A True Connection

"Shit, what have you done for that look," his mother asks, breaking Ryan out of his self-pity.

"Ummm, nothing," he says. That's right, what had he done to deserve that look? What a bitch he thought; I'll fucking show her who's the better person. "Excuse me," he says as he gets up and goes to the toilet. He looks in the mirror and takes a breath. "You can do this; she's no one special. Just tell her what you think of your night together and that you didn't deserve that look." He looks at himself and then says, "Yeah," agreeing with himself.

Ryan walks out of the bathroom and around the back of the restaurant. He walks up behind Rose and leans in close so he can whisper in her ear. "I don't know what I did to deserve such a look, but the night we shared for me was one of the most incredible moments of my life. I tried to wake you before I left at six thirty, but you were sound asleep. I left my number, and you chose not to phone me," he said. Ryan can't help but breathe in her essence. It's a smell that he's dreamed about constantly for over two years. "I thought we had some connection; I guess I was wrong," he finishes.

Rose has frozen, and everyone around the table doesn't know what to do. Ryan is on his way back to his table before anyone says anything. "Do you know him, Rose?" The guy across the table who's supposed to be her date asks.

"Yes, yes, we met a couple of years back," she stammers out. Her eyes follow Ryan back to his seat. Some.thing doesn't add up. She runs through what he said. Why would a man who's acted the way he did behave like he's done nothing wrong? He's right; they had the most incredible night, and then she never heard from him again. He must know he deserved that look after what he said. Then she hears from her friend that he's shacked up with some girl from University, and they're shagging like rabbits. Yet he acts like there is nothing wrong, but something doesn't feel right and it agitates her.

"Rose, is everything alright?" Chelsea asks.

Rose looks over, smiles at her, and nods. She's given a reprieve to think when the server comes and takes their order. When the server leaves, Rose gets up. "Excuse me," she says and walks to the toilet.

She goes into one of the cubicles and sits to think. "Why now, why after she finally got persuaded to date? What does he mean he left his number? Is this a sign?" Rose is confused. Even in the days after Ryan left, she never thought she had read a person so wrong. She's always been the best judge of character, and she's beginning to think she got him right.

Rose makes a decision; she needs to know why, and there's only one person on this planet with the answers. She washes her hands and walks out of the ladies. Turning left down the three steps, she copies Ryan and walks up from behind.

Everyone at Ryan's table is looking behind Ryan. He's confused for a second before he hears a familiar voice. "Sorry to interrupt your evening, but I need to borrow Ryan's phone."

Like Rose, Ryan has frozen and taken totally by surprise. He reaches inside his jacket pocket and retrieves his phone. He unlocks it before holding it up for Rose to take. Rose phones herself before adding her details and then handing his phone back. She leans down much the same way. "We need to talk," is all Rose says. Rose can't resist doing the same to Ryan and breathes in his essence before returning the way she came.

When she gets back to her table, she can see her date isn't very happy, but she doesn't care. Rose is more interested in what the guy on the other table has to say for himself.

"How do you know her?" Ryan's sister asks, but the food turns up, saving Ryan from answering. She looks at him all through the meal, where Ryan tries to escape his sister's gaze. Because she has chosen to sit away from her brother, she finds it hard to get Ryan's attention as he eats and talks to the people around him that he hasn't seen in a while.

Ryan smiles and nods toward Rose when she and her friend get up to leave. Rose doesn't smile back but waves her phone at him as she walks past Ryan.

As Ryan and his sister sit in the car on the way back home, she can't wait anymore. "Okay, can you please tell me what happened back there?"

"We had a wonderful eighteenth birthday dinner. It was nice to catch up with the family," Ryan answers, knowing she's talking about Rose.

"You know what I mean," she says. Ryan breathes out a long breath and gets his phone out. He gets YouTube up and finds the video of him and Rose dancing. Then he hands her the phone. "I've seen this, and so what?"

"Look at who Rose is dancing with," Ryan says.

"What, that is you?...... Nah, pull the other one," his sister says, laughing. The video wasn't the best quality, so it is up for interpretation. Alicia could tell it was him, but Ryan guessed she knew him better than most.

As they walk into the house, Ryan feels his phone vibrate in his pocket. As he waits for his mother to open the door, he glances at the screen. 'Rose' appears at the top of his screen.

He doesn't want to draw attention, so he puts his phone back into his pocket without any fuss. Once inside, he walks straight up to his room to change.

Sitting on the end of his bed, he opens the message. "Hey, Ryan. I won't waste time with small talk and ask you straight out. I gave you that look for a reason, but from your reaction, I am wondering whether my reason is real. Can you tell me what you mean by you left your number?"

"Hey, Rose. You have been a hard person to find. Yes, it is simple. Like I told you on the night, I had to be up early to return to University. I woke around six thirty and couldn't wake you. You are one very deep sleeper. Anyway, while I was waiting for an Uber, I found a notepad in your sideboard and wrote you a note, leaving my number in case you wanted to make it more than one night." Ryan sends his reply

Rose stares at her screen. She doesn't know whether to believe Ryan or not, but it doesn't just affect her. The one thing is, this makes Ryan either an out-and-out liar or someone else is interfering. "Shit....... I need to know the truth, but I'm not going to get it here." Then she thinks of something. 'Can you remember what you wrote?'

Ryan looks at the response and smiles. "Of course I can, word for word. 'Rose, last night was incredible, and I felt there was more between us. If I'm wrong, then the choice is yours whether to contact me or not. Thank you for an incredible night. Ryan 077*****582'".

Rose has tears in her eyes. She's hated Ryan for so long, and it could have been so different. She's wondering if the just under two years of hate can be reversed. She takes a moment and then replies. "Ryan, can you meet me in Central Park tomorrow morning at ten?"

"Sure, but I have to return to London by five," he answers.

"Always have to leave. Okay, see you tomorrow." Rose chucks her phone on the coffee table and breathes out heavily. "I suppose we will see tomorrow," she says to herself. Tonight didn't go how Rose's friends had anticipated, and as soon as she left the restaurant, Rose asked to be taken home. They had arranged a triple date and found what they thought was a good prospect.

Ryan is woken early by his mother and aunty preparing breakfast for the hoards. He gets up and walks into the kitchen, where he gets a kiss on the cheek from both women.

"So what are you up to today, Ryan?" His mother says.

"Got to meet a friend this morning. Not sure what time I'll be back, Mum," he answers.

"I don't get to see you enough these days, Ryan. Coffee?" Ryan nods, and his mother gets a mug from the top cupboard.

"I'm not working Saturdays anymore, so I should be able to come home more. How's that sound?"

"And what was that about yesterday?" His aunty asks. Ryan's mother gives her sister-in-law a 'you couldn't wait' look. "She's a very beautiful girl," she says.

Ryan smiles awkwardly. "Rose and I.... Well, I don't know what we are. It's complicated and confusing all at the same time."

"And this girl you hang out with at University?"

Ryan looks at his mum, who's been talking a little too much. "Alicia is my best friend; there's nothing romantic there."

"I don't know. Maybe that's your problem. Perhaps if you didn't look like you had a girlfriend, you would attract someone."

"I'm sure everything will sort itself out. I'm not looking until after Uni, Aunty," Ryan says as he picks up his coffee and makes his way to the dining room.

Ryan enters the park from the eastern gate and messages Rose. 'Where do you want to meet?' His heart beats hard as he waits for the reply. A wave of relief washes over him when he sees Rose has read his message and is writing a reply.

'I'm over by the toddler's playground,' Rose answers. She stares at her screen for a moment making sure that is all. Rose's mind drifts to the night before. When she first saw Ryan after two years she thought she would hate him. To her surprise she felt the same link they had shared on that first night. She instantly chastised herself. Her heart had suddenly speeded up when she saw Ryan get up to go to the toilet, she thought that he had aged well in the two years since they first met. Again she immediately chastised herself for the betrayal of her mind, but she knew what her body wanted.

Ryan walks around the back of the toddler's paddling pool that he spent many days in as a youngster and down toward the play area. He can see Rose sitting a little back on her own. She's wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses, but it's definitely her. Again his heart sped up, just like the night before. He feels the breeze blow across his brow and chills the sheen of sweat that's formed.

"Alright?" He says as he approaches.

"Hey," came the reply. "Take the weight off," Rose says, gesturing next to her. As Ryan walks up and sits, Rose feels all the animosity that has been there fade. Instantly they both feel the other's presence inside.

Ryan sits and looks at the scene in front of him. "Didn't have you down as someone who comes here."

"A lot about me will surprise you," Rose answers, a little harsher than she meant. "Look, Ryan, it's been two years and nothing. I have to wonder, where have you been?"

"Working mainly. The months after we met, I spent the weekends down here hoping to bump into you. Then I tried to find your house, but I was a little distracted on the trip to and from, and when I drove around, there were a number of houses that looked the same in your area. Then I got offered a job experience that I couldn't turn down and started working Saturday mornings and holidays, so I couldn't make it back as often." Ryan is amazed at how comfortable he feels now he's face-to-face with Rose. All those years of building her up into some sort of goddess, and he feels so natural with her.

"And what about your girlfriend?"

"Girlfriend? I don't have a girlfriend. The last person I was with was you," Ryan answers.

Rose almost calls it quits there and then. She knows he's lying. What sort of guy doesn't chase girls? "I don't believe that for one minute," Rose says.

Ryan doesn't react and just gets his phone out. He calls Alicia. "Hey, you couldn't live without me for just one weekend?" Alicia says. Rose tuts and rolls her eyes.

"Something like that," he replies. "Alicia, I'm here with Rose, and she doesn't believe I've been celibate for two years."

"Hang on, you're with Rose. What, THE Rose?"

"Yes, THE Rose."

"Shit, hang on," and she hung up. Five seconds later, Ryan gets a video call. "Pass us over," she says. Ryan hands Rose his phone for the second time in twenty-four hours. "Christ, it is you," is all she can say as Rose takes her sunglasses off.

"Hello, Alicia, is it? I'm sorry, but who are you?"

"Sorry, Rose. I am Ryan's best friend. He dated me for one date, and because I wasn't you, he dumped me. When he told me the truth, a couple of months later, we became friends."

"He dumped you because you weren't me? Harsh."

"Yeah, he said he was looking for the same connection he had felt with you. After me, he gave up looking," Alicia says.

"And he's not had..." Rose gets up and walks away from Ryan.

"Sex since you? Not to my knowledge, he doesn't see the point, I suppose.....Look, Ryan is a great guy, and if you are not interested, then please let him down softly. He's built your night together up to the point where you could cause a lot of damage," Alicia begs.

"You think a lot of him," Rose says.

"Yeah, I know there will never be anything between us, or I would have grabbed him for myself. He might be a dope sometimes, but I love him like a brother."

Rose turns back toward Ryan, who's watching her from the bench. "I'm afraid it's a lot more complicated than you think, Alicia... Look, I'm sure Ryan will fill you in when you see him next, but I need to work out what's best for me right now. I will tell you that Ryan isn't the only one who looks on that night as special. Next time he comes back, I expect him to bring you with him so we can meet."

"You mean you are giving him a chance?" The hope in her voice makes Rose realise this woman is truly no threat and only wants what is best for Ryan.

Rose smiles at this woman she's just met. She likes her already. "Let's just say if what he tells me is true, he has a very good chance." Rose stops just away. "I'll let you get back to whatever you were doing."

Rose hands Ryan's phone back, and he looks at the screen. "I'll see you later, Alicia," and the screen goes blank. "So?" Ryan says, looking up at Rose.

"You are a surprising man, Ryan. Let's just say..." Rose has been with him only twenty minutes, and he's shot everything down. On top of that, every time she looks at him, her heart beats harder, and she wants to kiss him. It was so much easier to hate him when he wasn't there. Now, the problem she has is, does she take the next step?

"Clare," Rose calls.

Ryan looks toward the playground when a woman answers, "Coming."

Through the safety gate walks a woman who is similar to Rose but very different. "Clare is my sister," Rose says. But Ryan's eyes aren't on Clare. They are on the little girl holding Clare's hand. Rose waits until the two girls are within a couple of meters and then adds, "Ryan, I would like to introduce you to our daughter Sophia. Ryan, would you like to introduce yourself?" Rose then leans in. "I know this is a lot, but be nice."

Ryan leans forward. Looking back at him are his own eyes peering around the legs of her aunty. Ryan swallows the frog that's crawled into his throat. "Hello, Sophia," he manages to get out. "Can I see all of you?"

Sophia moves further behind her aunty before Clare steps to her side. "Go and sit with Mummy, So-So, and say hello to Ryan."

Sophia puts her finger in her mouth and then makes a dash for her mother. Rose scoops her up and sits her on her lap. "Baby, this is Ryan, and Ryan is your Dada."

For the importance of that statement, Sophia doesn't react at all, not as though Ryan would expect anything else. Sophia looks at her mother and points at Ryan. "Dada?"

Rose laughs and nods, with tears forming in her eyes. "Yes, So-So, it's Dada. Do you want to kiss Dada?"

The little girl looks at her mother as though she is crazy but then reaches forward to Ryan. Ryan stretches to meet her halfway, and she walks the one step between Rose and Ryan. A big smile appears on both Ryan's and Sophia's faces simultaneously.

Sophia's attention is fully on the man who is holding her now, and she touches his face. All the previous doubts in her mind are gone, and it's time to explore this person who is her Dada. "Dada," she says again and then leans in and gives his cheek the wettest kiss.

"Hello, So-So," Ryan says, laughing. Tears are welling up in his eyes as the little girl wraps her arms around him and hugs him. She has no idea the meaning of her gesture or how much it means to Ryan.

"How old is Sophia, Rose?" Ryan asks.

"Sixteen months, and yes, she is one hundred percent yours if that's what you are working out."

"What? No. She's very bright for a sixteen-month-old. No, I can see she's mine; I can feel it."

"Oh, she's a bright one. She was starting to talk at ten months and out of nappies at one. She's way ahead of the curve, something I think she gets from her mum."

Ryan smiles at Rose's opinion but doesn't say anything. "And with her mother's looks, she's going to take over the world," Ryan says, smiling at his daughter.

"Too right she is," Rose says. Then Rose has a thought. "Clare, not a word to Mum and Dad that Ryan is back in my life, please."

"What? Why not?"

"Because I'm beginning to think they have had a hand in keeping us apart," she says.

"No, they can't have; they wouldn't," Clare says, defending their parents.

"Ryan, what's the name of the company you work for in the city?" Rose asks.

"MTC, they're a large investment company," Ryan says, not seeing the look between the two sisters.

Rose looks at Ryan with their daughter on his lap, happily playing with her. Sophia has a new friend, and Rose knows she made the right choice in giving Ryan a chance. All the feelings she experienced over two years before are flooding back as she sees the man she first saw in the coffee shop.

Rose now has to decide what to do next. She's starting to piece together something, but she's not sure how deep the deception goes. Someone close to her has been colluding with her parents to keep Ryan away, but who?

"Ryan," Rose says. "Do you have time to come back to mine and spend some time with Sophia?" She can see Ryan is getting a little overwhelmed. "It will give you a chance to get your head around things," she adds. She cups Ryan's face as she says it, her first loving contact with him since the night Sophia was conceived.

"Yeah, I don't need to head back until later," Ryan says.

"Okay, where are you parked? Can you follow me back?"

"Yeah, I'm in the main car park," Ryan says. His head is in a bit of a spin. So much is happening, and so much has changed. Sophia reaches for her mother, and Ryan feels the coldness and misses her instantly as she gets lifted away.

They stand and walk back to the car park. Sophia continued to point at Ryan, telling Rose that he was Dada. "Yes, baby, Dada," Rose says with a more confident smile. She can't believe what a difference twenty-four hours makes.

They stop around the back of Rose's new Range Rover. "I'm over there," Ryan says, pointing. "Give me a minute, and I will drive closer so I can follow you out."

Rose, feeling a sudden panic, hands Sophia to Clare and runs up to Ryan. "Ryan, she says as she gets close. Ryan stops and turns back as she reaches him. "Sorry to put so much on you. Are you okay?"

Ryan doesn't answer straight away and looks into Rose's eyes. The confident woman he first met was there, but there was also a hint of fear. He steps forward and smiles. Taking her hand, he says, "Yeah, it's a lot to take in, but I won't walk away from my responsibility. Then he leans forward. My biggest thought is whether there's any hope for us," Ryan kisses Rose's cheek and walks off back to his car with a huge grin.

Rose finds herself standing there watching Ryan walk away. "Rose," Clare shouts, bringing Rose out of her trance.

Ryan follows Rose's Range Rover. "Shit, no wonder I couldn't find it," he says to himself as she takes one turn after another. Then she turns up on what looks to be a private road where he sees a familiar house in a close, where the houses are more spread out.

Parking out on the road, Ryan gets out and walks up the drive as Rose opens the front door and lets Sophia run in on her own. Rose waits for him, and Ryan is rewarded with an incredible smile as Rose steps aside and lets him in.

"Rose," Clare calls. "I'm going to get going. Call me later and let me know what's been decided."