The following day
Shonee's POV
I dished out some bacon and pushed it in front of Mirasol.
"Yay, more bacon!" She cheered and I chuckled.
"So Mirasol, you have your picnic with Abbie and Julia today. Have you thought about what we can take to them?"
The little girl tapped her chin in thought. "Hmm, how about those blueberry pancakes you made the last time? They were really yummy. We can even make them together."
"That's a great idea, Mira. I'm sure Abbie and Julia will love them."
"Good morning, everyone." Vincent strolled into the kitchen with a pep in his step, buttoning up the cuffs on his wrist. For once, it was nice to see him happy and carefree.
"Morning, daddy," Mirasol responded as her dad laid a kiss on top of her head and asked her how she was doing.
"Morning, Vincent, coffee?" I held up the jar.
He turned to me with a bright smile. "Sure, why not?"
Picking up a mug, I poured him a cup full of the steaming, dark beverage and passed it over to him, feeling that electrifying spark the moment our hands touched. I tried ignoring the heat crawling up my cheeks.
"So!" Vincent brought the mug to his lips. "What's the agenda for the day?"
"We're having a picnic with Abbie and Julia at the park," Mirasol happily responded.
"It was Mirasol's idea," I added. "We're making all sorts of treats, including my famous blueberry pancakes. Sure, you don't want to join us?" I shot him a teasing smirk.
"Yeah, daddy! Come with us."
"Mm, I'd love to but..." With a sigh, Vincent set his mug down on the kitchen island. "Unfortunately, I've got work to do. My parents are visiting the company today and I want to make sure everything is in top-notch condition."
"Aww," Mirasol pouted.
"Right." I nodded. Though I understood the initiative, part of me felt, I don't know, disappointed, maybe.
"Hey, hey. Don't be sad ok, we can have a picnic another time, just the three of us."
Then Vincent did something unexpected. He pulled Mirasol to his side and held my hand on the island, giving it a light squeeze. "Just me and my girls, basking in the weekend sun and eating all the yummy goodies we can find."
Mirasol giggled at his side.
"You like that, huh?" He nuzzled her tummy before letting his eyes flicker over to me.
They held so much emotion and passion. Having him express these warm feelings had my heart fluttering in my chest. Right now, it almost felt like we were a complete family—me, Mirasol, and him. I wanted it to stay like this. I wanted us to be like this. But then again, life doesn't always give you what you want.
Like right now.
"Where is everybody?"
The moment Avril's voice filtered in from the dining room, Vincent and I broke the connection and let go of each other's hands.
"There you all are." Vincent's fiancée wandered into the kitchen, heels clacking loudly on the floor, as usual. "Shonee, where's Gerta?"
"Oh, she left early this morning. There was an emergency at home. One of her sons fell sick, and she had to get to the hospital as soon as possible."
"And she didn't think to lay the table before leaving?" Avril remarked with a hint of annoyance. "Now we have to eat breakfast at the kitchen island like animals."
The comment had me staring at her in disbelief. How could she be so insensitive?
"Good morning, sweetheart." Avril suddenly threw her arms around Vincent, who, out of surprise, barely managed to catch her.
"Whoa, Avril!" He held her at arm's length. "What are you doing?"
"Greeting my lovely fiancé, duh." She dipped her head down for a kiss, and that was when Vincent turned back to his coffee.
"We have company," he simply mumbled, averting his gaze.
"Ah, it's just Shonee." Avril scoffed.
"And Mirasol." I gestured at the little girl sitting beside Vincent, but Avril just rolled her eyes.
"Whatever. Vincent, we need to leave now. I just scheduled a meeting with my dad at nine to finalize the Singapore deal. We both need to be there."
"And you didn't think to ask me what my plans were first?" Vincent snapped in her direction, his eyebrows pulling into a deep frown. "I have other meetings this morning, you know. My parents are visiting the company today."
"Well, reschedule it; you can't miss this meeting." Avril folded her arms in defiance.
Vincent wasn't having it either, because his eyes soon narrowed down to slits. "This is my company, Avril! You may be my fiancé, but you can't tell me what I can and cannot do!"
"Uhh, helloo? Have you forgotten who calls the shots here so soon?" Avril quipped with sarcasm. "You and your company owe Payne Travel and Tours your lives. Without my father's investments, Beckham Incorporated would be nothing but dust right now. We're the reason you still have a company to run and to show to your parents, so if we want you at a meeting, you will be at the meeting."
She walked up to Vincent, standing in front of him in full confidence. "We say jump; you say how high. That's how it works." With that, Avril stormed out of the kitchen, her hips swaying to the sides.
The moment she disappeared through the dining room archway, my vision shifted over to Vincent. His jaw was set firm, and he clutched the coffee mug so tight that the ceramic piece would have broken in his hand if Mirasol hadn't called out to him in a soft tone. "Daddy?"
Shaking his head, Vincent chugged down the rest of his coffee and got on his feet. "I've got to go. I'll see you both later."
Mirasol and I watched him walk out, both angry and dejected. What had started out to be a warm and bright day had, in the blink of an eye, turned into a disaster...all because of Avril!
As if Mirasol had heard my thoughts, she shifted in her seat with a small frown. "I don't like Avril."
"Same here, Mira. Same here."