The Dare

“Sounds good. Thank you very much. And your name is…?” I know but it feels polite to ask.

“I’m Amelia.” Her face lights up. “And I am four years old. But I’ll be five soon.”

“Wow, that’s lovely. Are you looking forward to being five?”

Despite everything that’s going on in the rest of the world, I find myself in a little bubble of happiness in Zack’s home. Me and Amelia get on well. Since I don’t know anything about children, this is surprisingly easy, we seem to have a natural and easy bond between us. Deep down, I was incredibly worried about meeting Amelia, if me and Zack ever got to that point, but I had no reason to be panicked. She is wonderful and I think she likes me a lot. She is certainly laughing a lot at what I’m saying, and she seems to want me around.

I honestly can’t understand how Karen could walk out on her daughter like she did. She seems terrifying and ruthless, but she must be very selfish as well. Amelia deserves so much better than her. Thankfully, she has her father who more than makes up for the lack of her mother. Her granny seems awesome as well.

“Would you like to stay for lunch?” she eventually asks me once we’ve all finished playing the game and Amelia has put on a movie to watch. “I was going to make a salad if you’re interested?”

“I don’t want to be any trouble…” She shakes her head at me. “Okay, then I will. Thank you.”

I alternate between assisting making the lunch and drinks and watching specific parts of the film that Amelia wants me to see with her, feeling like I really fit in with these people more than I thought I might. This makes me really think about a future with Zack, and not just in a fantasy type of way, but in a real way. The practicalities of our lives slotting together could be just perfect if everything else gets out of our way. If I leave the company to separate business and pleasure and I work somewhere else, if Zack finds a way to get Karen to leave us alone, if we still feel as strongly as we do for one another right now in the future.

I could love him. I rest my hand on my chest during a second alone. I could really love this man…

“I know that something has been going on between us and my son,” Zack’s mother finally declares, shaking me from my thoughts. “He hasn’t exactly told me, I think that he’s worried to let anyone else in after what Karen did to him and Amelia, but I also know that I haven’t ever seen him as happy as he is right now.”

“Really?” A flood of warmth washes over me. “That’s nice to hear. He makes me happy as well…”

“I think he will make you a lot happier once all of this drama is over. The timing has been crazy.” As she nods, I find my head bobbing along with her. “But if you guys can make it through this, then you’re on the right road to making to together. After meeting you and getting to know you somewhat, I really hope you do. I think the pair of you could be really perfect for one another. I definitely approve, which I wasn’t expecting.”

We shouldn’t necessarily need his mother’s approval, but since her judgement is spot on and she’s a big part of Zack’s life, Amelia’s too, this statement makes me feel incredible and even more confident in what me and Zack share. If she thinks that we can make it, then maybe we really can. It’s great to have her belief.

“I hope so,” I find myself whispering back. “I really do hope that you are right.”

I dart my eyes towards the window, then the door, as if he’s going to stroll back in it in a heartbeat. Much as I’m enjoying myself here and I’m much more relaxed than I would be at home, I still can’t wait for him to him to get back to let us know what happened with Karen. I can only block the rest of the world out for so long, it’s going to come flooding back eventually and I will have to deal with it soon enough. Whatever is going to happen.

Chapter 18 – Zack

“A lawyer’s office?” Karen narrows her eyes suspiciously at me. “What the fuck is this? I assumed that we were going to meet at some café or another to share a civilized coffee while you give me my money.”

“You took the civilization out of it the moment you threatened Latesha,” I warn her. “And you will get your money, you don’t need to worry about that. But I want something from this arrangement as well.”