A Mother's Fight

CHAPTER 4: A New Life, An Old Flame

“To new beginnings and bigger dreams!” Cora lifted her champagne glass, her eyes shining with excitement. Emory clinked hers against it, smiling. Even little Benjamin, not wanting to be left out, raised his cup of ice cream, making the women burst into laughter.

The evening was warm, the restaurant buzzing with soft talking and golden lights, but at their table, it was all about celebration. After months of job hunting online, Cora had finally landed a high-paying job as a marketing executive at Hills Company though it meant moving to another city. The offer had just landed in her inbox, leaving her only a few days to pack up and go before it slipped away. She had already resigned from her job as a cook at the restaurant, ready to embrace this new chapter.

“I’ll really miss you. Will you be taking Benjamin along?” Emory asked, sipping her drink slowly, her tone laced with concern.

Cora exhaled, setting the champagne glass on the table before picking up her fork. As she took a bite of her food, she said, “Not immediately. I need to find a place, settle in, and make sure everything is in order. Once that’s done, I’ll come back for him.”

Emory nodded, holding her glass in one hand while using the other to scoop up a bite of her meal. She chewed, then turned to Benjamin with a small, playful smile as he focused on his food. “Looks like it’s just me and you, buddy.”

Then, her eyes shifted back to Cora. “But how long are we talking here? Weeks? Months?”

“A year and a half… maybe two,” she said, tapping her fingers on the table.

Emory’s eyes lit up. “That long? Guess I should be more excited about Benjamin staying with me than you leaving.”

Cora raised a brow, smirking. “Wow, so I see where your loyalty lies. My son over your best friend, huh?”

Emory laughed. “You know I love you. But speaking of love… I think I’ve found someone.”

Cora nearly dropped her fork. “Wait, what? You? And here I am, single for three years!”

Grinning, Emory leaned in and set her glass on the table. “His name’s Arnold—tall, muscular, ridiculously handsome. He works at a gym. We met online, and funny enough, he’d been living nearby this whole time. Ran into him right here in this restaurant, and we just clicked. We had a good time too.”

Cora whistled. “Look at you, bad girl.” She flashed a teasing smile. “What about James?”

Emory scoffed, stabbing her food. “That bastard? Woke up one morning, walked out, and never came back. Next thing I know, he sends me money, tells me to move on because some other woman had his kid. Oh, and I can keep the house.”

Cora's mouth fell open. “Just like that?”

Emory nodded, chewing. “Thank God I never adopted. Imagine being stuck raising another child, only for him to ditch me because he wanted his own blood.”

Cora reached across the table, gently pressing her arm. “As long as you're happy, that’s all that matters.”

Emory looked at her phone on the table, set her spoon down on the plate, and replied to the message with a smile. She paused for a moment before speaking. “I hate to say this, but Arnold just texted. He knows I’m here and wants to stop by. Hope that won’t ruin our little celebration?”

Cora waved it off with a big smile. “Ruin it? Are you kidding? I’d love to meet the guy who’s been putting that glow on your face.”

As if on cue, the restaurant bell rang. A tall, well-built man stepped inside, eyes scanning the room until they landed on Emory. With a confident stride, he made his way over. The fresh scent of his perfume stayed in the air, and his shirt clung just enough to show off the muscles underneath.

He greeted Emory with a soft kiss on the cheek, then turned to Benjamin, who was still busy with his food. They bumped fists, a silent exchange of approval. Finally, he looked at Cora. “Congratulations on the new job.”

“Thanks,” she replied, watching as he laced his fingers through Emory’s and gently led her away.

Cora leaned back in her seat, watching them disappear out the door. So that’s Arnold, huh? Romantic.

Now, it was just her and Benjamin at the table, the warmth of the evening settling in.

Benjamin suddenly pointed toward a table tucked in the corner, his little finger aimed at a man sitting there. “Mummy, look! That man looks just like the picture we have at home. You said he’s Santa Claus!”

Cora frowned, following his gaze. “What are you talking about? Where?” Her words caught in her throat when her eyes landed on him.

Alex.

The father of her child. Sitting there, deep in conversation with a woman whose face she couldn’t see. His wife, maybe. He hadn’t noticed them because he was caught up in whatever he was saying.

Cora’s heart pounded. He only knew Alex as the “Santa Claus guy” because of an old Christmas photo, one where Alex had been dressed as Santa while volunteering for a kids’ event. Back then, they were still together. But that was years ago, and she had buried that past deep.

Fortunately, they were nearly done with their meal. Without hesitation, she pressed a finger to her lips, signaling him to stay quiet. Grabbing his small hand, she swiftly helped him into his cardigan and slipped some cash under her plate. She had no intention of sticking around for this.

Hurrying outside with him in her arms, she waved down a taxi. Just then, he tugged at her sleeve, his voice filled with innocent confusion. “Mummy, why are we running from Santa? Don’t you want presents?”

Her grip tightened on his hand. “It’s not Christmas, it’s not December, and this is not the time.” Her voice was firm, but inside, her thoughts were spinning out of control.

A taxi pulled up, and she pushed them inside, her pulse still racing.

What was Alex doing back in this city?

Did he know about Benjamin?

And with her moving to another city soon, was fate playing some cruel joke… or had she just run out of time?