Crawling back to an ex
EPISODE HUNDRED AND THREE
THEME: Crawling back to an ex
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, USA.
The grocery store was very easy to find. Even without the GPS it was situated at the center of the town and there were other important stores. The area was really a small town with very good facilities.
Raven smiled as she parked and walked into the store. She might as well get used to living here. Probably she could get a space for lease at a not too expensive rate and start her own little restaurant. Grabbing a cart, she began picking and dropping the essentials she felt they needed at home. She was at the veggies section when the lettuce box she picked fell out of her hand.
“Oh my God!” She gasped out and bent to pick it but another person was fast enough to help her pick it up. “Thank you so much.” She said looking up at the person and her breath seized.
“Raven?” Said the man who had been nice enough to pick up her stuff.
Still in shock Raven whispered. “Jacob?”
“Oh my goodness, Raven it’s really you?!” Jacob exclaimed as he made an attempt to hug her.
Raven moved away from him. “Don’t!” She warned.
“Raven.” He called out to as she pushed her cart away in an hurry to get to the counter.
Raven sorted her bills avoiding Jacob as he kept calling her name and trying to get her attention. She felt embarrassed that he was attracting too much attention from the other shoppers.
On getting to her car, her hands shook as she attempted to open the door. The keys fell off her hands. Jacob had gotten near her to pick it up again.
“Stay away from me!” She ordered with her voice shaky.
“Please Raven, just a moment. I have been trying your line since yesterday. But it’s not reachable. What are you doing in Brooklyn? I promise I won’t take much of your time. I had been planning to come find you by weekend. Please.” Jacob rushed out his words with his eyes pleading with her even as he was still holding on to her keys.
Raven checked her wristwatch to know whether she should run at this point or just hit him in the face. Whatever option she chooses, she would still have to face Jacob sooner or later. And there would be no specific moment that she would be prepared.
Bracing herself, she looked into his eyes for the first time in seven years. Jacob was looking more handsome and taller than he looked in the TV. It was obvious television didn’t do justice to his looks. She tried to seek for the flame that she had for him years back, but it all came up blank. It seemed as if she was staring at a stranger.
Jacob stood still feeling awkward as Raven stared him down. It had been years since he saw her and she looked so different. He wanted to hug her so bad, but he knew better than to try to be next to her. Nothing could justify his actions up until now. When he had threaten her on phone about the child custody, he had regretted doing so. His lawyer had informed him of how stupid he sound, trying to have claim over a child that he never asked after for seven years. It was why he planned on visiting her house by a certain weekend and have a long conversation with her.
Jacob Miller couldn’t stand the stare contest between them. He had no choice but to clear his throat. And that got Raven out of her reverie.
“Give me a moment please.” Raven said to him as she walked few feet away.
She dialed Rowan’s phone and when he didn’t pick she felt he must still be asleep. So she dropped a voice message informing him of her lateness.
“I only have twenty minutes to spare. So, you had better be quick with it.” She told him sternly.
Jacob almost leaped in excitement. “There is an open space right there, we can seat there.” He pointed at an open restaurant.
Leading the way, he ordered for a bottle of juice for the both of them. Raven had declined at first but thought otherwise when he insisted.
“Why do you want to see me? And what’s all this about child custody?” Raven tried to sound harsh just to attack him. She wasn’t going to give him a chance to treat her like a piece of trash just because he is rich.
“Can we not delve into that right now please? I wanted to ask how you were, but it’s obvious you are doing fine. How is the child?” He asked almost in a tight whisper.
Raven glared at him. “Rowan is his name and he is a boy. A healthy one at that.”
Jacob stayed silent for a while. “I know I don’t deserve to see him.”
“You don’t-”
“But please just hear me out first.” He cut in when Raven tried to say a word. “It’s not like I didn’t want to be with you, but the offer I got in Europe was just too juicy to let go. It was a lifetime opportunity.”
Raven let out a stiff chuckle. “You must really think highly of yourself. My question is what were you doing all of these years? And then you decide to glide back in now. Also, how did you get my contact?”Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.
Jacob Miller bowed his head in shame. “I have no excuse for my behavior. And as for your contact, I got it from the restaurant you work at. Being a celebrity it was easy to get someone to give me your contact.”
Raven scoffed at the word. “Celebrity.” Jacob really thought high of himself. Still looking at him calmly she asked. “So, what do you want me to do now?”
“I need you to let me back in your life Raven. I am ready now. I came around here to assist in some town football coaching. It had been a direct order from my manager as they paid really well. It isn’t my type of thing, but I decided to take it as it gave me an opportunity to come back here and make amends with you.”
She had been hiding the urge to let out an hysterical laughter, but she didn’t hold it back this time. People stared at her like she had lost her mind. Thoughts of all the things she had to endure while looking after Rowan rushed at her. The fake marriage she had to involve in to save her son’s life made her ache the most.
“Raven-”
“I must admit, you have lost your bloody mind. So you think you can just walk into my life and stroll out like you please? First, you ruin my day by showing yourself after seven years and here you are talking about wanting a chance. Do you know what I was going through six months ago? When I almost lost my son? Where were you when I had to work two to three jobs to cater for him?!” She laughed again as tears clouded her vision.
“Raven-”
She interrupted him. “You know what I would pretend I never got your call or see you. Don’t ever get in my way against and I hope you go to hell!” She had lost her cool and didn’t care if anyone was watching.
“Wait Raven!” Jacob called out to her as he followed her closely behind.
Panting heavily, she headed towards her car and drove away in fury.
Jacob stood rigidly, as Raven drove off. He didn’t know what he was suppose to do, then he recalled that he didn’t have her new contact. Not thinking twice, he got on the power bike he had drove down to the store and followed her at a not too close pace. He knew better than to get noticed by her and the drive was really short.
Jacob stopped the bike few meters away when she drove into a front yard. Raven dropped down from the car, from the look of it she was calming herself. Jacob watched as she collected the groceries from the car and unlocked the door. He wondered if his son was with her since she was opening the door from outside. He took note of the house and was about to kick start the bike and leave when a little boy that has a striking image of him rushed at her smiling brightly before they both got in and closed the door. The little boy looked like the younger version of him.
His heart yearned to go closer to them, however he knew better. Rather than make a fuss, he noted what his next action would be and drove farther away from the house.