8 years later
Gabriella Lee Bailey was the same version of me: stubborn and persuasive to a fault. With her head thrown to the side and her arms crossed in defiance, I knew I had already lost the battle. She would disagree until I caved.
“What do you want?” I asked, playing dumb even though I knew what she was after.
“I want you to go on a date with Uncle Bastian.” She was only eight, but her courage was relentless.
Kids started getting curious and asking about the missing parent at this age. I saw in Gabby how she longed for a complete family. The other day, she drew a portrait of herself, me, and her father. He wasn’t fully formed—just a vague outline of a man. When I asked her about it, she shrugged and said all the other kids at school drew one, so she did, too.
“How do you know Uncle Bastian likes me? What if he doesn’t?” I teased, trying to deflect.
She scoffed, rolling her eyes in that exaggerated way only kids her age could pull off. “Everyone in the neighborhood knows he likes you. Betty said he was looking at you yesterday like you were a Disney princess.”
I laughed. “And what if Mommy doesn’t like him?”
Gabby popped a popsicle into her mouth, chewing thoughtfully before answering. “That’s not the case. I overheard what you told Aunt Zara in the kitchen yesterday.”
My stomach flipped. I thought she’d been outside playing with her friends when Zara arrived. I would’ve been more careful if I knew she was lurking around.
“Why don’t you want to date anyone because of me?”
I sighed, leaning back into the couch, the cartoon playing on the TV turning into background noise. Because I couldn’t afford to, I’d rather be here with Gabby, curled up on the couch, sharing popsicles and watching PJ Masks, than waste my time on a man who would only pretend to love me. I didn’t have time for that kind of drama. Dull days (what some might call boring) were a luxury to me. I’d choose a quiet life over a storm any day.
Gabby filled every bit of my heart. She was the love I never thought I’d have, the kind of love that reached out to the moon, the stars, the earth, and back again. She filled every space in me. My love for her was cosmic, like a universe constantly expanding, never running out of room or light. She was the center of everything: my sun, my reason for everything.
Damn it, I wasn’t a poet, but that’s how much I loved Gabby.
She looked up at me with those bright eyes, waiting for an answer I didn’t have the heart to give. “So, are you going to go on the date?”
I smiled, ruffling her hair gently. “We’ll see, sweetheart. We’ll see.”
The truth was, I had no intention of dating Sebastian. He was a fine young man, no doubt. The kind of guy who wanted a sweet, submissive wife with four kids in a cozy house near the beach or the countryside. That kind of life. The type of life that wasn’t for me.
If he had met me ten years ago, I might have said yes without a second thought, but not anymore. Not after everything. Not after I’d sold my soul to the devil. And I couldn’t stop now.
Nor was I willing to tell any man the nature of my job. They’d never understand—especially not someone like Sebastian, no matter how good he was.
“I want a yes or no answer,” Gabby demanded, pulling me from my thoughts.
“Gabby, the cartoon is coming to the climactic end. You don’t want us to miss it.”
“This is the fifth time we’ve watched it,” she said, her arms still crossed, eyes narrowed with determination.
“And it never gets old,” I replied, smiling, trying to steer the conversation away.
“Mum, come on. I don’t want you to miss out on a good man like Uncle Bastian.”
“Fine.” I threw my hands up in mock surrender. “One date. Only one.”
She screeched in victory, throwing her hands into the air like she’d just won an Olympic medal. “Yes!”
I narrowed my eyes at her, suddenly suspicious. “Did he put you up to this?”
Sebastian was a persuasive man. It wouldn’t surprise me if he’d somehow roped Gabby into his plans. After all, everyone in my life knew she was my Achilles’ heel.
“No, he didn’t.” Gabby’s eyes darted to the TV, avoiding mine like a guilty puppy.
“What did Mommy say about lying?”
“She hates it.”
“And?”
“She gets sad each time I lie,” she mumbled.
“Good. Now tell the truth.”
She sighed, finally giving in. “Sebastian said he’d marry you. Said you’re the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen.”
I shook my head. “See? I was right.”
“I’m not trying to convince you because of what he said,” she added quickly. “He’s a good man, and I like him for you.”
I was about to respond when my phone rang, which was strange. I never receive phone calls from my work line on weekends.
From the beginning, I clarified that weekends were strictly for Gabby and me. We’d lazy around all day, watching cartoons, doing karaoke, or watching the sunset together. This weekend was no different. So, I declined the call.
Still, I couldn’t help but wonder why Madame Rosalie was calling me on a weekend. In four years, she’d never done that.
“So, you won’t be backing out of the date, right?” Gabby asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.
“No, mom,” I said sarcastically.
My phone rang again. I declined. It rang once more. What the hell was going on?
“That’s your work line, Mom,” Gabby pointed out.
“Yes, but the weekend is time for mummy and baby.” I leaned over to kiss her temple.
“You should pick up the call. It sounds urgent. Besides, I’m a big girl now, so I can manage independently if your boss needs you.”
I sighed, knowing she was right. “Okay, lemme just answer this, and I’ll be back in a jiffy. Before you even blink.”
“No, no, take your time,” she said, waving me off without looking away from the TV.
“If I didn’t know how much you love me, I’d think you’re tired of my presence,” I joked.
I walked over to my room, closing the door before picking up the call. “Hello?”
“I need you here in the next ten minutes,” Madame Rosalie’s voice snapped through the line.
What was happening over there?
“Unless I can teleport—which I can’t—there’s no way I’ll get there in ten minutes with Seattle traffic and all,” I said.
“Girl, I want you here in at least twenty minutes. Make sure you’re here by then because I swear to God, I won’t take it lightly if—” she trailed off, her tone had no gleam of joke on it.
Madame Rosalie never acted like this unless a vital client was waiting. The urgency in her voice left me with no choice. I hated the thought of leaving Gabby, even though she had insisted she’d be fine. But if Rosalie was this frantic, something big must be happening.
I quickly scanned my closet, grabbing the quickest, most fashionable outfit I could find. Time was ticking, but looking presentable was part of the job. I slipped on a sleek black blouse and fitted jeans, then hurried back to the living room, where Gabby was still lounging on the couch.
“Sweety, I need to go to work, but I promise I’ll be back before you know it,” I said, pressing a kiss to her temple, then her cheek.
“I’m fine, Mom. I’ll just stay here all day watching Romeo and Juliet. Siri said it’s one of the best classic movies,” Gabby said, popping another popsicle into her mouth like she was discussing Saturday morning cartoons, not Shakespearean tragedy.
I blinked. “What, young lady? That’s not age-appropriate. It’s a sad romance, not some happily ever after. I don’t want you watching that.”
“You said love is shit and always ends up hurting people. That’s what you told Zara in the kitchen yesterday,” she argued, her voice innocent but her words cutting deep.
I sighed, realizing she wasn’t entirely wrong. “Real life is different from movies.”
“But you always say movies should be realistic and look like real life,” Gabby shot back, crossing her arms triumphantly.
“Damn it,” I muttered under my breath, feeling the pressure of time weighing heavily on me. “Fine, you can watch it, but only for today.”
“Thank you, Mom. And please come home early.” She blew me a kiss. It was apparent the tiny brat loved it each time I caved into her demands.
I smiled weakly, bending down to kiss her again. “I’ll be back soon, I promise. But I’m still sending Zara over to stay with you.”
“I’m going to be nine in December. I’m a big girl,” Gabby said, rolling her eyes like an adult.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m a big girl, ” I parroted after her with a smile.
“Bye, don’t forget to be a good girl for Momma,” I added before slipping out the door. Then I sprinted down the stairs, mentally cursing Seattle traffic and praying I’d get to work in time for whatever this big emergency was.