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C A R T E R

"Can we go for that ride, Dad?" my son asks from overhead, pointing in the direction of the famous Dumbo carousel of the Funland Amusement Park which recently had its launch a week ago.

"Sure, kiddo," I say, lifting Parker from above my shoulders and putting him back on the ground. "Here, Uncle Dawson will help you up."

On cue, Dawson trespasses us immediately, giving a hand to Parker as they both walk to the counter for the tickets. With his new guitar in one hand, Parker looks brighter than the sun dressed in a pair of jeans and a light shirt. He keeps turning and smiling at me every two steps.

This is perhaps the happiest I have ever seen in the days I have known about him and the credit for that goes to Amaya.

I smile, throwing a glance at Amaya who stands frowning by my side. She has changed from my shirt into a simple yellow sundress with white polka dots, the length of which stops above her knees, leaving her sexy legs on display for prying eyes. She has minimal make-up on and her hair is tied in a high ponytail. As she looks on at our son with her arms crossed and a pout on her baby-pink-painted lips, I have half a mind to bring her closer to me and spank that attitude out of her if she gives me the chance.

"C'mon, Am, stop giving me that cold shoulder. It's not my fault Parker liked my offer more."

She remains silent, making me feel guilty about everything that went on this morning.

After Amaya was done introducing me to Parker, I was quick to blurt out that I would take him to the brand new amusement park for his birthday just as Amaya had finished making the pancakes for him. Parker must have been too excited to finally have a Dad because he didn't even look at his favorite dish and jumped back in my arms.

We spent the day going shopping for new toys and clothes, with Amaya and Dawson tagging along, before heading for the park. We even had lunch in the park's family restaurant.

"Dad, look!"

I turn to the sound of my son's voice to find him already settled on a ride. He has his arms thrown around an elephant seat as the music plays and the ride starts to twirl. I wave at him as he laughs, while Dawson begins running along with the carousel too to make sure nothing happens to Parker. The man in the suit looks kind of comical among the other colorful children but I don't stop him at all.

If Dawson wants to take care of Parker, then there is nothing I say which would make him stop. He is always protective of everyone I happen to love, be it my son or the woman near me who has no idea how much hold she has on me.

"Screw this," Amaya grunts out.

I look in time just as her ponytail hits me on the face as she turns. Her hips sway as she struts out of the crowd gathered around the carousel, leaving me behind.

"Am, wait!" I shout after her, glancing between her and Parker who is now enjoying his ride too much to be bothered with me.

Wetting my lips in nervousness, I meet Dawson's eyes from the other side of the carousel. He gives me a nod, a sign for me to know that he wouldn't move his eyes off my son while I go and see what went wrong.

I leave Parker under his care as I follow Amaya, walking through the crowd of excited people. I spot her ponytail flipping from side to side as she enters a space of the park which is mostly used as a picnic spot by people. I run to her just as she drops her sling bag on the freshly cut grass and then props herself down, settling with her legs spread out, crossed at the ankles.

"Am, what's wrong?" I question, coming to a halt in front of her.

With doe-like brown eyes, which are shimmering with held-back tears, she glares at me before tearing her gaze off me. I purse my lips, walking to the spot right beside her. I slide down to the same position as hers, propping a knee up instead and resting an arm over it.

"Am, c'mon talk to me..." I press on, intentionally bumping my legs with hers as I move closer.

"Stop bothering me, Carter," she says. "Go and spend the day with your son. You're free to make me feel less welcome."

I frown, pressing a hand to the patch of grass behind her back. My eyes bore down on her face where a trace of dried-up tears is visible up close. My fingers itch to trace that line down to her collarbone but I manage to stop myself.

"Make you feel less welcome? What do you mean?"

She turns to me so quickly that our faces come inches close. Her scent of flowery perfume hits my nose, causing me to lean in. If she is startled by my actions, she doesn't show it.

There are a few couples around us, mostly parents with their kids who are sitting this close without it being awkward but it is different for us. She has another man's ring on her finger and yet, my shamelessness is so far gone that I still want her the same.

To my surprise, she doesn't move away.

"You know what you're doing, Carter," Amaya says. "Ever since he got to know you as his Dad, he hasn't once called me for anything. Even now when we were on the ride."

There is a dryness in her voice. She gulps down what I believe are emotions that form the tears in her eyes. She is looking at me with a burning hatred. The tip of her nose is a shade of pink, reminding me of times when we used to have our small fights only for me to win her over every time.

I had gotten so used to the idea of Amaya being mine that I forgot that distance can have lasting effects on a strained relationship. I sometimes wonder if Parker had not been in the picture - would we have still been close to each other or maintained a professional relationship as a boss and his secretary?

"You need to stop overthinking stuff, baby. Parker isn't going anywhere from you," I assure her.

Her frown only deepens at my assurance. "Easy for you to say. You aren't the third wheel between Parker and me. With his admiration for you, it's like I'm the one being the extra."

"Parker is a kid, Am. He is just excited to know that he has a Dad. Believe me, if you ask him to choose now, he would still choose you."

"That's the problem!" she sighs, looking away from me and toward the direction of the carousel. "I don't want him to choose between us. I don't want him to go through all that stuff. Not when you have other plans."

"What other plans?"

"Don't pretend, Carter." Amaya brushes her hand through the patch of grass, staring at it with feigned interest. "Gabby told me that you plan to be here for just a few weeks. I know you're leaving soon and I don't know what to say to Parker when you do. He looks at you like you hung the moon."

My aching chest tightens further. Her words hit deep and I know the fear behind them. I did plan on leaving after the merger was complete. That was before I knew I had a son. My life is out in California. I had thought that by the time I was done getting to know Parker as my son, Amaya would have changed her mind or at least given me a second chance. When I leave, I want to take them both with me.

I still hope that but the way she has been acting, I don't think she would ever forgive me.

"You know that problem would never arise if you decide to share Parker's custody with me," I say in a low voice. "We could take turns spending time with him."

The moment I speak the words, a hard slap lands on my left cheek. I am blindsided by the impact and have to shake my head to realize what just happened. The pain stings as Amaya stares at me with her lips parted. Her jaw is tight as she drops her hand back on the grass.

"Never..." she breaths, fuming through her nostrils. "Never suggest that again. Parker will always be mine first before he is yours. I'm not spending a day without him."

I am too shocked to reply instantly. My cheek burns at the contact and I find people stealing looks at us. To them, we must seem like a couple having relationship problems. They are wrong about that.

We are practically strangers having relationship problems.

"Did you just slap me?" I blurt as I rub my cheek to get rid of the sharp sting left behind by her heated palm.

Amaya's cheeks flush red as she avoids meeting my eyes. The last time she slapped me was back in high school when I was beating the shit out of a kid who decided to share her morphed pictures on the internet. She had been upset but apparently not enough to let me kill that boy. Not long after that, we had our first break-up.

Deep down, I know that we are toxic together. That's just the kind of thing that comes out of being on close terms with a fucked up guy like me. Amaya Sommers has always been the only person in my life who got to see my reality which I hid behind my walls. She made me confront the worst parts of myself and change for the good. She wasn't my therapist but the need to be hers was enough to bring me back on track.

Call it an obsession or whatever but for her, I will risk it all.

The need to possess Amaya hangs like an unsung song between us. She must see that I want her. If she didn't, she would have never said yes to her so-called fiance.

If she thinks it is that easy to get rid of me, she is wrong. I am Carter Bell and Amaya Sommers has always been mine. I will leave no stone unturned to get her back. If it means going back to my darkest beginnings, I will do that without a second's thought.

"Mommy..."

We both raise our eyes at the voice of Parker, spotting Dawson who is walking towards us with Parker's hand held in his. My son looks between both his parents as Amaya and I rise to our knees.

"Parker, what happened?" Amaya asks in pure concern.

"Mommy," Parker says, leaving Dawson's hand and running toward his mother. He rushes to her with tired feet, the happiness on his face replaced by that of exhaustion. "I'm sleepy. Can we go home?"

Amaya holds him in her arms, picking him up as he lays his head down on her shoulder. She rises from the ground, taking her sling bag along with her.

"Yes, honey...of course..." she coos, swaying Parker gently in her arms.

Her eyes meet mine in that instant and we both know that our thoughts are the same.

I might hang the moon for Parker but when it was time to go home, he would always come to his mother first.

I smile faintly at the thought. I have no worries about that. As long as Amaya Sommers is my home, my son would come back to me too.

That is something even the walls between us won't erase.