His Broken Beauty

Twenty Three

I fished out my phone as I answered it.

"Sophie Kings speaking" I said as my usual greeting.
We were out shopping for Jaxon and Jakes birthday gift to Mrs Hernandez grandson,Romeo.

It had been a few hours after Hayden dropped by with waffles and bagel for breakfast.
We had talked things out. He asked me on a date.... again and this time I said yes.

Mark and Nick then dropped by an hour later after that and did the questioning.
I also called a social worker hoping to get my hands on a few fostering and adopting papers for Katie's case.
She's a teenager so the paperwork weren't that bad since Katie agreed she wanted to stay with us.

"Mommy, why don't we get Romeo a puppy?" Jake asks as I was holding his and Danny's hand.

I was wearing a pair of denim blue jeans, cropped white t shirt and a denim jacket with my white Jordan Michael sneakers. My hair was in a waterfall braid thanks to Katie's hands.

Jaxon was trailing behind us holding Katie's hand who also had a few shopping bags on her since I bought her some new clothes and two pair of sneakers.

"Um....OK. We can go to the pet store after this" I said and they cheered up.

We dropped all the shopping stuff in the car and then went off for lunch.

••••
We entered the pet store which was sort of full I guess.
We started looking around when a sales guy came over.

"Good morning guys. Can I help you with something?" He asks me cheerfully.

"Um..yes please. We're looking for a puppy for a seven year olds birthday today" I said and he nodded.

"Lucky for you guys, one of the females Briah just gave birth a few days ago and the puppies are all good to go. They've already received their injections and stuff and they are so adorable. Come this way" he says and we follow.

I look behind me not seeing Katie or Jaxon only to find them by the glass box where a large snake lay asleep.

We walked passed the cages full of pet animals and soon came to the cage where four or five small fluffy puppies were laying sound asleep.

God,they're so adorable.

I feel bad. They look so close with each other, their family. I wouldn't want anyone taking my family.

"Aww mummy they're so pretty. But that's their family. They'll be upset" Jake says worriedly and I nod in agreement.

"Do you have any stray puppies that were found?" I asked as he nodded.

"Yeah, right this way" we followed him to the cage where there played an active small canine pup.
He was a fluffy little thing.
He had white fur accept for the part on his eyes and ears were brown.

"Mommy can we take this one?" Jake asks pleading and I nod.

"We'll take him" I said as he smiles nodding as he hands me a few forms.

"You need to fill these out, his name is Cooper. He's about a month old and we found him by the pet shop's trash box in the ally. Poor thing" he says as I feel sympathy for the puppy who playfully ran around as Jake and Danny were playing with Cooper

I looked behind me seeing Jake with a squatting Katie trying to tie his sneakers lace.

"Sophie?" Someone calls out and I turn behind me to find one of my school colleagues back in the days.

Carson.

"Carson?" I asked as he nodded and pulled me in a hug.
I pulled away first.

"Wow Sophie. You look amazing" he says eyeing me up and down.

Carson is Australian. He moved here ages ago with his divorcee mum Helen who married again,they're happy together. Carson has that typical Australian sandy blonde hair and deep grazing blue eyes.
He moved away to new York to study Architecture and stuff and I guess he's back now.

He's taller than me... Heck,who isn't?

"Mommy?" Jaxon appears in front of me as I broke my eye contact with Carson.

"What's wrong Jaxon?" I asked.

"I'm gonna use the bathroom" he says and I nod seeing him enter the brightly paw painted males restroom.

"Wow, so it was real" he says making me give him a confused look.

"Well, when I was like back in new York. Mark called me saying you gotten pregnant. I didn't believe him cause I was afraid that my only chance of being with you was ruined but....now I see it. Is that the twin?" He asks after explaining shocking me to the core.

He points to Jake who picks up Cooper and gives him a kiss on top of his brown spotted puppy.

"Uh yeah. Yeah, Jaxon is the oldest,the one that was just here... And that's Jake. Of course you know Danny. Took him for a day out and that's my daughter Katie,talking to that.... Guy?" I said pointed to Katie seeing her blush as a guy was talking to her.

"Wow. Whose the lucky guy?" He asks and I blushed.

"Um....I'm a single mum. Yup, I know,its boring and stuff but I love the boys and my only daughter....even though I just adopted her recently" I said as he nodded staring at me.

"A date" he says and I frown.

"Do you wanna go out on a date sometime?I wanna fix the ' single parent' issue" he says smirking and I can't help the blush.

"Being a single parent isn't an issue. Its more of a blessing in a way" I said.

"And thanks but I'm just..... Not wanting to date just yet" I said and he nods with a grim smile.

And also not forgetting my date with Hayden tomorrow.

"I like a challenge Kings" he says and I shake my head.

This guy......

"Right" I said awkwardly before walking away to fill out the forms in peace.

Oh boy....