Lost & Found

The tale of a melancholy girl

At 6pm sharp, Aiden was standing in the foyer at Emma's mother's house, waiting to bring the two of them to therapy. He looked so handsome with his hair cascading down, his curls spiraling against his shoulders. And somehow, even after all these years, he still continued to swipe his hair to the right like when they were kids. It was like it was a habit ingrained in his brain forever.

He was wearing tan boots, black jeans and a white t-shirt underneath a black leather jacket. He was so attractive, Emma could hardly keep her eyes off of him. When she came down the steps, Aiden was chatting with her mother, who was telling him a story about how just two years ago, when re-doing the roof, her late-husband, Emma's father, found the frisbee Aiden managed to throw onto it back when they were fifteen. Aiden's deep laugh echoed through her ears and it caused goosebumps on her skin.

"Emmy, hey," Aiden said, focusing on her once he realized she was there.

His smile fell immediately and it was replaced with a look of fondness mixed with a bit of concern as he scanned her face. He always seemed to look at her like that these days - the concern, the worry, the pain. It was as if he was trying to find ways to protect her from herself, from her grief.

"Are you ready?" Aiden asked, letting a small smile turn up his lips.

"Um, yeah. I think so," she said, blowing out a breath as she reached for her coat from the hook by the door. She quickly put it on, buttoning it up before she grabbed her purse.

"Goodbye, my beautiful girl," Emma said, leaning over to kiss Lucy, who was in her grandmother's arms.

Lucy let out a happy shriek and tried to grab at Emma's face. The three of them laughed and Emma cooed at Lucy before kissing her again.

"She loves you," Aiden pointed out.

"She definitely does," her mother agreed.

Lucy's attention fell to Aiden after he spoke, staring at him for a few moments before she held out her arms for him.

"Oh my god," Emma breathed, looking at her daughter wide-eyed. She was in complete and utter shock as her heart beat heavily and happily in her chest.

"Well, hello, little one," Aiden cooed as he gently grabbed the baby out of her grandmother's arms.

Lucy reached up, putting her hands on Aiden's face and he babbled at her, his mouth moving her hands as he did. She let out another happy screech, causing them all to laugh again.

Emma was speechless. Besides the time Aiden fed Lucy and put her to bed, this was really the only true interaction she had with a man since she was born. Lucy's father and maternal grandfather had both died before she was even born and they hadn't seen any of Patrick's family since her birth. They had pretty much lived in a bubble since moving back to Long Island.

"Well, she really likes you, now doesn't she?" Candace laughed, watching Aiden and Lucy together.

"Well, I really like you too, Miss Lucy," Aiden cooed at the baby.

Honestly, Emma could stand there all night watching Aiden with her daughter. It brought on so many warm feelings. But the tears threatening to fall were quite the hindrance.

She cleared her throat and Aiden looked up at her immediately.

"I suppose we should go," he said, looking a little bit taken aback.

"Yeah," Emma said quietly.

"You be safe out there, okay," her mother said as she took Lucy from Aiden, causing the baby to let out a whimper as she wrenched her body around so she could see Aiden.