Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Jayda giggled like a toddler at ice cream when she and Shawn made their exit out of the cinema. They just finished watching the latest horror film titled 'forgotten and instead of coming out with a rather intense expression, the duo laughed their way to the parking lot. 

"So where are we going next?" Jayda asked as Shawn put the car in motion unto the express. 

"I was thinking of dinner" he said. 

"I'm quite full from the popcorn and Soda" 

"How about a walk in Glover?" He suggested. 

Jayda had heard of the new park in town but has not had the opportunity to visit the place even though she'd heard a lot of awesome reviews from the people in Ely. 

"That'd be great," She said. 

They arrived in the park in half an hour and since there wasn't much to do because most of the vendors have closed for the day, Shawn and Jayda just decided to walk and tour the place instead. 

"So, how's your daughter?" Shawn asked

"She's fine"  She replied with a smile. 

"I have a daughter too, she's with my ex-wife" 

"You've been married?" Jayda had no idea why his revelation surprised her so much so that she had her eyes popping out of their sockets. 

"Yes, we divorced a couple of months back before I got transferred to Minnesota. Selena, that's my daughter's name. She's currently living in New York with her mother." Shawn explained 

"I am so sorry about the divorce. Do you kind telling me what happened between you two?" Jayda halt on her tracks and Shawn followed. 

"It's fine if you don't want to tell me" Jayda cussed beneath her breath for asking such a personal question. She immediately regrets stirring up the topic. 

"It's okay... Gigi and I met a couple of years back when I was working with NYPD. Remember one time when a couple of guys brought the grand supermarket under siege?" Jayda replied with a nod "I was part of the team sent to the scene of incidence and I met Gigi there. We just commented so easily and I guess everything just felt right with her. I asked her out and we started seeing each other. It wasn't until when she asked that I go meet up with her parents did I know she's from a rich background. The kind that won't allow their only daughter to marry an officer. She tried on her end to make her parents reason with the two of us but I guess I just couldn't measure up to their dream son-in-law. We continued dating against their wish, everything went on well and I proposed. I loved her dearly and couldn't think of imagining my life without her. On the day of our wedding, it wasn't much of a surprise to us that her parents didn't show up. We still got married nonetheless" 

"You both must have really been in love to neglect the decision of her parents" Jayda envied the girl in question. She could tell that Shawn must have really loved Gigi. 

"We were deeply in love with each other. But the truth of the matter is I would never be able to provide for someone like Gigi. She agreed to put up with our living condition but I should have known better that a high maintenance lady like herself would never accustom herself with an average guy like me."  Shawn heaved a deep sigh before proceeding with his explanation. 

"She would nag at me every single night telling me how her friends are driving the latest cars and wearing the latest outfits. I'm sure there were times when she wished she'd listen to her parents. Times that she wished she never accepted to be my girlfriend and wife. I was on my way to work one morning when she asked for a divorce out of the blue and to think we made love the night before" Shawn scoffed as a wave of remembrance of that night hit him like a sledgehammer. 

"She looked so pretty that morning but the words that came out of her mouth hurt me deeply. She took my child with her to her parents in New York. The judge gave us equal custody rights to Selena and the rest is history" 

"I am so sorry to hear that," Jayda said. 

"I've moved on, likewise her. The only thing I care about is my daughter" 

"I also care a lot about my daughter. She's the only motivation in my life." 

Jayda said. 

"How'd it happen with her dad?" 

Jayda hesitated a bit. She wasn't completely sure of spilling all the deets to a man she still regarded a stranger. But, wouldn't it be selfish of her to hold back when he opened up to her? 

"Her dad and I never married. He was my first and last boyfriend. We bro..he broke up with me and left. He never returned. Never showed up on her birthdays, her graduation, and other significant days of her life. It's like he disappeared. I've since catered for Lucy and now that she's in NYU, I couldn't be more proud of myself and her." 

"It's ironic you know. Who would have thought we share almost the same life predicament?" 

The duo chuckled lightly. 

"I think I can now stomach that dinner you talked about. All these talks about the past just made me hungry" Jayda jokingly said. 

"Lucky for you we still have that reservation"

"Don't you have to go back to the station or something?" Jayda asked knowing that officers don't really have much free time and she didn't want to be a burden. 

"I do have to go back to the station but not immediately" 

"Are you sure? I'd hate if I'm being a burden" 

"Not in the slightest." 

"Are you sure?" Jayda asked for the last time. 

"Yes, I am sure" Shawn confirmed again. 

He entwined his fingers with hers as they walked back to the where he parked. Jayda didn't want to rush or think the best of their first hang out but deep down, she knew this was going to the beginning of something she'd been yearning for for a long long while.