TWO

I saw him before he saw me.

Morning light sliced across his face, sharpening the hard lines of his jaw. He looked like he belonged on a cover of a sports magazine or at the head of the boardroom. His eyes swept the street slow and assessing.

Then they landed on me.

 before yesterday i had never seen this guy, why is he suddenly everywhere?

Flavian tugged my sleeve. “Mommy…  why is that man from the cafe staring at us again?”

I crouched, forcing a smile. “Maybe he’s waiting for someone.”

We headed toward the school gates.

We were late.

i barely went to sleep last night. Thoughts looped all night, and when exhaustion finally won, my alarm went off.

Regent Premier School stood ahead ; polished, perfect and expensive.

I definitely couldn’t afford it but Ironically, my grandparents could. A trust fund they set up the moment Flavian was born.

The same people who begged me not to have him.

“He’ll ruin your life.” they said 

but he was the only thing holding it  together right now.

“Good morning, ma’am,” I said to the principal.

She didn’t smile. “He’s ten minutes late. Go to class, dear. I’ll speak with your mother.”

I kissed Flavian and watched him run inside.

Then I felt it.

Him.

“Mrs Winston,” the man said smoothly.

“Good morning, Mr. Navarro,” she replied.

“This is Mr. Flavian Navarro.” she said to me

I froze.

He looked at me. “Hello.”

“Hello,” I said, tight.

“Miss Fiona Carlisle,” the principal continued, “we were just discussing her son’s tardiness.”

“why? Is this a pattern you recognized?” he asked, eyes still on me.

I snapped. “Okay, everyone  relax. And you — who exactly are you?”

I turned back to the principal. “I’m sorry he was late, i had a rough morning but it won’t happen again. now if youd excuse me i'm late for work”

I walked away before either of them could respond.

Who was this Flavian Navarro…

and why was he suddenly inserting himself into my life ?

I rushed into the law firm where I worked as one of three desk clerks buried under paperwork. i was grateful for the work but it could be really grueling.

I nearly collided with Luna, my senior collegue.

She took one look at me. “Relax. I told Mr. Hale I sent you on an errand.”

“You saved my life.”

“Don’t celebrate yet,” she muttered. “The Delaney case is going to trial and He’s spiraling. Expect more overtime this week.”

how Perfect.

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FLAVIAN

I didn’t mean to watch her walk away. My eyes just… stayed, even though she had signs of tiredness written all over she was still a sight for sore eyes, insanely beautiful.

“Quite a spitfire,” Principal Winston said.

“You have no idea,” I murmured.

We moved into her office.

“You mentioned you had a proposal?”

“Yes. Your facilities are great but only for mostly for  athletes. I want to build a skills acquisition center. Coding. Design. Robotics. Let students explore other interests  beyond sports.”

Her face lit up. “That’s wonderful.”

But my mind had already drifted.

“The woman earlier Fiona, whats the story there.”

“Young single mother,” she said. “Life hasn’t been easy. No father involved from what i know.”

Something about that didn’t sit right with me.

As I walked to my car, one thought followed me:

Can she really handle  all that alone?