Aria is like any other teenage girl, except she is very reserved and trusts no one except her best friend, Rosalie. However, could a someone special change that?
We embrace each other for a moment until a young girl approaches us, tears streaming down her face. Bill and I exchange concerned glances before I turn my attention back to the child. "Are you lost, sweetheart?" I inquire, and she nods in response.
My affection for children prompts me to switch into "mom" mode, and I instinctively embrace her. "Where was your mother last, sweetheart?" Bill inquires while I dab at her tears. With a sniffle, she responds, "She was near that palm tree, but then I noticed something sparkly in the water and ran towards it."
Why would you run toward the water, sweetheart? It's dark out here, and the water could be dangerous for a little girl like you," I said as I gently stroked her hair. "The sparkly thing was pretty; I wanted it. But when I turned around, I couldn't find my mommy."
The little girl buries her head in my chest as she speaks. I stroke her hair, casting a glance at Bill, wondering what our next move should be. He gazes at the girl with an expression that almost seems like jealousy. I know damn well he aint jealous of a freaking scared child.
I lightly hit his arm, and he turned to me with a pout. "What are we going to do?" I inquired. Scanning the surroundings, he suggested, "Let's see if we can locate her mother." I nodded in agreement, "That's a good idea." Looking down at the girl, I asked, "What's your name, sweetie?" She replied, "My name is Amelia."
What a beautiful name for such a lovely girl," I comment as she beams at me. "Shall we go look for your mommy?" I suggest as she rises to her feet. Bill and I stand as well. Amelia gazes up at me, raising her arms, and I can't help but chuckle and lift her into my arms. She nestles her head against my shoulder.
Bill grasps my other hand as we stroll, searching for Amelia's mother. Minutes pass without success, and Bill glances at his watch to find it's already 11:15. He exhales deeply and muses, "You don't suppose her mother would have left, do you?" I gaze at Amelia, who has dozed off on my shoulder.
I glance at Bill and remark, "I certainly hope not; who could abandon such a sweet girl all alone?" Bill grins and responds, "Indeed, she's adorable." As he beams at her, he gently taps her nose. Seizing the opportunity to tease him a little, I ask, "By the way, were you jealous when she buried her face into my chest earlier?"
Bill's face reddens, and he averts his gaze. I chuckle at him, remarking, "No way, you were actually jealous of a child." Bill releases my hand, retorting, "Ha ha, go ahead and laugh." Despite his apparent annoyance, he retains an air of charm. Seizing his hand, I plant a kiss on his cheek.
He widened his eyes and blushed, I laughed, and we continued our search for Amelia's mother. After ten minutes of searching, we still had not found her. We were on the verge of losing hope when we saw a woman running towards us.
Tears streamed down her face as she exclaimed, "Oh my god, thank god. Thank you for finding my daughter." She fell to her knees. I crouched beside her and reassured her, "It's okay, Amelia is safe, and she has been searching for her mommy."
Amelia awoke to her mother's voice, which immediately brought tears to her eyes again. "Mommy! I'm sorry I ran away. I saw something sparkly in the water and wanted to catch it," she explained as her mother embraced her tightly. "Sweetheart, you could have told me, and we could have caught it together."
As they embrace, Bill encircles my waist with his arm, and together we observe their heartfelt reunion, grinning. Amelia's mother glances in our direction before rising to her feet. "I cannot thank you enough for locating my daughter."
I smile at her and take her hands. "To thank us, just keep a closer watch on her," I suggest. She returns the smile and nods in agreement. "Certainly," she replies, taking Amelia's hand. "Say goodbye, sweetie," she instructs. Amelia rushes over and hugs our legs, Bil's and mine, exclaiming,
"Bye bye, thank you for helping me find my mommy." Bill and I bend down to hug her, and Bill says, "No problem, just remember not to wander away from your mother's side without letting her know." She gives us a kiss on the cheek before she walks away with her mother.
So, you like kids?" Bill inquires as we make our way back to our spot. I respond with a chuckle, "Absolutely, I adore children; they occupy a specail spot in my heart. The sight of a child makes me feel a warm affection." Observing my reaction, Bill questions, "Like a mother feeling?" I meet his gaze and affirm with a nod, "Yes, something like that."
We arrive at our spot and settle down to watch the ocean waves. Leaning my head on Bill's shoulder, he wraps his arm around me. Feeling secure with him by my side, I realize I haven't felt this way since the incident with Caleb. However, I trust Bill; he's too kind-hearted to harm even a fly.
The manner in which he cares for me and regards me as if I am his most treasured possession both frightens and excites me. However, I believe I am prepared to attempt this once more. I gaze at Bil, and he returns my look. We exchange glances for a moment before he shifts his gaze to my lips and then back to me.
He draws nearer and murmurs, "May I?" I give a nod, aware of his intentions. He then leans forward and plants a kiss on me. It was a kiss filled with tenderness and affection; a kiss unlike any I have experienced before. His hands cradle my face gently, as if fearing I might shatter.
He ended the kiss and pressed his forehead against mine. Clasping both of my hands, he said, "I know we've only just met, and I'm not sure if it's too soon, but I would be thrilled if you would allow me to court you. I want to approach this in the best way possible."
I give him a smile and nod in agreement. "I wouldn't want it any other way," I affirm. Our smiles mirror each other as he wraps me in a warm embrace. We linger in the hug until his phone buzzes, prompting us to part as he checks the message.
"It's Tom; he's wondering where we are," I say with a laugh. "What time is it?" "It's 12:35 am." My eyes widen as I exclaim, "Oh shit, we have school in a few hours!" We exchange glances and burst into laughter. "Let's head out so we can catch at least a few hours of sleep," I suggest. I nod in agreement, and before we begin to pack up, I turn to Bill and say,
Let me quickly take a picture; I want to show it to Rosalie," says Bill with a laugh, nodding his head. After taking the picture, we gather our belongings and head towards the car. As Bill begins to drive, I ask him, "It felt like a long drive; how far did we go out?"
"It's about a 45-minute drive," I say, widening my eyes slightly. "Wow, that's quite a while. Just nudge me when we arrive," I respond. Bill chuckles and remarks, "Before you doze off, could you tell me your address with me?" With a light laugh, I give him my address. Minutes later, I can feel sleep creeping in. Bill's voice is the last thing I register, speaking to me as I drift off.
"Sweet dreams my love."
{𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚘𝚘𝚔}
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