him. "You know mommy will always love you right? You are the most important and precious thing that makes me happy and I love you with all my heart.

"Yes mommy I know," Leo responds with sadness evident in his eyes.

"How about I get you two scoops this time?" I offer to cheer him up and his eyes light up right away.

"Yes please!" He says all happy. "Did you know that Thomas also said his dad liked you?"

Well that is certainly not what I was expecting, "does he?" I sigh knowing that dating hasn't been in my field for years. I decided to leave it at that not adding anything.

We arrived to my favourite ice cream store, no ice cream place in the world can ever beat this, this place felt like a family hangout which always intrigued me. No place like Axel's. I got my pralines and cream ice cream, while Leo got his mint chocolate chip and cookies and cream ice cream scoops.

I lead him to eat at one of the tables outside because it was nice and sunny, the view was a popular beach that everyone from this part of town loved to hang around. We were eating together giggling with each other and laughing, seeing Leo laugh made me happy.

That's all I ever wanted for my child and maybe one day I'll have more, who knows? There are always possibilities of sperm donors... I just don't want to rely on a man who will shatter my heart again... I've always wanted a family that I've never gotten when I was younger.

Leo kept talking about animals which always made me smile because of his interests, he made me laugh about the funny things he thought about animals. He was always fascinated in things that you would never expect a child to be interested in. For example, he loved to read for some reason, actually he might have got that from me...

Both of us were enjoying our afternoon till a voice interrupted us, "Alina?" A man's voice that I would always recognize said to me, ever since that day it sent chills down my spine. I turned around to be met with Nathan's eyes.

This can't be happening, how can he be here? He never comes to this part of town what was he doing at this ice cream place? Five years and never once have I seen him in this area. "Uhm, it's been awhile Nathan, nice seeing you. I'll let you get on with your day." I say, quickly wiping Leo's mouth and getting up to leave. I have nothing to say to him after the way he hurt me emotionally... actually that's a lie, there is so much I want to tell him. Like 'hi I missed you so much and I never stopped loving you...', it was ridiculous.

"I'm sorry." He says out to me, stopping me from moving, "I know it wasn't your fault, I made the mistake. Can we talk?"

"Mommy who's that?" Leo asks and for a second I forgot he was even there. This is not good...