Page 143 of The Spring in My Heart

I was touched by her trust and a little scared because I needed to do the same. I need to be as transparent as a parent can be with her. In the conversation, she mentioned her favorite teddy, Alfonso. It was a gift from my ex-girlfriend, Marcia. Even though Ayla didn’t mention her name, it stayed with me, and I found myself thinking back to her and when we dated.

We had the same argument that I had with Lux and Lyssa before. Now I want to know more. Marcia loved Ayla, but she disappeared, and back then, it was easy to blame it on her not wanting a kid or wanting to compete with my daughter, but after what happened with Lux, I just don’t know. Maybe I’ve been wrong.

That’s how I find myself in Old Towne, a city by the water, where you can see D.C. across the way. It looks like the towns in those romance movies that play at Christmas time. I’m planted firmly in front of her bakery, but part of me wants to get back in the car, drive away, and not look back. But I can’t find answers if I don’t ask the right questions.

I reach for the handle and open the door. Marcia’s eyes widen when she sees me, and then she smiles and comes around the counter.

“Oliver.” She takes a few steps toward me and hugs me. Her warmth is familiar and sweet, like she doesn’t remember our last conversation together. The way she left my house in tears stayed in my memory for months.

Then again, she looks great, and when I looked her up, her business had mostly five and four stars. To be in this area, she has to be successful. Maybe it was for the best.

“How are you doing, Mar?”

“Good. Busy. Between the bakery, the husband, and the kids, I barely have time to breathe.” She laughs. “Thankfully, today is a slow day.”

Her face glows, and her happiness shows. I don’t ever remember her being like this before.

“How’s your family?”

“Really good. The two older kids are in school, and the two youngest are finally in daycare. Joe and I can finally have normal work schedules.”

“Four kids? I can’t even imagine how you two manage that.”

She shakes her like she can’t imagine either. “You don’t want to know this insanity. But how about you? I was so surprised when you called me, but I was glad you did.”

“You were?”

“Of course.” She points at a chair. “Sit. I’ll bring you some of our coffee.”

When she walks away, it hits me how familiar she is to me. After seeing Noris again, I see the physical similarities between them—tall, shapely, beautiful brown skin. Have they always resembled each other?

A few minutes later, she comes back with the coffee with cream, the way I like it.

“Thank you for this and for agreeing to see me.”

She nods. “I always remember you con mucho cariño. You and Ayla were always in my heart. How is she?”

“A teenager.” I pull out my phone and share some photos.

She gasps. “She’s beautiful. I always knew she would be, but she’s more than that. She could be a model.”

My chest puffs because she’s right. But Ay is more than that. “She’s actually an excellent pitcher. The ace of her team.”

“She gets that from her papi.” She smiles like she remembers, as if she’s feeling the love, not like someone who walked away and didn’t look back.

“Why did you say you were glad I called?” I ask.

Her eyes grow a little sad. “I meant it when I said that I remember you fondly. You and Ayla were a big part of my life for a while. We talked about the future like dumb high school kids.”

I remember that. “Why dumb?”

“Neither of us were ready for that. You were not over Ayla’s mom.”

My back stiffens. “I didn’t love her anymore.”

“But you couldn’t forget her betrayal or the hurt. Everything about our relationship back then was about that. I didn’t love myself enough to see it.”

Her confession leaves me blinking.

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