My Fate : Single Mom, Second Chance Romance

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

ANNA

I'm standing outside the Roast House. I'm feeling antsy. I'm not even sure where to begin with this meeting, but I know I need to get this over with. I open the door, the bell chimes and the smell of coffee wafts over time. Taking a big inhale, I look around and spot Armani in the corner occupying a table. I take hesitant steps over, he looks up when I'm near. He gives me a smile and I return one.

"Please sit."

I nod and take the seat in front of him.

"I asked Anthony what you like, I got you the mint mojito iced."

"Thank you." I smile at the kind gesture, grabbing the cup and taking a sip.

After a few beats of silence, he asks, "How have you been?"

"I've been processing everything, but okay. You?"

"I'm happy, but also nervous about all of this."

I nod my head in understanding.

"I know it won't be easy, but I would like to build a relationship with you, if that's okay."

"I'd like that."

He smiles. "I only know about your life from your resume, is it okay if I ask you personal questions?"

I nod.

He hesitantly asked, "What was your childhood like?"

I swirl my drink as I answer, "My mom.." I stop.

He gives me a reassuring smile, "It's okay, she was still your mom."

I nod and continue, "It was just the two of us. She was really young and didn't have the means to pursue a career. She worked a lot of odd jobs to keep food on the table, but she was present. It was really good until she got sick. She was battling cancer for most of my childhood. We basically lived in the hospital for the last few years she was alive."

"Was that what made you want to go into the medical field?"

I nod, "When I was at the hospital, I used to follow the nurses around and I loved it. I had the foolish thought that if I became a nurse, I could've saved her." I smiled bitterly. "The day I found out I was accepted into the gifted program, she passed. I lived in a foster home until I was 18."

"How was living in foster care?"

"My foster parents were nice, but I never asked or bothered them for anything. They got pregnant when I was 16, and I knew they needed the space. I was the last foster kid they had, but they didn't push me to leave. They knew I would leave when I could. The college I went to didn't allow me to live on campus and most places didn't let me rent since I was underage. I tried to be out of their way as much as possible." I shrug.

"Do you still keep in contact with them?"

"Not really, we exchange holiday greetings, but that's about it."

"How was college for you?"

I smiled, "It was easy. I always knew I was going to pursue nursing, so I had everything laid out for me. It did get lonely though. I did most of my schooling online from elementary to college. So I was never really able to make friends." I shrug, "I was really lucky to meet Amelia."

"You guys seem really close. How did you guys meet?"

"She likes to say I saved her life." Shaking my head, I smile. "We kept in contact after her family took her back to Chicago, and when she found out I was pregnant. Her and Anthony's mom swooped in and uprooted my life and moved me here."