Forever and ever 2. The adventure starts now.

Part 142.

Tom's pov~

Shadows danced in the corners of my mind, scarry shadows, with no faces.

It was a sunny day, something my eyes should have been accustomed to after six months in Cape Town, yet I still found myself moving through the streets like a vampire, with Parker by my side. He was probably leading me more than he should have, but my dark circles obstructed my vision, and my hair betrayed my hangover. What should I have expected after locking myself in my apartment for a good two weeks? The only daylight I caught was when closing the curtains.

I wanted to be a good father, I really did. Wanted to do something special with my son. A neighborhood playground didn't come to mind, simple ice cream seemed too mundane, and a stroll by the river was too public. I still had several wounds on my face, and children recoiled at the sight of me.

But groceries needed to be purchased, and Parker quickly persuaded me to buy him another action figure on top of it. How could I resist those eyes when they so closely resembled Y/N's?

Perhaps I should hire a housekeeper to take care of the shopping. It was such a waste of time, especially when the cashier, not older than 20, tried to flirt with me despite my battered face and son by my side.

She scanned bottle after bottle of whiskey, along with three beers and a couple of wine bottles, easy enough to throw a party, which I hoped she assumed was the case. Batting her lashes every now and then and smiling like a bow was complimenting my curls.
"Pew!"

Parker slammed his action figure on the counter, aiming the toy gun in the figure's hand at the cashier. That was my boy. Not letting any other women into his life. But the cashier seemed experienced with energetic kids like Parker.

"Is that your action figure?" She smiled, scanning an apple and looking down at Parker, who nodded.

"And it can shoot. Pew pew pew," he mimicked the sound of gunfire.

Loving the attention from strangers and already smitten with the black-haired lady, Parker was quite the charmer.

"Oh no. Are you robbing me?" she joked, scanning the last item, her eyes occasionally glancing back at me, winking at what a sweet son I had.

"Yes," Parker slammed the action figure on the counter again, his arms raised over his head as small as he was.

"£79.25," she nodded at the total price, and I fascinatedly pulled out my bank card. "With card, please," I added, squinting at her. Any other cashier would ignore the noise of kids, but she played along. She even retrieved a Paw Patrol magazine from under her counter or wherever it was, while I entered the PIN to pay.

"Here, this is all I have." Feigned fear lingered in her voice, and with a wide grin, my son accepted the magazine, still brand new with packaged toys on the cover.

I nudged Parker in the shoulder after my card was accepted, and Parker quickly added a polite thank you for the "robbery."

She smiled so tenderly, and I wondered if she had younger siblings herself, or perhaps even her own child. Her eyes sparkled, and her cheeks flushed as she noticed my gaze drilling holes through her face.

"What's your name?" I asked the lady, purely out of curiosity, and to thank her for the magazine, which wasn't obligatory.

"Nadine," she replied, sounding almost like Nadia, and—