???'s POV
I and my son, Kier, are on our usual grocery trip, when suddenly, he told me that he needs to go for a potty.
Given that he is 8 years old and is responsible enough to clean himself after it, I let him go alone with a reminder. "Remember this lane, okay? Mommy will be waiting."
Which he nodded on before sprinting to the nearest restroom, while I go check out our grocery items. But, came 15 minutes after I paid, he was still not on sight, so I started to get worried.
Leaving the grocery items at the baggage counter, I then made a trip to the nearest restroom I could remember, checking on to every person who come and go from it, but there was no sign he was there, so I walked away and went to check on the other restrooms, only to find him at the farthest.
There, I saw him crying and already in new clothes, while a man in a sharp suit is knelt beside him, obviously patiently soothing him as he cried.
"Kier... Baby? what's wrong?" I murmured, taking the other side to make him look at me.
"M-Mommy... I dirtied my pants... and Uncle had to buy me new clothes..." Kier mumbled in between his sobs, his fingers pointing to the man beside him.
And into my surprise, it was someone I knew very well, my high-school ex... "K-Keanu..." I murmured shyly as I held Kier tighter.
Keanu then stood up with a smile, his tall frame towering me and Kier, as he spoke. "No wonder he got the best of me, Kiara. He look so much like you."
I blushed at his comment, but was immediately pulled back to reality, when Kier clung to me harder.
"Mommy, I feel so embarsassed... Can we please go now?" Kier whispered quietly.
But, I felt it would be rude to just walk away when Keanu clearly took care of him in my abscence so I gently cupped his chin up and said. "Its okay to be embarrassed, but it's not okay just to take someone's kindness for granted, baby. Why don't you stop crying first and thank Uncle Keanu for this new clothes and staying until Mommy comes?"
And as a kind and bright boy Kier is, it nodded to me and eventually looked at Keanu with polite nod. "Thank you for the clothes and staying with me until Mommy comes, Uncle." Kier mumbled shyly.
Keanu then smiled at him and ruffled his hair. "No worries, bud. Just keep being a good boy to your Mommy, alright?" He reminded him before his eyes drifted to me.
"I know its gonna be weird, but would you guys please join me for lunch? as a thank you for me that is." Keanu offered hesitantly, his eyes constantly shifting to me and Kier.
Sensing his genuinity, I then looked at Kier and asked. "What do you say, baby? should we join Uncle for lunch?"
Then Kier looked at him before facing me. "But what do we eat, Mommy? I want fried chicken." He said.
"Fried chicken huh? Lucky you, this Uncle knows a place that serves the best fried chicken at this mall! Wanna go?" Keanu said, obviously laying a trap to make us go with him.
And as gullible is my son, Kier just jumped into Keanu's arms. "Yes, please!" It eagerly said, holding my hand as Keanu carries him.
"Ready to go?" Keanu asked, more to me than Kier.
So I just nod and we went walking side by side, a sight I don't think I ever experienced back when I was still married to Kier's dad, Pierre.
Then, as we entered the joint and Keanu was talking to the receptionist, my eyes drifted inside, and there, I caught a glimpse of a familiar figure, Pierre, with his so-called secretary, all cozy and almost intimate at public.
Unaware, I squeezed on Kier's hand tight, making it groan, shifting Keanu's attention to us.
"Kiara, what's wrong? your hurting your son!" He whispered concerned.
And only then I was pulled back to reality, taking Kier's hand onto my lips. "I'm sorry, baby. Mommy didn't mean to... I just saw someone we don't have to." I explained, hoping he'll understand.
Then, Kier nodded at me, before looking at the exact spot my eyes had been glued on, mumbling. "W-wasn't that Daddy?" He asked, now, Keanu is following his gaze.
Scoffing, Keanu then covered his eyes and said. "That's no Daddy, bud. A Daddy shouldn't be flirting with anyone else but your Mom." Then looked at me. "Want to dine somewhere else?" He asked me.
"But you said the fried chicken here is great! I want to eat here, Uncle! Please!" Kier then insisted, about to throw a tantrum if denied.
So I, as a mother, and a mature female, I looked at Keanu and nodded. "Let's just sit somewhere Kier couldn't see them."
Keanu then nodded back, and as the waiter lead us in, he carried Kier with just an arm while his other hand is on the small of my back, which slid to my waist as we walked past my ex-husband and its mistress.
Then, as we get settled on our seat, Pierre comes in with his mistress, looking at me and my son mockingly.
"Oh what a surprise! Never had thought that my ex-wife and son was doing well financially without my support!" Pierre commented.
Then his mistress eyed Keanu, and scoffed as mockingly. "Come on, babe! I bet Kiara was just mooching off this poor guy too because she can't have you."
Knowing Keanu's temper, I was quick to act when I saw its hand curled into a fist, tapping it gently as I stood up. "Look, I don't know what are you guys getting from this mockery or bullying, but let me remind you, no one gets to talk down to my son, especially not you two." I said, calmly standing on my ground.
Somehow, my words triggered something in Pierre's ego, making it push me back to my seat, as it yelled. "And what do you mean by that?! are you trying to tell me that this man is actually better than me?!"
And hearing that, his mistress stormed out, and like a puppy he is, he goes, following it with a groan.
Only then I caught on my own breath, and was able to face both Kier and Keanu, who were both looking at me with concern yet admiration.
"Mommy, were you hurt?" Kier asked, jumping off his seat to go to me.
But I shook my head and sat him on my lap. "No, baby. Mommy is okay, so let's just eat, okay?" I said, looking at Keanu, gesturing him to put an order for us.
And as Keanu does so, Kier went washing his hands, leaving me and Keanu alone for a bit.
"S-so... was he always like that? So arrogant and over-bearing?" Keanu asked carefully.
And I shook head. "He was okay as a husband and a father back when we started... It all just changed when I had a miscarriage and that woman arrived." I murmured, looking away to hide my vulnerability to him.
But as if seeing through me, like he used to, back when were dating... he held my hand and offered me the soothing words I had long to hear all those years.
"He's a total scumbag, Kiara! He don't know what he lost when he let you go! He don't know what it meant to be loved, to be married and to have a family with you!" He said with uttered confidence and trust in me, making me tear up at the process.
"Y-you... you really believe that? Even what I did to you back in highscool?" I murmured, regretfully.
Then, he squeezed my hand and looked into my eyes and said. "We were both young and naive back then, Kiara. You hurt me by breaking up with me because of your friends urging, and I hurt you more by the dating my girl-bestfriend whom you always had been jealous with just to spite you.
That relationship just lasted for three months, but it was the best for me, so not having you for 12 years, made me realize what has been missing in my life, and when I said he don't know what he lost by letting you go, I mean it, because I felt it." He said, his voice shaking at the mixed emotions etched on every word he let out.
And as we where in the middle an emotional conversation, Kier approached with a bright smile and said. "Then, get back together and make Mommy happy, Uncle Keanu!"
Surprised by Kier's implication, I felt my breath hitch, but cool as an ice, Keanu pulled my son over and told my son. " Would you want that, bud? Me taking care of you and Mommy?"
Which Kier then replied with an eager nod. "Yes, I want a real Daddy who can make Mommy happy! I want a Daddy who would never make Mommy sad and cry! and most of all, I want a Daddy who can let Mommy rest when she needs to."
Kier's words made my heart ache, I thought for sure that I was being discreet in handling my emotions, but for him to be telling all this Keanu, is just a proof, I didn't.