Eleven
The wrap party was a month ago and you haven’t been in contact with Miguel since. It’s not like you blocked him. You just gave him some space and respected his boundaries.
Now, you and Fern were at the grocery store. It was a grocery store that only Hollywood's finest shopped at due to its pretty pricey membership. Fern was sitting in the part of the cart where babies and small children usually sat.
You were in the part of the grocery store that interested Fern the least, the produce aisle. You were shopping for general items to stock your fridge. Tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, bell peppers, spinach, and lettuce. You just needed to find some potatoes and then you would be on your way over to the snack aisle.
“I like you dog,” a tiny girl's voice said.
You looked up from your phone to where the voice came from. A little girl around the age of six or seven was sitting in an unattended cart. This alarmed you. What kind of parent would leave their child unattended in a grocery store?
If this was your child, you would want someone to watch over her just in case. So you did.
“Thank you. Her name is Fern. What’s your name?” You pulled your cart up next to hers.
“My name’s Gabriella. Can I pet your dog?” Gabriella and Fern looked at you with pleading eyes.
You laughed at their antics, “Sure. Pet away.”
Gabriella laughed as Fern lapped at her face. You thought that this was the perfect time to ask Gabriella where the hell her parents were.
“My dad said he was going to go put something back but I think he forgot about me,” Gabriella shrugged. Gabriella was good with dogs. She knew just where to pet and where to not. She was careful, kind, and attentive. Overall, she looked like she was a good kid.
“Gabriella, I’m-” Miguel’s voice got caught in his throat as he saw you. You looked amazing. He couldn’t stop thinking about you since the moment he kissed you a month ago. He cursed himself night and day for letting you go. If time travel was possible, he would go back in time and never let you go.
“Miguel? This is your daughter?” you asked him.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t speak. He just stupidly looked at you like a deer in headlights.
“Yea, that’s my dad,” Gabriella answered for him. Fern barked which caused Miguel to break out of his trance.
You tried to strike up a conversation but didn’t know what to say so you resorted to the blandest question ever, “So, how have you been?”
“I’ve been better,” Miguel answered honestly.
The two of you fell into a light and friendly conversation. It contrasted the many sarcastic and rushed conversations the two of you had in the past. It was still evident that the two of you had feelings for each other. He was everything that you thought of during the past month. His lips put a spell on you that no matter what you did, you couldn’t break it.
“Daddy, can I get a dog?”
“No.”
“Well, can this nice lady come over with her dog?” Then, Gabriella’s eyes widen, “Hey, she kind of looks like the picture you have on your phone. You know the one where she’s wearing that red bathing suit.”
You were on the cover of Sports Illustrated about three years ago. You remember that red bathing suit. Stella was the one that bought it for you when your stylist brought you an ugly neon leopard print bikini. You would never be caught dead in anything leopard print.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Miguel denied the connection. His face was flushed red with embarrassment.
“Yes, you do. When I was playing Minecraft on your phone I accidentally went to your pictures and I saw that picture. You have a lot of pictures of her on your phone,” Gabriella said matter-of-factly.
You wanted to laugh out loud at the way that Miguel was giving Gabriella a pointed look. As if he was trying to non-verbally communicate with his daughter. She was obviously not taking the hint as she continued. Apparently, he had about a trillion pictures of you according to Gabriella.
“Gabby, that’s enough.” Miguel sighed as he put his flushed face in his hands.
“I’ll stop if you let her come over for dinner with her dog.” Gabriella knew how to get her way and she did.
“Fine, do you want to come over for dinner?” Miguel asked.
“Oh, I don’t want to intrude.”
“No, please. It’s the least I could do. Especially after…”
“Well, alright then. I guess Fern and I are coming over for dinner then.” You clasped your hands together. Gabriella let out a pleased hum and kissed Fern on the head.
“See you tonight, then?” Miguel looked at you hopefully.
“See you tonight.”