My Girl ~ Alessia Russo

Monkey

The weather in Manchester was grey, typical for early autumn, but the park still offered a semblance of peace. Hailey pushed Eleanor's pram through the winding pathways, the crunch of fallen leaves underfoot filling the silence between them. The gentle breeze rustled the trees, and while the park wasn't teeming with life, a few dog walkers and joggers passed by, nodding politely as they went.

Hailey tried to focus on Eleanor. She needed this time, just the two of them, to remind herself of what truly mattered. But no matter how much she tried to be present, her mind kept wandering back to London to Alessia. The guilt gnawed at her, though she couldn't admit it aloud yet. Alessia hadn't technically done anything wrong. There had been no outright betrayal, no malicious intent. Keira had been a surprise, but perhaps not the sinister secret Hailey had first made it out to be. Still, it didn't take away the hurt.

Eleanor gurgled softly from the pram, kicking her feet under the blanket Hailey had tucked around her. She glanced down, her daughter's bright eyes looking up at her, and despite everything, Hailey felt a warmth in her chest. Her little girl was her world, the one thing that made sense amidst the chaos. Hailey smiled softly and crouched down, reaching out to stroke Eleanor's chubby cheek.

"You're alright, love, aren't you? Just me and you," she murmured, though her voice wavered slightly. The exhaustion was beginning to creep in. She'd barely slept the past few nights, Eleanor's restlessness worsening without the comfort of her monkey. That toy had been a lifeline since Alessia had given it to her, and now that it was gone, Eleanor struggled to settle.

As if on cue, Eleanor started to whimper, her little fists clenched tightly as she kicked harder. Hailey groaned, the knot in her chest tightening. The lack of sleep and the constant pressure was beginning to get to her.

The park wasn't doing the trick anymore. It wasn't calming Eleanor, and it wasn't helping Hailey either. She straightened, glancing around the quiet park, the distant sound of traffic in the background.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and for the umpteenth time, Hailey glanced at the screen. Alessia. The name lit up her screen like a constant reminder of the unresolved mess she was trying to ignore. Without hesitation, Hailey declined the call, her thumb pressing the red button a little too forcefully. She couldn't deal with that right now-not Alessia's voice, not her apologies, not the confusion that followed every conversation with her.

But she couldn't deny that the problem was still very much there. She had left the monkey behind. That was the immediate issue she needed to deal with.

"Alright, Eleanor," Hailey muttered, steering the pram towards a bench. She parked the pram next to it and sat down, pulling out her phone. "Let's see if we can sort this."

She called the hotel. It was a small, boutique place, the kind that prided itself on personal service. Hailey figured it would be simple enough to get them to send the monkey back. As the line rang, Eleanor's fussing grew louder, and Hailey bounced the pram lightly, hoping the motion might soothe her.

The phone clicked, and a receptionist's cheery voice answered, "Good afternoon, The Mayfair Hotel. How can I help you?"

Hailey took a breath, trying to sound calm, though her nerves were frayed. "Hi, I stayed with you a couple of days ago, room 203, and I've left something behind. It's my daughter's toy, a small monkey. Could you... would it be possible for you to find it and send it back to me? I'll cover any costs for postage."

There was a brief pause on the other end, the sound of typing before the receptionist replied, "I can check with housekeeping for you, but it may take a moment. Can you hold, please?"

"Yeah, sure, thank you." Hailey pressed the phone between her shoulder and ear, bouncing the pram harder as Eleanor's whimpers turned into full-blown cries. She was reaching the point of overtired, and without the monkey, Hailey knew she'd be in for another sleepless night. The thought made her heart pound with frustration. She was at the end of her rope, and this toy-the one link to peace in her child's life-was miles away.