An Unexpected Romance

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Multitasking was something Gema Dodge had come to do without so much as a second thought. Juggling was starting to become her forte, with a few fumbles here and there, but this day happened to be running smooth, thankfully. Gema managed to leave her office in one piece, leaving her assistant with strict instructions that had become routine: not to inform anyone who came by or phoned the office of her trip and the whereabouts. After two years, her assistant simply nodded as she spoke, smiling as he did. 

“Yes, yes, Boss, anything NEW?” 

Gema had paused, then smiled faintly. “Enjoy the week”. 

“You’re too kind” Mark replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes, and Gema had laughed as she left the office to stop at home before going to the airport. 

The nanny had Kai all ready to go when Gema came home, and she scooped up her three year old boy, breathing in his smell as she buried her face in his dark curls. Kai giggled and pushed at her. 

“Ma! I’m getting too big for kisses!” 

“Never” Gema swore, grabbing his things and rattling off a list for the nanny before hopping into the cab bound for the airport. 

Yes, the morning had gone just swimmingly, and Gema was looking forward to catching a few hours of much needed rest on her flight to The States. She was taking Kai to Disney World, something he had been so excited about that he had packed his Aladdin back pack six months ago when she booked the flight. Gema didn’t get to be with Kai as much as she liked, having to run and manager the art gallery with her business partner and closest friend, Katie. Thankfully, the art gallery had started to make enough money that she could afford to hire a nanny for half of the day, to pick Kai up from preschool and bring him home, fix his lunch and his dinner if Gema wasn’t home in time to do it herself. She had missed many nights of tucking him into bed, and that she regretted the most. This trip to Disney World was going to be their special time together, and she was almost as excited about it as Kai was. 

Carrying Kai’s bag over her shoulder and her own rolling behind her in hand, Gema held onto Kai with her free hand. He was fiercely independent, and resented being pushed in buggies since before he had even started walking. Gema glanced down at the tickets in her hand, frowning as she came to a stop in front of Gate B. 

“Now, we need gate E….” 

“E comes after D, mami” Kai said sternly, looking around the busy airport. “Look, mom! A real life pilot! Can I go say hi?”

“Kai, honey, hold on” Gema murmured, sitting down and digging out her map of the airport, trying to gage where they should be. Kai tugged incessantly on her leg, and Gema sighed. “I said hold on, Kai, mommy’s trying to figure this out” 

Kai fell silent, and Gema spoke half to herself as she studied their positioning on the map. Finally, she figured it out, and stood, sighing happily. “Okay, mommy’s figured it out! We can go now….Kai?” Gema turned around and frowned. “Kai?” Her heart rate accelerated as she looked around frantically for Kai. Oh god no, oh no. Gema looked around wildly before her eyes finally found the smart little maroon sweater she’d bought him because it complemented his eyes and he had just looked so adorable in it. Kai was walking towards the pilot he had seen, his little chin thrust out with determination, and Gema took two steps towards them before someone bumped into Kai, sending him sideways to fall against a briefcase and tumble to the ground along with it. Gema’s eyes widened as he fell, and she winced as she saw him hit the ground hard on his butt. Kai’s face took on a look of surprise, then his eyes met hers. 

Gema watched his golden green eyes fill with tears, then his mouth opened to let out a wail. Gema sprinted to Kai, leaving her luggage, as he began to give the performance of his life with one of his notorious screaming fits. But before Gema reached him, a figure in black stopped her. Gema froze in her tracks as she saw the familiar black curls and the tall build. Her breath escaped her, only three feet from Kai, as the lean creature curled its body into a crouch in front of her son and sternly told him to stop his incessant howling. Kai, who had never been spoken to like that before, especially in the midst of a fit, immediately stopped screaming, and peered at the stranger through wide eyes. Gema let out a breath of relief, as people had started to stare, but froze when the dark head turned, and a pair of green eyes landed on her.