My Lucky Stars

2

3 years later.

"Ayla! Ayden!"

I look for any signs of the two midgets around the café, and a few seconds later they both come running to me.

"Ayden's here Mommy." Ayden looks at me with his emerald green eyes.

"Ayla's shere Mommy." Ayla speaks as she stretches the 's' in her words, as usual, she looks at me with her big blue eyes.

Looking at them both reminds me of Willow. She had complications as she was about to give birth to both of them, the doctor gave her choices, whether to give priority to her life or the babies. She chose the babies without batting an eye, she said she'll never regret choosing them over herself, she made me cry at that moment.

Right after giving birth, she had terrible bleeding costing her health tremendously. She had a little time with her babies despite that, and when she passed away she went with a smile on her face. I was given legal authority for Ayden and Ayla, Willow did it herself before she gave birth, it's as if she knew she would not have made it far.

"Mommy?" I snap out of it looking at both of them, Ayden got Willow's eyes, emerald green while Ayla's, I believe has the father's eyes, bright blue like the ocean.

I crouch in front of them, "Where were you two? Mommy's been looking for both of you."

"We were at the back." Ayla speaks cutely while pointing to the back of the café.

"Okay then, are you hungry? Because Mommy already made your favorite."

"Pizza??" Both of them say in unison with their eyes wide and I nod. I am thrown to the back when both of them hug me and kiss my cheek.

"Thank you, Mommy, love you!" They both run to their usual seats next to the window.

"I love you too!"

I laugh as I take the pizza and walk towards them and put it on a plate. Then walk away to grab their drinks, hot chocolate for Ayla and hot milk for Ayden. I sit in front of them looking at both of them eating wholeheartedly.

Hey, Willow. How are you? I hope you're good and in a better place where you'll get a good life. Your babies are good and are having a good time. I admit I have a hard time raising them, but I love them more to be whining about those difficult times. Don't worry Willow, I will love them like how you would have loved them if you were here. I promise I won't let anything or anyone hurt them as long as I live. Oh yeah, and I plan to live long enough for them.

"Mommy, you want?" Ayden offers me his share and I shake my head, "Mommy's not hungry sweetie."

Ayden is not happy with my answer and he still holds out his pizza for me and I nod as I bite his pizza a bit.

Ayden is a bit demanding and he doesn't take no for an answer. I wonder who's trait he's taking it from. While Ayla's got your traits where she is graceful but can be hot-headed at times. They also pick up some traits from me which is eating, and by all means, a lot and Ayla especially picks up my traits, she doesn't share her food, just like Joey Tribbiani from Friends.

Quickly I get up when I hear the bell from the front door open, then walk up to the counter without looking at the person that comes in.

"Yes, may I help you?" I look up finding a pair of bright blue eyes staring at me.

"Sir?" I say a bit loud and he snaps at my words as if he has just returned to reality.

"Yes, Umm... I would like a black coffee and a sandwich, whichever is the best." He says while he looks at the menu and then he looks at me.

"That will be 3 dollars and 50 cents." I say and he gives a 100 dollar, and he quickly says "Keep the change." before he walks away to find a seat.

I form a fist and sigh walking inside to prepare his black coffee and my best chicken sandwich. I walk out of the kitchen and find that he took a seat with my babies, walking closer I hear him talking to Ayden and Ayla. He smiles and his eyes squint when he laughs with my babies, oddly finding that scene quite soothing.

I walk to the table and put his coffee and sandwich in front of him. He says thank you as he looks at me in the eyes, again, which I quickly tear off and look at my babies.

"Finished? Now go and brush your teeth at the back." Both of them nod and run to the back and I yell, "Don't run or you might trip again!"

"Okay, Mommy!" I hear a reply and smile taking their plates from the table.

"They are yours?" The man asks and I turn to look at him, his eyes bother me, like a lot.

"Yes, they are." I nod and am about to go away when he asks again.

"How old are they? And how old are you?"

I look at him warily and pull the plates closer to me, "I'm sorry, but I don't think I can tell that to a stranger."

I walk away and hear his chuckles, turning around to find his eyes, again looking at me, except that there's a glint of mischief in his eyes this time. I shake him off, turning and walking into the kitchen.

I put the plates and glass in the sink, washing all of it quickly. I walk back to the counter when hearing the bell and there's a customer. I see the stranger walk towards the bookshelves after he put the plates and glasses in the basket that I put in the corner.

I hear my babies giggle and I walk towards them, only to find the stranger talking with them happily. I just shrug and walk back to the counter to tend to the next customer.

After about an hour and half, the stranger walks out while my babies are holding his hand to the front door.

"Will you come again, Ryan?" Ayla asks while Ayden is smiling softly at the stranger.

Ryan? That's probably his name.

"I will, but there are no promises to when I will come. Okay?" He speaks softly to Ayden and Ayla.

"Okay, Ryan." Both of them answer and he stands up, this time I look at him and smile.

He looks surprised, but he smiles back as he nods at me. He surprises me again when he turns around and says, "See you again, Mia"

My heart thumps and my eyes widen at that moment and he smiles mischievously before he walks out of the café. A tug in my hand brings me back to reality and I look at Ayla who's smiling mischievously, like that stranger.

"Ayla likes Ryan." I lean towards her and flick her nose playfully which makes her giggle, "No way, you guys got a whole big of an age gap."

She scrunches her nose, "Not for me, for you!"

I look at Ayla and then the smiling Ayden and let out a laugh, "Okay, it's time for you guys to go and pick a book now, otherwise, Mommy won't read to you tonight."

Both of them gasp and run to the bookshelves to pick a book for me to read to them tonight. That's how I distract them from the topic about that stranger, Ryan.

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