The Student Teacher Affair

32: Birthday Girl

Mercy’s POV

My birthday was just a few days away, and I couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and nostalgia. Birthdays had always been a big deal for me, a time to reflect on the year gone by and celebrate with the people I loved. This year was different, though. I was turning a year older, and a lot had changed some things for the better, others... well, I was still figuring that out.

The highlight of it all was that Gracie was coming to Belgium to celebrate with me. We hadn't seen each other in over a year, and the thought of having my best friend by my side again filled me with so much joy. Gracie and I had been through so much together; she was more than a friend—she was my sister, my confidante, the one person who knew all my secrets.

The day Gracie was supposed to arrive, I couldn't contain my excitement. I left Nathaniel with my mom and headed straight to the airport, my heart racing as I navigated through the crowds, looking for her familiar face.

When I finally spotted her, we both squealed in delight, rushing into each other's arms as if we were still in our university days, where we'd greet each other with the same enthusiasm after just a weekend apart.

"Gracie! Oh my God, I can't believe you're here!" I exclaimed, hugging her tightly.

"Mercy, it's so good to see you!" Gracie replied, her voice full of warmth and excitement. "You look amazing!"

"And you look even better!" I laughed, stepping back to take a good look at her. Gracie was glowing, her energy infectious as always.

As we made our way back to the car, we chatted non-stop, catching up on everything we'd missed over the past year. The long-distance calls and video chats just couldn't compare to having her right here with me. By the time we got home, it felt like no time had passed at all.

When we walked into the apartment, Nathaniel came running out of his room, his little face lighting up when he saw Gracie.

"Auntie Gracie!" he shouted, his arms outstretched.

Gracie bent down to scoop him up, planting a kiss on his cheek. "There's my handsome godson! I missed you so much, Nathaniel."

Nathaniel giggled, hugging her tightly. "I missed you too, Auntie. Did you bring me any presents?"

Gracie winked at him, setting him down. "Of course I did, but you’ll have to wait until later to see them."

I watched them interact, my heart swelling with love for both of them. It was moments like this that reminded me how blessed I was to have people who truly cared about me and Nathaniel.

Later, after Nathaniel went off to play, Gracie and I settled in the living room with cups of tea, catching up on everything. We talked about her life in Nigeria, her work, mutual friends,everything except the one topic that I knew she was dying to bring up.

"So..." Gracie began, a knowing smile on her face as she sipped her tea. "How’s everything with Joshua?"

I sighed, setting my cup down. I should have known this was coming. "It’s been... complicated," I admitted. "He’s been spending more time with Nathaniel, and they’re bonding, which is great. But it’s also brought up a lot of feelings I thought I’d buried."

Gracie raised an eyebrow. "Feelings?"

"Not like that," I said quickly, shaking my head. "It’s just... seeing him with Nathaniel, being so involved, it’s hard not to think about what could have been. But I know better now. We’re just co-parenting. That’s it."

Gracie studied me for a moment before nodding slowly. "I’m glad you’re being realistic about it. You deserve so much better, Mercy."

"I know," I said, offering her a small smile. "And I’m not going to let him hurt me again. I’ve moved on."