The baby project~~

7.

Ace~

I'm standing in the kindergarten with Emily in my arms, trying to ignore the hustle and bustle around me. A random lady walks up and starts cooing at Emily, telling me how cute she is. I keep my face expressionless, nodding  but not engaging much.

As I'm dealing with this, I see Rose walking over. She looks relieved but also a bit tired.

"It's all done," she says, her voice carrying a hint of exhaustion.

I reply flatly, "Yeah, I'll wait in the car."

I see the surprise on her face, and for a moment, I feel a twinge of guilt. But I turn and head towards the car with Emily in my arms.

Once inside the car, I start baby-talking to Emily, trying to make her smile. "Hey there, little one. How's my sweet girl?"

The Arctic Monkeys start playing on the radio, and I can't help but feel a little more relaxed. Their music is something I always enjoyed.

A few moments later, Rose gets into the car. She looks a bit down, probably still processing leaving her kids at the kindergarten. But when she hears the Arctic Monkeys, her face lights up.

"I love Arctic Monkeys," she says, her voice full of genuine happiness.

I glance at her, surprised. Her smile is infectious, and seeing her so happy makes me feel something I didn't expect.

I turn up the volume a bit, letting the music fill the car. Rose seems to appreciate it; she's smiling and humming along, which is nice to see.

I turn to her, "Here, take Emily," and hand the baby over to her. She takes her gently, and I see a soft smile on her face as she settles Emily into her arms.

I start driving towards the nursery, following the directions Rose had given me. The road is familiar enough, and I'm focused on the drive. Rose is busy adjusting Emily and enjoying the music.

After a few minutes, we pull up in front of the nursery. It's a small, cozy place with a bright, welcoming atmosphere. I park the car and turn to Rose.

"We're here," I say

As we step out of the car, I notice Rose making a face at the nursery. I don't understand her reaction, but I move on and head to the door. I knock, and soon it's opened by Fiona—a petite blond woman wearing very short, revealing clothes and heavy makeup.

Her eyes widen when she sees me.

"Hi! OMG, Ace, is that you?" she says, her voice full of exaggerated excitement.

I look at her with a mix of confusion and recognition. Then it hits me—she is someone I hooked up with a year ago. The name Fiona sounded familiar earlier today, and I remember why now. I give her a cold, detached stare.

Rose looks between us, clearly puzzled. "You two know each other?" she asks, her confusion growing.

Fiona's gaze shifts to Rose, and her smile morphs into a condescending smirk. "Hi, Novalina," she says with a hint of disdain, her voice dripping with false sweetness. 

"And yes, I know Acey-poo. We had quite a... memorable time last year."

She giggles, the sound irritating and grating, and leans in close, placing her hand on my shoulder with a suggestive touch. 

"Remember, Acey-poo?" she coos, her tone overly flirtatious. "How we had fun last year?"

I feel a wave of irritation and discomfort as she continues to touch me and make suggestive comments.