Ted couldn't remember the last time he had difficulty staying calm. He had been in an internal struggle ever since he found the mask. He had felt very little jealousy in his life. He had some for Aidan and Sage and their perfect marriage. When he followed his son to find her with her ex-boyfriend, he felt jealous. He wanted to claim her as his but stopped himself. What if she didn't feel the same? He needed find out. If she didn't, he'd have to move.

What if what he felt was an illusion? Fairy tales weren't real. He was in love with the woman from the garden even when he didn't know who she was. But what about Mia? For months, he had been making excuses. She wasn't in his class, but his biggest one was she wasn't the woman from the garden.

When had the excuses started? Out loud, after he defended her. Internally, they may have started when she yelled at him over his loud music and boots.

She always knew his name as the man she kissed, but she didn't know he was her neighbor. Ted would venture to guess the moment she realized the truth was when she tried to run away at the restaurant.

Ted would chase her if she ran away again. He would not let her go.  So many memories flooded back. The night with her nephew when he glimpsed the kind of mother she could be. All the times she was angry with him, she had only amused him.

Nothing prepared him for the way his son attached himself to her. Elaine had every right to be jealous, because Edward loved Mia. She didn't love him because it would give her an advantage. Lord, she wanted nothing from him, not his money. Would his wealth be the thing that kept her from him?

Just his luck, his son woke earlier than usual on the day of the Whitby ball. Faced with what may be the longest day of his life, he took Little Edward to Weston. It could be a suicide mission, because the house would be full of women getting ready for the ball, but not when he arrived in time for breakfast. He knew Martina, their family housekeeper, didn't have her normal weekend off. Aside from being an amazing cook and running the Calhoun household, she had a talent for doing up women's hair. He thought of Mia's hair. Would it be up, like the night they danced and kissed?

"Hey Champ, let's go to Grandmother's house. You're having a sleepover. Martina will watch you tonight while Daddy goes to Bea's house for a party."

"Will Tori play with me?"

He smiled. His son loved his little sister, but it was mutual, like with Mia. "Aunt Tori may be asleep this early. I want to get some of Martina's waffles before Grandfather eats them all."

The sound of his little laugh filled him. They both knew they would never run out of waffles. As he expected, both his sisters were still in bed. He surprised his mother by arriving early. Martina's waffles were like eating little clouds of pure joy, but he found he didn't have an appetite.

"Is something bothering you, Teddy?" Grace looked at him with concern.

He shook his head knowing it was a lie, but what could he tell his mother. Changing the subject away from his inner turmoil to another's. "Do you think Tommy will ever come back for Tori?" His sister had been waiting nine years for her childhood sweetheart to return to her.

Grace signed and shook her head. "Don't mention it to your sister, but we all know he would have already. Vanessa doesn't say much, but I think she feels awkward because he's moved on from your sister. I just want my children to find love with someone who loves them back."

"And comes from the right family." He added.

"Love is more important, but in Tori's case it would be nice if he had a decent job, because her teacher's salary can't support her. Sloane can support herself."

Both girls had trust funds which more than supplemented their lifestyles. They were heirs to Calhoun Construction, even if they never worked for the company. In that way, he would always be responsible for his sisters.

"So love is the most important? Does Dad agree?"

"Darling, your father always agrees with me about our children. I could have nixed your marriage arrangement, but I thought you loved Elaine."

He looked at his waffles. "I thought I did too, but I was confused about what love was." He was almost certain he understood now. It was a lot more than compatibility in the bedroom and checking the right boxes.

Tori appeared looking as if she just rolled out of bed. "Oh goodie! I was hoping to play Legos today."

"I wanna ride my bike."

"After breakfast Champ."

He had a new bike he had just learned to ride. They kept it in Weston because the Victorian was on a busy street. He could ride around the cul-de-sac all morning, while Ted stood and watched him.

"I'm going to look for my old Razor Scooter. We used to fly around on those." Tori looked like an excited child.

Sloane was the next to arrive followed by their father. Those two immediately fell into a discussion about the previous night's ball game. Baseball was Sloane's passion and her connection with their father. His was business and Tori's was being the baby even at twenty-six she could work it to her advantage.

Ted turned to Sloane to interrupt her monopoly of their father. "You'll be missing out on waffles when you move into one of my condos."

"You haven't lived here in years and yet you're here eating waffles."

He smiled. "That's because I have something that you don't."

"Teddy, just because you are one it's not polite to remind us you have a D-I-C-K."

"Sloane!" Their mother used her you're in trouble voice.

Ted laughed. "I was referring to a child. Why would you think my manhood has anything to do with waffles?"

"Daddy!" Tori exclaimed. "Tell them to stop!"

Ted put his hands up in surrender. "Come on, Champ let's go get your bike."

The sun was shining on the street as Ted watched for cars as the bike zoomed around. A smiling face was his reward. As a car approached, it slowed to a stop.

"The kid is looking good," Aidan said, through the open driver's side window.

"He's having fun." Ted smiled just as Tori appeared on her scooter. He called out. "Hey, can you watch him? I want to talk to Aidan for a few."

Tori waved him on as she challenged her nephew to a race. Ted heard the giggles, as he leaned in towards Aidan.

"What's the deal with that guy your sister dated?"

"Derek?" Aidan shrugged. "We all thought he was it for her. She got blindsided, but Mia didn't sit around crying. She moved into your house and picked up her life. If Sage dumped me like that, I would have been a wreck."

"Did she love him?" If she loved her ex, she may never love him.

"I guess you'd have to ask her. Why all these questions?"

"Because he showed up. I'm not sure she invited him. I remembered who he was from the time in the restaurant."

"It was telling he was out with another woman. I heard he's engaged. So you're what? Worried about Mia?"

How could Ted answer that question? He nodded. "We've become friends."

Aidan looked at him. "What kind of friends? Do I need to be threatening you about not hurting my sister?"

Ted shook his head. "The last thing I would ever do is hurt her."

Ted felt like he was under the microscope as Aidan stared at him. "I trust you and for now mums the word if my wife gets wind of whatever this is, she'll be a nuisance."

"Your wife has been a nuisance since she was old enough to talk." Ted teased.

"Somehow I believe that. I have to go or she'll be looking for me. See you tonight and I'll have my eye on you." Aidan winked.

Maybe Sage saw something Ted couldn't when she introduced him to Mia. He hoped Mia felt something for him or he'd be the one hurt.

Ted typically preferred to arrive late for social events but found himself early. He lingered near the stairs waiting for Mia. When she appeared in a sapphire gown which matched his colored contacts, she reminded him of the Cinderella in the garden, the one who ran away from him. He hoped she wouldn't run away this time. After he had a glimpse of her, he turned for a drink. The evening was long, and he wanted to choose just the right moment.

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