"Come on," I grab her hand, taking her back towards the water. "What have I told you about running away when we are in public?"
She kicks her leg, splashing the water. Zara slips her hand out of mine, starring up at me with questioning eyes. "Stay close to me or we leave," I bend down, holding her chin between my fingers. "Promise me?"
"Ywes, Mummy."
Zara skips forward, squatting down into the water. I would have never imagined to be in this situation, on a crowded beach in Italy.
"Daddy?" Zara speaks up again, running past me. Turning around, Zara attaches herself to Micah's leg. "Daddy! Daddy!"
His eyes wonder over to me, hope fills his eyes. He only wants me to give him permission.
"Dad-dy!" Zara lifts her arms jumping up and down. I shut my eyes, slightly nodding my head. Turning back around, I stare at the sky.
"I love you, baby," Micah whispers.
"Love oo," Zara replies. "Go play?"
"Go," Micah says. "But stay close, okay?"
Zara slips in front of me, squatting in the water again. She picks sand up, watching it fall between her fingers. I'm too scared to talk to Micah, I'm too scared to look at him.
"Rosalie," Micah says.
Pulling my cardigan around me, suddenly I feel cold and.. and..
Closing my eyes, I suddenly wish we were laying in our old apartment bed with Grace and Elliot squashed onto the bed with Zara and I. When we'd wake up, Grace would be on the couch annoyed in the morning because there wasn't enough room.
Or to when I was in high school where my parents and we're just dreaming of my college plans which were soon to come.
I miss those days.
Hard to say- but the days before Zara.
Maybe if I had chosen to go follow down the path of being a nurse I would never have ended up here.
It's hard to admit, but it will forever be there in the back of my mind- if I never had Zara. Where would I be?
Opening my eyes I look at her, the sun reflects off her skin, giving Zara a golden glowy look. Zara sits ankle depth in the water, splashing the water around her.
"Rosalie," Micah stands next to me, "we need to talk."
I stare up at him shaking my head, "No, you got it twisted. You need to talk while I listen, then I decided if I talk back or not."
"Rose, please," Micah whispers.
"You don't get a please. Nothing- That's what you get. Okay?"
"I don't know what to do," he says slowly.
Shaking my head, I look at Zara again, "you can stop ruining everything. I don't want to talk to you anymore, not if you can't come up with a sincere apology."
