Page 41 of Your Second Chance
My eyes filled with tears, blurring everything but Ollie. I looked at him as he firmly squeezed my thigh, anchoring me. It was as though the entire room disappeared, leaving only the two of us.
My lips trembled as I whispered, “She’s going to end up like me one day.”
“Yes, she is. Beautiful. Strong. Vibrant. Stubborn as shit.”
I shook my head and glanced down at the paper. “Motherless. Divorced. Alone and pregnant.”
“Honey.”
I could hear Mrs. Stone, but I couldn’t see her because the only person I could see was the one sitting next to me.
His hands flew to my cheeks, cupping my face, forcing my gaze to his. “Look at me, love. Don’t go there. Stay right here. Right with me.”
I nodded weakly, trying to stay in this moment and not let my emotions pull me under.
“You’re going to show this little girl what it means to overcome things in life, what it means to not let someone ever take advantage of them. You’re going to show her your strength.”
I nodded more firmly. “I’m going to show her my strength,” I repeated.
He stroked my cheek, and the world seemed to come back as though someone pressed play on the movie again, and I wasn’t stuck. I blinked a few times and then turned, Ollie’s hand dropping from my face.
“She’s going to have my style,” Luna declared dramatically, tears streaming down her cheeks.
I snorted, laughter bubbling up through the mess of emotions, snot threatening to join in. “We’d only be so lucky,” I managed, reaching across the table to grab her hands.
“I’m going to be the best daddy ever.” She pointed a finger at Ollie. “Don’t even think about taking that title from me.”
“Ew,” I groaned, shaking my head. “He’s my friend, Lune.”
Silence fell over the table for a brief moment. All at once, Luna, Mrs. Stone, and Ollie burst into laughter.
I huffed, grabbing a handful of napkins and tossing them at their faces. “You’re all assholes,” I muttered, though my lips twitched with a reluctant smile.
Everyone shared a pint, while we all talked about the hopes and future for the little baby girl pomegranate growing inside my belly.
Eventually, the hour grew late, and Mrs. Stone stood, smoothing down her coat. “I should head back to the hotel,” shesaid, waving off Ollie’s offer to drive her. “It’s not too far. I’ll grab a cab.”
Ollie nodded and hugged her tightly. “I’ll see you in a couple days, Mum.”
When it was my turn, Mrs. Stone wrapped her arms tightly around me. “Thank you for letting me be part of this special moment.” She pulled back to pat my stomach gently. “I’ll be starting on a pink hat for her as soon as I get home.”
“Thank you. This was so special,” I said honestly. “Without my mom here...” I hesitated, feeling the lump rise in my throat. “It’s nice that I could share this with you.”
Her expression softened, her hands holding mine for a moment. “You’re not alone.” She reassured me. “I’m here. Always.”
“Thank you.”
She smiled warmly, giving my hands a final squeeze before gathering her things. Luna hugged her as well, chatting about knitting patterns and joking about starting a pink scarf to match the hat.
When she got into the cab, the three of us walked in the direction of our flat, the air crisp, biting gently at my cheeks. Luna and Ollie fell into an easy rhythm beside me, chatting animatedly about one of those British versus American debates—something to do with biscuits, crisps, or how Americans ruin tea. I wasn’t really listening, but their banter filled the cool air.
Luna nudged him a few times as she made her point, her laughter ringing out when Ollie countered with something sarcastic. I watched them, unable to stop the small smile tugging at my lips. Every so often, Ollie glanced back at me, a smirk on his face, rolling his eyes like he couldn’t believe Luna’s arguments. I rolled mine right back, feeling lighter than I had in months.
It struck me how rare this was—someone who liked Luna as much as I did, who not only tolerated her but matched her energy. With Austin, it was always a battle. He didn’t dislike Luna; he demanded a lot of my attention. I let him create distance between me and the person who had been there for me through everything.
This felt different. Ollie wasn’t trying to take Luna’s place in my life. He was walking beside her, matching her step for step, as if he belonged there.
For the first time in ages, I didn’t dread going home. I thought about stepping into a warm shower, the water washing away the day as I took my time to finally wash my hair. I thought about curling up on the sofa, but not to rot in front of the TV or disappear into the void. I didn’t want the night to end. For once, I didn’t feel desperate for sleep to take me under.
