A LOVE FORGOTTEN

Emily's POV

The sun was beginning to dip low as Alex and I made our way through the amusement park, our laughter mingling with the sounds of carnival games and excited shouts from other children. For a few hours, it felt like everything was right in the world. Alex's face lit up with each new ride he conquered, his giggles echoing through the air, and for the first time in a while, I felt like I was truly enjoying life.

We had ridden every roller coaster, spun in dizzying circles on the teacup ride, and even won a few silly stuffed animals at the game booths. It was a perfect day—just me and him. We didn't talk about his father, we didn't talk about the whispers from the playground, and I didn't let myself think about Ethan. We just had fun. And that was enough.

Alex clutched his chocolate ice cream cone as we found a bench near the Ferris wheel to rest. His little legs swung back and forth with excitement, and I could see the joy in his eyes as he recounted all the rides he'd loved. I smiled, watching him, my heart filled with love and a twinge of sadness.

He deserved so much more than what I had been able to give him.

He deserved to know his father. To see him. To have him in his life. The weight of that thought settled heavily on my chest as I glanced around the park. I couldn't help but wonder—Would Ethan want to be a part of this? Would he even care?

I shook the thought away, unwilling to let myself go down that path. The day was supposed to be about Alex, not about the things I couldn't control.

After a while, we decided to head home, the soft glow of streetlights flickering on as night fell. The car ride was quiet, Alex happily finishing the last of his ice cream in the backseat, the soft hum of the engine the only sound between us. I couldn't help but glance in the rearview mirror at his sweet face, his eyes heavy with exhaustion from the excitement of the day.

When we got home, We both showered, and prepped for bed, I tucked Alex into bed, pulling the blankets around him and kissing his forehead. "Goodnight, sweetheart. I love you so much."

"Love you too, Mommy," he mumbled, already half asleep.

I stood by his bed for a moment longer, watching the steady rise and fall of his chest. How could something so simple be so heartbreaking? He deserved to know his father, to have his life be whole. But I had kept him from that reality. It's not like I had much of a choice.

Just as I turned to leave the room, my phone buzzed from the counter in the kitchen. I walked over to the counter to check who it was, an unknown number was calling, could it be Ethan? I thought, well only one way to find out. I clicked the answer button and a man's voice, rich and enticing flowed into my ears.

It was Ethan.

My pulse quickened, a mix of nerves and excitement flooding through me. I had been expecting this call all day, yet now that it was here, I wasn't sure what to expect.

"Hello?" I answered, trying to keep my voice steady, but my heart was racing.

"Emily," Ethan's voice was warm, comforting. "I hope I didn't wake you. I've been thinking about what you said at the seminar, and I wanted to ask if you'd like to grab coffee with me on Saturday. Maybe you could show me around town a bit? I'm still trying to get familiar with the area."

I could hear the sincerity in his voice, and my stomach flipped. The thought of spending more time with him, of actually having a conversation outside of the seminar, made me nervous.

"That sounds nice," I said, forcing a calmness I didn't quite feel. "I'd like that. Saturday works."

There was a slight pause, and I could almost hear the smile in his voice when he spoke again. "Great. I'll meet you at that restaurant by the beach?"

I nodded, even though he couldn't see me. "Sounds good. I'll see you then."

We exchanged a few more pleasantries before I hung up, my mind reeling. I wasn't sure why this felt like such a big deal. Maybe it was because it had been so long since we last spoke or maybe it was because I was still trying to figure out what Ethan and i would talk about or how I still felt about him.

But one thing was certain: Saturday couldn't come soon enough. I was nervous, but I was also ecstatic to breathe beside the love of my life and with that thought I slip into bed, drag the covers over me and smile into la la land.