Love At Last

THE STRANGER

*LILY’S POV*

“Jacek!… Jacek!…” I kept yelling on top of my voice as my eyes were already getting swollen because I’d been crying for the past thirty minutes now.

“It’s all my fault, Lily I’m sorry, I really am!” Cayden cries out loud. “The security team has already been dispersed okay? I’m sure they’ll come back with good news. If you need someone to vent on, please vent on me; I really am sorry. It’s all my fault. If only I didn’t let Jacek run off on his own,” Cayden panicked also. Turned out I didn’t need to apply anymore pressure by blaming him myself – he did so himself.

While the security team went looking for my child, I couldn’t just sit still and wait for them, expecting to see them eventually with Jacek. I searched for a thousand more times, the vicinity and still found nothing! At this point, I was already going crazy.

“Jacek! Jacek!” I kept calling out, looking for my baby boy. I didn’t intend to lose him in a park that day. Feelings of regret came welling up in me. From the very beginning, I regretted suggesting that we visit a park, I regretted yielding when Cayden asked me to let him go play, I also regretted Cayden making the suggestion in the first place. My whole head was in shambles!

*CAYDEN’S POV*

Overridden by guilt, I didn’t have the nerve to try to calm Lily – who was already going bananas – down. The security team had promised to find the child for us – when we showed them a picture of him – and bring him back by all means. Despite their assurance and their urging us to just sit still and wait, we just couldn’t.Please check at N/ôvel(D)rama.Org.

While Lily ran off on her own to find Jacek, I did same to help her. After a while, she came back to me and cried out: “I still haven’t seen my son,” she wailed as she hit my chest gently. I understood the pain she must have felt so it would be insensitivity on my part to take offense. I held on to her and place her head on my chest – what I always did to calm her down. It took a while before she finally calmed down and entered the second phase of crying – sobbing.

While I consoled her and used my eyes to glance around to see if by any chance I’d see Jacek, I caught sight from a distance, a weird figure with a familiar child in his arms. I recognized the red shirt, blue shorts and black sneaks – it was Jacek. I immediately heaved a deep sigh of relief and tapped Lily to tell her. “It’s Jacek, it’s Jacek,” I announced and stormed to go and take Jacek who was crying from the strange man’s arms.

“It’s okay, little man. Uncle’s here now,” I rubbed his back gently.

“My love,” Lily was completely overwhelmed with joy as she took Jacek from me and planted on his entire face, multiple kisses. “Were you scared without mummy?” she embraced the little one in her arms so tightly and warmly. I felt very much relieved that Jacek was back even though I couldn’t stop wondering who the fellow was.

I knew I had to thank him. “Thank you very much for your kind gesture,” I stretched forth my hand, beckoning for a handshake but the guy just stared at my hand and scoffed. “Where did you find him?” I ignored his impudence and asked.

I noticed the fellow wasn’t paying attention to me, he was focused on Lily who obviously was still cuddling her found son in her arms.

“Thank you so m…,” in all excitement, she turned to express her gratitude to him but paused abruptly on seeing the man’s face properly. From what I saw, I could tell she was in shock after seeing him – she froze instantly! “What’s wrong? You know him?” I asked.

“Long time no see, Lil,” he said.

‘Lil?’ Seeing how Lily froze on seeing him and how he even had a nickname – Lil – for her, it was quite obvious that she knew the fellow.

I observed and saw how Lily was completely shaken by the sight of this man who stood before us; it felt like his cheesy smiles and aura taunted her. “Do you know him?” I asked Lily but got no reply. That I could understand.

“Who are you?” I asked the man.

“Long time no see, Lil,” he repeated, ignoring my question completely. Was I too small to be noticed or he was just naturally annoying?

“Lil…,” I could notice his hands were going to tap her on her back when I slapped it off a bit violently.

” I don’t know what this drama is all about, but respect yourself and back off while I’m being nice,” I scolded while he just scoffed at me the whole time – quite insulting. “You don’t touch women without their permission, you know that? And besides, as you can see, she’s with a guy,” I added.

“Lil, it’s obvious I can’t touch you but you can hear me right?” He ignored me again! ” I came back few days ago and would love some catching up with you, okay? What do you say?” he asked Lily who held Jacek up blocking direct view to her face and remained silent. He chuckled and said: ” I understand if you’re not in the mood to talk to me right now, but I want to tell you that I’m rooting for you and I hope you win the baking contest and…,” he paused.

I was surprised he actually knew of the contest. “Hey mister…,”

“And also,” he cut me off, “I’d like us to talk over lunch some time. I could come over to your shop so you don’t stress it, okay?” He also knew her shop? “Mister…,”

“See you around, Lil,” he bade his farewells and left without even turning to look at me once! I felt so insulted at that point for no one ever ignored me the way the stranger just did. The fact that he was a total stranger got me furious the more.

“Lily who was that guy?” I turned to Lily. “It’s obvious you know him so can you please tell me what’s going on here before I lose it? Who was that wretched son of a nobody to ignore me the way he did?”

“Let’s just go,” she walked off on her own, ignoring my question. I could pardon her for that because she still was shocked, but the fellow who walked out minutes ago? I couldn’t bring myself to forgive his daring insolence.