Page 59 of Signs and Signals

She is quiet on the phone for so long, I check the screen to make sure we are still connected and she didn’t hang up on me again.

“Mrs. Kensington, are you still there?” I say after the silence starts weirding me out.

“Please, dear, call me Samantha. But yes, I am still here. I know you said you didn’t want to get involved in whatever is going on between Atlas and I, but could I ask your advice on something?”

I give her the go ahead to ask and what she says blows my entire mind and breaks my heart.

“I know that I have done some horrible things when it comes to my children. The way I was raised, as well as their father, you don’t marry for love, you marry for business. Not like in the mob or whatever, they don’t arrange anything. But if the person you are seeing isn’t in a high enough class, then your family will forbid you from marrying them. Connections, reputation, social status, having the best of the best and never letting anyone else surpass you.

“Sorry, I was rambling. I didn’t think the feelings you had for my son were genuine. I thought he just had a crush, nothing serious, you are a stunning woman, so I know that he wouldn’t have looked past you. What I am trying to say is I’ve seen the way you are together, the connection you have, I felt the current in the air when you were standing together,” Samantha’s voice softens, as if she is remembering a time when she had the same connection but it was taken away from her.

“You mean at the gala? I believe that is the only place I remember you seeing us together,” I question, because now I am a little confused on where she is going with this.

“No, not the gala, though you did look stunning, you picked an amazing dress that fit perfectly within the theme I was going for. So, thank you for that. I saw you at dinner one night, months ago. You, Atlas, and a little girl with dark hair and wild curls. Just looking at that little girl put a smile right on my face, giving me a warmth on the inside, I haven’t felt for a long time,” she coos, Haven seems to have that effect on a lot of people these days.

“Was it the Italian restaurant, in the town over? I think it is called,Casa dei Sogni,that is where you saw us?” I ask, the pieces all coming together.

“Yes, that is my favorite restaurant, not only because they house our wines and their food is delicious, it is my favorite because of the name. It means House of Dreams, how magical is that,” she gushes, excited over her favorite place to eat.

“That is beautiful, I didn’t know that, that makes me love it even more,” I laugh, which causes Samantha to giggle.

“That is where I saw its truth, the connection between the three of you, I felt it, the energy, I felt it all the way at a table near the back. It was a beautiful feeling. Then my past got the best of me. When my children were younger, I swore I would not be the same as what our parents were, and what did I do? I made it worse,” she sniffles, sounding angry that her emotions are getting the best of her. I decide to take the reins. I know now, what she wants to ask, she wants my advice on how to get back into the lives of her children.

“Samantha, if you want to be back in Atlas’s life, or any of your children, I am not sure what your relationship is like with Van and Lyra, so all I can do is comment on what is going on between you and Atlas. He was hurt when he told you he was stopping all contact between the two of you. He loves you so much, but what you did went too far for him, he didn’t know how else to make you understand. He wanted you to know thatyour actions were not only hurting him, but others, others like the four-year little girl, who absolutely adores him. He feels the same about her, too. Watching them together is so beautiful, it is just like magic.

“If you want to be back in his life you need to change the aspects in yours that caused him to make this decision to begin with. He will not want to hear words—he needs toseeactions. I believe deep in my soul, that if sees that you are trying to change and making strides in the right direction, he will give you another chance,” I tell her softly. My heart breaks for her, it really does. But if she doesn’t change her ways, Atlas will never want to be in her life.

“I appreciate you taking your time to speak to me, Indya. Thank you for the words of advice. I really did judge you before knowing you. If the shoe was on the other foot, I would have cursed you out and hung up the phone. So, thank you. Again, I am sorry for everything. Have a great time at the game. I am going but I won’t be in our box. I have friends whose son is on the team, and I will be sitting with them. Have a great day, goodbye.” She hangs up before I can respond.

I really hope she can show him actions and not just one or two changes for a few days, she is going to have to work hard to get his forgiveness.

After I hang up with Samantha, I jump in the shower. While I am showering, washing my hair, mama comes to mind.

I felt it, mama. The connection that you told me about. I haven’t followed everything you told me before you left me, but I think on the parts I did succeed in, I did extremely well. I didn’t love a lot of things growing up, mama, even though you said to, it was just too hard.

Life has been so hard, but I believe my luck is finally changing. Atlas makes me feel everything, loved, safe, protected, and most of all, wanted. I have never felt wantedby anyone, aside from you and daddy, until I met Atlas. We danced among the stars, our connection sparking colors, like the most vibrant fireworks in the sky. It was a beautiful moment; I wish you could have witnessed it.

He not only loves me this way, the way he loves Haven is beyond words. He treats her like a princess, and gives her more love, all the love she needs.

I have started loving things for you, mama. I love the work I get to do, I love the little family I have with Silas, Amara, Emerson, Asia, and Haven, and I love the friends I have gained since moving here. I’m not sure if it was you or fate that led me here.

But if it was you, thank you for leading me to my other half, the one who makes me feel whole. One last thing—thank you for helping me slay the dragon, mama. I love and miss you so much.

Give daddy a hug for me and send him my love as well.

***

It is game time, the anthem has been sung, the hot dogs eaten, and the popcorn is popping. They have this, Riverside Legends have this. The box is full today, Van and Lyra are here, all decked out supporting their brother. Silas, Emerson, Asia, and Amara are also here, they all decided to purchase other players’ jerseys. Silas is wearing short stop, Danny Morrison’s number six jersey; Emerson is wearing catcher, Bailey Layne’s number one jersey; Asia is wearing left fielder, Tony Simmons number seven jersey, and Amara is wearing number thirty-four, our favorite pitcher’s jersey, Zander Houston.

Zander gifted Haven with another jersey he had custom made, half of it is his jersey and the other half is Atlas. She looked him straight in the eyes, had a straight face the entire time, and a serious expression glaring out at him and said,Are you crazy right now, Zan? I can’t change my shirt during theWorld games! I can’t believe you! I am part of the team now, Zan, my superstitions count too, you know.

Yep, he just stood there and took his scolding like a man. Then tells her it is for next season, which seemed to make her feel better, which made him feel better. Well until she hit him with,well if we win the World games, and get a cup, I will have to keep wearing this, okay? When the magic is gone from this outfit, we will try another one to see if it works.

Again, he just stood there. All Atlas or I could do was laugh, poor Zander was so excited it arrived in time for the first game. Atlas keeps trying to remind Haven it is World Series not World games, this little sassy girl, put her hand on her hip, pushed out said hip, signing with one hand in jerky movements, trying to make her point, she signed,SAME. THING.

She is going to be the death of me when she is a teenager, I just know it. Van told us she is a mixture of Amara and me, a gentle caring person with fire and spunk. Then he thought about it a little more then said he is starting to see Atlas in her looks and personality. I just laughed in his face. It was physically impossible for her to look like Atlas.

Although, she has never had dimples, and suddenly, they are beginning to show. Maybe Van is right, she is getting some of Atlas in looks and personality. I would have zero issues with that.

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