Summer's POV:
I hurriedly grabbed Sienna's jacket and hat, eager to take her on a mother-daughter park date. The weather seemed clear enough, and we were both excited for a day out. With everything finally in hand, we dashed to the car. Just as I buckled Sienna into her car seat, she squealed, "Mummy, lockkkk," pointing at the front door. I mentally facepalmed. It had become a habit of mine to forget locking the door, and Sienna had taken it upon herself to remind me. I smiled, pinching her cheek. "Thanks, baby," I said, before running back to lock the door.
Finally, we were on our way to the park, windows down, music blasting. Admittedly, it was mostly theme songs from Sienna's favorite TV shows, but we were still having a great time. As we approached the park, I noticed the car's interior growing darker. Removing my sunglasses, I groaned as I watched the gloomy grey clouds slowly cover the sun, raindrops beginning to fall on the windshield.
We had waited almost a week for this picnic. After my breakup with Danny, I desperately needed a moment to lift myself up, and spending some quality time with Sienna felt like the perfect remedy. I felt guilty that she had to endure my depressive state. The weather had been cold and gloomy all week, and today had seemed like a rare sunny day. But I was wrong. As the sky darkened, I turned to Sienna and gently took her hand. "Sienna baby, mummy's so sorry, but maybe no park today." I uttered, my voice heavy with disappointment, more in myself than in the weather. She tilted her head, her brunette locks cascading over her shoulder. "Nu sa, mama!" she said with a bright smile, her innocence shining through. Despite the disappointment lingering in her eyes, her only concern was my happiness. I smiled back, reassuring her softly, "Mama's not sad, beautiful. Don't worry."
Determined to salvage the day, I pulled out my phone and searched for a nearby cafe. I found one called 'Dewdrop Cafe.' It looked charming enough to lift our spirits on this rainy day. The rain intensified as we arrived. I debated getting the stroller from the trunk but decided against it, not wanting to get soaked and risk falling ill. Slinging the baby bag over my shoulder, I unstrapped Sienna and rushed inside with her.
Inside Dewdrop Cafe, I placed Sienna on the floor, letting her hold my fingers as we approached the counter to order. After placing our order, we walked to a table, and I set her bags on the chair beside me. Sienna let go of my hand and began to explore the cafe. It was small enough that I felt comfortable letting her roam, as I could see her wherever she went. As I was watching her, one of the waiters approached me about creamer for my coffee. Just as he left, I glanced around to spot Sienna when I suddenly heard a gasp followed by a loud clatter. I looked around frantically and saw a man standing up, holding Sienna in his arms, a cup on the floor spilling its contents.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" I exclaimed, rushing over to pick up Sienna and help with the mess.
The man looked up, and our eyes met. We locked eyes for a few seconds, and I found myself staring into eyes the same color as mine. I had a very rare eye color. Both my parents had brown eyes, yet I was born with an unusual shade of green, similar to emeralds. This was the first time I had ever seen someone with the same color eyes. Quickly, I looked away, realizing I had been staring.
"It's okay, really. No harm done," he reassured me with a warm smile, his gaze softening as he noticed Sienna's curiosity.
I laughed awkwardly. "I'm sorry. She's at that age where she's too curious about everything. I should've watched her more carefully."
He smiled and gently tapped Sienna on her nose. "No, don't be sorry. It's okay. I don't mind being intruded on by someone this cute."
I extended my hand. "I'm Summer."
He took my hand and shook it gently. "Harry." Then, he gestured toward Sienna. "And who's this little cutie?"
I chuckled. "This little cutie is Sienna."
I turned my attention back to Harry's spilled drink on the floor. "Could I possibly buy you another one to make up for that?" He scratched his neck, looking slightly embarrassed. "Ah, I have to leave now. I have to be somewhere in a bit. Don't worry about it though, it was an accident. No need to pay me back."
I shook my head, feeling uneasy about not compensating him, especially since it was my child who ruined his drink. "At least let me give you some money to pay for it," I insisted.
He shook his head and smiled warmly at me. "Don't worry about it! Have a lovely evening!" he said, giving me a wink before grabbing his belongings and rushing out.
I sighed happily. What a nice guy. He was so sweet and kind. But then again, don't they all like to put on an act to, as the saying goes, "to grab the woman's attention"? I shook my head, trying to dispel the thoughts that kept leading me back to Danny. He was the first guy I ever dated seriously, and he seemed like a genuine man, or at least that's how he portrayed himself. As time went on, I started to notice some strange behaviours, but I never brought them up. It wasn't until he began showing a side of himself I had never seen before that I truly understood his nature.
The breaking point came when I fell pregnant with Sienna. We were both young, and he had no desire to have a child. He simply told me to get an abortion. As scared as I was, I couldn't bring myself to do it. I didn't have the heart to kill my baby, so I couldn't bring myself to terminate the pregnancy.
I was awoken from my thoughts by the sound of Sienna's little giggles as she marveled at her reflection in the faint gleam of the window. Despite the many hardships I had faced, I would endure them all over again just for the chance to have her. My beautiful daughter was worth every struggle, and I couldn't imagine life without her. I leaned in and planted a gentle kiss on her cheek before gathering her up along with our bags. As we prepared to leave, I glanced back at the table and smiled, recalling the brief encounter with that gentleman from earlier. Although I usually felt uneasy around men, something about him had intrigued me, sparking a curiosity I couldn't quite explain. I found myself wondering if I would see him again.
Chapter 2 coming soon~~~!
