Safe Haven | Demi Lovato

8

Demi

I cleared my throat as Mia stared at me. "Honey that's not true."

She rolled her eyes. "It is in my world."

I swallowed. "Mia, losing someone that you love as deeply as a spouse, is something so traumatic, it never leaves you. You never stop loving that person. But that love doesn't, and shouldn't, hold you back from moving forward. It shouldn't hold you back from being happy. Your dad mourned a long time, nine years of unhappiness. Kissing someone else doesn't mean he stopped loving your mom. It doesn't mean he wants either of you to forget about her. It means he's finally ready to move on, and be happy. Every time you love, it's a different feeling. Yes, 'love', is the general term for it, but there are trillions of different kinds of love out there. He's not forgetting... He's growing, and moving forward."

Mia was quiet for a second. "I don't necessarily have problem with him moving on... but with some blonde bimbo with boobs faker than her tan? He deserved better than that. Someone who is smart and that loves him for him and not out of pity." She paused. "Can you date my dad?"

I gasped, choosing on the sudden influx on air. "I'm sorry, what?!"

She laughed. "I mean... I'm only sorta kidding. He obviously likes you and you're single." She paused. "Are you allowed to do that?"

I rubbed my face. "You would have to be out of my care, and it couldn't impact your recovery in a  negative way."

Mia's eyes narrowed slightly. "You seem to have given this some thought already."

I shook my head."Someone did it, a long time ago. I remember there was an entire medical hearing. That was the ruling." I paused. "They're married now."

It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the truth.

"What about the daughter?" Mia asked curiously.

I shrugged. "It got annoying, but eventually she grew up, went to med school, and got a job at the same treatment center she went to as a teenager, and now works with her ex-stepmother. They got divorced after five years.

Mia's mouth fell open. "No way. You?"

I shrugged. "My dad and I don't have the best relationship, but she made him happy... for a while. When I first saw them together it hurt a lot, and then I found out she was betraying confidentiality to him. She almost got stripped of her license but he stepped in for her... My dad is on the board and has big pull here. Not many people know he's my father."

She blinked. "Wow."

"My situation is far different from yours though. I can assure you of that. You and your dad are best friends compared to me and my dad."

"You still didn't answer my question."

I raised an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"

She leaned in. "Would you, or would you not, date my dad?"

I chuckled. "Mia, no. I probably wouldn't. I met him yesterday for the first time. I don't even know him."

She looked down. "He deserves someone like you... As much as I tell him that I hate him, I don't. He's the best dad ever. I've been such a bitch to him."

I sighed and shook my head. "Mia, your dad loves you no matter what. He knows that you don't hate him. He knows you've been going through a lot and he loves you anyway. So don't apologize for the way you feel. You were hurt that he was basically trying to move on with a... What was it again?"

Mia cracked a smile. "A blonde bimbo."

I nodded. "Right, a blonde bimbo. So you're allowed to feel that way. We're all only human.

She sighed. "I've been stopping him from being happy... you said it yourself."

I shook my head. "As a parent... your child's health and happiness comes way before your own. Your dad doesn't care about his happiness right now. He's concerned and focused on you. Eventually, he'll find someone, but he'll wait until he's sure you're okay with it."

Mia rubbed her face. "Next time you have one of those one-on-one chats can you tell him I'm okay with it? Please?"

I smiled. "Sure, I'll tell him sweetie."

~*~

I went through the rest of the day with barely any drama, not noticing the time slipping away until I was paged to my office. I walked there quickly, and nearly turned around when I saw Wilmer standing outside. Unfortunately, he saw me and waved, facing me to walk in and wave back.

"Hey." He murmured, as I approached him.

"Hi..." I opened the door. "Come on in."

Wilmer followed me in and sat down. "I know you don't want to talk to me... but I kinda need to... I googled it. It's technically not unethical if Mia doesn't know, or is completely okay with it while she is in your care."

My mouth dropped open. "Wilmer we're not going behind her back. Absolutely not. Do you know what that could do to her recovery if she found out? She'd think I'd broken confidentiality. Wilmer it's a recipe for disaster."

I sat on the edge of my desk and crossed my arms as I looked down at him. Wilmer stood up and I instantly leaned back, surprised by the sudden proximity. He cupped my cheek, his fingertips sending jolts through my body.

"I know all of that, but I don't understand this. I don't know what it is about you that draws me in. I don't know if you feel the same, but I want to know you I need to know you."

I sighed. "Wilmer... I'm not even ready for a relationship. There's so much that you don't know about me, so much you don't understand-"

"I don't care." He cut me off. "I don't care about all of that. Nothing you can say can make me-"

"Stop." This time I cut him off. "Don't finished that sentence. It's an empty promise. One day, you're gonna walk away."

He shook his head. "That's the thing you don't understand about me. I don't walk away, that's not me. Take one look at my broken family. I haven't even taken one step backwards. I'm not gonna walk away from you."

I swallowed. "Do you promise?"

Wilmer nodded, moving his other hand up to the base of my neck. "Yes."

I gripped the sides of his t-shirt. "No one can know. I could lose my job here."

He didn't even blink. "Okay."

I stared up into his eyes. "Wilmer, we just met yesterday."

He shrugged. "So stop me."

My breath caught as he leaned in. I should've spoken, told him no, or not here, not yet. I should've leaned or pulled away. I should've stopped him, but I didn't. Because, frankly, I didn't want to. Instead, I pulled him close and kissed him back. He stroked his fingertips down my jawline, curling them underneath the sharp angle there. He pulled away and leaned his forehead against mine.

"I promise... I'm not going anywhere."

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-Rachel