Samantha
Despite the troubled start, the rest of the dinner was pleasant. To my surprise, Mike was sympathetic after understanding the whole situation that I was in. He became a little more open after confirming that there was no romantic relationship between Theon and me.
We didn't see time passing, and before we knew it, we were walking side by side, watching the starry Aspen sky as he walked me home, making small talk.
" So, you are preparing the girls for the Thanksgiving presentation," he began, with both hands in his coat pockets.
" Yes, I'm working hard on it, but they'll do fine," I assured him, feeling the cool breeze hitting my face.
" I wish I could watch.”
Mike had told me that he was traveling to Pennsylvania to spend Thanksgiving with his family, so he would not be able to attend the children's performance at the theater in town.
" Well, there will always be other performances," I assured him watching my house pop up as we turned the corner, "that's where I live.”
" Okay, this is when I say goodbye and what an amazing evening it was," he smiled as we pulled up in front of my balcony.
" Oh yes, then you say that you will call me and we will go out again, and I never hear from the handsome vet who accidentally set up a date with a pregnant woman," I scoffed, looking into his eyes.
Mike laughed at my response, moving a little closer, causing my heart to race. Even after today's fiasco, could this work?
" Actually I would arrange for us to go out one more time after Thanksgiving," he smiled, "only then would you find out that I have sold everything I own in Aspen, and returned to my hometown.”
" Would it be a complete escape then? " I raised both eyebrows, in an expression of false surprise.
He didn't answer, but just moved slowly closer, carefully watching my every reaction, and when I understood what was about to happen and closed my eyes, I felt his lips brush against mine for a brief moment before he pulled away.
" Or maybe I can give up the escape plan," he smiled again when I opened my eyes.
" Maybe," I smiled, my heart still racing.
" Sam? "A female voice broke us out of our moment.
I turned away from the boy, turning to find Lara standing a short distance away. She looked lost and the expression on her face worried me.
" I'll call you later," he said goodbye before I could say anything, and I walked toward the woman.
She looked very upset, which worried me a little.
" Lara, what happened?
" Sorry, I needed to talk, I don't think my family would understand me," she began.
" Let's go inside, it's cold in here," I linked her arm, leading her to the door.
I left her on the sofa, going to the kitchen, to prepare some tea to calm her down. I returned after a few minutes with two steaming mugs while she seemed lost in thought.
" Do you want to tell me what happened? " I handed her the mug, settling down next to her on the sofa.
" I'm sorry to drop in on you like this," she sighed, inhaling the tea's aroma, "but I'm not sure I want to talk about it with my family.”
" Well?”
" Mark came to me," she sighed.
I waited expectantly, hoping she would tell me who the hell Mark was, but when I saw that wasn't going to happen, I decided on a more direct approach.
" And should I know who this Mark is?”
" Ohh sorry, Marcus Lisbon. He is Daphne's father," she took a deep breath.
I finally began to understand the real situation. I didn't know the details, but it seems that this guy was not a present father.
" I'll start from the beginning, we dated for a while when I was a senior in college " she began " when I found out I was pregnant, he simply said he wasn't ready to be a father, and wanted no part of it.”
" Lara, this is horrible," I remembered how I felt when I found out that I was pregnant.
My biggest fear was that Theon would disappear and leave me to deal with it alone, and she went through exactly that, and now the guy reappears.
" I had no further contact with him for the past year, until he called me today, said he was sorry and... Sam, I don't know what to think!”
Does she expect me to know?
" Lara, do you intend to give him a chance? " I questioned, sipping my tea.
" I don't know, I was so angry when he broke up with me," she sighed.
" Look, when I found out I was pregnant, my biggest fear was that your brother would disappear," I began, "I even considered never telling him, after all, we didn't even know each other.”
" He would never do that," Lara hastened to say.
" I know that now, but at the time I imagined that's what he would do. I despaired, because I was living in a fourth floor apartment in a building with no elevator in Vegas, one of my neighbors was a stripper at the end of his career, and the other I'm pretty sure was a prostitute," I rambled.
Once again I caught myself thinking about Theon, at that time I had no idea what awaited me here in Aspen.
" When I arrived in Aspen and realized how difficult everything was going to be, I thought I had made a mistake, I should have gone somewhere else and I would have found a way. But now I see that it was not a mistake, your brother will be a present father and I am sure our baby will like it, as hard as it is sometimes with all the judgment I get.
" You mean it would be good for Daphne to have her father around? " She looked disbelieving " even with everything he did I should forgive him?”
" Forgive him and go back to being with the guy who abandoned you when you needed him most and trusted that he would be there for you? Never," I assured her, "but maybe he should have a chance to get to know his daughter, maybe he'll be good for her, he can have the benefit of the doubt.”
" Is that what you would do if you were with Theon?”
" Maybe, I can't know for sure until I'm in the same situation as you," I admitted.
" What if he screws up again? " she observed me.
" Have you ever seen how big your brother is? " I scoffed, "I'm sure he can handle everything if you ask him to.”
A relieved laugh was my response. I felt good to be able to help her, I knew what it was like to be judged and to not have someone who understood what was going on. But maybe that was changing too.