Too Good to Be Real

Chapter 36

Shock.

That word and more was what she felt when she saw him. She stood transfixed for a whole minute, unpleasant memories rapidly flooding her brain as she tried to comprehend the sight before her.

She knew she'd see him one day, although she'd dreaded the possibility. She'd actually hoped to see him when she was older and accomplished so she could rub it in his face. She'd imagined their reunion countless times in different case scenarios, from him being a family man to him being a pauper on the street.
But she'd prepared their encounter for years to come when she was sure she'd be stable, not now when she was juggling a runaway father and a boyfriend she had uncomfortable questions to ask.

She finally broke eye contact with him when she doubled over to cough as all the breath she'd been holding in was choking her. He couldn't see her like this, she groaned.
She pondered on what to do. A huge side of her wanted to lunge at him and tear him apart and remind him of everything he'd put her through. Another side wanted to walk out and be an adult but the last part wanted desperately to know what he was doing washing dishes at a restaurant!

They said he'd left to another state, so what was he doing back here?
Surely he should have left the country on scholarship as he was the smartest person she knew. That had been his dream.
Or did his dad own this restaurant?
Then it wouldn't make any sense for him to be crouched here washing plates. 

Dan was watching her intently, but that was all Oma could read from his expressionless face within the minute they'd stared at each other. He didn't look sorry, or even surprised to see her and Oma didn't know which part made her madder. Surely if she'd creeped her way into someone's life, made her pregnant and left, completely ruining her life, she'd at least look sorry if she ever saw them face to face.

A pulling sensation below her stomach reminded her on her reason for being at this part of the restaurant in the first place. She hopped on her feet in reflex, holding her heavy stomach and glanced around to see if there was a stall sign she hadn't seen before.

The plate Dan had been holding fell out of his hand and made a loud clash that seemed to awake him from his own shock. He blinked twice and his eyes softened as if he were only seeing her for the first time.

Beside herself, she couldn't help but reminisce. Those brown eyes she'd fallen in love with, that face that'd smiled down at her countless times, those full lips that'd comforted and kissed her, those uniformed legs that'd run away from her.
She could remember everything. The way he'd held her face countless times when he'd told her everything was going to be okay, the times they'd rushed off and had quickies so they wouldn't be caught and the times he'd actually looked into her eyes and told her he loved her while he slowly and continually plunged into her.
What was she thinking!

"Uhm. If you're looking for the bathroom, it's the third room at the next hallway by your left." He said casually, breaking them both from their spell and went back to picking up the dish that'd slipped out of his hands.

She paused.
Really! That was it?
He was just going to act like he didn't know her? She was going to show him, but first, she had to pee urgently.
She took off at once and went straight for the corridor that went left as that was the only direction she could remember. Luckily, she found the stall with the picture of a stick figure woman on the door and quickly got in and emptied her bladder. The seat was clean enough so she put a wrap around it before sitting.

Everything came back to her in vivid detail. The first day he'd spoken to her, the first day they kissed to the first day they'd made love. She winced , remembering she'd practically forced herself on him.
She recalled the day she'd realized she was pregnant, the disappointment on Nia's face, the day she'd told him and the way he'd comforted her and told her he'd stay no matter what. It felt like yesterday when she'd entered that God forsaken boy's stall and found her name under a list with other cheap girls he'd fucked before, during and after her.
She'd carried his baby alone and depressed and just when she was beginning to see the bright side in life again, that baby had been cruelly taken away from her.