pretty play

four

when i'm done taking my gear off, i look at my phone, a text from nadia sits on my screen.

nadia

would you like to talk in person?
sorry for hanging up earlier.

Yes, I would.

okay, any time or date good for you?

Is later, around 3 good for you?

i don't have a sitter.

He can come.

but should he?

Please, Nadia.

fine.

See you at 3. I will text you the directions.

she leaves me on read but i don't mind.

i leave the arena to go home, take a shower, and get ready.

nadia

i mentally prepare myself for what will happen later and i don't think i'm ready.

i don't know how i'll introduce rowan to dimitri and that's what i most nervous for.

today i'm dressed in a random crewneck i found and some grey sweatpants, i'm well aware it's basic but as a mom, i struggle with my style most days.

i'm wearing my hair down with just mascara on and i huddle myself and rowan out of the apartment and down to the car.

"mama, where are we going?" rowan asks, his little hand squeezes mine harder. my heart breaks just a bit knowing i'm lying to him.

"we are just going to meet a friend of mamas, okay baby?" i ask and he nods, letting go of my hand and skipping to the car.

when we are in the parking lot of the place he sent me directions too. i'm not surprised when it's a mcdonalds.

mcdonalds was always a guilty pleasure of his.

rowan gasps and it's followed with laughter, "mama i love donald's." he says as i unbuckle his car seat.

well, now we can add that to the list of things rowan and dimitri have in common.

"i know, i know. come on let's go inside." i put him down on the pavement and we walk to the sidewalk where he continues skipping for the door.

"slow down." i call out which makes me giggle and he waits patiently at the door for me.

when we walk in he takes my hand and looks at me, "where's your friend mama?" and i don't know what to say because, where is he?

"we have to wait for him to arrive i guess." i lead him to a booth where he sits down and reaches into my purse, grabbing a toy shark out of it that i didn't even know was in there.

i pull out my phone and send dimitri a text, asking him where he is at.

the second it sends, a throat clears and i look up.

"sorry, the restroom" he says and all i do is nod. he sits down in the seat across from us and rowan watches him closely.

"rowan, this is mommy's friend, dimitri. dimitri, this is rowan." i introduce the two and rowan whispers a greeting while dimitri just nods his head, making me roll my eyes.

"he's four, not twenty four." i say to dimitri and he looks at rowan once again, trying his best to smile.

"hi bud." he says and rowan grins, holding his shark out for dimitri to see. "do you like sharks? they my favorite." row asks and i smile.

this time, dimitris smile isn't as forced as he shakes his head yes, "i love them." he begins. "and they're easy to play against too." he says which makes rowan frown.

"play?" he asks and dimitri nods.

"i play hockey."

rowan gasps, "i love hockey!" he jumps up with a smile. "me and mama were watching it yesterday." looking at rowan's reaction makes the feeling of love overwhelm me.

dimitri nods, a small smile playing on his lips, "i saw."

"you were there?" rowan asks.

"i was playing." he answers.

"oh." rowan begins, "that's cool." he finishes, and his smug act makes me giggle.
and oddly enough it reminds me of dimitri so much.

seeing these two interact stuns me, i never thought they'd be in the same room together. one part of me is sad, and the other, it's happy.

which is also completely baffling.

i look back at dimitri, who is already looking at me with a grin on his face.
he looks so happy to be here.
with us.

i'm too busy staring at his perfect smile to notice that rowan is giggling quietly next to me.

dimitris gaze flickers from mine, and to rowan's, making the corners of his lips tilt up.
i smile once again.

"why are you laughing?" dimitri asks rowan, and rowan stops, looking at dimitri.

"you are just so big, you don't fit in these seats like me and mama." he says and i bite back a snort.

rowan is right, looking at dimitri sitting down in the seat across from us, he looks painfully uncomfortable.

dimitris smile grows and he adjusts in his seat, his knees ghosting over mine.

"nah, i'm fine." he reassures, and rowan nods, going back to playing with his shark.

now that the attention is back on me and rowan is distracted, dimitri asks, "so you wanted to talk?"

i nod, "let's get some food first and he can play at the playground while we talk." i say and dimitri nods, sliding out of the booth.

"are you hungry? let's get some food." i ask rowan and he nods, following me out of the booth.

his hand slides into mine, as we walk up to the register with dimitri following closely.

a/n- bit of a longer chapter but i hope you enjoyed reading.
and before you ask, yes we are only four chapters in but that is because it's a short story with 10-20 chapters max, and we have to get to the point.

byee💋💋💋