Meant to Be (JOSHIFER)

CHAPTER 3

Josh P.O.V.

I wake up to the sound of Mia singing in the bathroom. It's faint, and her voice is small, and I don't know what she's singing exactly. Mia makes her own songs up, which I find adorable. She sometimes sings about me, which just makes me melt. She's so loving and smart and beautiful. It's a biased opinion, but it's true.

I slide out of bed and stumble into the bathroom. Mia is playing with the tap water and humming random lyrics. She jumps when she sees me in the doorway and grins at me sweetly.

"Hi daddy," she greets me softly before drying her hands on her pyjamas.

"Hello Mi-Mi," I say and lift her off the ground. "Do you want to go to breakfast in the restaurant downstairs?" I ask her.

She kisses my cheek and nods. "Yes daddy," she smiles.

"Maybe you can meet my old friend," I tell her quietly before walking back into the bedroom and plopping her onto the bed.

I take out a pink dress and some white tights from Mia's suitcase. I dress her and slide her little shiny black dolly shoes onto her tiny feet. I then take her hairbrush and slide it through her dark hair. I then take a hair band and scrape her hair into a ponytail style, leaving her fringe on her forehead.

After dressing myself in a pair of jeans and a white tee, I pull a hoodie over my shoulders and start walking down the halls to the restaurant. We take the stairs, since Mi-Mi hates elevators.

We take a seat at the 4-seater table by the window. I'm glad Mia wanted to sit here, at least if Jen comes down she can join us.

"Hey, can I take any orders?" A young chap dressed in a white shirt and black jeans asks.

"Mi-Mi, what would you like?" I ask her.

She looks at the light haired waiter and looks back at me looking a bit of embarrassed. "Pancakes," she whispers to me.

"Okay sweetie," I smile. "So, she wants chocolate pancakes. Can I have egg on toast please?" I ask. The man scribbles onto a notepad. The waiter nods sharply and walks away to the kitchen.

Mia sighs and looks at me hopefully. "We see Nanny and Gramps soon?" She asks tiredly.

I nod and smile. "Yeah. We will see them today," I inform her, watching a smile spread across her face and dimples appear on each cheek.

I wander my eyes around the room while Mia plays on my phone. I notice Jennifer just walking into the restaurant, so I stand up and waver my arms. She still doesn't see me.

"Jen!" I call across the room. She looks up and starts making her way through the other tables.

"Hey," she smiles before pecking my cheek.

As Jennifer settles down on the seat next to Mia, I tell my daughter, "This is Jennifer. Daddy's old friend."

Mia turns her head and looks at Jennifer. "Hi. I'm Mia," Mia says shyly.

Jennifer holds her hand out, intending for Mia to either high five it, or to shake it. Instead, Mia does the complete opposite and launches herself into Jennifer's arms. Jennifer wraps her arms around her and pats her back. I even get a little jealous. Mia hasn't given anyone a hug like that except me for these past few years. Not even my parents, who are her grandparents.

"Mi-Mi, your choccy pancakes are here," I tell her just as the waiter walks over holding two plates.

"Here you go..." the waiter smiles and he slides the pancakes onto the table. "And for you, sir," he says passing me my breakfast. "Madam, would you like anything?" He asks Jennifer.

Jennifer looks at mine and then Mia's breakfasts. "Chocolate pancakes please," she tells the waiter. They guy clips a nod and walks back to the kitchen.

After breakfast, and a long trip down memory lane with Jennifer, we decide it's time to get going. Just before departing our separate ways in the corridor, Jen and I decide we will meet up at the weekend while in Kentucky. We hug it out and say our goodbyes for now.

"She's like a princess," Mia says sweetly as we walk away from Jen.

"Do you think so?" I laugh.

Mia giggles. "Yeah. She has a pretty face," Mi-Mi says.

"Her name is Jennifer, sweetie. What princess would you say she was?" I ask as I pull out the key card to our room.

"Repunzel," Mia says quickly. I'm surprised, again. Repunzel is her favourite Disney Princess.

We get all of our stuff together, well I do. Mia sits on the bed, playing an alphabet game on my iPhone. As I gather everything up, I notice a bracelet on the floor. I pick it up and realise it's silver with a shiny heart chained to it with a 'J' carved into it. It's only small, but it's sweet and very cute. It's Jennifer's.

I slide the bracelet into my jean pocket and zip up the suitcases. I check the bathroom and the wardrobe, since Mia has had a phase where she likes to play hide and seek with everything. When I'm happy we have everything we leave the hotel, leaving behind a $150 cheque to Anita, as a result of her hospitality and care.

A few hours later we arrive in Kentucky, at my family home. My mum runs out and cuddles both myself and Mi-Mi. As soon as we enter the house, I can smell the homely smell of a roasting chicken in the oven.

"Connor is upstairs," mum informs me. "He's been ever so lazy lately," she tuts.

I laugh and close the rigid front door behind me. Mia shuffles further into the hallway.

Mum shows us through the house and to the backyard. It's all changed. Ever since mum and dad's divorce, mum has paid so much attention to the garden. She's planted so many vegetables and is growing all kinds if pretty flowers.

"It looks great mum," I say proudly. "You've done a really good job."

Whilst mum babbles on about the divorce procedures, she walks us around the garden to a separate, closed off area. When we reach the tall fence and gate, I notice a sign on the fence.

"It says Mia's Fairy Garden," Mum tells Mia who is standing between us hesitantly. "Go on. Open the gate," mum tells Mia softly.

Mia opens the gate cautiously and we walk in. It's beautiful. Mum has had a few professionals in here, I can tell.

We're surrounded by white and pink flowers. And as we follow the enclosed passage there is a tree, surrounded by purple bluebells. I look up the tree and spot a cute house. There is a ladder on the side of the trunk.

"This is amazing," I sigh. "Do you like it Mi-Mi?" I ask, bending down to her height.

Mia grins and nods her head. "Yes. Thank you nanny," she whispers and hugs mum's leg.

"Wanna go up?" I ask her. She nods so I take hold of her and climb up the ladder. We enter the 'fairy palace', as mum calls it, and look out of the cut out window.

"I'm going to go get my camera, one minute!" Mum exclaims.

After a few camera shots, a catch up session with Connor and then a roast dinner, we all settle down and go to bed. While Mia snores in the cot beside my bed, I take my phone from the side and get Jennifer's number up.

Me: Hey, Jennifer. It's Josh. It was lovely to see you again, and I'm glad you're okay. Call me when you know when you're free. Xx

I put my phone down and roll onto my side. I slowly fall into a deep, relieving sleep.

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