Page 62 of Love Delayed

“I’m sorry, do I know you?” she finally asked.

Shock now covered my face. “Are you serious, Eliana?” I returned.

“I’m sorry, sir, but my name is Faith. You must have mistaken me for someone else,” she said, then quickly tried to put the fussy baby in the stroller.

In the process, she dropped her purse, and her belongings fell out. As she finished putting the baby down, I kneeled to help pick her things up.

“Sir, I don’t need your help. Thank you, but I got this,” she protested, trying to gather up her items quickly.

“I know it’s you, and I will leave you alone. But just answer me this,” I said.

Standing, she reached into the stroller to give the crying baby a pacifier. I figured it was a boy from the blue and green colors on the stroller and diaper bag.

“What is it?” she asked, now trembling.

“How old is your son?” I inquired.

“He’s almost three months old,” she answered.

“Is that my son?” I quizzed.

“No, you’re not his father,” she said and pulled a pair of sunglasses from her purse to cover her welling eyes.

“Last question,Faith,” I said.

She looked away and then looked back at me. “What do you wanna know, Marcus?”

“Are you safe?”

“Yes, we’re safe. We are safe, and I am sorry. I’m not the woman I used to be, and I’m sorry for everything I put you through. Please tell your mother thank you for me,” she said.

Just then, Zamora approached us.

“Hello, I’m Mrs. Coleman,” she said and extended her hand, which Eliana declined to shake.

“Congratulations,” was all she said, then quickly turned and pushed her baby down the corridor.

“Oh my God, Marcus. Was that––” she asked as she tried to get another glance at Eli, but she had already put a visual distance between us.

“Yes, that was her,” I said, cutting Zamora off.

As we continued walking toward the boarding gate, Zamora had a million and one questions.

“What was that about? What did she say? Is that her baby? What was said, Marcus? You better start talking,” she barked.

“Baby, relax. Sit down, okay? Just calm down.”

She hesitated before finally sitting on a nearby chair. I told her about the brief exchange and then shared with her what my mother had been doing for over twenty years to help abused women escape bad situations. I explained that my mother was a huge advocate for sex trafficking, but not many people knew it because she wasn’t looking to receive a round of applause or accolades.

“Wow,” Zamora responded in amazement. “Your mother is a pretty awesome human being.”

“Yeah, she is,” I agreed. “So, Mrs. Coleman, shall we continue to our gate? I don’t want us to dwell on this Eliana thing ever again. I want us to go on our honeymoon and enjoy the warm beaches, good food, and alcoholic beverages and make a baby.”

“Did you say make a baby?” she asked, smiling.

I leaned in and kissed my beautiful wife’s lips.

“That’s exactly what I said, Mrs. Coleman.”