He probably wasn’t home. Or he was sleeping. Or maybe he didn’t want to see me.

It wouldn’t be the first time a guy had shown interest and then disappeared.

I sighed, setting the plate of muffins down on the kitchen counter. Oh well, more for me.

Missy pulled on my hair.

“Ouch!”

She giggled.

“You’re a little brat, you know that?” I cooed as I started to tickle her chin.

Instantly, she curled up into a fit of giggles.

The sound filled me with joy – the sort of joy that only a mother could feel. I smiled at my baby, our foreheads pressed together in a tender moment. Who needed guys when we had each other? Screw them. I may not have a lot right now, but I was determined to make the most of it. “Come on, Missy, how about we go outside and get some fresh air? I think it’ll do us both some good.”

Missy, of course, just babbled at me.

I took that as a ‘yes’.

After she was all swaddled in her stroller, I grabbed my sketchbook and some colored pencils. So far, my artwork had been useless when it came to paying the bills or putting food on the table, but I wasn’t about to give up my passion just yet. Art had always been my release – a way for me to let go of all my tension.

And God knew I needed it right now.

So Missy and I headed out, walking at a brisk pace toward a nearby park.

The day was beautiful, with an azure sky and fluffy white clouds. I kept my eyes peeled for anything that might serve as inspiration for my next painting.

After about thirty minutes of scouring the periphery of the park, I settled down on a bench positioned in front of an Irish Pub. Of course, it was closed, but its darkened windows and mysterious vibe only made it all the more interesting.

Rocking Missy’s stroller with my foot, I started a quick sketch, capturing all of the tiny details. I would modify the scene later, adding in my own personal touch.

When I was almost done, I stared at it, feeling like there was something missing – an essence that I wasn’t quite transferring onto the page.

Before I could figure out what it was, the front doors opened with an ominous groan.

I gasped.

No.

It couldn’t be him.

It couldn’t.

The sun rose above the building’s roof, blinding me for a moment. When I was able to see again, he was already halfway down the street.

Oh no, you don’t. Not this time. This time, I’m getting answers.

With my grip tight around the stroller, I started running down the path, keeping my eyes locked on the retreating figure.

He was wearing the leather jacket I had given him for Christmas…

His hair was styled differently.

What was he doing inside a pub at nine in the morning?

My head spun, trying to make sense of it all. I felt that if I could only catch up to him – if I could only get him to talk to me, everything would change. Things would be different. I would no longer be living in a nightmare.

Suddenly, he turned and disappeared.

No.

I was about to cross the street when a bus stopped right in front of me, obscuring my view.

When I tried to go around, another bus pulled up right behind it.

Just my luck…

By the time I got to the other side, Emil was nowhere to be found.

Where had he gone?

And then, I heard it.

The sound of his motorcycle.

I turned in a full circle, trying to pinpoint the source of the sound.

Too late.

He flew past me, hugging his pitch-black sports bike and picking up speed. The same bike I had ridden on countless times before, enjoying the rush of adrenaline whenever I’d wrapped my arms around his torso and he’d popped a wheelie.

How had I been so foolish? Why had I ever thought it would be a good idea to fall for a man like him? I should have known he would be trouble from the start.

But he was the bad boy and I was the good girl, unable to resist his charm.

God, was I stupid.

For a while, I just stood there, unsure of how to proceed. My body felt numb, my heart frozen with the sense of abandonment. As much as I wanted to forget him, he was the father of my child. He was the one who had provided for me during my pregnancy, and now, I was just trying to understand why he had left me so abruptly. I couldn’t comprehend it; I couldn’t accept it.

I needed him.

But he was gone, and there didn’t seem to be anything I could do to bring him back.

With a heavy sigh, I started forward. After all, that was the only thing I could do. If I kept looking back, I’d lose myself in the pain of the past.

Still, my thoughts wandered, replaying the memories of our time together. It had all seemed so perfect. Too perfect. I should have seen it coming. Nothing that good ever lasts.

Suddenly, my thoughts were interrupted as I crashed into something – no, someone.

Looking up, I was surprised to see Ned standing there, his white shirt now covered by a huge coffee stain.

My eyes widened when I realized I had run over his feet with Missy’s stroller. “Oh my God! I’m so sorry… I wasn’t paying attention.” I rushed up to him, trying to figure out some way to help, but all I did was wave my hands around in a useless manner. “Um… let’s go back inside... get this washed off before it leaves a permanent stain…” I said, feeling incredibly guilty about what I had done. “Oh… you aren’t hurt, are you?” I added, realizing a bit too late that he had spilled hot coffee all over himself.