The sky overhead was a brilliant blue, unmarred by a single cloud, resembling a fresh blanket of snow as Mabel stood at the vegetable stand in the bustling supermarket. The sharp, pungent aroma of onions filled her nose as she carefully examined the fresh produce, selecting the ripest onions for the salad she intended to prepare later that afternoon. On the lookout for the perfect ingredients, she was momentarily lost in her thoughts of meal preparation, but a gentle tug on her dress interrupted her concentration.

“Mom, can I go explore the cereal aisle?” her son James asked, his voice bubbling with excitement, his eyes lighting up at the thought of sugary cartoon characters and colourful boxes.

Mabel shook her head firmly, her expression softening despite her initial rejection. “Horney, I told you, you can't just wander off whenever I’m at the supermarket with you.”

James, a glint of determination in his eyes, pleaded, “But Mom, I promise I won’t be far off.”

With a sigh, Mabel crouched down to meet her son’s gaze, placing her hands gently on his shoulders. “I’m sorry, honey. You have to wait until I finish here so I can go with you. It’s just not safe for kids to be wandering off in places like this. You never know who’s looming around, and I would never forgive myself if something happened to you.”

She placed the onion she had chosen back in the cart and took a moment to absorb her son’s innocent confusion. “You are my world, sweetie. If anything were to happen to you, I honestly don’t know what I would do.”

James tilted his head, skepticism etched on his small face. “Look around, Mom. There are so many people here! Who would want to take me away? Who in their right mind would do that?”

Mabel sighed deeply, wrestling with her emotions. “Definitely someone who is not in their right mind. For now, you won’t fully understand, but one day, you will. You just need to grow up a little more.”

She locked eyes with her son for a moment, her heart aching at the thought of instilling fear in him. Lately, she had found herself battling a wave of paranoia, an almost primal instinct to protect him. The unexpected resurfacing of his father, Frederick, had shaken something within her, stirring up feelings she thought were long buried. She realized she would have to tell James about his father sooner than she had planned; she had hoped to wait until he was older to shield him from the complexities of their situation. However, fate had different plans in store for them.

Just as she wrestled with her thoughts, a voice called out to her from behind, jolting her from her reverie. Turning around, she was greeted by David, an old acquaintance of hers.

“I’m so sorry for startling you. That was never my intention,” he said, a look of genuine concern on his face. “I just thought I’d come over to say hello and see how you’ve been.”

“That’s okay, David. No need to apologize,” Mabel replied, brushing off imaginary dust from her dress as she stood up straight. “I’m doing fine, actually. How about you?”

“I’m doing well, thanks for asking,” David said, glancing at James with a warm smile. “And I see this might be your son?”

“Yes, he is. This is James,” Mabel introduced, pulling her son forward. “James, say hello to Mr. David.”

“Hello,” James replied shyly, his small voice barely audible.

“It’s nice to meet you, James,” David responded, his tone friendly. “I see you’re getting involved in helping your mom pick out groceries. That’s very thoughtful of you.”

“Thank you, sir. But I don’t think I’m much help,” James said, frowning slightly. “She won’t let me pick out the cereals.”

David raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Oh! And why not?”

James turned his head, looking up at Mabel as if seeking permission to answer. “I don’t know. You’ll have to ask her.”

Mabel sighed, feeling the weight of her protective instincts. “He’s too young to understand, to be honest.”

“I’m sure he is,” David replied, still looking at her with a mix of curiosity and empathy. “But I guess we can all agree that if he’s interested, we could all go look at those cereals together. What do you think?”

Mabel hesitated for a moment, contemplating her protective instincts against her son’s eagerness. Finally, she relented, a soft smile breaking through her uncertainty. “I guess we could.”

With that, the three of them made their way toward the colourful shelves brimming with cereal boxes, and chatter swirling around them as Mabel felt a hint of relief wash over her. Perhaps today could be an enjoyable outing after all.

***

It was a bright noon when David and Mabel concluded their shopping adventure, the warm sun casting a cheerful glow over the bustling parking lot. David, feeling particularly generous after witnessing little James’s exemplary behaviour throughout their grocery trip, decided to treat him to a scoop of ice cream at a quaint restaurant just a short walk away. It wasn’t every day that a child maintained such composure in a supermarket, and David knew that a reward was in order.

As they approached the restaurant, Mabel suggested they take a seat on a bench in the adjoining playground while James eagerly bounded off to play with some other children. With his ice cream cone in hand, he was a picture of joy, darting around with laughter as David and Mabel settled onto the bench, their own cones melting slightly in the warmth.

Both watched James with warmth in their hearts, a smile lingering on their faces as he enjoyed his treat. David took a moment to admire Mabel, noticing how well she managed her son, and he couldn’t help but express his admiration. “I can see you raised him well,” he remarked, a note of sincerity in his voice.

Mabel looked over at him, a modest smile gracing her lips. “Thank you,” she replied, her voice soft yet filled with pride.

David hesitated for a moment before continuing, “I know it’s not my place to pry, but I’m curious. Where is his father?” He glanced sideways at Mabel, catching a fleeting look of discomfort flash across her face upon hearing the question. “You can choose not to answer if you don’t want to. I’m only asking because I noticed there’s no ring on your finger, and after witnessing the terrifying incident the other day, I found myself wondering.”

Silence hung in the air for a moment before Mabel finally spoke, her tone contemplative. “He is not in the picture,” she said, her gaze drifting toward the ground as memories of her past resurfaced.

David’s expression shifted to one of sympathy as he replied, “I’m so sorry for your loss.” He assumed she meant that her son’s father had passed away.

Realizing the misunderstanding, Mabel felt a surge of urgency to clarify. “I didn’t mean he was dead,” she explained, her voice steadying. “I meant that he chose not to be part of my son’s life. I met him at university, and we fell deeply in love. But right after graduation, I discovered I was pregnant. When I shared the news with him, he told me he was already engaged to marry another woman—someone he couldn’t abandon. In the end, he went through with that marriage and left me to navigate my own path. It was an incredibly painful experience, but over time, I learned to accept it and move on.”

David listened intently, allowing her words to flow without interruption. Mabel continued, “My parents have been an incredible support system. Without their help, I wouldn’t have come this far.”

After a thoughtful pause, David inquired, “What about his parents? What did they have to say about all of this?”

Mabel let out a small, bitter laugh, shaking her head at the memories. “When I approached them to talk about the situation, they threatened me. They insisted I get rid of the baby. Later, when they found out I hadn’t followed their demands, they hit me with a legal suit. They declared that if I dared to make it public that James was Frederick’s son, they would make sure my life was ruined.”

“That's incredibly cruel,” David said, his voice heavy with empathy. “I’m sorry you had to endure such treatment. You’re a brave woman, and you should be proud of how far you’ve come. Thank you for sharing your story with me.”

Mabel turned to David, her heart swelling with gratitude as she caught the sincerity in his eyes. His kind words meant more to her than he could know. “Thank you,” she managed to say, feeling a wave of connection and understanding between them.

David met her gaze, his own expression warm and supportive. “You’re welcome,” he replied softly.