Lost & Found

The tale of an anxious girl

Emma was nervous as she drove over to Aiden's apartment and she was even more nervous as she was standing outside it, ready to knock on the door. Her anxiety was awful. She hated feeling like this because of Aiden. It didn't make sense to her. It didn't make sense to feel like this over the sweet boy she was so in love with back in her youth. He was still the same Aiden, just a little more rough around the edges, at no fault of his own.

Emma took a deep breath and blew it out before she knocked on his apartment door.

Aiden opened the door with Haven in his arms. He was wearing a grey sweater and black jeans. His long, wavy hair flowed down to his shoulders, making Emma a bit jealous with the way it naturally curled into ringlets near his ears. She'd never get over the fact that it was so long now. But he looked good. Really good. It made him look so much older than the boy she knew way back when.

His smile beamed at her, making her head spin a little. He was blessed with so much beauty. It wasn't fair for the rest of the other people on earth. And of course, he passed the gene down to his daughter.

"Emmy, hi," Aiden greeted.

"Hi," she said as her stomach flipped and flopped at the sight of him.

"Hi," Haven said, mimicking them with a cherub cheek smile.

"Well, hello," Emma cooed at her.

"Say 'I'm Haven. Nice to meet you,'" Aiden told his daughter.

"I Haven. Nice'a meet you," she parroted, causing both Emma and Aiden to chuckle. She was so cute.

"Hi, Haven. Nice to meet you. I'm Emma," she introduced herself to Aiden's little mini-me.

Just seeing her in pictures, she saw the resemblance, but it was nothing compared to seeing them together in person.

"Hi," Haven said again before bringing her hand up to her mouth to blow a kiss at Emma.

"Aww," Emma cooed before blowing her a kiss back, causing Haven to giggle.

"Silly girl," Aiden said, smiling at his daughter before tickling her side, causing her to squeal and giggle, squirming in his arms. Feelings of adoration flooded Emma as she watched the two of them.

"I brought some wine," Emma said, holding up the bottle of red.

"Awesome. That'll go great with dinner," Aiden said, taking the bottle from her, and Haven immediately started grabbing for it.

"Oh, no, little girl. You've got quite a few more years before you'll be drinking any of this," Aiden chuckled, pulling it away from her, causing her to let out a squeal of a whine.

"You're fine," Aiden told her.

Emma watched the daddy/daughter dynamic with a smile on her face. It was incredibly endearing.

"Uh, you can put your coat on one of the hooks over there if you would like," Aiden offered, nodding toward the wall by the door.

"Okay," she said, slipping it off her shoulders.

"I'd take it for you, but..." He said, holding up the wine and nodding toward Haven on his arm.

"Oh, it's okay. Don't worry," Emma chuckled as she turned to hang up her purse and coat before slipping off her boots.

"Would you like a glass right now?" He asked, wiggling the bottle of wine in his hand.

"I'd love one," she said. Maybe it would help her nerves.

"Alright, baby girl. Daddy's gonna set you down to play," Aiden said to Haven as he put her on the floor by her toy kitchen. She began playing right away, lost in her own world.