STARDUST

My Boy • XXIV

"And wook at the piture I drew, momma," Lianna held out the picture in front of her and I smiled, looking at it.

"Wow, sweetheart. You did a great job!" I exclaimed. It was only a picture of a tree and a sun, and the coloring wasn't in the lines but to me it was beautiful.

We were at the park. The park. The same one where I talked to Kento for the first time in years, the park were we always met at, the park where I told him I was pregnant...

I hadn't been back in so many years, and just being here was...

I couldn't explain it. So many memories and feelings came rushing back to me as I spotted the bench where we always used to sit.

Lianna hurried over to it and my heart stopped briefly. It was...weird seeing our daughter sit on that same bench. Our daughter.

I bit my lip as I felt it start to tremble, thinking back to when Kento had come over. That had been almost three days ago and I still hadn't heard a thing from him. It seemed too long to me.

"Sweetheart, why don't you go and play with the other children. They look about your age," I told Lianna.

She looked to the playground excitedly, and nodded while handing me her drawing, hopping off the bench. I sighed and leaned back, closing my eyes briefly. A gust of wind picked up and I gasped when I felt Lianna's drawing slip out of my hands. My eyes snapped opened but I completely froze when I saw a familiar figure, bending down to pick up the picture off the ground.

Kento studied the drawing before meeting my eyes. He held out the drawing back to me but I made no move to take it. Kento sighed and sat down on the bench next to me.

He still had the picture in his hand and I watched out of the corner of my eye as he scanned the playground. He blinked when his eyes landed on Lianna.

"Your mom told me I could find you here," he said. He was talking like he had before he found out about Lianna, warmer. I guessed that he had finally cooled down.

"How she would know that is beyond me," I responded. "I didn't even think she knew you were in town."

"She didn't seem all that surprised when I came to her door," he commented. He was thinking about something. Finally he sighed, leaning back. "I haven't been here in a while."

"Neither have I," I admitted to him. We both watched our daughter chase a boy her age around the playground. I cast my eyes downward and took a deep breath. "I never wanted to hurt you Kento, but in its own twisted way, it was for you."

I felt him tense beside me but then he relaxed a moment later, casting his eyes downward toward the picture again. "I realize that, Ray," he said softly. "I would've stayed with you. I should've."

I shook my head, "That's why I lied in the first place Kento."

Silence. Except for the giggles and laughter coming from the playground.

Kento shook his head, "Do you ever regret it, Raya? Would you ever go back and change everything?"

I dropped my gaze to the ground and shifted. "At first, maybe I would've. When I first found out I wanted nothing more than to just go back." I choked. 'But that would mean I would lose my friendship with Kento.' Tears started to form in my eyes and I blinked them back, "But then, it all changed, and when Lianna was born, I was just..." I let out a breathy sigh. "I just couldn't even believe that I even went into that clinic. It felt like a sin." I sniffed and I became aware of Kento's eyes on me. "I wouldn't change anything, Kento. I don't regret it."

I closed my eyes when I felt his hand touch my face, the warmth traveling along my cheek, wiping up the tears with the pad of his thumb.

His breath felt hot against my skin as he whispered, "Did you even tell her about me?" His hand fell away and the warmth was gone, replaced by the cold.

I met his eyes, "I told her about you after we left the bookstore." His eyes were unreadable again and he glanced away shortly. I straightened and looked back toward Lianna. "I wanted to thank you... For giving me her."

He was looking at me again, the sharpness of his eyes burning into me. He took my face into his hands and made me look at him. I couldn't breathe all of a sudden as we started to lean toward each other. Maybe it was an automatic reaction.

I almost jolted when our lips brushed together. A light touch of his lips against mine was all we needed. I tasted him hesitantly, trying to feel every sensation I remembered. I almost smiled when I realized he tasted the same, just like how I remembered. The kiss was so wonderful that it almost hurt.

"Momma?" I jumped and broke away from Kento. He was slightly blushing, and I felt like I had just been caught by my mom stealing a cookie. But it wasn't my mom; it was my daughter, our daughter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lianna looked at Kento with contained excitement. She knew who he was. She giggled and I smiled softly as Kento practically melted.

He wanted to spend time with her and the least I could do was give it to him. I bit my lip and turned my gaze to him, "Just..." I studied him. "Just bring her back to my apartment when you're done, Kento."

Something lit up in his eyes and I kissed Lianna's forehead, "Be good."

She nodded and smiled. I walked away and heard Lianna talk about the picture she drew that was still in his hands.