Picnic I
1394 Words
I slowly set Asher down on the ground, beside Tina, and take their hands. Levi looks at them with curiosity, probably trying to figure out if they're just my children or if they have some connection to him.
"What are you doing here?" I ask, not understanding anything.
"I came to see you," Levi replies.
I look at him from my place, incredulous. But before I can say anything and send him to hell, the doors of the building open, catching both of our attention.
"Victoria, I've been looking for you. And you too, little elusive girl," Maximiliano says as he approaches us. Tina runs to her father as soon as she sees him, and he lifts her in the air, making her laugh. After greeting me with a kiss on the cheek, Maximiliano finally notices there's a third person around us.
"I can't believe it," Maximiliano exclaims. "It's Levi Ledger, a Formula 1 legend. A pleasure, I'm Maximiliano Velásquez, a big fan of your racing style."
Levi, as gruff as ever, doesn't return Maximiliano's friendly greeting. Instead, he looks at him coldly from his height, as if Maximiliano is nothing compared to him.
"And who are you?"
"I'm Maximiliano Velásquez. I'm also a Formula 1 racer. I drive for McLaren."
"No, I mean, who are you to be here?"
I can't help but roll my eyes with annoyance when I recognize Levi's rude and graceless way of treating his opponents, or at least those he thinks are his opponents.
"That's none of your business. Come on, Maximiliano, we need to go to make the most of the weather."
A little disappointed, Maximiliano turns around and follows me to the building's door. Both of us walk out with our children hand in hand, but to my dismay, I feel Levi following us. We enter the park, and after thanking the security guard for his concern and informing him that I've found Asher, we venture into the park, each carrying our respective picnic baskets.
I feel Levi's cold gaze on the back of my neck the whole time. So when I can't stand it anymore, I put the picnic basket on the ground and crouch down so my son can hear me without me needing to speak louder than usual.
"Hey, sweetheart, do you know how to unpack our picnic baskets, right?"
He nods repeatedly.
"Yes, I learned already. I've been practicing."
"Great, because mommy needs you to do it while I talk to someone."
"With the man over there?"
I look to where his little finger points, finding Levi standing next to some children playing in the sand. Their mothers, a few meters away from him, are gossiping about him. I don't need to hear them to know they're talking about how good he looks in a suit.
"Yes, honey, with him. I'll be back in a moment."
I stand up and straighten my jeans, catching Maximiliano's attention, who also stands up with me.
"Where are you going?"
"I'll be back in a moment. Please keep an eye on Asher for me while I'm gone."
Maximiliano nods, so knowing that from where I'll be I can keep an eye on Asher, I head over to Levi, annoyed that he's stealing valuable time with my son.
"What do you want?"
"I came to see you."
"To see me? I hate to be so skeptical about your return, but please tell me something. Was your mistress so terrible that you had to come looking for me again?"
I feel Levi looking at me, so I return his gaze only to find a stern dark-haired man staring at me as if he doesn't understand something. He doesn't seem to know what I'm talking about or he's pretending very well.
"Who are you talking about?"
"The woman you left me for. What else would I be talking about?"
"Who told you that?" he asks, not answering my question.
"Someone told me a couple of things after I left," I lie. Nobody told me anything, but he doesn't have to know that.
"Well, they misinformed you. I didn't leave you for anyone."
I can't help but laugh. What he's saying doesn't make sense. He threw me out of nowhere and says it's not because of a woman. Then why?
"So according to you, it was just because? With that harsh tone and that cold look."
"You know I've never been delicate."
"True, you've always been so monstrous that I suppose in some way I was grateful for you kicking me out."
Levi stops responding. I look at him and his eyes are no longer on me, but on Asher, who is being helped by Maximiliano to spread jelly on a slice of bread.
"I want a paternity test."
"What? Do you seriously doubt that he's...?"
"Your mother told me he wasn't mine. That I should go back to Europe," he interrupts, leaving Asher to look at me.
"Did you talk to her?" I murmur.
"I had to. I couldn't find a way to contact you, but I could reach her. When I talked to her, she insisted so much that he wasn't mine that she convinced me to do a test."
No, that's not good. It's not good at all.
"And what do you expect from that?"
"To acknowledge my son."
"And if he's not?"
Levi hesitates, but finally answers, although it's not the response I expected.
"If he's my son, he'll come back with me to Europe."
"No."
"Whether you like it or not, that's how it'll be."
"And what about me? I'm his mother."
"I never said I'd leave you. It's obvious that you'll come with me too."
"His life is here, Levi, you can't..."
"Not anymore. So tell me, Victoria, is he my son or not?"
"What do you think?" I ask.
The wind ruffles Levi's short hair. His eyes clear as he fixes his gaze on me.
"I'll believe what you say."
I laugh bitterly. I look away, trying to escape his gaze, but I finally confront him.
"He's yours, Levi. But you didn't have time for a wife, let alone a child."
"Now I have time."
"It doesn't work like that, Levi. A child isn't an accessory that you take out when you have time to see and use him."
"Nor is a wife, I know. Relationships need time to be forged and strengthened."
"And are you willing to give up things you love for people you love?"
"Is that why you left the equestrian circuit?" he asks, probing an old wound that I thought was closed.
I nod gently.
"That's being a father, Levi, and honestly, I don't think you're ready. If you want, you can come see him on weekends and..."
"I live on the other side of an ocean, Victoria. It's inconvenient and ridiculous to have to travel so much, considering that you can come with me and the child."
"No," I deny. "I won't subject my son to the monotonous life in that mansion I lived in. I would never do that."
"You've already spent time with him. Now it's my turn."
"Levi, for God's sake, enough," I say with annoyance. "He's not a trophy that you need in your mansion with the others to adorn the house. He's a child, my child, and he's only four years old. How can you even think of separating him from his mother?"
"Just as you separated him from his father."
"It's different. I...", I shake my head and wipe my eyes. I'm slowly losing clear vision due to tears.
"What about you?"
"I was afraid, okay? That you would also kick him out of your life as soon as he didn't serve you like I did."
"I would never..."
"Don't try to lie to me, Levi. Since your mother's death, you developed such a cold behavior that getting close to you became dangerous, because as soon as you don't need someone, you risk being discarded."
For the first time since I've known him, Levi seems regretful.
"I won't be like that with my son."
"Then show me. Earn it," I murmur. "Give him your time and affection and let him call you dad in his own time and long to spend time with you."
"And what about you? Do I have to fight to win you too?"
"No, you lost me forever."
- Writer
