GET IT NOW
23
Sabrina’s POV
When Nicholas finished speaking, the atmosphere felt ever more tense. I stood there, still hugging Charlie who seemed very happy to hug me back. However, Nicholas‘ works just now surprised me. He… defended me?
My head was spinning, trying to process everything. Nicholas, who was usually full of coldness and sarcasm, was suddenly standing beside me as if I was something very precious. Gratitude and confusion mixed in my chest. Charlie, in my arms, seemed oblivious to the tension that fled the air around us.
“I can’t believe you would say that,” I whispered softly, though only to myself. Maybe this was all just an illusion. Maybe Nicholas was just pretending to distract from the real problem. However, his steady gaze showed no signs of being insincere. He really did it for me.
Our surroundings began to feel darker. Whispered voices began to break the silence, flowing like the wind carrying bad news.
My little heart trembled. Maybe this was the right moment to speak, but the words felt stuck in my throat. Nicholas turned, looking at me with a look that was so meaningful I couldn’t quite read. At that moment, I felt something more than solidarity between us. An unexplainable connection that might change everything.
“Are you okay?” Nicholas asked, his voice soft, a surprising contrast to his previous demeanor.
I nodded slowly, still struggling with all my emotions. “L… I don’t know.” My voice was almost hesitant, but it was probably the deepest truth.
“Okay,” he said. “We’ll talk about this later. Now, focus on Charlie.” He smiled, and for a moment, my world felt lighter.
This moment might be a turning point in my life, and I couldn’t ignore the feeling that was rising. As Charlie took my hand and pulled me away from the crowd, I knew one thing: no matter what happened, Nicholas was now part of my story, and my curiosity only deepened.
“If you can’t eat with Sabrina, then we’d better end it,” Nicholas said in a firm but calm tone.
I stared at him, trying to find the meaning behind his cold face. Was he sincere, or was he just trying to keep the situation under control?
Hazel exploded first. “What do you mean, Nicholas?!” she asked sharply.
“Yes, Nicholas, you can’t let her ruin the atmosphere of our family dinner,” my mother–in–law continued, her tone no less piercing
I just lowered my head, feeling small in the middle of their argument. But when I heard Charlie hug me tighter and say, “Mom, don’t go,” my heart felt strong again.
“That’s enough,” Nicholas‘ voice sounded again, louder. He looked at Hazel and his mother. “Hazel, if you can’t respect Sabrina’s presence, you can go. I’ll take care of Charlie.” 1
Hazel stared at Nicholas, shocked and full of anger. “Are you defending her, Nicholas? Have you forgotten that I’m the one who’s always there for you and Charlie?”
Nicholas sighed, his hands rubbing his face tiredly. “This isn’t about who’s defending, Hazel. Charlie needs Sabrina. We all know that.”
Hearing that, Hazel immediately stood up from her chair, looking at me with sharp eyes. “Okay, then. If this is what you want.” She grabbed Charlie’s hand, trying to pull him. “Come on, Charlie. Let’s go home.”
23
+25 BONUS
Charlie immediately curled up in my arms, screaming, “No I don’t want to go home with Mama Hazel! I want to be with Mama Sabrinal”
Hazel pulled him harder, but Charlie started to cry, hugging me tightly. “Mama, don’t leave me,” he sobbed. My heart immediately broke. I wanted to protect him, but Haze didn’t seem to want to lose.
Nicholas stood up, his steps firmly approaching us. “Hazel, let him go,” he said in a flat but powerful tone. “I’ll take Charlie home later.”
Hazel stared at Nicholas in disbelief. “Are you serious? Nicholas, this can’t be allowed!”
Nicholas just stared at her expressionlessly. “I’ll take responsibility. Go home, Hazel.”
Hazel stood still for a few seconds, her eyes flashing with anger. Finally, she let go of Charlie’s hand and turned towards the door.
“Okay,” she said coldly. “But remember, Nicholas, I won’t forget this.” She hurried away, followed by my mother- in–law who also said nothing, just gave me a hateful look before leaving
When the door closed, I could only hug Charlie tighter, trying to calm his sobs. “Okay, honey, Mommy’s here,” I whispered, stroking his hair.
Nicholas stared at me, his face still calm, but I could see something stirring behind his eyes. “Sabrina,” he said softly, his tone gentle but serious, “I’ll take Charlie home later. For now, enjoy your time with him.”
don’t cry,
I just nodded, unable to say anything. My tears flowed slowly, not knowing whether it was from relief or the pain that still haunted me. Charlie wiped my tears with his small hands, looking at me innocently. “Mommy, “he said, smiling a little.
H
again‘ I tried to smile, even though it was hard. “Mommy is okay, honey. Mommy is just happy to be with you A few moments later, Charlie, who still wanted to be with me, made Nicholas and I choose to stop by a children’s playground not far from the restaurant.
I sat on the edge of the sandbox, watching Charlie enthusiastically building a “castle” using small molds in his hands. His smile was so wide, it made me feel a little calmer. In between his busy playing, he would look at me and smile as if to make sure I would stay there, not go away
I felt warmth in him as if his smile could spread a little light into a dark heart. My mother always said that children have a way of making everything feel better. And right now, I cursed myself for feeling so burdened.
I nodded, though anxiety still lingered in my mind. There were so many things we needed to talk about–about the future, about everything that had happened. But right now, I wanted to savor these little moments. Watching Charlie play, his smile, his cheerful laughter–they were all reminders that there was hope even though life was full of challenges.
“Mommy, look at this castle! Come help me!” he cried excitedly. Without hesitation, I joined him, reaching out to help build our “castle.” In a matter of seconds, all the burdens seemed to evaporate, replaced by laughter and simple joy. As the sand fell from our hands, I knew that I would always try to make Charlie feel safe and happy- no matter what was happening out there.
“Mommy, look at this! The castle is almost done!” he exclaimed, pointing to the box–shaped pile of sand he had so carefully constructed.
I chuckled, nodding enthusiastically. “Wow, Charlie is great. The castle is so big. But, doesn’t the castle need a flag?” I asked, trying to add imagination to his game.
Charlie frowned, looking deep in thought. “Yes, yes. A flag! He hurriedly looked for a small twig nearby, then
23
showed it to me proudly. “Mommy, can this be a flag?”
+25 BONUS
“Of course you can, honey,” I replied while taking a small andkerchief from my bag. I folded it quickly and tied it to the end of the twig. “Now, here’s the flag.”
