His Lovely Delinquent *EDITING*

17. Eli

“ELI!” It shouted.

 And suddenly, just like that, Eli was ripped away from me, straight into the arms of a woman that immediately got on her knees, holding Eli to her chest with such love and affection whilst she crooned him, apologizing for losing him and telling him how much she loved him.

When she pulled away, her face finally showing for the first time, my breath caught in my throat, almost choking me.

It couldn’t be.

 It wasn’t possible.

 No.

 No.

 No.

 “Baby, momma’s so, so, sorry for losing you.” She said, tears streaking down her face the same as his. Her blonde hair flew against the wind, smelling like strawberries and honeysuckle. It was both unfamiliar and completely the same. “I didn’t mean to look away and I promise never to let that happen again, okay?”

 Eli nodded and took her back in his small arms, crushing her neck around his. She didn’t complain once. “Momma?” he asked.

 “Yes baby?” She whispered lovingly.

 It crushed my heart.

 This couldn’t be happening…it was just a figment of my imagination…a punishment for too much thinking…

 “I’m sowwy for leaving you.”

 She sighed. “Elijah, I’m your momma. It’s my fault for not looking after you well enough. Don’t be sorry baby, just promise you won’t leave me?” She all but pleaded as she pulled away and looked him straight in the eye.

 I needed to really snap out of this…

 This was just a figment of my imagination…I was just imagining her…

 But from the corner of her eye I could swear that they were the same pale blue orbs I fell in love with…never stopped loving…always pledged to remember…

 Because she hadn’t acknowledged me, I immediately realized that, because she was frantically looking for her child she paid no attention to anyone but looking for her child. I knew if I lost my child his or her face would be the only one I’d be searching for.

 “I pwomise momma.” Eli—Elijah, said, smiling at her.

 She smiled at him causing my heart to break slightly, clench in pain and beat quickly at the same time. Only she could take this emotion, make this emotion and break this emotion from me….

 But it was impossible. I was seeing this.

 She was gone.

 “Now let’s thank this kind man, yes? And go out for Ice Cream?” She said, still paying attention to just him.

 I then realized that she did know I was here but she either didn’t notice me…or she really wasn’t who I thought she was. Even if her eyes were the same pale blue that I saw whenever I closed my own eyes. Elijah turned; smiling so sweetly that now, looking at him felt like my heart was being trampled on. His eyes were so familiar and now they were beginning to haunt me.

 The girl began to turn, a huge smile of thanks plastered on her face as she turned her head towards me. As soon as I got a full view of her and she of me, I saw her smile began to disappear as her eyes finally met and focused solely on my face. I knew. I knew who it was…

 It wasn’t a figment of my imagination…

 Wasn’t an afterthought…

 She was actually here.

 I gulped. “Blake?”

 She blinked. Once. Twice. Three times. She shook her head, clearing her throat, her blonde hair catching in the light, causing some of it to look slightly golden. “I’m sorry, sir?” she asks, sounding nervous.

 It was—is—Blake.

 Her voice. Her eyes. Her face. The only thing different was her hair.

 “Blake.” I whispered again.

 She shook her head. “Sorry, sir but I think you’ve got the wrong person.” She tried to make it as if she was sure of her words but it ended up wrong, her voice shook too much, the nerves in them obvious.

 “No, Blake, plea—,” My words were cut off as my name was called from  a distance. I turned to face and found another blonde haired girl with pale blue eyes, a giant smile lit on her face, a little girl hanging off her arm.

 “Noah!” She shouted, grinning and came towards me.

 “Sam.” I said quietly, to myself.

 But Blake heard it. “Sam?” she asks questioningly.

 “Blake listen—,” I didn’t think twice of my words until I heard steps stop, a huff of breath catch my attention.

 “Blake?” Sam whispered, pain obvious in her voice.

 As I looked up towards her, there was confusion in her eyes. Her eyes were set on me then turned to Blake who looked like she wished to be anywhere but here. She shook her head, tears beginning to form on her eyes as she focused on Blake.

 “You’re Blake?”

 “He’s mistaken.” Blake lied, her voice edgy and hard. “I don’t know what you’re talking about so if you don’t mind, my son and I—,”

 Sam’s eyes then turned to Eli, widening as she focused on him. “No, please, Noah, baby, tell me there’s a mistake. Tell me you love me and you’ll come home with me. Please.” She pleaded, eyes still hard with an unmistakable hatred.

 “What? Sam, what’s going on?”

 “Ask her.” She commanded, eyes turning to Blake who gulped nervously. I’d never heard Sam’s voice sound so…disgusted, angered and just plain furious in the year and a half I’d known her.

“I have to go.” Blake said, then stood up and began to turn away.

 I got up immediately, caught her arm and felt the electricity pass between us.

 Yes.

 This was my Blake.

 “You’re not leaving me again.”