𝐑𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐬 | 𝟏𝟖 +

𝐓 𝐇 𝐑 𝐄 𝐄

Sevan

After a long, grueling day, I needed a break. So, I find myself at the park, hoping for some peace. I light a cigarette, leaning back on the bench as I exhale slowly, letting the smoke curl up into the air. It's busier than I expected, a surprising amount of people out. There are families having picnics, kids playing, people jogging, and couples chasing after their toddlers. The normality of it all is strangely soothing.

I take another drag, trying to relax, my mind wandering. It's been nonstop meetings, phone calls, and orders. I've barely had time to breathe, and now, sitting here, I'm realizing just how much I needed a moment to unwind. I exhale again, watching the people pass by, lost in thought.

Then, out of nowhere, I feel something small and solid collapse into my legs. I look down, startled, and see a little girl. She can't be older than three, with short brown curly hair and bright blue eyes, eyes that, for a moment, make my heart skip a beat. They're almost identical to Marilyn's, and that realization hits me harder than I care to admit.

The kid looks up at me, her chubby face full of innocence, and she makes this grabbing motion with her hands, clearly wanting to be picked up. I sigh, running a hand through my hair. I'm not heartless, and despite everything, I do like kids. I can't just leave her sitting there. So, I stub out my cigarette, lean down, and lift her onto my lap.

"Where are your parents?" I ask, trying to figure out why this little one is wandering around alone.

She looks up at me with those piercing blue eyes and just says one word. "Mommy."

I freeze, my eyes widening for a second. I shake my head quickly, trying to make her understand. "No, no, I'm not your mommy, kid."

Before I can figure out what to do next, I hear a panicked scream from the distance. A woman is running toward us, her black hair flying behind her, dressed in a white summer dress, and she's short, with brown eyes. I assume she's the mother, and when she gets closer, I see the relief wash over her face as she spots the little girl sitting on my lap.

She stops in front of me, out of breath, and I raise an eyebrow, waiting for her to say something.

"Is this your kid?" I ask, though the answer seems obvious.

The woman chuckles awkwardly, shaking her head. "No, no, I'm just the nanny." she says, her voice a little sheepish.

I hum, feeling the weight of the little girl as she cuddles into me for a second before I gently lift her off my lap and hand her back to the nanny. "You need to be more careful next time." I say sternly, though not unkindly. "She wandered off."

The woman nods quickly, clearly flustered. "Thank you so much. I don't know what I would've done if something happened."

I nod, not really wanting to prolong the conversation. "Just keep an eye on her."

With that, I turn and head off toward my Audi, my mind still a little rattled by the girl's blue eyes. They're too similar to Marilyn's, and it's messing with my head in ways I wasn't prepared for. I need to get out of here, away from the park, away from this unexpected reminder of the past.

As I slip into the driver's seat, I take a deep breath, pushing those thoughts aside, focusing on the drive home. There's enough on my plate without letting old memories sneak up on me like this.

• • •

When I round the corner up to my front door, the last thing I expect is to see someone waiting for me. Nicole.

She's leaning against the wall, her long black hair falling over her shoulders, arms crossed, looking every bit as tired as I feel. I blink a few times, surprised, to see her.

"Nicole?" I call, and she looks up, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"Hey, stranger." she says, pushing off the wall and walking toward me.

I don't waste any time. I pull her into a tight hug, the kind of hug that's been missing from my life for too long. Nicole's been traveling so much for work that we haven't had the chance to really catch up in what feels like ages.

"It's so good to see you." I mutter into her hair, squeezing her tightly.

She laughs softly. "You too. Now, are you going to let me in, or should I stay out here all night?"

I chuckle and pull back, opening the door. "Get in here before I change my mind."

Once we're inside, she drops onto the couch like she's carrying the weight of the world. "How's the business?" she asks, glancing up at me with curiosity, though exhaustion lingers in her eyes.

I shrug, kicking off my shoes as I make my way to the kitchen. "We're doing fine, same old grind. What about you? When did you get back from Spain?"

Nicole groans, running a hand through her hair. "This morning." she says dramatically, making me laugh. "It's been nonstop, and I feel like I haven't slept in a week."

I shake my head as I grab a bottle of red wine. "I don't know how you do it. You look like you need a month-long nap."

"You're not wrong." she mutters, leaning her head back on the couch. "But first, wine."

I pour us both a glass and bring them over to the living room. We sit in silence for a moment, sipping the wine, and I let the exhaustion of the day melt away just a little. Having Nicole here is a nice change of pace, a reminder that I do have people I care about, even if everything else in my life feels a little distant these days.

Nicole looks at me, hesitating, and I know that look. It's the same one she gets when she's about to bring up something heavy. I brace myself, waiting for her to speak, and when she does, the words hit me like a punch to the gut.

"I saw Olivia." she says quietly, looking down into her wine glass as if it holds all the answers.

My heart skips a beat, my grip tightening around the stem of my glass. I wasn't expecting that. "How is she?" I ask, trying to sound casual, though I can feel my pulse quickening.

Nicole sighs softly. "She's doing great, actually. She seems... happy."

I nod, forcing myself to stay calm. "That's good." I say, though the words feel hollow. I take a sip of wine, hoping it'll settle the unease crawling up my spine. "Did she... did she mention me at all?"

Nicole glances at me, her eyes full of sympathy, and I know the answer before she even says it. She shakes her head slowly. "No. She didn't."

I nod again, swallowing the disappointment. I shouldn't be surprised. I knew after everything that Olivia wouldn't just suddenly reach out, but it doesn't stop me from missing her more and more each day. She was my best friend. Losing her... it left a hole I haven't been able to fill, no matter how busy I've kept myself.

I take a deep breath, leaning back into the couch, trying to push those feelings aside. "I didn't really expect her to." I mutter under my breath, more to myself than to Nicole. "But still."

Nicole reaches over and squeezes my arm gently. "I'm sorry, Sevy."

I offer her a small smile, though I can't quite hide the sadness creeping in. "It's fine. I'll survive."

We sit in silence for a moment, sipping our wine, and though the heaviness lingers, I'm grateful for Nicole's presence. It's good to have her here, even if it reminds me of the people who aren't.

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~ R