Just Another Cinderella

Chapter 2

Jasper's POV

 I've working in my office for hours because of dumbass interns. Who came up with the idea to hire intern journalist. Oh yeah my ex wife. 

 I own the Chicago Times newspaper, I work to have a paper printed every day. I gave tomorrow's paper to my secretary to send it off to be printed. My secretary leaves and my ex wife shows up.

"Jasper, you weren't home so I had to drive across town to give you your son." She complains.

I take our son and lay him on the couch in my office. I moved me and her out of my office. 

"For the last time Bethany, it's our son. It was you who wanted shared custody, I was perfectly fine with having sole custody over Max." I whisper yell.

"I'm sorry I have a life. You want sole custody you can have it. You have Max for two weeks, I have work in Paris." She says and walks away.

 I met Bethany in high school, we got married when I was 22 she was 21. She got pregnant at 23, I was just 24 when Max was born. After two years I could do it no more. I would have never married Bethany if it wasn't for my mom pushing me to. 

 I pick Max up and take him home. 

 It's been a week, a week of Max asking to go to Elizabeth's to see Amelia. I finally broke and told him we could go there for dinner. He kept asking me every 20 minutes if we can leave. I did an article on Elizabeth's when I was first starting the paper. The restaurant is owned by a nice man, he named the place after his dead wife before he was remarried. 

 It was close to 8 pm when me and Max made it to the restaurant. Max hoped around like he was going to pee his pants, when he took off. 

"AMELIA!" He ran to a waitress.

 Her back was facing me as she picked him up.

"There's my little man. I thought you forgot about me." She fake pouted.

"Never! I'm here with my dad because mom went to Paris." He explains.

She laughs and turns to me where Max was pointing. She took Max to his usual table and sat him on the seat.

"So, you must be the Amelia my son is in love with." I say 

She looks at me with a bright smile "That would be me. It's nice to meet you." She says 

 I am stunned for a moment by her bright blue eyes. 

"See dad I told you Amelia talks pretty. Amelia say that thing." Max says excitedly.

"Sei il mio sole e le mie stelle." She says. "So, what would you like to eat little man?" 

"I want the tuna melt with that green stuff!" He says loudly. 

"Spinach." Amelia says giggling 

"Yeah, dad you should get the Max. It's really good Amelia made it for me." Max bounces. 

"I guess I'll have that with a coffee." I say not know what the Max was.

"Regular or decaf?" She asks.

"Regular." I say.

"Do you want meat balls or grilled chicken?" Amelia asks writing our order. 

 I look at Max "Meat ball!" He shouts. 

"I'll have that right out to you." She smiles. 

 Amelia comes back giving us our drinks, she gives Max a coloring paper and crayons. I watch her move around like she was the only one in the room. She walked past a photo that catches my attention. It was a picture of the owner with a woman holding a little girl. The picture looked old and torn around the edges. 

 Amelia can back with two plates of food. The food looked and smelled amazing. I watch Amelia work and Max slowly fall asleep. Amelia brought over the check and gave us a to go box. I paid and left, I put Max into his car seat. Something stopped me from leaving, I sat in the car. 

 I watch through the window as everyone left, leaving her alone. She continued to clean the restaurant herself. I watch her lock up and walk away.