*Andrea*
Austin’s joy knew no bounds when he heard Alison would be back in a few days. He felt giddy the entire night, waking up in between sleep to ask when we would be at the airport.
It was just as anticipated. Alison remains his favorite aunt and would always spoil him with whatever he asked for.
I stood in the kitchen making breakfast. Alison won’t be here till noon, and I had to skip work today; maybe it had been easier because Dave was with me.
I wanted to be at home for Alison. Austin would not be going to school, either. Throughout our ride home yesterday, he cried, saying he wanted to come with me to the airport.
I chopped the veggies, my knife making a click-click sound on the table. My hair was tied in a bun.
I suddenly felt Austin’s hand over my waist, “Morning momma.” He greeted me. I turned, bent to meet his height, and placed a kiss on his cheeks.
“How was your night love?” I asked, and he bobbed his head up and down before placing one hand on his eyes.
“Are you hungry?” I asked, and he nodded. “Yes.” “Momma will soon be done,” I assured him.
I stood going to continue chopping. I had just an onion left. “Let me help you cook. I don’t want you to stress yourself.” He said, and this earned him a laugh from me.
“You can’t; you’ll hurt yourself,” I said, deterring him from asking any further. “I know that’s why I’ll be careful.” He said.
I stopped and placed a kiss on his cheeks again, “when you’re a bit taller, I’ll teach you how to cook.” I said.
He rubbed his left eye, “All alright.”
“Go play with your cars,” I said, and that earned him a smile. “Have you seen the new collection I bought?” I asked. Austin has a deep love for cars and would always play with them.
“You bought a new collection?” He asked, his eyes sparkling with delight.
“Yes, I did,” I said, and he dashed out of the kitchen, leaving me with my veggies.
I smiled, remembering how Alison taught him all about Cars alongside Dave. I was a lover of cars myself, but it doesn’t compare to his. What kept him busy so I didn’t deal with so much disturbance when he was a toddler.
Hand him a toy car and he is fine.
When it was time, we both left for the airport.
I walked out, and that was when the thought hit me. “Shit.” I ran my hand over my hair, frustration crawling on my skin.
“What’s wrong?” Austin beside me asked. I held on to him with one hand while his other held a toy.
I smiled and shook my head. I had left my car at his school, and Dave brought me home in his car.
How could I have forgotten? I inhale sharply, and now I’ll have to take a cab there first.
Just then, a car horn was in front of us. My phone beeped at that moment, “who would have thought you forgot your car only to ride in mine? You missed me that much?”
I snickered and typed, “you wish.” Then I continued, “Thank you.” Dave always came to my rescue during the hard times. He had sent his driver to bring me my car.
“The Boss said I should drive you to the airport.” I wanted to refuse, but after some thought, I agreed. It would be helpful when we return from the airport.
People walked around the airport. Her flight was to land in ten more minutes. I decided to sit somewhere first.
As we walked, my eyes moved around. A lady passed by me, unknown to her, and her identification card slipped out of her pocket.
Austin’s hand slipped away from mine as I picked up the card.
“Your Identification card fell.” I walked to her, handing her card back to her. The woman seemed grateful, “thank you so much.” She said.
I turned around only to find out Austin was not where he should be. Where was he? He wasn’t one to run around by himself.
My chest tightened in worry immediately. Looking around, my eyes began to blur. He was nowhere in sight.
I asked a few people around me. And they didn’t see him.
My gaze searched the crowd, hungry to fish out my son.
I walked around that area a little. Maybe he thought I had walked further. But he wasn’t in sight.
When I didn’t see him for the next ten minutes, I settled for letting the security office just in front of me know so they could help me find.
As I walked to the security standpoint, I felt someone’s hand on my shoulder, stopping me in my tracks.
I turned to find Alison and in her arms was Austin.
A wave of relief hit me like a storm as I stared at the boy who almost sent me to the ER. “Where did you go?” I questioned.
“I saw Aunt Alison.” He said, a goofy smile on his lips, proof of how proud he was that he found her first.
“And you didn’t think it was reasonable to tell me before you left? Do you know how worried I was?”
“I’m sorry, Mom.” He said his hands were clutching Alison’s neck tightly, but not enough to stop her from breathing.
“So, are you just going to scold Austin and forget that I am standing here with you?” Alison asked.
Oh dear!
I hugged her, holding her close despite Austin creating a barrier between us.
“How was your flight?” I asked.
“Well, not bad.” She said, and I released her. The driver came in and took her luggage.
“I’m so tired,” she complained.
“Austin, Aunty’s tired, walk,” I said, and he climbed down immediately. Alison didn’t want him to. “I didn’t mean I can’t carry him anymore.” She said.
“He is grown up; he should walk,” I said, and Austin acted mature; I am sure he only allowed her to carry him out of excitement.
We chatted all through the ride.
“I’m starving. Are we ordering out, or did you make something?” She asked.
“Mom says takeout is bad,” Austin said.
Alison turned and smirked, “Motherhood truly changes people,” she said, and I smiled while taking the luggage to her room.
After lunch, we sat together in the sitting room opposite each other; Austin sat huddled up with Alison on a couch.
“Austin keeps getting handsome and handsome each day,” Alison said, studying his face. “I was gone for three years, and he now looks like a grown man.” She said, and Austin’s face got red immediately.
“His mother is beautiful; what do you expect?” I asked, and she smiled.
“His aunt is also beautiful.” She added, ruffling his hair. He pulled away and smoothened his hair like he always did.
“So tell me, Austin, how many letters and gifts have you received?” Alison asked, “I am certain all the girls in your class have a crush on you.”
“Alison!” I called, “what? He is not too small to have crushes,” she said.
Turning to Austin, she said, “So, anyone?” Austin leaned into the chair and crossed one leg over the other. He lifted his hand to his eye level, attempting to count his fingers. After counting the first five, he stopped.
“I can’t count them.” He said innocently.
Alison threw me a victorious look, “See, I told you.” She said.
I just sat listening to them without a word. His second favorite person was back, and I didn’t want to interrupt them.
After a while, I left them, heading for my room. I sat in front of my laptop. I had a few designs I had to finish up before tomorrow.
Later that evening, Dave came, bearing gifts for Alison.
“Welcome home.” He said, hugging her afterwards. “We all missed you.” They released each other. “Not as much as I missed you all,” Alison said.
“You don’t know how lonely it can get when you are not with the people you call home,” she said. I could only agree with her to a certain extent.
Alison is currently in a relationship with a celebrity chef, and her feed online is filled with pictures of them. He is now home to her, too.
“And for our dearest prince, I got…” he brought out a packed gift, “a gift of course.” He said and handed it to Austin, who leaped in excitement.
“It’s almost like what Alison gave me.” He said examining it, “Oh… it’s a lot different.” He said afterward.
It was then I learned Alison had bought gifts for him. “You are all spoiling this child,” I said.
“Of course. Why are we working?” Alison asked.
I felt my heart soften at her words. Alison knows how worried I had been after giving birth to him. I was worried that he would grow up without receiving all the love he should.
That he would grow up missing his father but now I realize how wrong I have been. Alison loved him like his son.
And Dave became the father, he never had. He wasn’t starved of love, nor was he deprived of what he should receive.
“How about me? Don’t I deserve a gift?” I asked.
“I can give you one of my toys if you want,” Austin said.
“Aw, Austin is the sweetest,” Alison said, pinched his cheeks.
“I don’t want a toy; I’m bigger than that,” I said.
“What do you want?” Dave asked. I leaned into the chair, and crossed my legs, then slanted my neck back in the pretense that I had been thinking.
“Something befitting me,” I said.
Dave reached into his pocket and pulled out a box. ” How about this?” He handed it over to me.
“Wait, I wasn’t serious,” I said but I accepted it either way. I opened it to find a necklace. Removing it from the box, I allowed it to dangle.
A heart pendant.
“This is…” I extended my hand to give it back to him and shook my head, “No, I can’t accept this.” I said.
“Why!” He asked, and I stretched the pendant to him but he wasn’t having it. “Keep it. It’s yours.” He said.
I had no other option but to accept it, “if you feel it’s too much, you can always pay me back with a gift more expensive.” He said.
I smiled and thanked him once more.
“Thanks, Dave, now my gift won’t be worth anything to her,” Alison said, bringing out a box from behind her.
“You can’t blame me.” Dave shrugged, and Alison glared at him.
“You’ve always wanted this bag.” I unboxed it immediately.
“They’re only five in the world,” Alison said. I hugged her. She never came back home empty-handed.
After a while, Austin felt sleepy, so Dave took him to his room. He had the habit of reading bedtime stories for him whenever he was here.
I asked Alison about her company. She related all I needed to know, “and when I found out the project was being led by Lucas, I rejected it immediately,” She said.
“You don’t have to reject it if you know it will be good for your business,” I said.
“Of course, I’m never working with them. Not after what they did.” Anger seeped from her words.
“Andrea.”
“Hmm.”
She paused, reluctant to say the next words, “Don’t you think it’s time to open your heart again?” She asked me.
“Alison, I…”
“Dave seems like a nice guy.” She said, and looked behind her, “and I know you already know how he feels about you. And he has been patient.”
“Alison, let’s talk about this some other time; I’m sleepy,” I said and stood. “Good night, girl. Tell Dave I slept early.” I walked to my room.
It was the only thing I knew how to do whenever she brought up this conversation. Run.