Moments That Change Lives

“Please let me finish. I… I was thinking about this a lot over the past days. Trust… Trust is no longer an issue for me. Not now when… When I have you by my side. You’re special to me, Mira. And I don’t want either of us to be alone anymore. I want this to happen… I want us to happen… Us three…”

Mira couldn’t contain herself any longer. She interrupted his speech with a soft kiss on his lips. They felt so soft under hers, so sweet and innocent.

All he said was exactly what she had imagined for themselves. What began to make sense and what kept her heart burning at night. She couldn’t have said it better herself. Alone. They didn’t have to be alone anymore. And Mira tried to show him that in the kiss. Show him how much he truly mattered to her. Show him that she didn’t care about anything, didn’t fear anything when he was with her.

“I love you, Mira Glass!” He kissed her back with the same passion and gentleness that made something in her stomach flutter.

“I love you, stubborn father of my child!” She smiled and cried in the same time.

“Oh now I’m the stubborn one?” He wiped her tears with his finger and pulled her into his embrace. He held her right there, tight against his chest until she sobbed away every pain in her life, every sad memory and remorse. Until she cleaned her soul and her conscience and completely stepped into their new life. She was more than grateful to have met him and she squeezed his arm to show him that.

They stayed like that, giving each other comfort and enjoying the presence of one another. Henry kissed her face gently while she fondled the back of his head. It was like they needed constant reassurance that all of it wasn’t just a wonderful dream they would wake up from. Luckily, it wasn’t and with each passing second Mira was happier and happier about it.

“Sir? The ball please.” A small voice addressed Henry and they separated. Mira lifted her head up from Henry’s chest to see a boy no more than five years old approaching them. He was wearing a jersey and nice little trainers that melted Mira’s heart.

“Oh… Sure.” Henry picked up the ball lying next to his feet. “Who do you think will win the soccer championship, huh?” He smiled at the child.

“My dad! He’s the best at scoring goals! Look they’re playing over there and he’s killing it.” The boy pointed at a group of men playing soccer in the grass. Of course that wasn’t the championship Henry had in mind but it was a pretty good replacement. Mira looked from the boy to Henry once more, convincing herself how good a father he would be to their baby.

“Say hi to your dad then. We’ll be cheering for him, too.” Henry winked ruffling the boy’s hair.

“Thanks, sir,” the boy said running back toward the group playing in the grass.

Henry looked at Mira and lay his hand on her stomach, fondling it. She just smiled to him as they rose up from the bench and hand in hand headed into the park. A light breeze cooled Mira down a bit yet her cheeks still couldn’t stop burning. Destiny was truly a strange little thing.

“Fresh and yummy! Fresh and yummy!” A man was yelling from a hot dog stand a few feet away from them. Until then Mira hadn’t noticed the wonderful smell of food spreading around the park and her stomach growled.

She and Henry burst into laughter. “Daddy, we need to eat!” She said and Henry happily led her to the stand.

“Two of these, bro,” he told the salesman who immediately placed two sausages in two buns and handed them to Henry. He covered them in mayo, mustard and ketchup and gave one to Mira. Slipping a few coins in the man’s hand, he took a bite of his hot dog while Mira went ahead on the path.

“It’s delicious! I’m so hungry!” She spoke between bites and Henry nodded in approval. He, too, seemed concentrated in keeping the sauces away from his white shirt. But the mustard escaped in one moment spilling itself over his chest and stomach.

“Damn! I knew I’d ruin this one!” He exclaimed stopping in his tracks.

“Let me!” Mira bit her lip to contain the laughter as she used her napkin to wipe the mustard.

“Some sausages just can’t fit into buns! You of all people, know it, right?” Henry said amused and Mira let out a booming laughter. He finally broke the ice and opened the gate keeping the night in the cave locked up. It was about time they stopped pretending like it hadn’t happened and the baby had fallen into her stomach from the sky.

“Not only buns. Caves, too.” She added in an attempt to sound serious but all she did was pull him into the laughter until they nearly choked on the sausages. “And some buns are too big for some sausages!” She added.

“You flatter yourself!” He kissed her on the lips, the mayo and mustard now across the both of their faces.

Between laughs they finished their hot dogs and by the time their little word games were over, too, the sun had hidden behind the mountains marking the end of their wonderful day. However, the end of the day was also a beginning of something new and sweet. Something Mira didn’t even see coming but enjoyed nevertheless.

The jeep took them back to the mansion and in no time Mira found herself sprawled on the sofa with Henry next to her. It was strange how a single moment could change everything. One kiss and now Mira felt completely at home in that house. Like she belonged there more than the day before. Night had already fallen outside so the fireplace and all the lights in the house were on giving it a magical joy. Mira liked that.

“What a day! I’m so exhausted!” Henry said throwing an arm around her shoulders. “I think I’ll sleep like a baby tonight.”

“Me too.” Mira sighed as tired and content as him.

He turned to kiss her but the buzzing of his phone interfered. Rolling his eyes, he picked up. “Yeah? What’s up Brandon?”