After being locked up indoors for days like a hostage, I decided it was time to start reclaiming my life but by bit. The last few weeks had been a whirlwind of medical appointments and preparations, but I needed something more—something normal.
So, I found myself lacing up my sneakers and pulling on a comfortable hoodie, determined to get some fresh air. As I headed out, Dante looked up from his laptop, raising an eyebrow.
"Where are you going?" he asked, his tone curious rather than concerned.
"Just for a walk," I replied, trying to sound casual. "I need to clear my head."
He nodded slowly. "You sure you'll be okay on your own?"
I smiled reassuringly. "I'll be fine. I need this."
The neighborhood park was only a few blocks away, and as I reached the entrance, I couldn't help but smile. Kids were playing on the swings, joggers were making their rounds, and an older couple was feeding pigeons near the fountain. The normalcy of it all felt like a breath of fresh air.
Seeing the kids around helped me realize how happy I was, I'll be having my own child soon, I was excited. I imagined coming to the park with my baby and watching him or her play around and make new friends. Yes, I had made it very clear to the doctor, I wasn't ready to know the baby's gender just yet.
Finding a bench near the flower beds, I sat down, letting the sun warm my face. I watched as people passed by, my thoughts wandering between the upcoming surgery and Dante's words from the other night. Even though he may have been talking in his sleep, that was quite a food for thought. He was scared to lose me.Could I really allow myself to hope for that?
"Mind if I sit here?"
The voice startled me from my thoughts. I looked up to see a young man, probably around my age, smiling down at me. He had a friendly, open expression, and his frizzy hair looked like it hadn't seen a brush in days.
"Oh, sure," I replied, moving over to give him space.
He sat down with a sigh, stretching his long legs out in front of him. "Beautiful day, huh?"
I nodded, trying not to feel awkward. "Yeah. I haven't been outside much lately."
He looked at me, curiosity sparking in his eyes. "Too busy?"
"Something like that," I said vaguely, not wanting to dive into the whole pregnancy and surgery story with a stranger. "I just needed a change of scenery."
He chuckled. "Same here. Sometimes you just need to escape your own head, you know?"
I smiled at that. "Yeah, exactly."
We fell into a surprisingly easy conversation. His name was Noah, and he had just moved to the city a few months ago. He worked odd jobs, mostly freelance photography, and loved wandering the city to find new spots to shoot.
"People say New York is the city that never sleeps, but honestly, this place has its own kind of vibe," Noah said, leaning back. "It's like everyone's in a rush, but if you just sit still for a second, you notice how much life is around you."
"That's a nice way to look at it," I agreed.
He pulled out his camera, taking a picture of the pigeons gathered by the fountain. "Do you like photography?"
I shrugged. "I never really thought about it much. But I guess I could use a hobby." Now that someone mentioned it, I'd be really excited to capture real time moments from after my child is born.
Noah smiled, holding out his camera. "Here, try it. Just point and shoot. Don't think too hard."
I hesitated before taking the camera from him, the weight of it was quite a surprise. I aimed it at the fountain and clicked the shutter. The image popped up on the screen, and Noah leaned over to look.
"Not bad," he said. "You've got an eye for composition."
I couldn't help but laugh. "You're just saying that."
"No, really. You captured the light just right."
Before I knew it, we'd spent over an hour talking about photography, city life, and random topics. It felt good—like talking to an old friend rather than a complete stranger. I hadn't realized how much I'd missed this—just casual, light-hearted conversation. Ever since Missy's ordeal, I had barely talked to anyone that wasn't Dante. Oh well I had been in like a prisoner, you can imagine.
Eventually, I checked the time and realized I should head back. "It was nice meeting you, Noah," I said, standing up.
He grinned. "Same. I come here most weekends. Maybe I'll see you around?"
"Maybe," I replied with a small wave before heading back toward the house.
When I got home, Dante was in the kitchen, chopping vegetables. He glanced up as I walked in, his expression a mix of relief and something else I couldn't quite place.
"Hey. How was your walk?"
"Good," I said, trying to keep my tone light. "I went to the park. Met someone interesting."
His hands paused briefly before resuming their task. "Oh?"
"Yeah, his name's Noah. He's a photographer. We talked for a while."
Dante's jaw tightened just a fraction. "Did he bother you?"
I laughed, surprised by his reaction. "No, he was nice. Just... friendly."
Dante didn't respond right away, focusing on his chopping. "Be careful around strangers," he said finally, his tone more guarded than usual.
I bit back a smile, sensing a hint of jealousy. "I will. But he was just being polite."
His shoulders relaxed a bit. "Good."
I headed to the living room, but I couldn't help but notice how Dante's mood had shifted slightly. A part of me couldn't help but feel amused. Maybe a little jealousy wasn't such a bad thing after all.
While we had dinner, the doorbell rang, but we weren't expecting any guests, so we were hesitant for a moment.