Dumpster Baby

Chapter 5 - Stranger Danger

Four years later....

"Gabe" I yell while pushing the shopping cart. Starting to panic I call out to my son again. Fear grips me making my palm sweat and my heart beat so hard I feel as though it will break out of my chest any second now. Relief washes over me in waves as I hear my four year old son's beautiful giggles coming from the next aisle.  Rushing over to where I heard that magical sound I find my son in the arms of a man — a complete stranger! "Gabriel Pearson" I say sternly, while frowning at my son.

"Hi Mummy" Gabriel says. The man standing behind Gabriel gently puts him down. Not even bothering to acknowledge him, I crouch down and open my arms widely needing to hold him to make sure he is okay. Gabriel unhesitatingly races into my arms. Embracing him tightly I pull away a little to look over his face to make sure he is unharmed. Pulling him back in a hug I kiss his head while repeatedly smoothing down his curly dark brown almost black hair.

"What's wrong mummy?" Gabriel asks me concern laced in his voice. Blinking back tears I pull back and stand up taking him with me. I place Gabriel on my hip. His little arms immediately go around my neck and bright blue eyes stare at me. "What have I said about running off when were out together? Do you know how scared I was when I turned around and you weren't there? On top of that you were talking to a stranger, what have I said about talking to strangers?" I say gently but the stern look stayed on my face. 

Gabriel brings his head down onto my shoulders and cuddles closer to me while playing with my hair. "I'm swry mummy" Gabriel whines in his adorable baby voice. "But he's a nice man, I was getting some gwmmy bears and I couldn't reach but then he lifted me up and I was a giant." He replies while his lifting his head and looking at me with wide innocent eyes. I sigh, never being able to stay mad at him for long and give him a kiss on the forehead before saying, "It's okay sweetie, just don't do it again, alright!" Gabriel smiles brightly at me- showing his dimples; before giving me another hug and a kiss on the cheek. Grinning back at him I put him back on the ground and look up to see that the man who Gabriel claimed was nice, still standing there with a gummy bear packet in his hand. Looking at him now I am taken back by his astonishing beauty. His long midnight black hair fell beautifully over his face. Magnetic icy blue eyes looked back at me observing me as I him, red lips stood out almost inviting me to place mine upon his. Looking down at his clothes I realise that he is wearing an Armani suit, making him seem out of place in this supermarket. All in all he screamed power, darkness, danger and sex.

Gazing back at him our eyes clash and my heart starts to beat faster. Butterflies erupt in my stomach and somewhere deep inside me the reasonable side of me tells me to run. I am about to listen when  Gabriel looks back at the man and smiles running up to him and holding out his hands for the gummy bears. The man gently puts it in his hand and smiles softly at him and looks back up at me- his smiling changing into a smirk. Gabriel runs back and throws the gummy bears in the shopping cart. The man starts walking towards us but I hurriedly snatch Gabriel's hand and exit the shop leaving our item and things behind.

"Mummy, what about the gwmmy bears" Gabriel whines while trying to keep up with me. Picking him up I run to my car and open the door for Gabriel to get in. He jumps into his toddler car seat and with my help gets his seatbelt on. Closing his door I open my own about to get in when I hear someone calling after me. Turning around I see the man in the store running towards us. Quickly jumping in I close and lock the doors before starting the car. "WAIT!" I heard a voice shout just as I pulled off. Staring back at the man through my side mirror I see him watching us as we drive away while running his hand through his hair out of frustration.