Page 112 of Laws of Love
“No, but the kids can wear them. These are for the carnival in the park and trick-or-treating.”
Mia nodded as she stood. “I should go, but…text me when you’re going, and I’ll meet you there.”
Aiva watched Mia walk out of the office, and ten seconds later, Finx and Meila were seated across from her.
“That was an unexpected turn of events,” Finx said.
“I was sure hands would be laid on her this time,” Meila chimed in. “But she seems to be maturing. I will admit I feel a little bad for her. She didn’t know what she had until it was gone.”
“At least you won’t have to worry about her,” Finx spoke.
“I was never worried about her, but maybe our conversation will help her somehow,” Aiva responded. “Now, both of you, back to work.”
When alone in her office, she contemplated calling Knox, but glancing at the time showed he would be heading to pick Yasmine up. She would call him later that night and tell him about her conversation with Mia. Though she was sure it was similar to the one they had almost two months ago.
45
Aiva watched Yasmine skip a few feet in front of her and Knox, holding Mia’s hand. They were trick-or-treating before they headed to the carnival. Other parents had the same idea as they passed with their kids. A couple gave them strange looks like some people who’d opened doors for them. She didn’t blame them. They were dressed as characters fromEncanto. Knox was dressed as Agustín, which Yasmine helped him choose.
It was clear that they were all together, but Aiva didn’t think they should be so puzzled. There were only two options. Two of them were co-parenting, or they were in a poly relationship. The latter was probably what people looking at them strangely thought. Either way, they wouldn’t be explaining it.
They stopped by a few more houses before heading back to where Knox parked the car. It was almost seven o’clock, and they wanted Yasmine to have at least a couple of hours at the park. She had a later bedtime for the night, but they all knew she’d be tired and dead on her feet by the time her usual bedtime rolled around.
The first order of business when they made it to the park was to get food from one of the trucks in attendance. As they ate, Yasmine pointed out some stalls and carts she wanted to visit. There were several festive games. Some of which she’d played a couple of days before at the festival after school.
Several games were far from sanitary. Aiva was sure none of the parents would let their children play those games, but she saw several adults in line bobbing for apples.
“We can play the bean bag toss game first,” Yasmine stated while they finished eating. “Daddy, you can win us all prizes.”
“You enjoy putting this pressure on me, don’t you, kiddo?” Knox teased.
“I have faith in you,” Yasmine reassured, pulling a laugh from the three of them.
They waited their turn to play the bean bag toss, and Knox paid for the four of them to play. Yasmine was right to have so much faith in her dad. He got all four bags in, winning a large prize. Aiva and Mia each got two in, while Yasmine got one of hers.
Knox let Yasmine pick out the stuffed animal she wanted while the rest of them got complimentary trinkets for playing. Yasmine asked him to keep playing until he won stuffed animals for both Aiva and Mia. He won a second time, chose a rabbit wearing a football jersey that Aiva thought was adorable, and handed it to her with a kiss. After winning a third time, he allowed Mia to choose what she wanted. She chose one that matched Yasmine’s, and they moved on.
Several more games were played, with them winning little trinkets, candy, and other prizes. They stopped at aDippin’ Dotscart, where Yasmine got rainbow flavored, and Aiva opted for spookies-n-cream. Knox and Mia passed, but that didn’t stop him from teasing Aiva and having a few bites of hers.
When Yasmine finished her ice cream, she went to play in the bounce house with other kids, and the three of them sat where they could monitor her. There was no conversation between them, and while the silence was a little awkward, it wasn’t unbearable and could have been worse.
Mia mostly ignored them and scrolled through her phone as they waited for Yasmine to tire herself out. Aiva knew it would take time before she was comfortable seeing the two of them together. While she hadn’t lied to the other woman about not rubbing their relationship in her face, she wouldn’t refrain from anything they normally did while out in public and with Yasmine.
“I’m going to get a slush,” Mia said after twenty minutes. Aiva watched her go momentarily before returning her attention to the bounce house.
“Yas is going to sleep well tonight,” Knox stated.
Aiva nodded. “She’s going to play herself out. After a hot bath, she’ll be in dreamland.”
“Which means she’ll likely sleep through the night,” he whispered huskily against her ear.
“Is that so?” she asked, brow playfully raised. She knew what he was getting at.
“And you’ve gotten better at being quiet,” he teased. Aiva elbowed him lightly as she laughed but didn’t respond otherwise.
Mia returned a few minutes later with four different colored slushes in a carrier.
“The pink one is for Yas, but you can have whichever other one,” she informed, holding the carrier out to them.
