Dusk Till Dawn

XIII

"Maria," I heard my name being called from under the water as I looked up to the surface as I heard my name being called once again as I pushed myself off the ground and swam up as I hit the surface and looked up to see it was Nick. "Hey Nick, what can I do for you?" I asked as he looks at me while he stares at my legs that were now floating up. "What are you doing next weekend?" He asks as he crouches down as I stared at him. "Going to go see my daughter, why?" I asked him as he hums. "Well, I was wondering if you wanted to go an enjoy the scenes of Las Vegas, hey maybe take your daughter out for dinner, if that's okay?" He says as I nodded. "All depends on her parents, but for me, I'm fine," I told him as he smiles as I dipped back down under the water and closed my eyes as I hear a splash of water as I snapped my eyes open to see a shadow in my vision only to feel hands around my waist as I turned to look at the person who had joined in with me to see the dark eyes of Nick. I smiled when he grabbed me and pulled my lips to his as I kissed him under the water before I pushed him back and resurfaced to the surface and looked at him as he followed close behind me. I don't know why but I feel like our friendship was more of a flirty one instead. I swam to the edge and pulled myself out while my legs were still in the water. "Mmm," I hummed as Nick swam over to me and kissed my knee and put both hands on either side of me. "What are you doing, Mr. Stokes?" I asked with a flirtatious smile. "Getting to know who you are," He answers as I chuckled and brought his lips to my own and kissed him before pushing him back into the water. "Come on, you're probably hungry," I said as he nods once he hit the surface. Lately, I haven't been getting any calls from that stranger which was a relief, but it put a fear factor in my life. Like he hasn't left me alone. I would have to look over my shoulder, every time I left. But there is no one there, but I could still feel someone's threatening gaze on me.

I stood at the entrance of the Rivera Hotel, with my back against the doors that lead into the casino, people were passing by me as they awe in the scene around them of the strip. There were people in provocative clothing that showed too much skin, but there were also people who were doing art of their own. I had written a text after I got one of being notified by Mr. and Mrs. Cadallac, about them arriving. I was going to meet my daughter, who is now four years old. I was nervous but also excited because I get to see what she looked like. I hoped she looked more like me than her father. I squealed inside and fisted up my hands as I trembled while going back to my phone to check every minute. They had said they would meet me in front of the Rivera that meets the Strip. And so I was here. I was not wearing anything that showed off too much skin. I wore a dress that fell to my knees and had no sleeves, but I had a black cardigan. I wore black ankle boots and wore necklaces and a dragon ear cuff. I looked into the crowd as I see a family of mother and father with their children as they happily smiled as they passed by. I frowned when I thought about my own situation. I wish I could give my children a real family like a regular family. Where they could have both their parents in their life, while they could go to both. Spectra had both of her parents, but instead, she was gone. Sangwoo was a different situation, I knew she would have loved to meet both of her parents. I mean Mae was going to meet me, but I never want her to meet her father, scared he might hurt her, or worse show her how to kill and rape others. I never would want her to be in that life. And then Kai, couldn't have a father, he had me, but he was still with my siblings in Romania after feeling good in the lifestyle. So I decided to leave him behind, but coming back every month to see him. Especially on holidays. 

There was a much older couple with a young four-year-old child holding both of their hands as I looked at them both before they stopped a few feet in front of me. There was a short man with olive skin, copper hair, and green eyes. I noticed one of his eyes was very different. But I kept that thought to myself. The woman next to him was a woman who was average height with olive skin, ginger hair, and green eyes. She was very beautiful and in the middle of them was a small little girl with black hair that came to her shoulders, her eyes had the same color as Sangwoo's I knew this child was mine. Her facial features were mixed with both of ours. I see the woman kneel down and whisper into the child's ear as the child had the hugest smile before letting go of the woman and man's hands and ran passed people, even breaking couples up as she ran over to me with eyes welling up with tears as I kneeled down and let her wrap her arms around me as I feel her body hit me with a strong force that I felt on my butt as she started to cry and hold me tighter. Sobbing into my shoulder as I held her, "Mommy..." I hear her small voice as I knew this was real. I was holding my baby once again. I remember the first time when she came out of me. I had her a few days early from her original due date, but she was still amazingly strong. But when I held her in my arms, I looked into her small eyes that were opening but still closed as I held her close to me. I didnt' want to let her go, but I knew her father was looking for me and his daughter. I needed to protect her from this life. And here she is, in my arms once again. But now she was much older, not that tiny little babe. "Oh, Mae," I whimpered out and held her close to me as I started to sniffle and kept close to me. I didn't care who watched this show, but this was my moment, with my daughter. The parents looked at us as they smiled at each other before turning to me as I looked at them and smiled. "Thank you," I mouth to them as I held my child close to me as they nodded.