Love Comes from Unexpected Places

Chapter Thirty: Picnic in the Park

"You look beautiful," Paul greeted as a smile formed on his face at the sight of his imprint, he knew that he had been lucky to get someone like her; she seemed to balance him out better than any of the other women that he had been with. 

Sophia blushed smiling at him nervously, she was wearing a cream embroidered peasant top and distressed boyfriend jeans paired with black and white lace up trainers for their date. 

Sophia had been a little surprised that he had insisted that Mia come with them, she was still a little nervous about being in public with her daughter; since the small town had a lot of old fashioned views. 

"Are you ready to go?" Paul asked knowing that Charlie had gone down to the Clearwater's house to spend time with Sue; she'd been having a hard time as of late and he didn't blame her with all that had happened. 

Sophia nodded her head as she moved to collect Mia who was wearing a Minnie Mouse ladybird print dress and navy leggings paired with pink soft sole raffia shoes. 

"I'll just get my bag and we can go," Sophia said signalling at the kitchen, she had prepared a couple of bottles of milk for Mia; the last thing that the blonde wanted was to forget anything and she had double checked the bag earlier. 

Paul nodded his head heading into the living room, he smiled at the sight of Mia as he moved to pick her up; he knew that he wasn't just going to have to bond with his imprint but her daughter as well. 

"Hi Mia," Paul whispered lifting her up into his arms, he smiled at her knowing that he would do anything for her. 

Mia pouted staring up at the man holding her, she tilted her head before she patted her tiny hand against his cheek making Paul smile down at her.

***

Sophia chuckled shifting her hold on Mia, she watched as Paul laid out the blanket that he had brought with him and placed the picnic basket on top of it before he signalled for her to sit down. 

"You didn't have to go through all of this trouble," Sophia said with a shake of her head as she sat down, she couldn't believe that he had organised something like this for their first date. 

Mia pouted as she was sat on the blanket for a moment as her mother made herself comfortable. 

Paul shrugged his shoulders at ease as he looked at his imprint, he had wanted to do something special for their date and he knew she felt uncomfortable about being in public with Mia. 

Sophia wasn't used to the stares that she got off people for being a teenage mother and the horrible whispers that she sometimes got. 

"I didn't mind," Paul said sitting down close to his imprint, he moved the red stripped changing bag that Sophia had brought with her knowing that it had everything for Mia inside of it. 

Sophia moved to settle Mia into her pink and multi-spotted baby bean bag chair that they had brought with them for her to sit in, she strapped the three month old in knowing that she was gratefully for what Paul was doing for her. 

"So we have sandwiches, cocktails sausages, biscuits, some fruit and some yoghurt," Paul listed looking into the picnic basket that Emily had helped him pack; he had gone to her for help since he didn't know what to do about Mia. 

However Emily had reassured him that the three month old could only have milk right now and that it would be another month before Mia could even try solid foods. 

"I'll just have a sandwich," Sophia told him making sure that Mia was comfortable enough, the little girl seemed more interesting in the birds flying by and the warm sun than her mother.