Seraphina’s POV
After breakfast with the Morrison family, I found myself reluctant to leave the warmth and comfort of their ho. But I knew I couldn’t stay any longer—Adrian was waiting for , and my life was back in Silver Moon Harbor.
"I think I should really get going." I said, standing from the kitchen table where we’d been lingering over coffee and Margaret’s incredible homade cinnamon rolls.
Caleb looked up from his cup. "Where will you go from here?"
"Back ho to Silver Moon Harbor," I replied, then found myself adding impulsively, "Actually, Caleb, would you like to co visit soti? I an, if you ever find yourself in the city... I’d love to show you around."
He was quiet for a mont, considering my invitation with that careful way he had of thinking things through. Finally, a slow smile spread across his face.
"You know what? That sounds really nice, Sera. And actually..." He paused, running a hand through his hair. "I’ve been putting off a supply run to the city for weeks now. We need parts for the shop that I can only get from the bigger dealers down south. Maybe I could drive down with you, take care of business."
Relief flooded through at the thought of not having to make the long drive alone. "That would be wonderful! Are you sure you don’t mind the company?"
"Mind?" Caleb’s smile widened. "I’d enjoy it."
“Your car is still broken." He stood up, brushing his hands off on his jeans. "It isn’t going anywhere for a while."
My heart sank. "How long would it take to fix?"
"Well, I could do the work myself at our shop," Caleb said, studying the damage with a professional eye. "But with parts and everything... we’re talking at least a week, maybe more. Supply chains up here aren’t exactly reliable these days. I’ll fix your car and drive it down to you once it’s ready," he said simply. "In the anti, you can ride with in my truck. We’ll go to the city together, I’ll take care of my business, and you’ll get ho today instead of next week."
An hour later, we were loaded into Caleb’s pickup truck. Margaret had insisted on packing us enough food for a small army, pressing containers of sandwiches and thermoses of coffee into our hands despite our protests.
"Drive carefully," Robert called from the front porch as Caleb started the engine. "And Sera—you co back and visit us soon, you hear?"
"So tell about your son, I heard your phone calls" Caleb said once we’d reached the main highway. "Adrian, right? How old is he?"
A smile automatically spread across my face. "He’s five. The most amazing little boy you’ll ever et—smart and funny and full of energy. He has this way of making everyone fall in love with him within five minutes of eting him."
"Five years old," Caleb repeated thoughtfully. "That’s a fun age. All questions and curiosity, I bet."
"Exactly! He wants to know how everything works, why the sky is blue, where babies co from..." I laughed, rembering so of Adrian’s more challenging questions.
Caleb chuckled. "He sounds incredible. What about his father?"
The question hit like a cold splash of water, wiping the smile from my face. "His father... isn’t around."
"I’m sorry," Caleb said quickly, noticing my change in mood. "I didn’t an to pry."
"It’s okay. It’s just..." I struggled to find the right words. "Adrian was unexpected. A surprise from a night I barely rember. His father doesn’t even know he exists."
Caleb was quiet for a mont, processing this information. "That must be hard, raising him on your own."
"Sotis," I admitted. "But Adrian makes everything worth it. He’s the best thing that ever happened to , even if the circumstances weren’t... ideal."
"Are you married now? Or seeing soone?"
Heat rose in my cheeks at the personal question. "No, I’m not married. And as for seeing soone..." I thought about Damien.
Before I could say that na, my phone started ringing. Adrian’s contact photo filled the screen.
"I should take this," I said, accepting the video call. "Hi, sweetheart!"
Adrian’s face appeared on the screen, his silver-blue eyes sparkling with excitent. He was clearly in the living room, with familiar furniture visible in the background.
"Mommy!" he exclaid, bouncing slightly in his enthusiasm. "When are you coming ho? I missed you so much!"
"I missed you too, baby. I’m on my way ho right now, actually. I should be there in a few hours."
"Really? Really really?"
"Really really," I confird, using our special phrase. "Have you been good for Ophelia and Mr. Damien?"
"The best! Mr. Damien taught how to tie my shoes yesterday, and Ophelia let help make cookies, and we went to the park and I made friends with a dog nad Charlie!"
Listening to Adrian’s chatter, I beca aware that Caleb had gone very quiet beside . I glanced over and saw him watching my phone screen with an expression of wonder.
"Mommy, who’s that man driving?" Adrian asked suddenly, having apparently noticed Caleb in the background of our video call.
I angled the phone so Adrian could see both of us. "This is my friend Caleb, sweetheart. He’s giving Mommy a ride ho because my car broke down."
"Hi, Adrian," Caleb said warmly, glancing at the phone while keeping most of his attention on the road. "Your mom has told a lot about you."
Adrian studied Caleb with the intense curiosity that only five-year-olds possessed. "You have nice eyes," he announced with typical childhood directness.
Caleb’s face lit up with genuine delight. "Thank you. And you have amazing eyes too—they’re very unusual."
We drove in comfortable silence for a while after that, the landscape gradually changing from forest and mountains to suburbs and eventually to the familiar skyline of Silver Moon Harbor in the distance.
Twenty minutes later, we pulled up in front of my building. I could see Adrian’s face pressed against the window of her third-floor apartnt, and the mont he spotted us, he disappeared from view.
"He’s coming down," I said, laughing at my son’s eagerness. "Fair warning—he’s going to be excited and probably ask you a million questions."
"I can handle it," Caleb said with a grin.
Sure enough, within monts Adrian ca bursting through the building’s front door, Ophelia close behind him. My son launched himself into my arms the mont I stepped out of the truck, wrapping his small arms around my neck with fierce intensity.
"Mommy! You’re really here!"
"I’m really here," I confird, holding him tight and breathing in his familiar little-boy scent of soap and sunshine. "I missed you so much, sweetheart."
When Adrian finally pulled back to look at , his gaze imdiately shifted to Caleb, who had co around to our side of the truck. My son studied him with obvious curiosity, taking in everything from Caleb’s friendly smile to his casual clothes to the way he stood with relaxed confidence.
"So you’re the handso big brother who gave my mommy a ride ho."
Reviews
All reviews (0)