The "perfect" deal: Trapped between two loves

Picnic II

And it was true. Levi Ledger lost me the moment he asked me to leave his house without even caring about the consequences of his actions. Whether it hurt me or if I wanted to stay with him... But that doesn't matter anymore. He doesn't matter. My heart doesn't care anymore. He had his chance and he blew it, and there's no going back now.

I glance beside me and something changes in Levi's expression, but I can't quite put my finger on what it is. I spent so much time with him, yet at the end of the day, I barely knew him at all. It's amazing how some couples live.

Finally, his face returns to its usual impassive state.

"How are we going to do this?"

"Do what?"

He nods his head towards the group of three, where Tina and Asher have just discovered something in the grass. Maximiliano picks it up and puts it on Tina's head, making her scream. When she realizes it's just a leaf, they both burst into laughter.

"How will you tell him I'm his father?"

"I don't know. I'll think of something."

Levi looks at me curiously.

"He never asked about me?"

I shake my head.

"Never?"

I shake my head again.

"I'm enough for him, but I understand that he needs you or he will at some point. You're... his father, after all."

He nods gently. For a moment, my mind drifts back to the past, to when we were together. The silence between us even when we were married, the interactions out of obligation, and my unrequited love. It's Asher who brings me back to reality.

"Mummy, look!" he shouts, holding up a little puppy in his hands.

The girl I assume is its owner is beside him, smiling fondly as she watches them together. I give them both thumbs up, then signal to Maximiliano to take a photo. He asks the owner for permission, and she gladly agrees.

Seeing Asher smiling while holding that puppy in his arms disconnects me from reality. Such a tender image would distract anyone, but soon a clearing of the throat brings me back to reality.

"Who is he?"

"He's Asher," I say to tease him. I won't tell him anything about Maximiliano. He's just a client and nothing more.

"You know I'm not talking about him," he mutters as I walk away from him. I feel his presence behind me.

"Let's eat before playing, okay?" I ask when I reach where they're playing, a little ways away from the blankets. The puppy has already been taken away.

"Yes!" Tina shouts, running towards me. She gives me a quick hug and then goes to sit down. Following her are her father and Asher.

"We have an unexpected guest," I say, sitting down on the blankets. When I look up, Levi is disdainfully eyeing the picnic.

I take out the glasses and juice, annoyed by his always perfect and neat behavior as if he couldn't look anything other than elegant for once.

"But if you don't want to sit down, you can leave. No problem. Although you said you wanted to win him over," I add sarcastically.

Maximiliano looks at both of us, curious. Finally, Levi sits down next to me.

He, with his expensive suit and meticulously styled hair with pounds of hair gel, looks completely out of place compared to my jeans, tank top, or Maximiliano's casual clothes and sneakers.

"Guys, this is Levi."

"Hi, Levi," Tina says, flashing her toothless smile.

He responds with a nod of his head. I give him a small tap on the leg to signal him to say something more.

"Uh, hi."

"You're the man who talked to me earlier," Asher says, pointing to Levi. "He took me home, Mummy."

Of course, I had almost forgotten that he had already seen Levi a few minutes ago.

"Well, now that you know each other, let's start eating."

I pour juice into the glasses, and Maximiliano helps me with the lemon tart I made. Meanwhile, Levi takes the time to look at Asher.

I know he's not familiar with children. I'm not even sure if they were in his plans before thirty, but here he was, dirtying and wrinkling his suit just to win over the son he didn't know.

I want to think he'll be a good father who'll sacrifice everything for his son, but I still have doubts. Doubts that won't go away with time, but with actions.

"Do you want some?" Maximiliano offers Levi some tart.

He declines, earning a glare from Asher.

"My mom made that tart."

"Then I think I'll have some."

Levi takes the plate, but it doesn't change anything. Asher still has a furrowed brow.

"Do you like my mom?"

"Asher, enough," I stop him.

"It's just that all the men who are very nice to you say they want to be my dad, and I don't want that."

"Why don't you want that?"

Asher looks at Levi. His question seems to offend him.

"Because if he's not here, it's because he doesn't want to be. Besides, my mom already takes care of me very well. I don't need him."

The plate slips from Levi's hand. He doesn't look at me, but from his slightly open mouth, I can imagine what he's thinking.

"Levi..."

"I need to make a call."

He gets up, and without even bothering

to straighten his suit, he walks away to the park entrance.

"I'm sorry, Maximiliano. I need to leave urgently. I..."

"It's okay. Go."

"But the basket and the..."

"Go. I'll pick it up for you and give it back next time we see each other."

I give him a closed-mouth smile before standing up and taking Asher's hand.

"Where are we going?" he asks. I wipe the whipped cream off his lips before picking him up and rushing to run.

I don't know where Levi went, but for the sake of my conscience, I must fix this before he leaves. To my surprise, when I step out onto the street, I see him leaning against his gray car.

I allow myself to breathe before starting to walk towards him. When I reach him, I signal him to follow me. Before, that would provoke anger in him, justified by the fact that he wasn't a dog to follow anyone. But here he was, silently following me.

Life's ironies.

I step into the elevator, and when we're both inside, I press the third-floor button and wait. The wait feels longer than it actually is. The tension between us is palpable.

When we reach the apartment, I open the door, let Levi in, and then put Asher down. He looks at Levi annoyedly.

"What's he doing here?"

I crouch down to Asher's level and turn him to face me. There's pure confusion in his eyes.

"I've talked to you about that tone a lot. And that person over there, Asher, is your father."

For a moment he does nothing. He blinks and looks at him, incredulous, but soon looks at him again with disdain.

He can't deny he's Levi Ledger's son.

"I don't want him."

"That's not how parents work, Asher."

"I don't want him," he repeats.

I hear Levi snort before he starts pacing in circles behind me.

"Listen, Asher," I say, softening my voice. "I know you didn't want a father because if he wasn't here with you from the beginning, it means he doesn't want you. But that's not the case."

"And how do you know that?"

"Because I never told him."

"Why not?"

"I don't know. I guess I was scared."

"Did he hit you?"

"No, honey. But I was afraid. It wasn't something we planned, so since I felt scared, I figured he would too, and that's why I didn't tell him."

Asher wrinkles his nose before softening his gaze and smiling at me.

"It's not your fault either."

I hug him tightly and give him a loud kiss on the cheek, making him laugh. When I let go, I saw Levi watching me from the balcony.

"Come on, Levi, I'll introduce you to your son."

With a little fear, Asher approaches Levi at the same time as he crouches down to his height. When he's in front of him, Levi gently touches his head. Against all odds, Asher doesn't get upset.

"Hi, Daddy."

"Hi, son."