OUR LITTLE SECRET

Part 62

That evening, after you settled in, you chose to cook dinner for the three of you while Cillian played with Mara on a big blanket, he had rolled out on the living room floor.

You brought some of her toys with you on this trip, and she still seemed particularly fond of her stuffed giraffe, Gigi, who by now, looked pretty worn.

But Mara didn't mind, she still loved playing with her.

As you watched Cillian playing with her, you couldn't help but feel grateful for him. Despite everything that happened between the two of you, he had never let that affect Mara's relationship with him, always making an effort to be there for her.

He loved her with every fiber of his being, and it showed.

As you continued to cook and watch your daughter with play with her father, you couldn't help but feel a sense of longing and sadness wash over you. You missed this, missed having Cillian in your life, in your bed, as more than just Mara's father.

But you knew that the past was in the past, and that there was no going back. You had made a decision to leave him, and you do so for a reason.

"Hungry?" you asked Cillian, as you stirred a pot of spaghetti sauce on the stove. You were trying to focus on the task at hand, but your thoughts kept drifting back to the life you had shared with Cillian, before everything fell apart.

Cillian looked up from where he was sitting on the floor, playing with Mara, a soft smile on his face. "Yeah, I'm starving," he said, winking at Mara who giggled at her father's antics.

"Sghetti" Mara tried to say, her voice squeaking with excitement as the aroma of the sauce filled the room. Spaghetti was her favorite food and you knew that, within the next fifteen minutes, she would be a mess, covered in sauce.

Hurriedly scooping up some food onto plates, you carried them to the dining table along with two wine glasses and a bottle of Bordeaux.

Cillian put Mara into the highchair the hotel had provided for you , tucking her in snugly before going to sit himself at the table.

"Cheese?" Cillian asked Mara, pointing to the bowl of grated parmesan. Mara nodded her head up and down excitedly and watched as Cillian carefully grated a heavy dusting of shavings over her spaghetti before stirring and cutting them up.

"Alright then, ready for the airplane?" he then asked, picking up the spoon, pretending that he was engine. "Big aa...," he made the sound of an airplane taking off, and Mara squealed with delight as the spoon made its way towards her mouth.

"You know your own food will go cold if you keep doing this?" you said with a playful smile, hinting at Cillian's antics while feeding Mara. He smirked, the corner of his lips curling upward,

"That's alright. I can eat later," he smiled before pretending to be an airplane once again , and Mara burst into a fit of giggles.

"Okay, okay, alright. I get it," you rolled your eyes in amusement, unable to suppress a smile.

You couldn't believe how much joy this simple action brought to Mara.

It was truly heartwarming to witness the unfiltered happiness on her face.

As Mara continued to eat with Cillian playing alongside her, you couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia.

The three of you had shared so many precious moments like this before, and you missed them dearly.

You couldn't help but think about how it used to be when you and Cillian were still together. The way he used to make you laugh, the way he used to touch you, the way he used to whisper sweet nothings in your ear. You missed the intimacy, the connection, the warmth.