When 20-year-old Kara Bennett moves to Boston to escape her post-high school drama with her daughter, she didn't expect to fall straight into it in the form of Austin Mayer.
• • •
All Kara Bennett...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
SOMETIMES YOU JUST WANT TO BELIEVE IN SOMEONE AND LET IT GO WITH THE FLOW.
It was a huge deal for someone like me — who never took the leap of faith, who had to work hard to get what she wanted. This time, I chose to believe in Austin and that he would handle Mila. I wanted to believe that Mila was manageable, and Austin was fully capable of keeping her away from Sophie and us. I believed he wanted this as much as I did and he would fight for us.
At work, I told Sarah what happened yesterday. Our conversation, Austin's reassuring words. "I just want to believe him, Sarah. I want to trust someone in my life for the first time — a man in my life. Don't get me wrong, Ace is an amazing brother but there'd been times he broke my trust. I can't completely trust anyone. I want to trust Austin unconditionally. I want him to take the weight off my chest. Protect us. Be the man I need."
Sarah held my hand. "He's a good man, darling. I see the love in his eyes. He's ready to be there for you and willing to fight his sister." I looked at her. "You told him your concern, and he's a smart guy. He won't let Mila ruin your relationship." Sarah was on Austin's boat, apparently, and her support and faith in him made my acceptance easier. Good thing, I trusted Sarah's judgment, too.
I was looking for a mountain, solid as a rock. If I trembled, I could always lean against it and know that it would never collapse behind me. I was looking for a tree so that I could rest under it whenever life exhausted me. I was looking for a shoulder that I could cry on.
Perhaps, it was unfair to expect Austin to be all of that. I didn't even know if he was ready to be. However, if he wanted to remain in my life, and Sophie's life, he had to be. I raised my daughter by myself, without any help, so I didn't need Austin's money or his love. I just needed his support — I needed to trust him. I loved him in a way I never loved someone else, but life taught me that love was never enough. You needed sacrifice. You needed to fight to be happy.
It wasn't as easy as Cinderella and the prince. The good girls only got the happy endings in the fairy tales. The fighters won the real battle. I needed a partner that wouldn't just love me but fight the dragons with me.
All these thoughts were keeping me occupied, but I was lucky since our coffee shop was getting more customers lately because of the new workplace at the corner. The work was hectic, and for something I would normally complain about, I was quite grateful. It kept my mind busy. When I went home, I was too drained — all my activity consisted of Barbie dolls and Sophie's sweet mumblings.
There were always girls and their brothers in her games before. Lately, she started to grasp the concept of lovers, fathers, and mothers. She sometimes named them Kara and Austin, and they had a daughter called Sophie. A part of me was happy that she accepted Austin and loved him as a father. On the other hand, I was worried for the future — and though I was trying to bury my worries, they were just there, keeping me on edge.
That night, around her bedtime, I read her the story of Cinderella. I read this story to her before, but this time, she said, "Prince doesn't remember her face." I honestly never thought about this before, but yes, if when Cinderella asked to try the slipper and he didn't immediately recognize her, he must have not remembered her face. When I confirmed her doubt, she went on, "Why?"
"Probably because she didn't look like a princess, then."
Sophie paused for a while, thinking, her little eyebrows frowned. I could see that this answer didn't satisfy her at all. "Do I look like a princess?"
"Of course, darling."
"But I don't wear a dress." She had a very good point.
"Would you like the prince to remember Cinderella when he saw her?" I asked.
"Yeah."
"You're right," I murmured, caressing her hair. She was so little, yet so wise. I wished I could tell her about my doubts, my problems and she would just answer me with her wise thoughts. "What if the prince has an evil sister and she hates Cinderella? Do you think Cinderella should be with the prince?"
She thought. "She loves him." I nodded. "The prince protects her."
Does he? I had no right to blur her bright mind with cloudy thoughts, so I said yes and let it slide. She asked me a few more things about the story, then she slowly fell asleep. I waited a bit so that she wouldn't notice my absence.
Out of her room, I found Ace drinking tea against the window. I joined him immediately, crossing my legs over the couch. I checked the time. "Mila leaves now."
"Did you talk to Austin?"
"No, I'm waiting for him to call me." Ace nodded with a soft grin. He didn't seem convinced, and his expression didn't help me to keep my cool. "What?"
"Nothing." I tilted my eyebrows. "I'm always thinking of the worst-case scenario is all, don't worry." I parted my mouth. "Austin is a good guy, Kara — he loves you."
Do you say this to comfort me? "I just want him to call me and say that Mila is out of our lives."
However, Austin didn't call me that night. So, I messaged him. I wanted to believe that he just forgot to call me, and he was tired.
You didn't call me :)
He immediately texted: I'm sorry. He was sorry for what? Sorry because he didn't call or... I sighed. I didn't want to ask — I wanted to hold onto him, us, and the sweet feeling of hope.
