Chapter 13
The Waterpark Promise
GAbrIEL
Two Months Later…
Today is one of those rare, blissful days when I can simply relax and enjoy some quality time with Aura. After days filled with the grind of work and the delicate balance of being a single dad. I’m beyond excited about this. It’s just me, my baby girl, and a fun adventure at the water park.
I wake up to the soft light filtering through the curtains, stretching and taking in the moment.
It’s early enough that the world feels still, and Aura is still in a peaceful slumber.
I watch her for a moment, her little chest rising and falling with each breath, and I smile.
I’ve been feeling the weight of responsibility that comes with being a father for months now.
Today—today, I want to forget about everything and just focus on her.
To her, I’m her entire world, and in return, she’s mine.
She’s four months old now. Four months. I can hardly believe it.
It feels like just yesterday she was so tiny, barely able to keep her eyes open.
Now, she’s growing fast—her little legs kicking and her hands reaching for everything.
I can already tell she’s going to be adventurous, and I can’t wait to show her the world, starting with a trip to the water park.
I pull out a tiny swimsuit that I never imagined she’d fit into so soon. It’s pastel pink with white polka dots, and when I hold it up against her, I get a wave of nostalgia and love.
She’s growing up so fast, and even though it’s a little overwhelming, I couldn’t be more grateful for her. I dress her quickly, carefully maneuvering her little arms and legs into the suit, taking in the beauty of every little part of her.
Once I’ve got her all set, I pack a bag with sunscreen, snacks for me, and her favorite little toys to keep her entertained. I get her securely buckled in her Doona, and we head out the door. As we drive into the next town over, I’m tempted—so tempted—to stop by Beanstalk and see Millie.
I know she’ll be working, and I can’t help but wonder if she’d be up for joining us at the water park. But then, the more I think about it, the more I realize I’m probably just being foolish. She’s got her own life, her own things to do.
Instead of going to the café, I pull into the convenience store parking lot. I need more sunscreen anyway, and it’s the perfect excuse to keep my thoughts busy while I grab some more snacks for Aura and me.
I push the Doona down the aisles, pausing now and then to pick up random items. Aura is in her Doona, wide-eyed, taking in her surroundings. She’s such a curious little thing, already wanting to know everything around her, I can’t help but smile, my heart swelling at the sight of her.
Suddenly I hear a familiar voice. I freeze, my heart skipping a beat. I turn, and there she is—Millie, standing near the snack aisle with her usual blend of warmth on her face.
“Hey, Bumper.”
She snaps her head up and smiles so quickly that I nearly miss it. Millie has a smile that, when directed towards me, I lose every sane thought in my head.
“Gab, hey. I didn’t expect to see you here,” she says, her voice bright with the surprise of our encounter.
I grin, pushing the stroller towards her. “Yep. Taking Aura to the water park. It’s a nice day outside, perfect for it.”
Millie’s eyes light up, her gaze shifting to Aura for a moment, then back to me. The way she looks at my daughter… it makes my chest tighten. There’s something about the way Millie is with Aura that makes everything feel more real, more grounded.
It’s not just that she’s great with babies—it’s the ease in her movements, the tenderness in her voice, and the way Aura lights up the moment she sees her. My baby knows love when she feels it. And she feels it around Millie.
She moves to the counter to pay for her items, and I watch her, feeling that familiar tug in my chest. The urge to be near her, to say something—to ask her to come with us—grows stronger by the second.
My mind races. What if she has plans? What if she says no?
What if it makes things weird? But then, another voice inside my head is louder, reminding me I’m here with my daughter.
Doing something simple and fun and Millie might want to join us.
She’s always been so kind to Aura, and so open to being a part of our lives, even in such a short amount of time.
As Millie finishes up and turns to leave the store, I take a breath and decide to take the leap.
“Hey, Bumper…would you, uh, like to come with us?” I stutter, regretting the words as soon as they leave my mouth. It’s too casual, too much like a question I’m not ready to answer myself.
She halts, her brow furrowing in confusion, and then looks at me, her expression shifting from surprise to curiosity. “Come with you where exactly?”
I smirk, trying to sound more confident than I feel. “The water park.”
Millie blinks, clearly caught off guard. “Oh. Um…sure. I would need to run home real quick and grab my bathing suit.”
“I’ll follow you,” I say before I can overthink it. “No pressure. I just figured since we’re heading in the same direction.”
Her lips twitch, like she’s holding back a smile. “Right. No pressure.”
We head to our cars, and even though the distance to her house is short, it suddenly feels like this whole thing is starting to mean more than either of us expected.
* * *
An hour later, we pull up at the water park. It’s a short drive, but long enough for me to think about how Millie has kept quiet the entire time, her gaze glued to the scenery outside the window, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the armrest.
Her silence speaks volumes—and I don’t know how to translate it. She could be thinking about nothing. Or everything.
When we park, Millie is out of the car in an instant, getting Aura out of her car seat. I watch as she gently picks her up, whispering sweet things to my daughter, and my heart melts.
“Hello my sweets, we are finally here,” Millie says, her voice warm and full of affection.
Aura’s little face scrunches for a second, then she breaks into the sweetest, gummiest grin. Millie chuckles, kissing the top of her head. I feel a soft tug in my chest, the ache of love for both of them.
Like my daughter, my favorite days of the week are when Millie is sleeping in my guest bedroom with my daughter.
I approach them, but as soon as I reach for Aura, she lets out a loud cry, her arms reaching for Millie.
I freeze, and Millie glances up at me with a sheepish smile.
“Sorry,” she says gently. “She’s been super clingy lately. I can’t get her to sleep at night unless I’m holding her the whole time.”
“It’s all good, Bumper,” I say, trying to play it cool. But inside, I’m just grateful that Millie is so involved in Aura’s life. Leaving for work is never easy, but I at least have peace of mind knowing Aura is so comfortable with Millie.
We spend the rest of the morning weaving between splash pads and lazy rivers. Millie holds Aura against her chest while I guide them gently through the shallow end of the wave pool. Aura coos and kicks with delight, her tiny hands slapping the water, and Millie beams every time she does.
Watching them together is like watching the life I didn’t know I could want. It’s a glimpse into something better than I ever imagined for myself. A real family.
We spend the rest of the morning playing in the water, and while I focus on having fun with Aura, I can’t ignore the way Millie’s bikini hugs her body, or how close we are, standing next to each other in the water. It takes everything in me not to get hard on the spot.
When Millie suggests we move to the larger pool, I’m almost relieved. At least in the bigger pool, there will be more room for me to focus on Aura without getting distracted by how beautiful Millie looks under the sun. I can’t help but start daydreaming about her.
Millie snaps me out of my daydream when she reappears with the baby floaties, and I try to push all thoughts of her away as we float in the pool.
This is Aura’s first time in water that isn’t her bubble bath. I am pleased with how comfortable she is in the water, but it also scares the life out of me. If anything were to happen, I wouldn’t know how to live. I make a mental note to sign her up for water safety lessons.
“Ahh, the water is so nice. I could be in here all day,” Millie says, tilting her head back into the water.
I gulp back the feeling to jump on her, attacking her with a kiss. I’ve had these strong feelings for Millie since the day she bumped into me at her cafe. The more time I spend around Millie, the more Reuben’s words shine through, and I fall for her more each day.
Millie slips as she leans back, and without thinking, I reach out, grabbing her to steady her. My hands graze her skin, and the moment she looks up at me with those wide, innocent eyes, my heart stops, making me hard. Her beautiful smile fades, and she pulls away quickly.
“Well, it’s getting close to Miss Aura’s nap time,” she says, pushing the floatie toward the steps. “What do you say? Should we head home?”
I swallow hard, trying to calm myself down. This feeling between us—it’s so strong, so undeniable. But I know I can’t act on it.
At least not yet.
* * *
The ride home is peaceful, but the tension in the air is thick. I glance over at Millie once, twice—trying to gauge what she’s thinking. She’s looking out the window again, her brows slightly furrowed, lips pursed like she’s deep in thought.
I want to say something. Ask her what’s wrong. Reach over and grab her hand. But I’m too much of a coward to break the silence.
The silence breaks when my phone rings, and Bluetooth announces it’s my mom calling.
“Ciao, Mamma. Comportati bene, ho compagnia1,” I say, giving her a quick warning.
“Mio figlio, who is it?” my mom exclaims dramatically.
Millie laughs beside me, and I glance at her, a smile tugging at my lips.
“Hello, Mrs. Sirolli!” Millie greets my mom, clearly unfazed by the over-the-top Italian drama that always accompanies my mother’s phone calls.
My mom’s voice fills the car, her excitement at hearing from Millie clear. “Ah, amore mio, how are you? The cafe is officially open, yes?”
Millie responds warmly, “Yes, it is! Everything is going great, and watching Aura has been such a joy.”
I can’t help but smile at the exchange. My mom has already adopted Millie into our family, and it feels… right. My mom asks about the café, and Millie answers with the same easy smile she always has, but I can sense that there’s something more.
When my mom asks about our upcoming trip to Italy, the mention of the holiday suddenly makes the air in the car feel heavier.
I had completely forgotten about our annual trip back home to Italy. Now that I’d been reminded, I couldn’t help but wonder how Millie would feel about it. Not that it should matter—but still, I wondered.
Beside me, I see Millie physically shrink into her seat, her body language closing in on itself. She looks away as if she wants to disappear from the conversation. It stings a little.
“I’ll book them tonight, Mama,” I say, hanging up the phone.
I glance at Millie, unsure how to address the situation. “Millie, I can explain—”
“There’s really no need, Gabriel,” she says softly. “It’s not like I’m a part of your family. It shouldn’t bother me.”
Her words hit me harder than I expected. I’ve always thought of Millie as family, and it pains me to know she doesn’t see herself in that way. I reach out, squeezing her hand gently.
“First, Bumper, you are part of this family. I know you might feel you’re not, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Honestly, I completely forgot about the trip—I was planning to talk to you about it soon.
I know how close Aura is to you, and I’ve been trying to figure out a way that works for everyone. ”
Millie looks at me with tear-filled eyes. Damn me, I made her cry. Everything I said was the god-truth though.
She sniffles, “You really see me as family?”
“More than I ever saw Haley,” I say, my voice thick with emotion. “Come with us to Italy, Millie. Think about it, but I want you there. I need you there. Aura needs you there.”
She looks at me, blinking back tears, and nods slowly. “Okay,” she says quietly. “I’ll think about it.”
I sigh in relief, knowing that maybe, just maybe, things will fall into place.
1. Ciao, Mamma. Comportati bene, ho compagnia-Behave, I have company in the car.