Once out of the building, I carry Uchenna in my arms. "Baby, are you alright?"
Uchenna nodded, clinging to me tightly as I held him in my arms. He was a sweet boy, no doubt. And he definitely looked just like me. The two of us were walking away from the building when...
"Wait."
The familiar Spanish accent could be heard behind me. It was Esteban, and he was jogging after the two of us.
I ignore him, holding my son tightly against me and walking away quickly as I hail a taxi.
He noticed I was ignoring him, walking away quickly while holding my son so tightly against me. He found it sweet how protective I was. His strides were big, and he caught up to the two of us.
"Wait. Would you just wait a damn minute?"
He said, a tinge of urgency in his voice. He jogged up right beside me and reached out to gently touch my shoulder, trying to get me to turn to look at him.
I pull away, spinning around to face him, my eyes bloodshot. "What?!"
His hands fall to his sides as I pull away. The look on my face was so fierce. He was enjoying the reaction I was giving him - he had never met someone who would speak to him like that.
"Can I just... talk to you for a minute? Please?"
He hated how he had to plead and hated how he was basically begging for my attention. But he wanted it. He wanted to see that fire and stubbornness in my eyes again.
"I don't have that time," I say as a taxi pulls up in front of us.
He wanted to sigh in frustration. He was beginning to get irritated that I was completely rejecting him. But no - he wouldn't let it end like this. He wouldn't allow it. He stepped in front of the taxi door to stop me from getting in.
"Please. Just one minute of your time. I promise it'll be worth it."
He pleaded with me again, looking into my eyes. He hoped I'd listen and not be stubborn for just a moment.
"Why are you so interested in me?! You're aware that I have a kid!"
He huffed in frustration as I questioned him again. I was so damn stubborn, and he found it so attractive.
"Of course, I'm aware that you have a kid! Do you think I'm stupid or something?"
He said, his hands clenching into fists by his sides. Why couldn't I just listen to him for two minutes? Was it so damn hard to just hear him out?!
"What if I'm married?!"
He paused at my question. Married? He didn't think about that. For some reason, the thought of me being married - belonging to someone else - filled him with anger. Jealousy. He hated the idea of me being someone else's.
"Are you... married?"
He asked, his heart starting to pound in his chest. He wanted me to say no. He prayed that I would say no.
"..." I stay, quiet not saying anything. Not because I didn't want to but because I couldn't.
Uchenna speaks up, clinging to me. "It's just mommy and me. It always has been." My little boy says.
My son is a mixed race. He looks exactly like me with my face and curly hair but has his father's light skin and blue eyes.
He let out a breath of relief– one he didn't realise he was holding. You were single? You weren't married? It was just you and your little boy, and you had been raising him on your own? That just made you even more attractive to him. And his heart melted a little bit more at the sound of your son's voice. His sweet voice had confirmed that you were not married.
He kneeled slightly in front of Uchenna, smiling fondly at him.
"Just you and your mommy, huh?"
He bopped his little head up and down, still clinging to me.
He couldn't help but chuckle at how much the little boy was clinging to me. He was so cute, and he looked a lot like me. He was just so small. And so sweet. He then looked up at me, his eyes meeting yours.
"He's adorable."
He said, his voice softening a bit. He couldn't help it. You were a single mother. Raising this sweet little boy on your own. He was even more attracted to you now.
"Stay away from my son. I won't let you off if you do anything to my son."
He held up his hands in surrender. He was taken aback by my protectiveness and defensive nature, but it just made him want me even more. He found it attractive how fiercely I loved my son and how I was determined to protect him at all costs.
"Hey, easy now. I'm not gonna do anything, I promise. I'd never hurt you or your kid, okay? I swear. You have my word."
The taxi driver honks. "Say whatever it is you want to say quickly."
He looked at the taxi driver before looking back at you, his heart racing. He had only one chance to talk to you, to convince you to give him an opportunity. He took a deep breath.
"Alright. Can I just be blunt with you? Like completely honest with you?"
He asked, still standing in front of the taxi door.
"Yes."
He took another deep breath, steeling himself for what he was about to say. His dark brown eyes were locked on yours, serious and intense.
"Truth is... From the moment I saw you, I thought you were beautiful. You're feisty, you have fire... And damn it, you're a damn good mother. I can't explain it, but I'm drawn to you. I'm attracted to you, and it's killing me inside because I hardly even know you."
He confessed bluntly, his voice low and laced with honesty.
I stand there staring at him, stunned. "What..?"
He let out a humourless chuckle, trying to mask just how vulnerable and exposed he felt right now. He was putting his feelings on the line for you, confessing that he was attracted to you, and you were just standing there, taking it all in.
"You heard me. I'm attracted to you. I don't know why, but I am. And I know it's crazy. I don't even really know you, and here I am confessing that I'm into you."
He ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
"What...? How...? Wait. You've never met me before. You don't even know my name, and here you are telling me you like me?" I let out a humourless laugh. "Wow... You men have new tactics now..."
He huffed in frustration, annoyed by your sceptical laugh. He was trying to be open and honest with you, confessing his feelings, and you thought it was a damn joke? A tactic to get something out of you?
"I'm not bullshitting you. I don't have any damn ulterior motives, okay? I'm confessing how I feel because I can't help it. You have this damn hold on me, and I don't get it."
He growled slightly, his hands clenching into fists again.
"Well, the man who got me pregnant and promised to marry me said the same thing! But guess what. He abandoned me and my baby!" I say, holding Uchenna closer to me. "He left us like we were yesterday's trash. Then he got married to someone else. After he got married, he found out he couldn't have children anymore. So now he's after my son after he left him. And now you're here telling me the same words he said to me and expect me to smile and run into your arms or what?!"
Damnit. It didn't want to say this. I never wanted to tell anyone about this, but I got so riled up and spilt everything to him. Why do I seem to lose my cool around this man?
His heart sank as you confessed the truth. You had been abandoned and left to raise your son on your own. It made him so angry, so frustrated. What kind of person would do that? How could someone just abandon their own child and the woman they love?
He clenched his fists even tighter, his knuckles turning white. He was pissed off at the man who hurt you, the man who fathered your child and then left you to fend for yourself.
"I'm not like him. I'm not like the bastard who left you behind. I wouldn't do that to you or your kid."
"And how do I know that? I only just met you."
He huffed in frustration at your question. He knew you were right. He knew that you had every reason not to trust him or believe him. After all, you didn't even know him. Why would you trust a stranger who confessed that he was into you and then say that he wasn't like the man who abandoned you and your son?
"Damn it, I don't know how to convince you. I don't know how to make you believe me when I say I'm not like that bastard..."
He cursed under his breath.
Uchenna clings to me and says. "Mommy... I'm hungry..."