Filed to story: Mia Bowen and Timothy Barrett Novel
“Mia, are you really not considering getting into a relationship?”
“For the moment, it’s not a priority for me. I’ll think about it when I meet someone who truly matches what I’m looking for.”
In truth, Mia hadn’t devoted much thought to these matters. After all, matters of the heart weren’t something she approached casually.
Patricia offered Mia a comforting pat on the hand. “That’s understandable. Relationships do require time. Just focus on being financially secure, and everything else will come together.”
Mia felt grateful for Patricia’s empathy. Intrigued, she asked, “How’s Uncle James doing in the hospital?”
“It’s been the usual routine, but his condition is deteriorating day by day. The doctors are advising us to prepare ourselves emotionally.
“Honestly, if it weren’t for Dominic covering his medical expenses,
Uncle James wouldn’t have made it this far. But at times, I can’t help but feel that his continued existence only serves to prolong his suffering.”
“Aunt Patricia, please don’t say that. What if Uncle James wakes up? Grandma Laura recovered, so there’s still hope.”
“Unfortunately, it’s not quite the same. I appreciate your efforts to comfort me, but I’ve come to terms with the reality. My main concern now is for you.”
“I’m fortunate to have the support of my brothers, and I’m financially stable. Frankly, I’m in a much better position than many others.”
Soon after, Mia and Patricia arrived home with the children, ready to freshen up and get ready for bed.
As Mia settled onto the plush mattress, she took a quiet moment to observe Sage and Ginger, peacefully asleep beside her. Gazing out the window, she found herself absorbed in the vibrant cityscape outside the constant motion of cars and people. After all these years, returning to such tranquility was beyond anything Mia could have imagined.
With Sage and Ginger snugly tucked in beside her, Mia’s heart brimmed with gratitude for the happiness she now embraced.
The next day, Mia prepared to take Sage and Ginger to the hospital to visit Laura, feeling hopeful that today might be the day Laura finally woke up.
Shortly after they finished breakfast, a knock echoed through the house.
Curious, Patricia headed to the door. “Who’s there?” she called out.
To Mia’s surprise, their neighbor from the previous day stood outside, holding a generous array of fruits.
“Hello, Aunt Patricia. I spoke to a friend yesterday about our conversation. When his son saw a photo of Ms. Lane, he was genuinely impressed. He’s willing to meet her and is completely accepting of her having children.”
Patricia’s expression darkened instantly. “Please, take your things and leave. Mia isn’t interested in a blind date.”
Despite Patricia’s clear dismissal, the neighbor set the fruits down and hurried away.
Fuming with indignation, Patricia exclaimed, “Who does that?”
Stepping forward, Mia gently grasped Patricia’s arm. “Don’t worry. We’ll ask the property management to handle this. I’m taking Sage and Ginger to the hospital now. Call me if anything comes up.” “Okay, go ahead.”
Patricia’s irritation deepened as her eyes lingered on the neglected fruits.
Meanwhile, Mia brushed off the incident and proceeded to take Sage and Ginger to the hospital.
Curious, Ginger looked up at Mia and asked, “Mommy, are you going to meet someone?”
“Don’t worry about what the adults say. Mommy isn’t going on any blind dates.” Mia reassured her.
With Sage and Ginger in tow, she made her way upstairs to the intensive care unit.
Outside, Mia spotted Timothy sitting on a bench, his laptop perched on his thighs, with a pile of files scattered around him.
It was evident that he had spent the entire night there.
Mia certainly empathized with the demands of Timothy’s job. She knew them all too well herself.
Without hesitation, Ginger dashed over and settled into the chair beside Timothy. “Is Great-Grandma Laura awake?” She bubbled with excitement.
Timothy’s demeanor softened at
Ginger’s presence. “She briefly regained consciousness, which is a positive sign. The doctors are optimistic that she’ll awaken again later. Fortunately, her condition seems to have stabilized,” he reassured.
Mia nodded in relief. “That’s good to hear.”
Observing the dark circles under Timothy’s eyes, Mia wondered if he had slept at all in the past few days.
She wrestled with the urge to broach the topic but ultimately decided against it.
Turning to Heath, Mia asked, “Has he had anything to eat?”
Heath seized the opportunity to voice his concerns. “Ms. Lane, I’ll be honest. Since Mr. Barrett’s return, he hasn’t rested at all. He’s constantly in
Meetings with hospital staff or buried in work. He’s hardly touched his meals. Could you perhaps talk to him?”
Mia’s expression shifted uncomfortably. “I might not be able to convince him, but go ahead and bring the food over. Maybe someone else could persuade him to eat.”
With Ginger’s innate empathy in mind, Mia hoped she could make a difference in this situation. After all, Ginger had a knack for showing kindness even to strangers on the street.
Recognizing Mia’s intention, Heath quickly organized for food to be delivered.
Ten minutes later, a cart arrived, filled not only with meals for adults but also with sweets and snacks that children adore.
Ginger’s eyes gleamed with excitement as she took in the spread before her, her enthusiasm palpable. Meanwhile, Timothy gave Heath a look of approval, expressing his gratitude for his consideration. Turning to Ginger, he said, “Feel free to grab whatever you want. I need to attend a video conference.”
With that, Timothy efficiently opened his laptop and began organizing the meeting.
In the midst of this, Ginger reached for a piece of fried chicken and offered it to Timothy, her voice soft and innocent as she suggested, “You should try some of this.”
Watching this scene unfold, the executives in the video conference were collectively taken aback, their astonishment apparent in their reactions.
Caught off guard by Ginger’s unexpected act of kindness, Timothy hesitated for a moment.
Should he accept the food graciously or politely decline?
However, when he saw the genuine concern in Ginger’s eyes, he found himself unable to refuse.
Reluctantly, he lowered his head and took a bite of the chicken she offered.
Ginger’s face lit up with a radiant smile. “Uncle Heath mentioned you haven’t eaten yet. Skipping meals isn’t good, you know. Here, take the pasta, and I’ll have this.”
With a determined effort, Ginger reached out, offering the bowl of spaghetti to Timothy.
Timothy let out a sigh, a hint of resignation evident in his voice. “I’ll grab something to eat after the meeting,” he conceded.
“Mommy says that work is never-ending, but meals are important,” Ginger interjected.
Drawing closer to the screen, she cast a glance at the executives on the other end of the video call. “He needs to eat now, so please bear with us for a moment, alright?” she added in her sweet, childlike voice. The executives were taken aback by the unexpected appearance of this adorable little girl with her hair tied up in sky-high pigtails.
Who was she?
Could she possibly be Timothy’s daughter, a secret kept hidden until now?
Nonetheless, they had never heard any mention of Timothy having a child before.
Still, the way Timothy doted on her just moments ago hinted at a special bond between them.
The executives found themselves in an awkward silence, unsure how to react to Ginger’s unexpected involvement. Sensing their hesitation, Ginger began to feel a bit impatient.
Timothy promptly directed his attention to the executives, his tone firm. “She’s addressing all of you.”
One of the executives, who was also a parent, promptly replied, “Of course, we can wait for him to finish his meal before we continue with the meeting.”
A smile of joy spread across Ginger’s face at the accommodating response. “Thank you, big brother,” she chirped sweetly.
The executive couldn’t resist returning Ginger’s bright smile after her endearing address. “You’re welcome,” he replied warmly.
However, his smile faded into a nervous grimace as he caught sight of Timothy’s intense glare.
Out of the blue, Timothy opted to end the video call. He didn’t want Ginger to inadvertently get caught up in adult matters.
Reluctantly, Timothy picked up his plate of food, Despite his initial lack of appetite, he eventually succumbed to Ginger’s attentive gaze. Slowly but surely, he reached for the utensils and began to enjoy the meal.
Observing the scene, Mia couldn’t help but smile knowingly. She had predicted this very outcome.
After all, Timothy was easily swayed by Ginger’s requests.
Meanwhile, Sage couldn’t resist stealing a glance at Timothy and Ginger. Meeting Mia’s gaze, he asked, “Mommy, did you instruct Ginger to do that?”
In a low voice, Mia confided, “No, Sage. You understand Ginger’s character better than anyone. She’s always caring, even toward strangers on the street.
“Mr. Barrett hasn’t had a break for days because of Great-Grandma Laura, and he’s been carrying all the continueses at work. If he to neglect eating, bis health will decline.”
“Mommy, you seem really concerned about him,” Sage observed.
Mia’s expression shifted slightly, betraying a hint of unease. “I’m not particularly worried about him. It’s just that, currently, Mrs. Barrett Senior depends on him a lot for support. If anything were to happen to him, Mrs. Barrett Senior would be greatly affected.”
Despite Mia’s attempt to deflect, Sage seemed to understand her underlying concern. “Mommy, what about you and Uncle Nicholas? What did you talk about that day?”
Mia hesitated for a moment before replying, “That’s grown-up business. You don’t need to worry about it.”