Second Chance with Love (5 page)

"Hey Scott, thanks for the pep-talk, I'll make sure to stop by on my return." Nathan watched the redheaded woman stand apart, impossible not to stand out in the crowd. He was forced to stare.

"Okay bud, have a safe journey." Scott hung up.

Nathan kept his attention on the woman; it felt odd that he could not look away. When her companion approached her, Nathan almost broke his gaze, but then the woman turned to the man abruptly to say something.

Nothing prepared Nathan for the blow.

It was her. She was here, after all these years.

Chapter 2

Why does Charles insist on undermining my decisions?

Hilda Borja held her iPhone in one hand and slung her large backpack over her shoulder. She tried her very best not to walk off and take the call, but Charles seemed eager to finish their conversation about her role as team leader. She maintained a fair and balanced level of frustration, equally distributed between Charles and her mother. She vacillated between the two demanding personalities who sought her attention, when all she wanted was to call Aaron. She needed to Skype Melanie and check if he was ready. He'd be away from her for a week. Why couldn't Charles understand that she didn't need a man in her life at the moment? He was a good team leader, but his persistent advances just complicated matters. She really regretted remaining back in Minnesota a week longer. With Aaron around she switched into mommy-mode; she ignored superficial needs for her young man.

"I'll just check to make sure is okay, then I'll feel a bit better." Hilda mumbled to the nagging voice in her head that told her she was bad mother.

"Hilda, all I'm saying its that with a staff of 19 people to look after, you can't manage them while bringing Aaron along on the trip. I can be here for you. I can be here for Aaron. There's going to come a time when you need a man in your life."

Hilda pressed her phone to her ear only to hear Melanie's phone ring. Charles looked determined not to let this go. When she saw this on his face, it was all she could do to hold back from telling him off. True, Charles was a polite guy for the most part, but he was also going through a divorce, and ever since he discovered Hilda never had a partner, he would not leave her alone. Late night phone calls under the pretext of work, making sure they were assigned on the same project teams together, and even visiting her house unannounced. Those times that her mother was there, she took to him like the son she never had.

"Charles, we'll have to pick this back up later, I need to get hold of Mel." Melanie's cell went to voicemail again. Hilda hung up. She could not forgive her own incompetence. How had she allowed Aaron to be brought over by her mother a week after she would land in Guatemala? What did it say about her as a parent?

"You see, trying to take on everything alone, you're bound to make mistakes." Charles rested his hand on Hilda's shoulder.

Hilda exhaled. She began to lament her actions in the worst way, and his words struck a cord. His hand felt oppressive, ostensibly sapping her will to resist.

"If you keep bring Aaron everywhere, you're work will suffer. Where's his father? He should bare some of the burden.”

Hilda felt her face blanch., Charles had never mentioned Aaron's father before, and he'd never referred to Aaron as a burden. Hilda wrested her should free. "I'm not sure if Aaron's father's whereabouts should be any concern of yours. And wherever I go, Aaron comes with me.”

Seeing the stern looking in Hilda's eyes, Charles began to stutter an apology. However, Hilda's phone rang.

As she walked away, relief washed over Hilda that a call interrupted a quarrel that might have turned nasty. Tension had seized her body, and as she walked away her frayed nerves began to subside. Peering down at the phone, she was excited to see Melanie's number. She stopped in her tracks. It was not Mel.

Mother.

The well of anxiety began to build as she prepared herself for the commanding voice that was soon to take refuge in her ear. If Charles didn't respect her decisions as a mother or an independent woman, her mother raised the bar when it came to criticisms.

Hilda answered, her hand already shaking.

"How you managed something so careless, I'll never know."

Now Hilda was positively trembling. Feeling relief at getting away from Charles only to be caught by her mom was like seeing the light at the end of a tunnel only to have it be an oncoming train. Hilda's mother always threw a monkey wrench into the mix and brought devastating results.

"Mother, Aaron is safe with--"

"Oh please, Hilda, you're all up on your high horse with your Christian crusade, but should things require an ounce of truth, you tell me lies. Aaron is only safe with family, Hilda. Those that are capable, mind you, and since I seem to be the only one who fits the description, Aaron should be with me."

Hilda quickly sat down. Luckily she had found a remote area of the airport. As soon as she sat, all strength left her legs. She almost folded forward as if someone had delivered a blow to her stomach, which pressed intensely. Taking deep breaths, she consciously had to steady her hand that held the cell.

"Mom, it was the spur of the moment. Mel asked to keep him for the week and drop him off with you. We didn't think--”

"Oh, you are correct about that – you didn't think. When you speak to that friend of yours, you can tell her you made a mistake, a grave, grave mistake, by going behind your mother's back and do things your way." Hilda's mom spat out the words.

Hilda understood what her mother alluded to since subtlety was never a weapon she yielded. Nevertheless, Hilda couldn't help but feel ashamed for her past actions.

"Mom, Aaron likes visiting Mel and Scott, you'll get to see him."

There was a dreaded silence.

"Mother, please. I've got to go, but we can talk once you get to Guatemala. Okay?"

"You use me as if I were a delivery service. The only reason he is coming to see me is because you could not find anyone else. If he hadn't had to take his vacation late, you would not have even picked up your phone now."

Hilda strived for calm, and she rubbed her sweaty Palm on her jeans.

"That's not true, Mom."

"All you care about is spreading the gospel and save the world. What about me, huh?"

Hilda winced at the tone in her mother's voice. Before giving birth to Aaron, emotional manipulation was a tactic Hilda's mother used to control her.

"You're going to keep running away from your responsibilities, keep gallivanting around the globe when you have a life to sort out here?"

"I'm not running away from problems."

"You're going to be a secretary all your life? With all the money I invested for you to go to Washington University?" Her voiced clogged with repressed frustration. "And look at what happened? You did the most unChristian thing, embarrassed me, and now you want to save the world. Your father wanted the best for you before he passed and I'm just trying to do it, alone."

"Yes, Mom, I've made mistakes and God has forgiven me, can't you? You can't make every decision for me. This is what the Lord has called me to do." Hilda quelled the emotion in her voice. It's what her mother would have wanted. If she became upset with her mother, the commandment to honor thy parents would have been used, and it was the only time her mother mentioned the bible anymore.

"How dare you just throw your life away for some hopeless cause and expect me to be done with it? And don't sass me."

Hilda's heart pounded with anger.

"I try hard mom. I have a job. I'll make my own way, even if I did drop out of Washington."

"If you've chosen to live a life of mediocrity and resigned yourself to try your hardest to earn minimum wage, then that's just fine. However, my grandson should not have to suffer because of your grand delusions at martyrdom."

"Mother."

"I have tried so hard with you. I don't want my grandson going the same way."

"Mom, that's not fair."

"Hilda. What's not fair is that I put some much into you and this is all you've amounted to – a nomad, a drifter who hasn't made her place in the world at 25."

"Mother—”

"I'm going now, Hilda."

"Mom."

"Goodbye."

The line went dead. Tears rose in Hilda's eyes, but she refused to let them fall, refused to weaken. Hilda knew if she allowed her mother to get to her, she would lose all fight and give up on her dreams. She wanted Aaron to be proud of her. She had so much promise growing up, the top in every class, from ballet to music, admired for her beauty and her hardworking attitude that eased her along. But a single decision, a momentary lapse of judgment and she lost everything. Even so, God had blessed her with a bright, beautiful, and healthy boy. She couldn't ask for anything else. Could she?

Hilda made the call again.

The volume of noise grew around her as she heard Charles and the team nearby. They were here now. She knew she had to tolerate the noise if she got through to Melanie, and though she heard the chatter about her, it was not loud.

She had been calling all afternoon. This time the cell connected to the out of breath sound of Melanie answering the phone.

Knowing what Melanie must have been going through, Hilda ignored the open wounds left by her mother and focused on her friend.

"Mel, are you alright, you sound tired."

"I am and I've just had a nap. Sorry I missed your calls, Scott was must have taken it to call a friend. And when I'm asleep I never hear the downstairs one.”

“How are you?”

“Shattered and aching.”

"How's Aaron?"

"Oh, Aaron's great, he's been playing in the garden with Scott and Zakky, they've been out there for the past half hour."

Hilda smiled and she felt her shoulders fall slack. She didn't realize how charged up she was about Aaron's absence until that moment. So Aaron was having fun. The moment Aaron spotted Zakky, he run to the dog and hugged it. Zakky, a German Shepard, was very careful around Aaron. Now doubt a large part of Aaron having a good time was due to Zakky.

"I was so worried/ When I called and couldn't get an answer."

"We waited because you said you'd call at one. When you didn't, guess who volunteered to wait indoors for you to call?"

"Aww, Mel." Hilda appreciated Melanie's efforts and understood only too well how hard it was for her. "I'm sorry, I know it's hard."

"I'm the one who is sorry. I should have taken Scott's cell. Mine still hasn't arrived."

"Don't be silly, I'm just glad to hear that Aaron is having a good time."

"He's an energetic little guy, he's running poor Scott ragged." Melanie managed a laugh.

Hilda's mood lightened at the sound of her friend laughing. Not everything had to be looked at as serious and demanding, even if they were tough. And she never got the feeling of being judged by Melanie or Scott. When she felt that a child outside of wedlock would make it impossible to return to the grace of God, Melanie and Scott took every opportunity to reach out to her with the gospel and the love of Christ. As much as they loved Aaron, he loved their company. She knew they would make great parents.

"Is Aaron within earshot?" Hilda said.

"Scott's probably fixing Aaron a snack." Melanie called out to Scott.

Hilda heard Scott's deep voice followed by an excited high-pitched shout that put merriment in her heart.

"Hi, Mommy!"

Hilda gasped for air, and the tears she held back earlier now fell.

"Babykins, having fun?"

"Yes, Mommy. I bathed Zakky."

"Oh, wow, well done. How is Scott?"

"Eh, he's slow. He can never catch me." Aaron sounded proud of himself.

"Really?" Hilda didn't have to see Aaron to know how his face was lit with joy.

"Yes. He is a slow poke. I have to run slow sometimes." Aaron whispered the last words. Hilda was sure whoever stood in the room shared their secret.

"You are such a good boy."

"And we're having cupcakes."

Hilda could see his curls bobbing whenever he jumped happily.

"And make sure you eat all of your dinner, okay?"

"Okay, Mommy."

"I'll see you in a week. Be good to Scott and Melanie. Next week they are dropping you off at Grannie's."

"Grannie makes me eat vegetables all the time."

"Thats because she loves you very much." Hilda smiled.

"Now be good, Babykins, and see you soon."

"Bye Mommy, I love you."

"I love you too, Sweetie.”

Hilda's heart fluttered at the sound of her son's feet running off.

"How're things with you, everything going okay?" Melanie asked.

"Charles, Mom, leadership difficulties." Hilda sighed, realizing lately that she only seemed to talk about her woes to Melanie. She experienced a tinge of guilt.

"The usual, then."

"It's hard to be respected as a woman and a single mom."