The Man My Son Likes
1330 Words
Yulia’s POV
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“Mama, can I go outside again?”
I sighed before I even opened my eyes. I was exhausted from last night. Gabriel had kept me up, taking me over and over again. It never felt that way with my ex husband, in fact it came to nothing with what Gabriel and I did last night.
“Noah, you just came back in.”
“But I didn’t finish playing.”
I turned on the couch and looked at him. His cheeks were red. His hair was messy. Snow was already melting on his boots.
“Give me ten minutes,” I said. “Let me breathe.”
He nodded quickly. “Okay. I’ll wait.”
That was a lie. Noah never waited.
I knew that.
I had been avoiding Gabriel since the morning I woke up in his room. I had done a good job too. Different halls. Different routes. Different times. I made sure we were never in the same place.
But somehow, Noah kept running into him.
“Can I go now?” Noah asked again.
“You didn’t wait ten minutes.”
He smiled. “I waited five.”
I grabbed my coat. “Fine. But stay where I can see you.”
Outside, the resort was already busy. Kids were shouting. Adults were talking. Someone was arguing with staff about gloves. Everything felt loud.
Noah ran ahead.
“Noah,” I warned.
“I can see you!” he shouted back.
I followed, slower this time.
That’s when I saw Gabriel.
He was crouched in the snow, helping two kids build something. He looked calm. Focused. Like he wasn’t rushing anywhere.
Noah stopped.
Then he turned to me. “Mama. It’s him.”
“I see him,” I said flatly.
“He said I could help.”
I opened my mouth to say no, but Gabriel looked up and I could swear his face lit up the moment he set his eyes on me.
“Oh,” he said. “Hi.”
“Hi,” I replied, stiff.
Noah walked closer to him anyway.
“What are you making?” Noah asked.
“A fort,” Gabriel said. “Strong one.”
“Can I help?”
Gabriel looked at me first. “Is that okay?”
I didn’t like that he asked, he paid too much attention and while I hated it, I also loved it.
“Yes,” I said. “But don’t get wet.”
Noah dropped to his knees immediately.
I stood there, arms crossed, watching them.
“You pack the snow like this,” Gabriel said. “Press it hard.”
Noah copied him.
“No, like this,” Noah said, trying again.
Gabriel smiled. “That works too.”
I hated how patient he sounded.
After a while, Noah looked up and asked “Do you have kids?”
I immediately closed my eyes in embarrassment, waiting for his biting remark, but instead he replied softly “No.”
“Oh,” Noah said. “Why?”
“I don’t know,” Gabriel replied. “Life happened.”
Noah nodded like that made sense.
I stepped in quickly. “Noah, don’t ask personal questions.”
“It’s okay,” Gabriel said smiling and I hated that I noticed “He’s just curious.”
That made it worse.
They kept building the fort till the skating rink opened.
“Mama!” Noah yelled. “They’re skating!”
“I don’t think that’s—” I wanted to say, but Gabriel cut me off.
“I’ll help him,” Gabriel said.
I turned to him. “He’s never skated before.”
“I know.”
“You don’t.”
“I do,” he said calmly. “He told me yesterday.”
Yesterday.
So they talked. Without me.
I clenched my jaw. “Fine. But I’m watching.”
He nodded and took Noah's hand.
“I’m going to fall!” Noah shouted as he tried standing on his own on the ice.
“You might,” Gabriel replied. “I won’t let you.”
Noah laughed and I couldn't help but smile. The image did something to my heart.
“You bend your knees,” Gabriel said. “Slow.”
“I can’t!”
“You can.”
The moment he tried, he slipped and I was off my chair before I knew it, but Gabriel caught him while I struggled to calm my racing heart.
“Again,” Noah said, clearly not frightened by the scare.
I looked away for a second, shaking my head. Kids.
When they were done skating, Noah complained about being tired. Then complained about being hungry. Then complained about the cold.
“I want something warm,” he groaned
“There’s soup inside,” I said.
“Okay.”
Gabriel walked with us following us into the café. We took a seat, with Noah between us.
“What do you like?” Noah asked Gabriel.
“Coffee,” Gabriel replied.
“That’s boring,” Noah said.
Gabriel chuckled. “What do you like?”
“Hot chocolate. With marshmallows.”
“Good choice.”
I stared at the menu, pretending not to listen at their banter.
“Do you live here?” Noah asked.
“No,” Gabriel said. “I’m visiting.”
“Why?”
“Work.”
“What work?”
I cut in. “Noah, you ask too much questions""
“It’s fine,” Gabriel said, waving it off before answering his previous question. “I do business things.”
“Oh,” Noah gasped, taking a moment to stir his drink. “Do you have a dad?” he asked so suddenly my hand froze.
Gabriel looked at Noah carefully, still not offended “I did.”
“Where is he?”
“He passed away.”
“Oh.”
Noah was quiet for a moment. Then he asked, “Did he play with you?”
“Yes,” Gabriel said. “Sometimes.”
Noah nodded. Then softly, “My dad doesn’t.”
The table went silent.
I swallowed. “Noah.” trying to break the tension
He shrugged. “He doesn’t come.”
Gabriel didn’t say anything. He didn’t rush. He just listened.
“That’s hard,” he said finally.
Noah looked at him. “Do dads leave a lot?”
Gabriel hesitated. “Some do. Some don’t.”
I wanted to stand up. I wanted to end the conversation, but I also wanted to see where this went.
But Noah kept talking.
“You don’t seem like someone who would leave.”
I looked at Gabriel sharply, He met my eyes and just smiled
“I try not to,” he said.
For the rest of the lunch no matter how I tried to stop Noah from asking questions, he just continued
I don't know how possible it was, but after lunch Noah somehow was able to drag Gabriel outside once again. How could he not feel offended or disgusted. My ex husband would yell like crazy anytime Noah tried to talk to him.
Gabriel carved something from wood while he hovered beside him.
“What is it?” Noah asked.
“A reindeer.”
“For me?”
“Yes.”
He gasped excitedly “Really?”
Gabriel nodded and handed it to him when he was done.
“Thank you,” Noah said seriously.
“You’re welcome.”
I watched them. My chest felt tight.
This man was everything Brent never was.
Patient. Present. Calm.
That thought made me angry.
“Mama,” Noah said later, tugging my sleeve. “Can he come tomorrow?”
“Only if he wants to, baby,” I replied.
Gabriel stepped back. “No pressure.”
As we walked away, Noah looked up at me.
“He’s cool,” he said.
I didn’t answer.
“Mama?”
“Yes?”
“Can I see him again?”
- Writer
