Chapter 24
Coffee and Confessions
GAbrIEL
This is not how I wanted things to play out.
I haven't heard from Millie in two days, except for a brief a text saying she couldn't watch Aura this week. Or any other week.
Every time I walk into the café, I see her retreating to the back room, avoiding all contact with me. It's like we're strangers now, and I'm the one who built that wall between us. The worst part is I don't know how to tear it down.
I know I've messed up. I know that I've hurt her, but the silence between us is deafening.
I want to talk to her—just talk. I need her to understand. I need to make things right.
The truth is, I don't care if she doesn't want to marry me. My lawyer has since assured me that my case would be solid without having a wife.
But that's not the issue, is it? I don't want to lose her. I don't want her to leave my life or Aura's life. I want us to figure things out, to build something solid and lasting.
Today, I stand in the coffee and tea aisle at Cherry Market, my daughter happily strapped in the seat of the cart, surrounded by all the choices of beans, bags, and brands.
My mind, though, is elsewhere- on one person. Millie. I try to focus on picking out a new coffee for the week, but my mind keeps wandering back to her.
How do I fix this? How do I even begin to bridge the silence that’s grown between us like a chasm?
"Uh, Gabriel?"
A feminine voice pulls me from my thoughts. I turn around, startled, to find Kenna Feely standing just a few feet away, an eyebrow arched in curiosity.
"Oh. Hi Kenna. How are you?" I ask, forcing a smile, but it probably doesn't look genuine.
"I'm good, thanks for asking. But I feel like the better question is how are you?" She says, her tone shifting to something softer and more concerned.
Her words hit me like a ton of bricks. How am I? Hell, I don't know anymore. I feel lost, sad, confused. I've let Millie slip through my fingers, and I don't know how to get her back. I feel like I've lost the love of my life, and I have no one to blame but myself.
"I'm ok," I say, but even to my own ears, it sounds hollow.
Kenna's eyes narrow as if she's not buying it.
"Ok, look. I was being nice, but you can't bullshit a bullshitter.
No one who's really ok stands in the middle of a grocery store, staring at coffee like it's the meaning of life.
" Her voice softens a little, but there is a directness to it that cuts through my defenses.
"I don't know what's going on with you and Millie, but I can tell you're struggling.
And I can see you care about her. I'm worried about both of you.
So.." she pauses, her tone a little more serious, “Talk to me. What's going on?"
I sigh heavily, my chest tight. How do I even begin to explain everything that's happened? How do I put into words the mess I've made?
The guilt presses down on me like a weight, each mistake replaying over and over in my mind like a broken record. I want to tell her the whole story, but words fail me.
"I don't want to lose her, Kenna," I finally admit, the words spilling out in a rush. "I love Millie. I know I've screwed up. But I—I just don't know how to fix it."
Kenna's face softens. "Listen, I get it," she says, her voice quieting. "But you have to talk to her, Gabriel. Not me. Not anyone else. Her. If you care about her, you need to show her that. Don't leave things unsaid."
I nod, feeling a weight pressing down on me. "I tried. I really did. But every time I try to talk to her, she pulls away. It's like she's... slipping away from me."
Kenna considers this for a moment before giving a decisive nod. "Then stop waiting for her to come to you. If you want to fix this, you need to meet her where she is. Don't wait for her to reach out. Go to her."
I don't say anything for a beat, but I know she's right. The problem is, I don't know how to approach her without making things worse.
Kenna sighs and looks around at the aisles of coffee and tea.
"Alright," she says, suddenly more businesslike.
"You've got a lot to figure out, but I'm not going to leave you hanging.
I want to help." She tilts her head and glances at Aura.
"Tell you what—meet me at the salon in an hour.
We'll talk. You can even bring Aura. I'm sure she'd love to hang out with me while we figure this out. "
Kenna looks at me for a moment, measuring me up, before she nods. "I can do that. I'll meet you at the salon in an hour. If you don't show up, though…" She trails off, a serious look on her face.
"I have your address from when Millie first started working for you. Believe me when I say, I will come to you. I'm worried about you. And for my little sister."
I let out a soft laugh, feeling a mix of gratitude and dread. "Alright. I'll be there."
With a small but firm nod, she walks away, leaving me standing in the coffee aisle with a hundred thoughts swirling in my head. The task ahead of me feels monumental, but Kenna's words strike a chord in me.
Stop waiting.
I need to do something.
I need to act.
After that, grocery shopping is a blur. My mind is racing with thoughts of Millie and how I'm going to make things right. Can I? Is it even possible? I know I can't go back in time and undo the damage, but I can still salvage something.
I finish up, pay for the groceries, and head to my car, which is parked a few rows over. Aura's stroller fits easily in the car despite all the bags. I buckle her in before pulling out of the parking lot.
I drive to Enchanted Locks with a purpose, my fingers drumming anxiously on the steering wheel.
When I get there, I park behind the building. I pull Aura's stroller out of the trunk and roll it to the door.
The sign on the door says closed, so I knock. A few moments later, Kenna opens the door, looking like she was expecting me but still slightly surprised.
"I really thought you wouldn't show," she says, stepping aside to let me in. She quickly locks the door behind us.
She nods her head towards the back of the salon, "Come on in. We'll have more privacy back here. Plus, you can let Miss Aura out."
I follow her through the salon, the soft hum of music in the background, until we reach the back office.
It's cozy- there are plants, an oversized couch, and a pile of blankets in the corner.The smell of lavender tills the air.
It has that same comforting vibe as the salon out front, only more personal. More intimate.
Kenna grabs a blanket from the pile and drapes it over her arm before walking over to Aura's stroller. She unbuckles my daughter, who is wide-eyed but calm.
"I'm sorry to be so abrupt," Kenna says, glancing up at me. "You hardly know me, and I just grabbed your daughter without asking. But I thought I could hold her while we talked. People say Millie and are like twins.”
I smile at that, even though my heart aches a little.
I don't mind her holding Aura. In fact, I'm grateful for it.
Since the day she was born, I've wanted nothing more than for my daughter to be surrounded by people who care about her.
Kenna, from the few interactions I've had with her, seems like someone who genuinely loves Millie. And Aura, too, I hope.
"I don't mind," I say. "She's been off since Millie hasn't been around. And I have to admit, so have I."
Kenna nods, sitting down on the couch with Aura in her arms, gently rocking her. "Then let's fix it." She says matter-of-factly.
I take a deep breath and start to tell her everything—the mess I've made, the way I hurt Millie, how deeply I care for her, how much I want to be with her, and how, despite being advised to marry her one day.
"I know I'm not perfect," I say, my voice thick with emotion. "But I love her. I want to spend my life with her. I would've asked her to marry me in Italy if I thought she would've said yes. But now…now, I don't know. I don't know if I've ruined everything.”
Kenna listens patiently, her eyes never leaving me. When I finish, she takes a deep breath, her eyes shimmering with emotion.
"Ok," she says, her voice calm but firm. "So what I'm hearing is that you don't want to marry Millie right now, but in the future, for sure?"
I nod, the weight of her words settling into my chest. "Yes.
That's it, exactly. I don't want to rush her.
I don't want her to feel pressured, but I do want that with her.
I want to be her husband. I want us to build a life together.
That's why this whole thing with the lawyer and custody battle is so important. "
Kenna's eyes soften, and she wipes away a stray tear. "Then tell her that," she says, her voice breaking slightly. "Tell her that if she doesn't want to marry you right now, that's ok. But you do want to be with her. You want to be her husband. You need to be honest with her, Gabriel."
I nod, feeling a sense of relief wash over me, mixed with a deep sense of urgency. "I will. I'll tell her. I just don't know if she'll listen."
"Then show her," Kenna says, giving me a stern look. "Words are important, but actions speak louder. Show her that you're ready. That you're committed.
When I leave the salon, I feel more hopeful than when I arrived. I've got a plan. A real plan. Kenna's words stick with me as I drive home. Show her you're committed.
I call Anna and ask her if she could come watch Aura for the rest of the day while I ran some errands. She agrees, and I head out.
My first stop is a flower shop in the next town over to order flowers for Saturday, since it was the closest one that carries camellia flowers. Millie mentioned once or twice that she loved the flower. I know she will appreciate the thoughtful gesture.
My next stop is a jeweler that I have been in contact with for months now, designing the perfect ring for Millie. When the time was right, I would propose.
I guess that time was now.
The ring I designed is perfect for Millie. It is a 1.7 carat oval cut solitaire diamond set on a delicate, thin band. Classic. Timeless. Just like Millie.
When I pick up the ring, my heart pounds in my chest, this feels real now. I've already committed to this. I text Kenna, sending her a picture of the ring and asking her what she thinks. She responds with a simple message.
Kenna
It's perfect. Everything's going to be perfect, Gabriel. Just tell her exactly how you feel.
I take a deep breath and let out a long exhale.
Everything's going to be perfect.
I hope.