It wasn't at first sight

Chapter 69

After spending Monday with Caleb and confirming that he was just dealing with a common cold, Hanna headed back to New York City on Tuesday morning, planning to stay there for a couple of days.

Now, on Wednesday afternoon, she finds herself still at the hotel where she stayed, enjoying a decaf at the lounge after checking out from her room. As she scrolls through Instagram, her phone rings.

Hanna "Hey, mom! What's up?"

Ashley "Hi, listen, a huge package just arrived under your name at the Radley. Should I accept it? Do I sign the receipt?"

Hanna "Oh, yes, mom, please. I'm sorry, I completely forgot to tell you. It's a baby stroller I bought yesterday. I asked them to deliver it there because I'm still in New York, and Caleb's schedule was a bit of a mess today."

Ashley "Okay, don't worry." She answers on the phone. "This way, please." She tells the delivery guy then, showing the way to her office. "So, you're back in New York already? I thought you wouldn't go back so soon now that Caleb just got back from LA." She continues her conversation with Hanna.

Hanna "Yeah, but I just had too many things to take care of here, and Caleb came back with a cold, so he's been trying to keep his distance from me to avoid passing it on. Anyway, I'm coming back tonight."

Ashley "Oh, is he feeling alright?" She asks, as the delivery guy places the large box by the corner of her office.

Hanna "Yeah, it's just a cold. If not for that, I wouldn't have left him on his own. He was feeling better today anyway. We texted this morning, and he told me he would go back to the office today and also stop by the paint store. He's painting the baby's room this weekend."

Ashley "Thank you very much. Have a nice day!" She tells the guy while tipping him, before he leaves her office. "Oh, that's great, Han! Did the furniture arrive already?" She asks while closing the door and then goes to sit at her desk.

Hanna "Yeah, it arrived on Monday. Our living room is full of boxes." She chuckles. "Like when I used to have fabric and stuff delivered to your place, remember?"

Ashley smiles, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, I still have that image very clear in my mind."

Hanna "And the bed linen also arrived, so I hope we can start setting everything up as soon as the paint dries... I'm running out of space to store things. Do you mind keeping the stroller at your place for a few days?"

Ashely "Sure, don't worry. Did you ask Caleb about all those boxes in the attic, though? Did he know about them?"

Hanna "Yeah, but... Um... He's not sure what's in those boxes, and... Well, it doesn't matter, we're just leaving them up there, I guess."

Ashley "Why doesn't he just take a look? He could find interesting things in there... I'm sure there must be a lot of family memories packed in those boxes."

Hanna "You know him, mom. He's always refused to find out more about his past. I even offered to go with him to the state's vital records office to see if they have some information about his father, but he doesn't want to. I brought up those boxes the other day, and he asked me not to go through them, so, as much as I'm intrigued and curious, I won't. And I can't bring up the matter again. It's up to him if someday he decides to learn more about himself. He knows I'm here for him when he does."

Ashley nods. "I understand, but... he's such a good guy, so kind. I'm just saying, maybe he has more family, and what if he's missing out on things, and-"

Hanna "I know, mom. I've thought about that too. But it's ultimately Caleb's decision. He's been through a lot, and I respect his wishes. If he ever wants to explore his past or those boxes, I'll support him every step of the way. But for now, we'll just focus on our present and our own little family... Anyway, we've decided on the baby's name. Wanna know it?" She grins.