My Freya & Our Miracle Baby

Chapter 7: Next Encounter

Freya POV

*Almost four years later*

“Theo, come get your shoes on.” Those little footsteps of his stomp his way over to the front door. “You don’t want to be late on your first day of school.” I tidy up his tie and ruffle up his hair.

“Mommy, do I have to go?” Theo gives me a small pout and those puppy dog blue crystal eyes that he inherited from his father. “Why can’t you come with me?”

“Because I already went to school `.” I smile warmly at him. He has my hair pitch black hair and my small nose, but his eyes mirror his father’s. And those are not eyes you can find anywhere else.

“I’m scared, mommy.” He bites on his bottom lip and I give him a peck on the forehead.

“I know, baby. And mommy wants to come with you, but you need to go and make some friends.”

“I don’t want any friends..” His voice is small as he looks down at his shoes tap one another.

“Theo…” I help him put on his backpack and we start to head out. Jerrod is outside waiting for us.

“Hey, little man.” Jerrod says brightly and Theo escapes from me to run up to him.

“Uncle Jerrod!” I give Jerrod a shy smile. Even I didn’t expect him to be here. Theo jumps into Jerrod’s arms and Jerrod lifts him up off the ground. Locking the door, I put the keys into my tote purse and walk towards them.

“Freya.” He addresses me. “You look beautiful, as always.” With a small smile, I just nod. Though I don’t know where I would be without him. He was helpful during the pregnancy and the terrible twos, but if I’m being honest Theo didn’t have that many tantrums. He’s quiet and calm, just like his father.

“Uncle Jerrod, can you tell mommy I don’t need to go to school?” Pulling the same trick on Jerrod, he looks over to me and I shake my head.

“No can do, little man.” Jerrod drops him down so that I can hold onto Theo’s small hand as we walk him to school. He reaches over to grab my hand, but I just pull it to Theo’s other hand.

Kneeling before him, I straighten him up again as we are right in front of his school. Though I would never have imagined of putting him in school this young, he started reading the storybooks I was reading him. I couldn’t exactly hold him back. When I got him tested, he was testing so high that it felt like an injustice if I didn’t sent him to school. Though I am unsure if this is the right thing to do, I won’t know until I try.

Theo wearily looks at me before glancing at all the tall kids around him. I put him in first grade for now, but the teachers at the school are trying to pressure me to place him higher. I just hope that he is okay.

“Mommy will pick you up right here when school ends.” With comforting eyes, he nods and makes his way into the school with a teacher leading him the way.

“He’s going to be fine, Frey.” Jerrod reassures me and puts a hand around my waist in efforts to comfort me. Though I keep it there to not be rude, I don’t let him linger.

“Jerrod.” I try to re-address this issue with him, but he just shakes his head at me.

“I know. I know. You’re not interested. But I’m here for you and Theo.”

“I know. And I really appreciate all you have done for the two of us the past three years, but we’re okay now. You can live your life.” I suggest to him as we make our way to his bar to do inventory before they open in a couple of hours.

“You and Theo are my life.” I stop in my tracks.

“Jerrod, I don’t want to encourage this.” With disappointed eyes, he just nods and puts on a smile that I know isn’t real. I don’t want to hurt him. Jerrod is wonderful. The problem is that he’s never going to be him.

“Alright, alright. Do the inventory, I am going to take gramps to the doctor’s. Remember today Jane is going to be there for the mid-day close so you can pick up Theo.” With his reminder, he waves me off as I get to work.

In the morning and early afternoon, there’s not a lot of people that stroll on through, but money is money. Plus, I get to work here on the weekends. Theo sits in the backs with the chef that makes all our late night snacks on the weekends. Though most of the time, he is reading some book we borrowed from the library.

“Morning, Alaric.” I say as I hear the bell ring from the front door. 10 AM on the dot, right on schedule.

“How do you always know it’s me?” Alaric big belly laughs at me as I shake my head at him.

“Because my best customers always come on time.” I pour out a shot of whiskey and bring him a cold glass of Coke. Alaric lost his wife to a fire a couple of years ago. Though he is mostly a happy man, you can tell it devastated him. They had been together for over forty years and had two kids together, four grandchildren, and now a great-granddaughter on the way.

“Today’s the anniversary.” I nod as I haven’t forgotten. This bar was practically his home for years. Jerrod really takes care of the people in this town.

“Are you seeing your kids today?” He shakes his head.

“Don’t want to make them sad. I’m fine.” That’s a lie. He’s not fine.

I turn on the tv to his favorite sports channel to try and help, but what can really heal a broken heart? I’ll have to ask him when he figures it out, if he ever does.

“When are you finally going to give Jerrod a chance?” I smile lightly at him. He’s been trying to talk me into giving Jerrod a shot for the past three years or so.

“Alaric, it’s none of your business who I date.”

“He’s a good man.” Alaric points out to me. “And he loves you.”

“Love is a very strong word.”

“I’m well aware.” He points out as he finishes his glass and I proceed to make him a lighter cocktail so he doesn’t get completely wasted today. “He’s been good to you and Theo. All I’m saying is what does it hurt?”

“A lot.” I release.

“Theo’s father?”

“I would like to think Theo wasn’t the product of some fling.” With a little scoff, I shiver in thought.

“Oh, I know you Freya. You don’t do flings. And the guy’s an idiot.” I laugh a bit but then I realize that he is chugging his cocktail. When I see the time, it’s only been about fifteen minutes.

“Alaric, we need to slow down. We still got the whole morning.”

“Just one more to pull me over Freya.” He looks me dead in the eye. “I promise. This will be the last drink I ever take.” Curious to see if he is true to his word, I pour out another whiskey shot and hand it over to him.

“You have always been good to me, Freya. Even when I didn’t deserve it.”

“Alaric, you deserve the world.” Another customer walks in and I help him out with a drink before going back to Alaric who still has half his glass left.

“Do you think soulmates find each other in the afterlife?”

“I sure hope so.” My voice strains a bit.

“What ever happened with your parents? You never talk about them.”

“My mother disowned me, and my father probably never noticed. Not much to tell.”

“I’m sorry about that, sweetheart.”

“It’s in the past, over a decade ago now.” I shrug, but the thought of them is still painful nonetheless. He finishes up the last shot and gestures me to come around the bar counter to give him a hug. After I give him a warm and comforting hug, he looks at me.

“You are wonderful, Freya. I hope you remember what I said.” I nod at him, like he won’t remind me tomorrow at our usual 10 AM meetup. “And I love you Freya.” With that, he walks out the door. He loves me? I’m sure that’s the alcohol talking. That wouldn’t be the first time he has said that to me after having a couple of shots in him.

The rest of the afternoon is pretty slow, but there’s a decent crowd in here during the lunch hour. Nothing I couldn’t handle, but still. All I do now is worry about whether Theo is okay. I constantly check my phone in case the teacher needs to call me, but nothing ever comes.

When Mayor Phillipe comes in, I get a bit sidetracked. Not that he particularly bad to look at, but he simply comes on too strong. If I walk past him, he will pinch my ass or pull me onto his lip and try to kiss me. Most days I can dodge it, but he has figured out that I am usually in here during the mornings and afternoons alone.

“Good afternoon, Freya.” He smirks down while snaking his eyes down my body. Not that I’m wearing anything nice or anything. I have on a pair of jeans, a white tank top and a grey cardigan covering over it. To pair it up, I have some nude booties. Pretty generic, if I do say so myself.

“Good morning, Mayor.” I say with a soft smile as I put down some glasses of beers along the counters and take some various kitchen orders.

“When are you going to let me take you out, Freya?” Though I am sure he meant it to sound slick, it didn’t. It was off and just made the feeling of something crawling all over my body.

“I’m sorry, Mayor. I’m just not interested.”

“Oh, come on, Freya. A boy needs a father. Who could be more perfect than the Mayor?”

“We are doing just fine.” I assure him as I don’t make direct eye contact. From what I know, he’s not very well liked in this town, but his family is loaded and powerful, so his family has made generations of mayors in this town. Plus, he's married, not that he can keep it in his pants.

“One of these days, you’re going to be begging on your knees to suck on my dick.” He whispers that into my ear and I just peel away from him. Before he can say another word, his phone rings and he picks up. Apparently something serious happened because he left in quite a hurt. Not that I’m complaining. Seriously, I was saved by the bell.

The last of my customers leave around 2 PM and not a single soul walks in after that. Though it’s not abnormal, it’s still a bit strange to be so alone in here. The chef takes his leave and I wave a small goodbye to him.

Just as the clocks tick to 3 PM, I hear the door jingle. Before I can tell them we are closed, I see it’s just Jerrod. Turning my head to the side, I give him a funny look.

“What are you doing here? Thought you went with your gramps to the hospital?”

“Freya.” His voice is broken and I walk around the bar counter to face him directly. Something is wrong. “Laura is picking up Theo right now.”

“Why? What’s going on?” Jerrod paces across the room, biting down on his bottom lip nervously. Okay, this is freaking me out.

“Was Alaric here this morning?”

“Yeah, he’s here every morning. Why? What happened?” I make my way over to the back of the bar, farthest away from the front door to grab his hand to place him back to reality.

“Freya, he jumped off the bridge. He didn’t make it.” My heart drops with a thud. Blinking at Jerrod, I release my hand from him, but his other hand grabs and then he proceeds to use both his hands to hold one of mine.

“I.. He was just here.” Tears well up in my eyes. He was the sweetest man. “I just-“ Jerrod leans me to hold me a tight embrace as I let out a small cry.

“I know, baby.” He rubs against my back as I cry out.

“Today is the anniversary of his wife’s death. I should have known. Oh, God.” I leave his embrace to use both my hands to cover my face. “I gave him three shots this morning. He said it was going to be the last one he ever takes.”

“Come here, baby.” Jerrod again holds me in a tight embrace as I struggle to comprehend reality. As I start to calm down, I hear the front door ring. I realize I am still in his embrace, so I try to break from it. Instead, Jerrod looks down at me with desperate and hopeful eyes. Leaning down, he kisses me and I flash back to Alaric’s words from today and I kiss him back for a split second before pushing him back from me.

The front door slams shut, breaking both of our stance with one another. I look to the back wall in embarrassment from what just happened, but Jerrod just stares in my direction before directing to the front door.

“I’m sorry. We’re closed.” Jerrod tells whoever it is at the door.

“Not. Anymore.” My entire body freezes as a chill strikes my back. No. No. No. I know that voice. I know that gritty tone. It’s him. No. No. No. Turning slowly, I face him. Oh, God. No.

Liam.