90s Queen Bee #Wattys2016

Chapter 24 - Mia

                  

2015

'You know, you really suck at this.' Colin leaned on his mini-golf putter and grinned. With his Bermuda shorts and polo shirt, it was hard to imagine Colin ordering campaign managers around or pumping the air with his fist like a corporate douchebag when he exceeded conversion targets. Instead, he looked like he should have been in a catalogue for barbecues and outdoor furniture. 'See, the objective is to get the ball in the hole.'

'I suck? That kid at hole 5 played a better game than you.' I stuck my tongue out of the corner of my mouth and concentrated on my stroke.

My ball disappeared into the hole and I did my best impression of Colin's corporate douchebag fist pump. 'Yes!'

Colin clapped. 'Alright, you're now the mini-golf master.'

'And don't you forget it.' I laughed. 'By the way, I think your back pocket's ringing.'

'One sec.' He raised his finger and took out his phone. 'Go ahead to the next hole and get some practice in. I'm about to bring my A-game so you're going to need all the practice you can get.'

'Get ready to taste defeat.' I wandered to the next hole and stood awkwardly next to two little kids bickering over whose turn it was to hold the putter. Their mum smiled at me.

'Sorry about these two,' she said. 'I'm trying to teach them how to share. It's obviously not going so well.'

'Oh, it's okay.' I waved my hand. 'I'm not in a hurry. I'm just waiting for my... friend.' I gestured over to Colin. Even though he was out of earshot, I could tell that the conversation he was having was a heated one.

'Oh, I thought he was your husband,' said the woman.

'We're seeing each other,' I replied. Why was I opening up to a stranger? I guessed it was because she looked so friendly and I had some time to kill.

'He's very handsome.'

'I think so.' I shielded my eyes and peered over at him. He kept glancing in my direction. Who was he on the phone to?

He finally put his phone back in his pocket and jogged over.

'Change of plans, I'm afraid,' he said apologetically. 'That was Sherry on the phone. Her mother lives on the Central Coast and she's had a fall.'

'Is she alright?'

'She'll be fine, but Sherry has to go there for a couple of days. That means she needs to drop Mia off to stay with me. She's heading towards my place now. Are you okay with that?' He looked nervous and rubbed his forehead.

'Oh, of course.' I reached out and touched his arm. 'I can beat your arse another time.'

He smiled gratefully.

'I'll just take a taxi home, no big deal.' I started to walk towards the last hole, where the exit was.

'Sammy, I was kind of hoping you'd have lunch with us? You can meet her. She's a cool kid.'

I swivelled around to face him. 'Meet your daughter?' That was a question I hadn't expected to be asking so early on. 'I, uh...'

'You don't have to if you don't want to.' He took a couple of steps forward and placed his hands on my shoulders. 'I'd introduce you as my friend, nothing more. I'd just like you to know a bit more about me – and Mia's pretty much my life.'

'Okay, sure.' The words came out of my mouth before I had a chance to think about the consequences.

And immediately the potential consequences rushed into my head. She might not like me. She might start asking questions about my relationship with her dad. She might really like me (hey, anything was possible) and then be upset if Colin and I didn't work out. Colin might see how awkward I was around her and stop liking me.