Bali Escape with the Single Dad

Chapter04

Kuta was the happening place. When she’d booked the trip, Mia had agonised over her choice of where to stay. Bali was a large island with many wonders. There were beautiful beach hotels in Sanur and flashier, quieter resorts in Nusa Dua. Ubud was the cultural centre in the middle of the jungle. She’d been spoiled for choice. But in the end, she’d chosen Kuta because it was the main tourist hub. It might not be quiet, but it was close to restaurants, shopping malls, and boasted a nice enough beach for someone who wouldn’t step foot in the ocean. Beach Club had been appealing for its price and proximity to the main street, meaning she didn’t need to navigate small backroads and alleyways—an important consideration when travelling alone. Breakfast had been included, and the hotel boasted a peaceful resort-style feel with a tranquil pool.

Mia glanced up at Aiden strolling beside her. Now she was even happier for her choice of hotel, otherwise, she’d never have met him.

‘What would you like to eat?’ she asked as they turned onto the main street. The rumble of congested traffic greeted them, flashing neon signs hung overhead, and music pumped from crowded bars filled with the chatter of people enjoying a holiday. ‘I haven’t had much time to look around. Last night I grabbed takeaway before going to bed early for the hike.’ But Aiden had been in Bali two days longer than her and might know of a good place to eat.

‘I’ll admit, I’m not adventurous with food. I like Asian, but I’m all noodled out from lunch. And I’d like a place where I can grab a beer.’

She nodded, eyeing the restaurant across the street. Fish and an array of sea creatures swam in tanks overlooking the sidewalk. It was one of those places where you chose your fish alive, which Mia had never seen before but were popular in Asia. She shuddered and tore her gaze away. Definitely not her thing.

‘I’m sure we can find you a beer, and I’m not a fan of seafood. Maybe we both need a western feed tonight.’

‘There’s a sports bar a few places down. They advertise Australian football, so they’ll probably have an Aussie beer and good food.’

‘Sounds like a plan.’

They found the bar and looked at the menu. Deciding they were happy to eat there, they sat at a table overlooking the busy sidewalk. It wasn’t quiet, but it was comfortable and almost felt like home—like the local pub on a Friday night. Indeed, there were posters advertising the Australian football leagues, although the seasons were over.

‘What have you got planned for the rest of your trip?’ Aiden asked after they’d ordered. He leaned forward and crossed his tanned forearms over the table.

‘I have a few activities booked for the mornings. I like to keep busy on holiday.’

‘Me too. I’m doing Seawalker tomorrow.’

‘Is that where you’re given a scuba helmet and walk along the bottom of the ocean?’ He nodded. An involuntary shudder coursed through her and her hand tightened around her glass. ‘Yeah…I saw that. But it’s not my thing. I don’t…like the ocean.’

His eyebrows lifted. ‘Really? Why not?’

She paused. Should she tell him? It wasn’t a secret, and it was probably best she told him about her fear before he asked if she wanted to go swimming in those large, terrifying waves.

She placed her glass of Diet Coke back on the table and sighed. ‘I told you that my dad died, right?’ He nodded. ‘Well, the thing is, we don’t know for sure. Technically, he was lost at sea.’

Aiden winced. ‘Oh, Mia. I’m sorry. That’s… Is that why you don’t like the ocean?’

‘I guess. I know it’s more Mum’s fear than my own, but the thought of going into the water…’ She shook her head. ‘Nope. Not interested. It scares me.’

‘So…you’ve never actually been in the ocean?’

‘Nope.’ She sipped her drink, then decided to tell him the whole story. ‘My dad was a marine biologist doing research in Vanuatu. One day, he went out and never came back. We don’t know what happened. They found his boat and eventually found his partner’s body. But he was never found.’

Considering she’d never really known the loss, it wasn’t difficult for her to tell this story, but her heart twisted nonetheless as it had hurt growing up without a father. And now, her mum was gone too.

She let out a deep breath and powered on with her story. ‘It was very hard on Mum as it took her years to accept that Dad was lost and never coming back. But it was the unknown that scared her. Had he been taken by a shark? Stung by a jellyfish then taken by a shark? We just don’t know. So, Mum became terrified of the ocean, and she kept me and my brother out of it. We never went to the beach. We hardly ever went out on boats. Michael has since realised that it’s not his fear and he has a good relationship with the beach now. But me…’ She allowed her mouth to twist. ‘I guess, I’m just my mother’s daughter. She’s passed that fear onto me. I look out at the water and find it so vast. So mysterious. Those waves look like they could knock you over and it does sort of terrify me to think of what is out there. And wonder what happened to my dad.’

Aiden nodded slowly. ‘It’s understandable, Mia. The not knowing…that would be hard. And yeah, the ocean does hold many secrets.’

‘And dangerous creatures.’

‘That too. And even without having someone lost to it, there are many people who stay out of the water.’

‘Exactly. Besides, we all have strange fears and even though I want to try new things and be braver, I don’t think the ocean is something I need to face.’ She thought of the waves crashing into her and shuddered. She shook her head and reached for her drink again. ‘I don’t think I’m missing out on much.’

‘I get that.’ He paused and sipped his beer. ‘But I’ll admit, I do love the beach. So does Ella.’

Mia smiled. ‘I can handle the sand part of the beach. Does Ella like building sandcastles?’

‘Yeah, I guess. I should take her more as she loves collecting seashells and playing in the sand, but I usually keep her at home on my days off.’ He paused to swig his beer, his eyes thoughtful for a moment, before focusing back on her. ‘So, what activity do you have booked for tomorrow?’

‘Tomorrow I’m going on a waterfall tour, then on Wednesday I’m visiting the elephant sanctuary. On Thursday, I have a morning booked at a spa.’

‘Sounds good. And Friday?’

‘Nothing. But I have tentative plans to go to the waterpark on Saturday before I leave.’

Aiden grinned. ‘Waterbom sounds awesome. I’m not doing anything on Saturday. You want to go together?’

Mia’s heart leapt, but she didn’t hesitate as she nodded. ‘Okay.’

‘Excellent! Are you brave on waterslides?’

‘Fearless!’

His grin widened and his blue eyes gleamed. ‘We’re gonna have a great time then.’

Mia laughed. She had no doubt they would.

‘So, you’re leaving Saturday night, you said?’

She nodded. If you could call it Saturday night—the flight to Townsville left at two am. ‘Yeah. You?’

‘Monday.’ He paused, drank his beer, then let out a deep breath. ‘Mia, I was thinking. Why don’t we hang out a bit while we’re here? Enjoy some time and activities together. I’m not asking for anything,’ he quickly added. ‘Just friendship.’

Her belly fluttered and she clenched her hands in her lap. Why did Aiden wanting to spend more time with her make her nervous? There was nothing to be nervous about. Even if she was attracted to him…

Well, it didn’t matter because as he’d just said—he only wanted friendship. And that’s all she wanted too. Friends, she could do. Anything more was uncharted territory.

‘I’d love to spend time with you, Aiden. Most of my tours are finished early or by mid-afternoon and I don’t have anything booked for the evenings. So yeah. It’ll be nice to have someone to catch up with.’

His smile softened. ‘I think so. And it’s not that I don’t…well…’ He sighed and ran his hand down his face. ‘I do think you’re great, Mia. And if I wasn’t going through a divorce right now…’

Mia stared at him, her hand tightening around her iceless glass. Tingles shot through her. She hadn’t been imagining it. He did like her.

But no. Friends. Friends!

She swallowed and shoved her wayward thoughts aside. ‘It’s okay, Aiden. I get it. You’re not ready to date and if I’m honest…’ She paused, her belly fluttering for an entirely different reason. Could she admit the truth? Wasn’t it embarrassing? ‘I don’t really…well…date. I haven’t much because I’ve been so busy with Mum. I’ve denied myself a social life, although unintentionally.’ She realised she was babbling and exhaled. Her shoulders loosened. ‘But anyway. I agree. Just friendship. Because I don’t think either of us want a…well…holiday fling.’

She certainly didn’t. And she understood Aiden didn’t either as his shoulders relaxed and eyes lightened.

‘Exactly. And if I’m honest, I don’t think I’m ready to have another relationship anytime soon. Not when I have Ella to think about. To bring another woman into her life is something I’ll need to consider very carefully.’

Mia nodded. Her heart both dropped and swelled at the same time. ‘Ella is the most important person you need to consider.’

‘I’m glad you see it that way. She really is…’ He sighed affectionately, and Mia didn’t miss the love that filled his eyes as he thought about his little girl. ‘She’s the best thing that ever happened to me, Mia.’

Her insides turned to mush. ‘She sounds like a very special child.’

‘She is. Which is what I need to remind myself when I get down about life. This holiday is supposed to help me be myself again. The upbeat, fun, and lively person I used to be.’

Before Sally had left him.

‘You certainly seem like all of that to me.’

His mouth twisted. ‘Yeah, but I haven’t been, Mia. I’ve been a real right grump these past few months. A lot hasn’t gone my way, but I can’t let that get me down so much. I can’t let it stop me from doing the things I like and from being a good dad.’

‘I’m sure you’re a wonderful dad, Aiden. Even if things haven’t gone the way you want. And you’re allowed to get down about life. Especially about Sally leaving.’

‘Yeah…’

Mia paused. Should she ask? Then the words left her mouth before she could stop them. ‘Do you still love her?’

Aiden kept his gaze down, focusing on the coaster he toyed with. ‘I…I don’t think so. She hurt me bad, Mia. And…’

He paused. Mia watched him, biting her tongue. She couldn’t ask him why Sally had left, even though she was desperate to know.

Why would a woman leave her child?

Then Aiden lifted his gaze to hers and the pain in his eyes tore Mia’s heart to shreds. ‘She blamed me. She said it was my fault that she was unhappy. Said that I forced her to have Ella.’ He winced and leaned back in his chair. ‘I mean, yes, we hadn’t planned her. We were living together and were in a committed relationship. I wanted to marry her. But then Ella was conceived and that sped up the process.’

He raked his hand down his face and blew out his breath. Mia sat quietly and said nothing.

‘Ella was a year old when Sally told me she couldn’t stay. That she’d only had Ella because I’d wanted her. That she hadn’t had any choice in the matter.’

He muttered those last words, his gaze down and pain evident. Mia didn’t know what to say as she turned her empty glass around on the table. Silence fell. Her heart broke for him.

‘Did…’ Mia swallowed and tried again. ‘Did Sally tell you that when she fell pregnant?’

He shook his head. ‘She never gave me any indication. I asked her to marry me. It’s what I wanted, to bring a child into a marriage. Sally agreed. We had a wedding and by all appearances, she seemed happy. She acted exactly how I thought an expectant mother would. She decorated the nursery and bought baby clothes. She was a good mother after Ella was born. The first sign I got that anything was wrong was a few weeks before Ella’s first birthday. The day after, she told me that she wasn’t happy and that she didn’t want to be with us anymore.’

Mia pressed her lips together, placed her elbow on the table, and dropped her chin to her fist. She longed to reach for Aiden’s hand, but he was sitting back with his hands in his lap. She didn’t miss the glitter of a tear in his eye.

She wanted to cry herself and had to swallow before she said, ‘She didn’t want Ella?’

He shook his head slowly. ‘She gave me full custody and left for Sydney.’

Silence fell. Mia bit down on her lower lip. She didn’t know what to say. Her whole body ached for him. She couldn’t fathom it. She’d never not want her own child.

‘I’m sorry, Aiden,’ she said after a moment.

‘Thanks.’ He swallowed, his throat bobbing. ‘It was tough, but we got through it.’ He lifted his gaze to hers. ‘I’ve told Sally that the door’s always open and that’s she’s welcome to visit or call. Even if she did hurt me, I don’t want to be the one to cut her off from Ella.’

Mia shook her head. ‘Absolutely not.’

‘I’m pretty close with Sally’s brother and her parents stay in touch, but it does kill me that Sally doesn’t want anything to do with Ella.’

Mia nodded mutely. She could only imagine the pain he felt. It killed her too and she didn’t even know the little girl.

Who couldn’t love that sweet little face?

‘You’ve done the best you can. And I’m sure that you and your parents can give Ella the happy home she needs.’

‘We do our best. But I need to get my head on straight if I’m to do that.’

‘I’m sure you will. I’ve only known you a short time, but you don’t come across as brooding to me. And I’m sure after a week here, you’ll feel more like yourself again. Sometimes all we need is to get away.’

He let out a small laugh. ‘I think just spending time with you will help me with that.’

His gaze met hers and held. Mia’s pulse pounded hard and low. He was looking at her as though she was someone special…unless she was mistaken.

Which she must be as Aiden quickly sobered. He cleared his throat and leaned forward, crossing his arms over the table. ‘Anyway. Enough about me. But I do need to ask, if you don’t date, then how do you plan on becoming a mum?’

Mia managed a laugh. ‘I don’t not date. It’s just something that’s landed on the backburner. I’m not really sure why. But now…I guess I’ll see what happens when I get home. What about you? Do you want to get married again one day? When you’re ready?’

He shook his head. ‘Probably not. After the pain of Sally not wanting us, I don’t want to risk Ella’s heart by letting a woman into our lives who’ll only leave us again.’

The waiter arrived with their meals and Aiden’s gaze left hers. But that didn’t stop Mia from staring at him.

Aiden grinned at his dinner. ‘Food looks great.’

‘Yeah.’ She swallowed. ‘It does.’

Sighing, Mia picked up a chip. She couldn’t blame him that he wasn’t interested in finding love again. Aiden opening his heart to another woman was one thing, but to risk his daughter’s? She understood why he’d be hesitant. Afraid. It would be a big risk.

But did that mean he planned to live his life alone?

And what about Ella? If he denied himself the chance to find love again…wasn’t he also denying his daughter the opportunity to experience a mother’s love?

Mia’s heart sank. It was a depressing thought. But Sally had hurt him and it wasn’t her place to question Aiden about his decision.

Not until they were very good friends, anyway. Because friends told each other when they were making poor choices, didn’t they?

***

Aiden woke on Tuesday sprawled across the massive hotel bed with a smile on his face. It was going to be a good day. He felt lighter. Yes, his heart still hurt with sadness and regret, but it didn’t overwhelm him. His mind wasn’t plagued with worry. Instead, a soft energy shivered through him.

His first thought was Mia.

His second was that they could only be friends, and his heart plummeted.

Sighing, Aiden rolled out of bed and headed for the bathroom. Friends was all he had room in his life for. Mia might be pretty, kind, and she’d been dazzling at dinner last night, but he fully believed that men and women could be just friends. Besides, she didn’t date. He wasn’t sure what that meant exactly. She might be twenty-five and had travelled the world, but she’d admitted herself to putting her own needs aside to care for her mum. And while he found that admirable, Mia was only now becoming her own person and stepping out into the big wide world. Even if he did want a relationship, she wasn’t ready to be the woman he needed. So friends they would be, which was all that each of them needed while holidaying in Bali.

Aiden finished showering, dried himself, dressed, then put Mia from his mind as he made his daily videocall to Ella. He hadn’t talked to her yesterday seeing as how he’d been hiking a volcano, but he usually called her first thing while he had the hotel’s wi-fi. The calls didn’t last long as Ella hadn’t really grasped the videocall concept yet, but she was learning.

The call connected and his daughter’s pretty face filled his phone screen. She sat on his mother’s lap.

‘There he is!’ Jane Knight cried, pointing at the screen. ‘Ella, there’s Daddy!’

Ella’s little pink mouth made the perfect O. She gripped the edge of the table and leaned towards the screen. ‘Daddy!’

Aiden’s heart almost burst from his chest. ‘Hello, baby girl. How are you? Have you been good for Grandma and Grandpa?’

Ella stared at the screen, her gaze down on the image and not the camera.

‘She’s an angel, as you very well know,’ Jane said before filling him in on what they’d done yesterday. She’d taken Ella to the library for story time, then to the shops before an afternoon of gardening. His mum was a keen gardener and Ella loved the bright, colourful flowers at Grandma’s house.

‘Today we’re going to bake cookies, aren’t we, darling? You’ll help Grandma?’

Ella nodded enthusiastically. ‘I help!’

Aiden smiled. She was only two, but she was getting better at talking and he was proud every time she strung a few words together. ‘Sounds like you’re having lots of fun.’

‘She is. But more importantly, Aiden, are you having fun?’

‘Yeah.’ He blew out his breath. ‘I had the most amazing day yesterday, Mum.’

‘Your photos were certainly beautiful.’

He’d posted pictures on social media last night. ‘It was a great hike and a gorgeous sunrise. Well worth it. And don’t read anything into this, Mum, but I also met a nice woman.’

‘Oh!’ Jane’s eyebrows lifted. She adjusted Ella on her lap, the little girl wriggling. ‘All right. And?’

‘And nothing. I had a great time talking to her on the tour and we met up for dinner last night. Believe it or not, she’s from Charters Towers. Her name’s Mia.’

His mum grinned. ‘I’m glad to hear it, Aiden. Making a friend can be a lovely addition to your trip and it’ll be nice to have someone to talk to and hang out with. Are you seeing her again?’

‘Yep. We’ve agreed to catch up in the evenings and I’m meeting her for breakfast soon.’

‘Good.’ His mum’s eyes softened. ‘I’ll admit, even though I know you do well in your own company, I was worried about sending you to Bali alone. So, I’m glad you’ve made a friend.’

‘Me too,’ he said as Ella’s fussing got too much and Jane placed her down.

‘Off you go,’ she said to Ella, then returned her gaze to him. ‘But Mia doesn’t live far away, Aiden, so are you sure—’

He shook his head. ‘Just friends, Mum. I don’t want anything more. I just wanted to tell you because you may see pictures of us on Facebook.’

‘Fair enough. What are you doing today?’

‘Seawalker.’

‘Oh, you’ve been looking forward to that. Have fun! And, Aiden…you look like you’re feeling better.’

He returned his mother’s smile, glad to see the worry easing from her eyes. ‘I enjoyed myself yesterday, Mum. So, thank you.’

He didn’t need to tell her what for. Her eyes warmed. ‘You’re welcome, darling. But just let me say that if you do like this girl…’

Aiden sighed. ‘We’ve had this discussion, Mum.’

‘I know. But I really wish you wouldn’t let what happened with Sally turn you off from finding love again. You’re a wonderful man with a lot to give. Remember that. Sally didn’t know she had a good thing.’

His mum had told him that often enough these past months and still, his chest filled with uncertainty. It’s not that he didn’t want love in his life. He’d always had it and enjoyed being in a relationship.

But he had loved. He’d lost. He’d hurt. And now that he had Ella, it just wasn’t worth the risk. If he was going to let another woman into their lives, he wanted to be certain. He wouldn’t risk it on something that wasn’t serious.

‘I know, Mum. But I better go because Mia will be waiting for me.’

‘Okay. Ella! Come say bye to Daddy.’

Ella came bouncing back into view, climbing onto Grandma’s lap with her plush rainbow unicorn under her arm. She pushed herself onto the desk and leaned towards the computer. ‘Bye, Daddy!’

Ella pressed her mouth to the screen, kissing his image and granting him a good view of the top of her head. He grinned.

‘Be good, baby girl. I love you and I’ll see you soon.’

‘Daddy’s going to swim with the fishes now!’ Jane cried, hugging Ella close.

Ella gasped. Aiden laughed. Any child would gasp in amazement at words said in that tone. He waved and disconnected the call, his heart aching as he headed out the door. He missed Ella, but his parents had been right about him needing this trip. He needed to find happiness and motivation to get out again if he was going to be a single parent. And today, he’d find that happiness by walking among the fishes.

Aiden’s room was located on the ground floor of the resort overlooking the pool. He wandered around the glistening water and countless wicker sunlounges towards the timber patio where the buffet breakfast was served. Mia sat at a table waiting, her head bent over her phone and her pale blonde hair tied up in a messy bun. The canary yellow straps of her tie-up bikini were visible at her nape. She wore a blue shirt, black shorts, and looked heart-stoppingly cute.

A flutter filled his chest, and he swallowed as he approached. ‘Morning!’

She glanced up. ‘Hey! How are you today?’

‘Great. Hungry though.’

She jumped to her feet, the chair legs scraping on the timber. ‘Me too, but I thought I’d be polite and wait.’

They approached the buffet. Mia fixed herself a bowl of cereal while he helped himself to two boiled eggs, toast, and sliced fruit.

‘So, waterfalls today?’ he said conversationally as they sat across from each other from the table. ‘Why waterfalls?’

‘I’m sort of into nature and thought it sounded like a nice day out. I’ve always loved swimming in creeks and waterholes.’

‘Just not the ocean.’

She shook her head. ‘Waterholes are safer. There are no rips or jellyfish or sharks.’

‘Just crocodiles.’

‘Maybe freshwater ones, but they’re harmless.’

He conceded with a smile. ‘True. And it’s hot and muggy today, so it’ll be nice to go swimming.’

They finished their breakfast, then headed for the lobby to wait for their respective drivers. Mia’s arrived before his, so he wished her a fun day and waved her off. A fist squeezed his heart as he watched her go. Dammit.

Sighing, he relaxed into the lounge and pulled out his phone, the image of Ella filling his screen tugging at his heart and reminding him of the reason he’d come to Bali in the first place as he opened a game.

How could he be a better dad for Ella this coming year? How could he rediscover the things that made him happy and fill her childhood with hope, fun, and memories that she would cherish?

He could do it. Deep down, he knew he was capable of being a good single parent. It hadn’t been his plan and he’d never thought he’d raise a child on his own, but it’s what life had handed him and Aiden wouldn’t complain. No matter what, he didn’t regret his daughter.

Unlike Sally.

Recalling her words still caused pain to spear through his chest. I should never have had her. I wasn’t ready to have children. You made me have her.

Aiden’s mouth twisted. He hadn’t made Sally do anything. She’d told him she was pregnant and while he’d experienced some initial shock over the idea, he’d been over the moon within seconds. She’d shared in his delight, so how could he have known she hadn’t wanted the baby?

Then again, Aiden doubted Sally had known that at the time.

But that was in the past now. He loved Ella and wanted to do right by her. And even though he knew something would always be amiss in her life without a mother, he was determined to do all he could to ensure she was happy.

So he’d like to find a house to rent with a yard because he wanted a dog. Something medium sized that Ella could play with and that he could walk. He hadn’t had a dog to walk since he was a teenager and he missed having canine companionship. A border collie would be nice as he liked a challenge. Or a golden retriever like Mia’s adorable Tess.

A house and a dog were goals he could achieve this year, but would it be enough to achieve true inner happiness?

Aiden wasn’t sure and thanked the arrival of his driver as he shook that question away and climbed into the minivan. They made two stops to pick up fellow Seawalkers before being whisked eastwards towards the renowned Sanur Beach. Excitement pumped through his veins as they walked through the resort where Seawalker was located. There hadn’t been much he’d booked before coming to Bali, but this was an experience he’d been determined not to miss out on.

After they’d changed into swimwear and donned their reef shoes, they were taken through a short safety briefing before climbing into the boat. Aiden sat in the bow, enjoying the sun on his face and wind in his hair on the short journey to the pontoon located a little offshore. He could see right to the sandy bottom of the crystal-clear water and looked forward to going for a swim, even if it wasn’t the ordinary sort.

Was Mia enjoying her day at the waterfalls? He wished they could text, but they were both relying on wi-fi so he’d have to wait until dinner to hear about her day. He just hoped she wasn’t spending it alone and that she had people to talk to.

Aiden glanced around at his companions. There was a young Asian family—mum, dad, and daughter. She looked about eight. Then another Asian couple who were Islamic as she wore a swimming outfit that covered her to her wrists and ankles as well as a hijab. They’d all exchanged greetings in the minivan and there had been polite smiles, but no one spoke to each other. Not that Aiden minded. He watched the little girl though as she spoke excitedly with her parents in a foreign language, and an ache slowly returned to squeeze his heart.

Of course, he wished Ella did have a mother. He didn’t want to deny her that and he knew that as she grew older she’d want a mother more. But…

Aiden ran his hand down his face. Now wasn’t the time to think about it. Maybe one day there would be a woman who’d be worth the risk, but today wasn’t that day.

Today, he would enjoy himself without his daughter. He might still feel as though a limb had been ripped from him, but he was grateful to be in Bali alone. He wouldn’t have been able to do Seawalker with a two-year-old. And he was glad he’d finally had the opportunity to travel. He’d always wanted to. There were many places in this world he longed to see. He’d considered having a honeymoon in Europe with Sally, but considering their shotgun wedding, all they’d managed was a weekend away in the Whitsundays, which were a short drive south from Townsville.

As they docked at the pontoon, Aiden shoved his thoughts aside and followed his companions off the boat. He set aside his towel and awaited his turn to climb down the ladder into the warm tropical water. Excitement shot through him as unlike his new friend, Aiden loved the ocean. Having grown up with the Great Barrier Reef on his doorstep, he’d revelled in the wonders the vast waters contained. Batur may have been Mia’s drawcard for Bali, but Seawalker had been his.

The attendant lowered the bubblehead helmet onto Aiden’s shoulders and he continued his descent, climbing down and down until his feet touched the sandy ocean floor. He turned around, and his breath escaped him.

Wow!

Aiden was weightless. Everything was silent, except for the soft hush of air streaming into his helmet connected by a hose to the pontoon above. Nothing surrounded him but golden sand and aquamarine water. A diver directed him towards his group and handed him a ring on a steel bar. When they all had hold, the guide led them across the peaceful ocean floor. All he had to do was look around and enjoy as he pushed his way through the heavy water. A school of silvery fish with black vertical stripes darted past, and he grinned.

This is awesome!

They arrived at an isolated coral shelf, not much taller than he was, and were directed to kneel at the steel bar where algae and plant life had taken up residence. The diver handed him a plastic bottle containing brown blobs of fish food. He squeezed it and the fish swarmed around his head.

Aiden laughed. ‘Unreal!’ he said to no one but himself as no one could hear him. But damn, this was fun.

The diver with the video camera took aim at him. He’d pre-purchased the video, so he waved, gave a thumbs up, and made funny faces he knew Ella would laugh herself silly over.

His heart swelled as he squirted more food into the water. Ella… He loved talking to her while he was away and she was clearly having a good time with his parents. He’d had no doubt she would. He’d never have managed this past year without his mum, especially when he was on call. He hated it when work dragged him away from Ella, and while she was young, he hoped she’d barely notice. But he dreaded how she might feel when she got older. Maybe by then he might even have his own practice.

Aiden blinked as he squirted more food. Huh, that thought had come out of nowhere. Would that be something he wanted? His redundancy this year had been unexpected and his new job wasn’t as good, but he’d never considered running his own business.

A school of fish swam past and Aiden shook himself out of that fantasy. Work was a problem for another day. Right now, his only responsibility was to feed the fish and enjoy this surreal underwater experience.

It was over far too quickly.

‘How was it?’ the worker asked when he removed Aiden’s helmet.

He grinned and climbed onto the deck. ‘Amazing!’

He pulled off his shirt and squeezed it over the side of the pontoon before drying off. They climbed back into the boat and returned to the beach all the while he was wondering where the future might take him. There had once been a time he’d had dreams too, and ways to develop his career. Could he do that and still be a good dad?

Shaking his head, he climbed out of the boat. Later.

Once he was in dry clothes, staff showed him to a table for lunch. Aiden sat in the shade of a large umbrella and overhanging palm trees, the view of the beach blocked by pergolas. He was reading the menu when the young family from his tour were shown to the neighbouring table. Seeing him alone, the woman asked if they could join him, and Aiden agreed. They introduced themselves and he told them he was from Australia. They were from Singapore and spoke perfect English.

The other couple joined them—they were from Singapore too—and then everyone ordered lunch as they all talked—how long were they in Bali? What had they done? How awesome was Seawalker?

Aiden grinned and sipped his soft drink, enjoying the conversation as he found himself laughing with strangers. He could get used to this. He’d never see these people again, but they were interesting and nice to talk to over lunch. Besides, wasn’t that what travelling was all about? Escaping everyday life, talking to people you didn’t know, and learning about yourself in the process?

He was no seasoned traveller since this was his first time out of Australia, but already, he’d come to some realisations.

One—life went on and was too short to be spent in the self-inflicted misery he’d experienced this year.

Two—after driving through the rural villages and seeing the way of life here, he counted himself lucky.

Three—he likely had dreams he’d forgotten about.

And four—opening yourself up and talking to strangers wasn’t scary. It was fun. It made him feel good, and you never knew what connections you might make.

He’d never see these Singaporeans again. He’d never see Max and Felix. But he had met Mia, and she alone had made this whole trip worth it. Made leaving Ella behind worth it. Spending time with Mia was more therapeutic than any Bali activity could be.

***

Mia returned to Beach Club exhausted after another long day of exploring the stunning countryside, but it’d been worth it. Bali held many natural beauties and its waterfalls were one of them. She’d even chatted with two Japanese girls on the tour, both of whom had insisted that she visit Japan again and climb Fuji-san.

But while she’d enjoyed her day swimming in magical waterholes and sampling exotic teas at beautiful coffee plantations, Mia couldn’t shake the cloud of nostalgia that had fallen over her.

Mum would have loved this.

If there was one thing Tabitha Jones had loved, it was a waterfall. They’d visited Niagara while in New York, and one summer they’d gone waterfall chasing in the Atherton Tablelands a few hours north of their home. And today, as Mia had stood at Tibumana Waterfall, the single plunge drop had reminded her of Millaa Millaa Falls and the wonderful day she, her mum, and Michael had shared.

Heart hurting, Mia returned to her room. She wasn’t sure what she believed about the afterlife, but today, she’d felt like her mum was right there beside her. She’d heard her mother’s delightful squeals and pleasurable sighs as she absorbed the beauty and had seen her mum splashing in the cool spring water pools. Standing beneath the soft rain of Tukad Cepung, Mia had cried.

She missed her mum.

She wanted to tell her all about Aiden. Despite her grief, Mia hadn’t stopped thinking about him all day and she wanted to tell her mum about his captivating eyes and winning grin. About the rapid thump-thump-thump of her heart every time he looked at her. But most of all, she longed for her mother’s advice. What was she supposed to do about these strange feelings? Was the constant ache in her chest and flutter in her belly normal?

Mia’s heart constricted as she stepped beneath the hot spray of the shower and lay her forehead against the tiles. She’d never get to ask those questions. She’d never see her mum again. She was no longer with her despite what she might feel in her heart. And while Mia knew it had only been six months and she was still grieving, she’d hoped she’d be past this overwhelming sadness by now.

But she would always carry that grief with her and right now, here in Bali, Mia had never felt more alone.

Gritting her teeth, she curled her fist against the wall. She should never have gone on that damn waterfall tour! The pain was too much, so Mia gave herself a few minutes beneath the warm water to wallow. Her doctor had said that was okay. She’d lost the most important person in her life and she was allowed to be sad. She was allowed to grieve. She didn’t have control over that. But she did have control over how long she’d be sad for.

If she were at home, she’d probably curl up in front of the TV with the cats and dogs. Victoria and Jemima would take up residence on the top of the sofa, Tess would snuggle in behind her and Timmy would curl up against her belly. But Mia couldn’t do that. She was in Bali and she needed to meet Aiden. So she turned off the taps and with it, her grief. She dressed in shorts, a yellow polo shirt, tied on her runners, and went to meet Aiden by the pool.

She was fifteen minutes late—the tour had run over—so he was there waiting, stretched out on a white wicker sunlounge with his hat pulled low over his face and sunglasses shielding his eyes. One lean arm hooked behind his head, his biceps bulging, while the other hand held the book he was reading.

Mia approached him on wobbly legs. Yep, there were definitely feelings raging inside her, especially when she noticed what he was reading—an Australian rural fiction novel she’d read herself about a girl saving the life of a neglected show horse. Mia smiled. She liked his choice in books and almost felt bad for interrupting him.

‘Hi.’

He lowered the book and glanced up, a grin spreading across his handsome face. ‘Hey!’

He sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of the lounge as Mia lowered herself onto the one beside his, facing him. ‘How was Seawalker?’

‘Awesome. How were the waterfalls?’

She managed a smile. ‘Spectacular.’ She gave him a quick rundown of her day, talking distracting her from the feelings pulsing through her blood. Lust… Fear… Excitement… Nerves… ‘I’ll show you my photos and you can help me choose which ones to post on socials.’

‘All right. I’m glad you had fun.’

‘I’m glad you didn’t get eaten by a shark.’ The words tumbled from her mouth before she could stop them.

He laughed. ‘Me too. It was amazing though. Of course, I think growing up on the Great Barrier Reef has ruined any other ocean reef for me, but hey—’ he shrugged ‘—what can you do?’

‘We are lucky there,’ she agreed, even though she’d never seen the Great Barrier Reef.

Aiden placed his book aside and leaned towards her, resting his elbows on his knees. He smiled, a newfound energy radiating from him and filling his eyes with a zest she hadn’t seen before. ‘I’ll tell you all about it, but first, I want to ask you something.’

She blinked. ‘What is it?’

‘The elephant sanctuary. I looked it up online and it sounds like they have a good reputation, so I want to go. Would you mind if I came with you?’

She shook her head. ‘No, I wouldn’t mind. But I’m already booked. I’m not—’

‘I spoke with the concierge. He said he could call and get me added onto your booking. We just need to give him the details.’

‘Oh, okay. I can do that, but we should do it now before it gets too late.’ It was almost four o’clock.

‘That’s what I was thinking.’

Mia stood. ‘I’ll go grab my booking confirmation. Be right back.’

She dashed back to her room, flipped through her display folder, and grabbed the information she needed. Another thing she’d learned when travelling was to print everything. You never knew when you wouldn’t have wi-fi.

Aiden was waiting for her by the pool. They headed for the lobby and found the concierge, who called the sanctuary. After speaking in rapid Indonesian, he hung up with a grin.

‘They have added you, Mr Knight, to Miss Jones’s booking. They will pick you both up here at nine o’clock tomorrow morning.’

‘Excellent!’ she said. ‘Thank you.’

Mia and Aiden shared a grin as he made the payment, then they set off towards the shopping mall with a spring in their steps. They talked, laughed, and bought souvenirs for their friends and family, then had a delicious dinner at a Japanese teppanyaki.

Mia fell into bed that night with a stupid grin on her face. She curled her body around the pillow with her heart full and her belly aflutter.

‘Oh, Mama…’ she whispered into the night, ‘you’d love him…’