100
“Are we already in Barcelona?” I croaked.
Flynn nodded. “Yes we are, you had been sleeping for three hours straight and you didn’t even wake up when the plane touched down.”
I smiled sheepishly at him. “Guess I was too tired.”
“I figured, that’s why I let you sleep. What’s your aunt address?”
I took out my phone and showed him the address. He leaned forward to give the address to the driver.
I looked outside and saw all the familiar places. Places where I used to hangout. It has been so long that I’ve been back here.
Barcelona. My hometown.
And still it wasn’t really home. I wasn’t born here. I was raised here for as long as I can remember. I let out a huge sigh. Coming back here, brought back so many memories. Happy and sad ones.
I can’t wait to see Aunt Lydia and Milan after two years.
Oh shit!
I haven’t told Flynn about Milan. What if he will freak out? Should I tell him?
Questions were floating in my head.
I looked over at him and he was also staring outside deep in thoughts. My heart beat faster and I hoped Flynn wouldn’t get out of the car. I hope he will just let the driver bring in my luggage. I don’t want to tell him about Milan just yet.
Maybe later. Maybe when we go back.
After a few minutes of driving we finally stopped at a familiar white house.
Home.
I stepped out of the car and breathed in the fresh air. It feels so good to finally be home. When I saw Flynn stepping out of the car I hurriedly ran towards him.
“You don’t have to come out you know. I mean thanks for bringing me here.” I hastily said.
He chuckled. “Of course I will come out and say Hi to your aunt. I’m not that rude pudding.” He walked to the back of the car and helped the driver to bring my luggage inside.
We walked towards the main door and before I could knock, the door swung open revealing my aunt. She still looks the same only with a little bit more wrinkles. No doubt Milan gave her that.
“Tia!” I exclaimed and hugged her tightly. I have missed her so much.
“Jill! Finally you’re here.” she sobbed as she hugged me tighter.
“Don’t cry, I’m here.” I let go of her and rubbed her back softly. “How have you been? You still look so young.”
She playfully shoved me. “Oh shut up, you know I’m getting older day by day.”
I heard a cough from behind me and realized that Flynn was still here.
“I want you to meet someone Tia.” I said and stepped aside so Flynn could step forward.
“Is that your novio? She asked, her eyes glimmering.
“What, no. We’re just amigos.” I said.
She looked at me suspiciously but then extended her hand to Flynn. “I’m Lydia, nice to meet you young man.”
“The pleasure is mine, I’m Flynn.”
“Welcome to Barcelona, Are you going to stay here?”
“Oh no, I’ll stay at my hotel.”
“But why? There’s enough room here. Jill why haven’t you told him.”
“No, it’s okay. I have a meeting tomorrow. It will be easier for me to stay in the hotel where the meeting is being held.”
“Oh, why don’t you stay for din–?”
I interrupted aunt Lydia. I should have whispered to her that Flynn still doesn’t know about Milan. “It’s okay Tia, Flynn is probably really tired and wants to go home and take a shower. Right Flynn?” I asked raising my eyebrows as I literally tell him to go away with my eyes.
“Uh- yeah uhmm.. I should get going. Uhm nice to meet you Lydia.”
Aunt Lydia smiled at him. “Nice to meet you too, you should visit again before you leave.”
Flynn gave her a sincere smile. “I will.”
Flynn motioned his driver that it’s time to leave but before he could turn around to open the door I heard footsteps behind me.
“Mommy.”
Flynn Vasilios P. O. V
I stood frozen in shock as I watch the little boy running towards Jill. He looked so happy at seeing her.
Jill squatted down and hugged him tightly. “My baby.” she said happily as she hugged the little boy. He buried his face in Jill’s neck and kissed her on both of her cheeks.
My baby?
Did she have a baby?
The boy didn’t look older than six years. He had a huge smile plastered on his face when Jill whispered something in his ear.
Is he mine?
It can’t be, the little boy had curly black hair, neither me or Jill had curly black hair. He looked like an arab boy, but I could be wrong. He could be italian or spaniard.
I snapped out of my thoughts when Jill turned around and faced me with the little boy in her arms. “This is my friend, Flynn. Will you say hi?” she whispered to the little boy. He nodded and looked at me from under his thick black eyelashes. His eyes were a dark shade of brown.
He is definitely not mine.
Was Jill pregnant six years ago and is that why she was so upset that night? And where’s the father? I had so many question and I was mad that Jill didn’t inform me about him.
“Hi Flynn.” the little boy whispered shyly. I flashed him a smile and pinched his cheeks. “Hey buddy, everything good?”
He nodded and his eyes twinkled from excitement. I can see that he really loved Jill. “Yes, mommy is home. I missed mommy.”
Mommy, he called Jill mommy.
There’s no doubt he’s her son. Even though he doesn’t look like Jill, maybe he had the features of his father. But where the fucking hell is the father? I remembered that Jill said she only lived with her Aunt.
Jill probably saw all the confusion on my face, because she gave the little boy back to her aunt and send them to the living room to wait for her. Once they left, she looked up at me. Hell yea, I needed answers.
“I should have told you about Milan.” she mumbled softly.
So she remembered me. She remembered the one night stand in Milan.
My heart almost jumped out of my chest. It was racing so fast I was afraid it would leave my chest. “So you remembered?” I choked out after a while, trying to hide my excitement.
“Remembered?”Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.
“Yes, about Milan?”
She nodded. “Yes, I can remember it like yesterday.”
Dammit, this girl knew all along that I was her one night stand and she didn’t say anything. My heart suddenly stopped.
What if she didn’t love me back? Is that the reason why she didn’t bring the one night stand up?
Shit.
I haven’t thought of that.
“It’s a long, complicated story.” she sighed avoiding eye contact.
I tilted her chin up so she could look up at me. Her blue-green eyes looked tired, but at same time I saw a sign of relieve. “I have all night, pudding.”
“Well, I haven’t seen my family in two years. Maybe we can meet up for lunch tomorrow?” she suggested.
I have a meeting at lunch tomorrow, so that wouldn’t work. “I can’t, I have a meeting. What about dinner?”
“Sounds good to me, what time?”
“I will pick you up at eight.”
“That’s great, uhm so I guess you want to go to your hotel now? Thanks again.”
“My pleasure pudding.” I gave her a hug, before motioning to my driver that it was time to go.
“Be safe.” she whispered before I opened the main door.
“Are you looking out for me pudding?” I teased as I hear the concern in her voice. It’s cute.
She shrugged. “It’s just something I always say.”
“Well, you don’t need to worry. My driver is not planning to kill me anytime soon.” I gave her a wink and walked out towards my car.
“Mandarin Oriental.” I said to my driver before I stepped in the car. I had so much on my mind right now. First Jill had a son that look six years old so she must have been a couple of weeks pregnant when I had met her at the fashion show. Or maybe she discovered that night that she was pregnant.
Was that the reason why she wanted to forget everything that night? Did her baby daddy left her? And then the fact that she remembered the one night stand in Milan. She remembered me, but why didn’t she showed any emotion. Why didn’t she showed any affection towards me? She is so damn good in acting, I should have give her an oscar. I massaged my head. I felt a headache coming up.
So many question I want to ask, so many answers I need.
And the only person who can answer me is the girl that stole my heart from the first time I laid eyes on her.
…….
Jill Malik P. O. V
I threw a bowl of chicken in the large frying pan as I continued to chop the onions. Chicken Costa Brava was my favorite food and probably the only dish I could make.
“So, you haven’t told your novio about Milan?” Aunt Lydia asked as she stood next to me and sprinkled salt in the pineapple juice. Her hair was tied in a tight knot on top of her head, I was afraid her scalp would come off.
I shook my head. “He’s not my boyfriend Tia and I didn’t know he would get out of the car otherwise I would have told him.”
The only reason I didn’t want to tell Flynn about Milan was because he will ask so many questions. And I don’t know if I could answer them without bursting out in tears.
“He will ask so many questions Tia.”
Aunt Lydia shook her head in disapproval. “I’m pretty sure he will. But I think you’re ready to answer them aren’t you carina?” She wiped her hands on her apron and waited for my answer.
“Yes, I am. It has been six years already.”
Aunt Lydia smiled at my answer. “Good, because he deserves to know. He looked really confused when he saw Milan. And Oh have I told you that Larissa visited me during christmas last year?”
I snapped my head at her in surprise when she mentioned Larissa’s name. “Really?” I asked happily. I’m so glad she could finally visit her home town without getting flashbacks about her father, Uncle David.
“Yeah, we spent Christmas together with Milan. I wished you were here.”
I sighed as I threw the onions and garlic in the pan. “I wished that too, I was so busy with finals.”
“That’s okay, I hope you can make it this year though.” Aunt Lydia threw some tomatoes, olives and salsa in the pan and poured the pineapple juice before putting the lid on it.
“Mommy.” I felt someone tugging on the bottom of my shirt. I looked down and saw my little rayo de sol.
“Yes, mi amor.” I cooed as I picked him up.
I put him on the kitchen counter and watched what he was taking out of his pocket. It was his school report. I opened it and a smile crept on my face. “These are really good grades amor.”
“Yes mommy, can we go get ice cream after dinner?” he asked sweetly. Oh god, it’s so hard to say no to his sweet voice.
I laughed softly and kissed him on his nose. “Well, it’s too late to get ice cream now. What about tomorrow?”
He nodded eagerly. “Yes, muchas gracias.”
I was so happy he was learning spanish. Milan was enrolled in a private school where they teach in english. It was quite expensive, but I want to give him the best of the best, because he deserves it. At home Aunt Lydia teaches him to speak spanish and it was so cute if he did.
“De nada, but now I have to finish dinner okay? Do you want to wait in the living room with Tia, until I said dinner’s ready?.”
He nodded and jumped off the kitchen counter and immediately ran to the living room. I did the final touches on dinner and started to set the table. After fifteen minutes I called that dinner was ready.
“Smells so good, right Milan?” Aunt Lydia said as she came into the kitchen followed by Milan.
“Mommy is a good cook.”
“Aw, you wound me amor, I’m not a good cook?” Aunt Lydia asked, pretending she was hurt.
“I love your churros.” Milan shrugged.
I laughed as I scooped rice and chicken on their plate. We prayed and had dinner.
During dinner we talked about Milan’s upcoming birthday party, which would be held on Sunday. It would not be a grand birthday party. Only Milan’s friends and Larissa were invited. I told Aunt Lydia about my life in New york, my new job, and how I was able to send her money every month. In turn she told me about Milan, her job as a freelancer, and Larissa.
I haven’t seen Larissa since that day in Milan, six years ago. She had called me a couple of times, but when I changed numbers we lost touch. Occasionally I saw her in tabloids of beauty magazines. She became a really well known model in France and Italy.
After dinner Aunt Lydia offered to do the dishes and told me to put Milan in bed.
“Mommy, I’m done with brushing my teeth.” he said as he showed me his set of perfectly white teeth.
“Good boy, now go to bed so I can turn the lights off.” I walked towards his night lamp and turned it on. I tugged him in and gave him a goodnight kiss before leaving his room.
“Mommy.” he whispered as he held my hand.
“Can you tell me the story of my other mommy and daddy?”
Jill Malik P. O. V
“Did you had fun mi amor?” I asked Milan as we walked back home from the park. The park was crowded with parents and their kids. Milan wanted to stay longer, but it was almost seven at night and I needed to get home and get ready to go to dinner with Flynn.
“Yes mommy.” he licked his ice cream and then looked up at me with cream all over his upper lip and nose.
I chuckled at the sight and wiped the cream away with my thumb. “Now that’s better.”
“Are you going to have dinner with us tonight too mommy?” he asked, holding my pinky finger.
“No, I’m going to have dinner with Flynn.”
“Your boyfriend?”
My eyes widened as he said that. “No, he’s just a friend.”
“So your friend boy?”
I looked at him in complete shock. He’s too smart for his own good.
“Well yeah kinda, he’s just a friend amor.” I ruffled his hair and accidentally also dipped his face in the ice cream.
“Mommy!” he yelped and looked up at me with ice cream covered all over his face. “Look what you did.”
“I’m sorry.” I chuckled and wiped the cream from his nose and licked it. “Mmh, that taste good.”
We arrived home and Aunt Lydia was already waiting for us on the patio. “Well well, look who we have here ice cream face.” She said as she tickled Milan.
“Tia…” he giggled, “Stop it, my cone will fall.”
“Did you had fun?” Aunt Lydia asked.
Milan nodded. “Yes, we went to the park and then afterwards mommy bought me ice cream.”
“Did you told mommy what your favorite flavor is?”
“Mommy knew my favorite flavor.”
I nodded. “Chocolate chip cookie.”
Aunt Lydia looked up at me in surprise. “You remembered.” she whispered.
“Of course I remember every little thing about my not so little boy.” I laughed and pinched his cheeks.
We walked inside and aunt Lydia went to give Milan a bath so I could get ready for my dinner with Flynn.
He didn’t tell me if it would be a fancy dinner or just a casual one and I had a hard time choosing what to wear. When I saw that I only had fifteen minutes before Flynn arrived I grabbed the first dress that I think would look presentable. It was a red high low dress with straps. Reina bought this for me when we went to a party two years ago. I slipped on the dress and it was a little snug on the breast department, but nonetheless it still looked pretty on me. I slipped on my nude three-inch heels that I’d manage to walk in flawlessly without tripping since I worked for Ximena.
Number one rule in Ximena’s company: Heels are a girl’s best friend. I applied a minimum of makeup and curled the ends of my hair.
“Mommy, you are so pretty.” a cute boyish voice came from behind me. I turned around and saw Milan in his spiderman pajamas.
“Thank you mi amor.” I walked over to him and kissed him on his forehead. He smelled so fresh out of the shower.
“Did you already have dinner?”
He shook his head. “Nope, Tia is still cooking.”
I grabbed my purse and walked with Milan to the kitchen. The smell of lasagna filled in the small kitchen.
“Mmm, this smells delicious.” I murmured as my mouth started to water.
“You look gorgeous carina.” Aunt Lydia hushed as she turned around from the stove. “Are you sure he isn’t your novio?”
I shook my head and laughed. “I’m positive he’s not.”
I was about to help Aunt Lydia to set the table, when there was a knock on the door.
“I think it’s Flynn. I should go now.” I said and went to open the front door.
Aunt Lydia and Milan followed behind me. I opened the door and Flynn was standing there dressed in a sharp black tuxedo with a bouquet of roses. “Hey.” he greeted smiling his eyes trailing over my body. “You look beautiful.”
“Thanks.” I replied as I pushed a strand of hair to the side. He gave me a final once over before he handed me the roses. “Here, these are for you.”
I took the flowers out of his hands. They were beautiful and freshly picked. “Thank you, they’re beautiful.” I murmured eyeing the beautiful red and white roses. I handed them to Aunt Lydia so she could put them in a vase and then I squatted down to Milan.
“Are you going to be a good boy when mommy’s gone?”
He nodded and grinned. “I’m always a good boy mommy.”
I ruffled his hair and stood up to face Flynn who was standing there watching me in complete awe.
“Shall we?” he asked, holding out his hand for me to take. I placed my hand in his as we left. “See you later.” I said to Aunt Lydia and Milan before I closed the door behind me.
We walked towards the car and he opened the door for me. “Chivalry is not dead.” I joked. He just rolled his eyes as smiled silently. “Of course not pudding.”