Heartbeat by Iem_Aivlis

It's weird, why does Abigail act like that? I could tell that the expression my daughter was showing was just an act. I looked at this man's face. I think I recognize this guy. Isn't he the man I met at the mall where I work? Why is he here? I don't think this is a coincidence.

"Hi, Abigail. Merry Christmas." Said the man who after sitting down and putting his drink on the table.

This man looked at me with a strange expression. This man's expression looks like he is nervous when facing the opposite sex. There's no way his heart would be beating so fast because he met me, right? Besides, this person is now an adult, there's no way he's acting like a teenager going through puberty.

"Merry Christmas, Uncle Christ." My daughter replied to this man.

"Did you just come from church?" the man asked my daughter.

He didn't look at me. It was only his glass and my daughter's that he looked at alternately.

"Yes. Uncle Christ is also from the Church?" Abigail and this man spoke as if they didn't care about me.

The man just smiled in response to Abigail's question.

"Where are you going after this?" The man named Christ asked my daughter.

"We're not going anywhere, just going home," I said after putting my latte back on the table.

"Mom, how about we visit the bookstore first before we're back home? There's a new comic book that Bie wants to buy. Please, Mom." Abigail begged me while showing puppy eyes.

"Well, what if I take you guys to the bookstore? Me too have a long time never visit the bookstore." Christ interrupted our conversation.

"Okay. Then Bie will go to the toilet first, Mom." Without waiting for my answer, Abigail walked towards the public toilet.

The man fell silent after Abigail left. He didn't say a word after my daughter left this place. He took a sip of his drink which I assumed was probably an Americano. I don't understand why people love that bitter, thick black liquid so much. Every now and then he would look at my face as he put his drink cup back down. It seemed like the strong black coffee was still hot, as could be seen from the cup which was still filled with the black liquid. Today he is wearing a white t-shirt. The shirt clung to his body tightly, revealing a hint of the muscles on his chest and arms. It looks like this guy is a regular exerciser. Suddenly our eyes met. I felt awkward when I was caught looking at him.



"You came here alone? Shouldn't you be celebrating Christmas with your family?" I just asked casually because I didn't know what we should talk about.

"Yes, I am alone. My mother and father happen to still be abroad. So my sister and I will gather for dinner together after my parents get back here." He touched his glass as if he was considering whether to drink the coffee or not.

"What about you? Are you celebrating Christmas just the two of you with your daughter?" Ask this man without drinking his coffee.

Actually we celebrated Christmas as three people, not just two. Abigail and I visited my husband's final resting place before we went to church. We brought some fresh flowers to put on his grave. I didn't want to tell this stranger my life story, so I had to find another answer to the question he asked.

"I mean, are you single? Do you have a lover?" He took a sip of his drink after asking the question.

"I have a husband. Don't you know that Abigail is my daughter? How could I possibly give birth without having a husband? "Looking at this man's movements, I think I understand where this conversation is going.

"So you are not single, but you already have a lover." This man began to lean his body back on the chair he was sitting on.

"I already have a husband, not a lover. Look these are our wedding rings." I showed him my ring finger.

I could see the man's eyes glance at my other hand which was on the table. Stupid! I forgot I was wearing two wedding rings. I wear my late husband's wedding ring on my right hand. Meanwhile, I wear my ring on my left hand. And stupidly I raised my right hand which was encircled by a wedding ring with a motif usually used by men.

"So, where is your husband? Why isn't he with you and your daughter?" I'm sure he asked because he already suspected that I was lying.

"My husband is currently working out of town. So we haven't been able to meet yet." I was forced to make up another lie.

This man just smiled in response to my answer. Maybe I'm just bad at making up stories. I quickly finished my drink to cover up my embarrassment. Wait a minute, why do I feel like we're on a blind date? Why is Abigail taking so long? Is the toilet crowded with people?

"Sir, how do you know my daughter?" I asked to break the silence.

Besides, Abigail didn't tell me about their initial meeting. On her way home from the mall, Abigail didn't say anything about this man.

"Call me Crist, please." He said.

Then he started to answer my questions. "I met Abigail by accident.

Your daughter put the cake in the middle of the mall road. And I accidentally stepped on her cake. And her cake got my shoes dirty but she was the one who cried because of that incident. She cried because her cake was ruined. So I accompanied her to buy a new cake to use up the one I accidentally stepped on."

"Oh, really?" I was surprised by his explanation.

Suddenly my thoughts about Christ changed a little. It turns out he has a good side. No wonder the cake is so beautiful and delicious. The price must be very expensive, Abigail couldn't possibly buy such a beautiful and delicious cake using her savings. This guy must have bought it at LOU's Bakery. Because only that cake shop can make the cakes they sell look beautiful and delicious to eat. Usually, other cake shops are only pretty but not necessarily delicious or vice versa. And I know that the cakes sold at LOU's Bakery are known to be very expensive because they use premium ingredients as their composition.

"Sorry, I think the cake you bought to replace it is not worth the price of the cake my daughter bought. I will pay half the price of the cake you bought. Tell me how much the cake costs." I started trying to take out my wallet which was in my bag.

"No need. Abigail has already changed it." Christ said while folding his arms across his chest. It seems like he feels more relaxed now.

My hand stopped immediately. What does that mean? How could Abigail replace this man's money to buy the cake, when the pocket money she had saved must have been used up to buy the cake that fell.

"How much did Abigail pay? I'll pay the rest." When I found my wallet I asked.

"Abigail didn't pay me with money. But she paid me with her time." The sentence spoken by this man surprised me.

What did this man mean? I'm still waiting for the explanation.

"So if I'm bored Abigail promised to keep me company." This man spoke calmly as if what he said was a natural thing.

I don't think any grown man would want to spend his free time with a little kid. He should have chosen a girl who was a little more mature than my daughter to accompany him. It seems I have misjudged him. Does this man have a disorder? Is this man a pedophile? I'm not saying what's on my mind right now. I have to keep Abigail away from him. I don't want anything bad to happen to my daughter. From the first time I met this man I could conclude that he was not a good person. Look, the way he looks at me is like a pervert. He would look nervous if I looked at his face while he was talking. I quickly packed me and Abigail's things. I put my bag back on after putting my wallet back in. I put the coat I took off back on. Don't forget to bring Abigail's drink. My drink was finished so I left it on this table. Without saying a word I rushed towards the toilet to look for my daughter.

"Hey, where are you going?" He asked me after I stood up from my seat.

I ignored the man's question and continued walking towards the toilet.

Why is he still following me? I have to find my daughter and bring her home. Instantly, I found a way to get him to stop following us.

*Continued*