31. Mia
Chapter 31
Mia
B etween restarting kickball and all the walking I did at Palm Beach Bridal yesterday, my ass is so sore I can barely move. They say the second day is always the worst and whomever ‘they’ are, they weren’t lying. I will take full advantage of that bathtub tonight after practice. We have a game tomorrow, so I want to at least move and not waddle during the game.
I’ve always heard that distance makes the heart grow fonder. Well, my heart is fond enough, thank you very much, and I want Ian to come home. All this talking on the phone is nice, and we’re getting to know each other better with each call, but I miss seeing and touching him. I know that this entire relationship started with a lie, but somehow, we’ve started to develop real feelings for each other. At least I know I have.
During practice this week, I learned about what happened to one of my teammates, Kate, and her shop. There’s a big fundraiser tomorrow after the game at that bar Rick and Paul took me to, Hooplas. I’m looking forward to it, but I really hope they catch the guy that did that to her shop. I can’t imagine how violated she must feel having someone destroy something you work so hard to create.
I fill my day with talking to vendors, designers, and then signing up for the bridal show that’s in a couple of months at Hibiscus Harbor’s Conventions Center. I had no idea there was going to be a bridal show locally until Dorothy mentioned it to me yesterday. I have so much to do to get ready for it.
Dorothy also told me to get my social media accounts up and running before I even open my shop, that it’s the best way to start a buzz about my brand. I was hesitant last night to set them up, but I know she’s right. I’m just hoping that it doesn’t turn into what my last social media account did… hatred for me. That would not be good.
After hanging up with Ian last night, I spent the better part of the night setting up the social media accounts and then linking them to my website. I pushed ‘publish’ on my website and said a little prayer that I’m successful. And that the haters don’t kill my dream before it even gets off the ground.
Today, I’ve decided to cancel the contract I have with my old phone. There’s no need to keep it and it’s just a waste of money. The people I care about, my teammates and Ian, have the number of my fancy phone.
I power it on to make sure I have all the contact information that I need to convert to my new phone and there are over a hundred text messages, mostly from numbers I’ve never heard of.
I start deleting them when one message catches my eye.
Unknown Number: Hi. You don’t know me, but I’m your mother, and I can prove it. Please call or text me if you’d like to meet.
Yeah, right. Ian and Brinna warned me the crazies would come out of the woodwork, but this is a low blow, and it makes me angry that someone would try to play on my feelings like that. So, I text back.
Me: What is wrong with you, telling me you’re my mother? In it for a big payday, are you? Well, nice try. Not gonna happen.
I’m about to turn off the phone for the last time when this person texts back almost immediately.
Unknown Number: No, Mia. I really am your mother and I’m only looking to connect with you. I’m hoping that I can take a few minutes of your time to explain what happened all those years ago when I gave you up. I’m not interested in any money, only hoping to make amends. It’s one of my steps to recovery.
I stare at the text message for a long time. Steps to recovery? When I was little, I remember asking one of my foster parents why I didn’t have a mom or dad like my friends did in school. She told me that my parents were sick and couldn’t take care of me. At the time, it made sense to a little kid, but as I grew up, I never forgot what she said. Drugs and or alcohol would be a good reason to give up a baby.
Unknown Number: I understand this may be a lot for to you to take in. And if you don’t want to hear from me again, I’ll understand. But if you do, and I hope you do, you can reach me at this number anytime. I promise to answer all of your questions honestly.
Unknown Number: I’m sorry Mia.
I decide not to answer, as this is probably just some crazy person wanting to get at Ian and his money. But, just in case, I save the number on my new phone and then turn off my old phone for the last time.
Today was all about paperwork and orders. My first delivery of dresses will arrive the day after I take the keys to my new shop. Shops. Some vendors heard about Mia’s Corner and are donating some of their overstocks. I’m so thankful for their generosity.
Riley, one of my kickball teammates, suggested I do a grand opening. She told me that if I pick the day, she’d help me organize it since she’s an event planner. I didn’t even think about having a grand opening. She reminded me that the high school and college homecomings will start within a month of the shop opening and that having the grand opening will generate buzz for the shop and that I’ll be able to capture those sales. She’s so smart.
I’ve chosen the first weekend in August for the grand opening. That’ll give me a few weeks to work out any issues or kinks in the shop before the dance season starts. I clap my hands in glee as I mark my calendar on my new computer.
My phone buzzes and Ian’s picture that I saved from his bio on Gallo Enterprises’ website appears.
“Hi there.” I answer. “How’s your day going?”
“Really good now that I’ve heard your voice.”
He makes me smile. “Mine’s going good, too.”
“Oh, yeah? Tell me all about it.”
“Well, I’ve placed my first few orders. Some vendors are donating their overstock to Mia’s Corner, and I’ve started planning a grand opening.”
“Wow, that’s great, Mia. Well, I have good news, too.”
“You do? Well, spill it!”
“I’m climbing on my plane now and will be home sooner than I thought.”
The butterflies in my stomach appear suddenly. “Oh yeah? That is good news.”
“I can’t wait to see you, Mia. I had no idea how much I would miss you.”
Hearing Ian say this warms my heart in a way I never expected. He makes me feel seen, heard, and cared for. Throughout my entire life, no one has really noticed me. Even James never called me during the day just to talk or to see how my day was going.
“Ian…” I hesitate to tell him what I’m thinking.
“Tell me, Mia. What is it?” He whispers.
I can hear the click of his seatbelt in the background. “Just… please don’t break my heart. Okay? I’m not sure I would survive it.”
“I have no intention of breaking anything of yours, Mia.”
“No, you don’t understand. I’ve never had someone care enough about me to check in with me, to call me, or care about what’s going on in my life. I could get used to this feeling really quick and I’m afraid that if you walked away, what that would do to me. So, if you plan to do that, just tell me now. I’ll fulfill my obligation to being your fake fiancé, but I want to protect myself, as well.”
“Mia. You need to know that I’m falling in love with you.” I inhale quickly, not really sure what’s happening inside of me, but everything is buzzing. “I’m falling for you, Mia, and I have no intention of going anywhere unless you want me to.”
“Really?”
“Really, really. You’re all I think about day and night. You’re my jelly, Mia.”
I smile at his reference. “And you’re my peanut butter, Ian.”
“I’ll see you in a few hours. Dinner?”
I nod, even though he can’t see me. “I’ll see you tonight. Safe travels.”
We hang up and I hold the phone to my chest as if he was standing right there in front of me and I could hug him.
I think I’m falling in love with him, too.