20
Nicholas’s POV
After a while at the office, I felt restless. The thought of Sabrina still trapped in her sadness and the lingering tension between me and her began to bother me. I felt like something needed to be fixed, but I was confused about how to start. In the midst of my confusion, I remembered a brief conversation I had with Hazel about having dinner with Charlie. Seeing as Hazel and Charlie would be there, I felt like it was an opportunity to try to lighten the mood and find out what was really going on between Hazel and Sabrina.
With a firm decision, I decided to go pick up Hazel and Charlie. I drove calmly, though my heart was still heavy, hoping that this dinner would bring some relief.
When I arrived at the apartment, my heart was still filled with anxiety. I knew that our relationship, especially with Sabrina, was getting more complicated. But I also realized that this dinner could be an opportunity to create a better atmosphere, at least, that was what I hoped. I wanted to see how things were with Charlie and Hazel, to take my mind off the problems that were pressing me for a while.
After starting the car and driving towards their apartment, I tried to push away all the worries that haunted my mind. A simple activity like this should be a good distraction, but in reality, thoughts of Sabrina still bothered me.
As soon as I arrived at the apartment, the door opened and Hazel greeted me with a slightly forced smile, although I could see that she was relieved that I came. Maybe she was also anxious, but no words came out to express it.
“Nicholas, you’re finally here,” Hazel said in a friendly tone.
“Is Charlie ready?”
“Yes,” she replied. I tried to smile even though my heart was heavy. “I thought we could have dinner together.”
Hazel nodded, and she quickly went to call Charlie. I waited in the living room, thinking a little, looking around. The apartment felt warm, with a little mess from Charlie’s toys scattered on the table and floor. It reminded me of Charlie’s childhood days full of joy and carefree. Sometimes I miss those days, when everything seemed easier and less complicated than now.
Charlie finally appeared, running towards me with a big smile on his face. “Daddy!” he exclaimed cheerfully, jumping into my arms. I hugged him tightly, feeling a little relieved even though the chaos was still haunting my
mind.
“Hey, Charlie. Are you ready for dinner?” I asked, trying to speak lightly, even though the worry remained.
“Yes! I’m hungry, Dad!” he replied, almost impatiently. I smiled faintly, feeling a little calmer seeing my son so
excited.
Hazel joined us, and after a few minutes, we were ready to leave. I saw my mother standing by the door, looking ready. Maybe she was a little anxious too, I don’t know. I couldn’t tell what she was feeling, but she definitely looked more tired than usual. Maybe it was because of the situation, too, which was full of tension.
The four of us finally got out of my car. The ride to the restaurant was rather silent, mostly filled with Charlie’s voice chattering about his friends at school. He didn’t seem to mind the tense atmosphere, or maybe he just didn’t talk about it. I felt a little guilty that Charlie had to go through all this, but I didn’t know how to explain this complicated situation to him.
I looked in the rearview mirror, a little thoughtful. Today felt lighter than I did at home, even though there were still many things that were still on my mind. There was a strong desire to make everything better, but I still felt lost. There was no definite answer to all of this, only one thing: I knew Charlie was the most important thing in my life. I didn’t want him to feel lost, even though I myself felt far from everything I missed.
