..Out of the Blue ..💙

24.Embrace

My face was flushed.

For a moment, we held eye contact. She was not averting her eyes.

"Mom, Ms. Mittal, come! We can play!" Athena's loud voice interrupted our little moment—or whatever it was.

"No, Athena, let's eat. Aren't you hungry?"

"Yeah, baby, eat something," Monica said. The three of us sat on the blanket, and she served food: fruits, sandwiches, and juices. When was the last time I had a picnic? No such memory came to mind. Then Monica started reading some stories to Athena, and soon enough, she fell asleep, tired from all the playing. She lay on Monica's lap. God, their similarity is killing me. With one glance, anyone could say that Monica is the mother of the child.

Monica looked happy and content because of this gesture. I think it's the first time her daughter is sleeping in her lap. I clicked a photo of them from a distance. They looked so lovely.

I showed it to Monica, and she nodded her head with a smile. The trip was wonderful; we were all having a lot of fun. My perspective of Monica was gradually changing. The hatred I had towards her was slowly dissipating into fascination or admiration. She's so charming and adventurous—not the composed, boring businesswoman I thought she was. Wherever she goes, she attracts people with her charm. It's like she was a totally different person outside the business world. I never imagined a version of Monica like this. And Athena... everything matches with her mother—her craving for adventurous activities alongside Monica was a sight to watch. Sometimes, I felt excluded from them. They were perfect, and I could feel that Monica was really happy.

"Wait up, guys," I muttered, heavily breathing. We were in a running competition, and I was a sore loser. I couldn't match their energy. Plus, my cramps were seriously not helping either.

"Oh, come on, Zoya, don't be a granny," Athena laughed at her comment.

"Seriously? You know what, today you sleep with Ms. Monica," I said, pouting.

"Mommy is upset with you," I added playfully.

"No, Mommy," she said, coming to hug me. "I love you. You give the best hugs."

"Aww, aren't you a sweet talker," I said, poking her nose and kissing her. Monica was watching us silently with a smile on her face.

To be frank, this was the only time I had seen her smile. Otherwise, it was all snarky smirks and fake smiles.

Athena slept between us overnight. Monica was relaxed. She never attended any work calls; her full time was invested in Athena. And she was getting closer to her. Surprisingly, I wasn't jealous or insecure about it. Monica was really considerate towards me. She never tried to separate me and Athena, plus she included me when I felt a little lost in their activities. Overall, it was a fun getaway. Monica might not be that difficult to live with. It felt more like we were progressing well and getting along.

Now we were on our way back to her apartment. She was driving when she suddenly received a phone call. She took it, and her expression and mood changed rapidly after seeing the ID. She abruptly stopped the car and got out. Ten minutes later, she returned with a not-so-pleased expression. I felt an urge to ask her, but seeing her demeanor, I thought against it. Athena was sleeping; no need to start an argument, right? But something was bothering her. I could tell. But what could it be? Work? Or something else?

Somewhere else...