Chapter 8 Answer To Her Prayers

"Zac?" I quickly rose to my feet, staring as he stood by the door.

"Can I come in?"

Though he was yet to enter the room, his imposing build was already filling up space.

"Come in, Zac." Haven invited, an excited, welcoming smile blanketing her face.

He was holding lots of bags in both hands, I was briefly curious on what they contained.

"Thank you, Haven."

He walked in and dropped the bags on the small table near the peeling-paint wall.

"How did you find my place?" I asked.

"That's not important." He turned to Haven. "No school today?"

"I got a little sick." My daughter explained, her keen eyes on the many shopping bags.

My nose caught the whiff of something edible. Did he buy food? My stomach rumbled for some.

"Oh. Are you feeling better now?" He questioned, a bit of concern masking his tone.

Haven shrugged. "Yes. It wasn't something serious."

He cast a look my way, but didn't say anything. He opened one of the bags and handed me something wrapped in a gift box. "Here, have this."

"Where's Zoey?" If he heard the anger and bitterness in my tone, he didn't react.

"Have this, Dahlia." He was still extending the green wrapped gift to me.

"It's not my birthday, plus it's not your responsibility to buy me things. Also, I don't want them. Thank you."

He let out a chuckle. "Still stubborn as the Dahlia I used to know."

The words he'd said to Zoey rang in my head, fueling my already present anger, not to mention, sadness. "I'm not worth the stain on your reputation, remember?"

His expression changed, going from a smirk to regret. He exhaled. "I'm sorry. I said that for Zoey's benefit. Plus, you know how dramatic she can be. She's not changed."

"I don't care, Zac. But I have learnt so much about life and people to actually believe anyone anymore. So please, take your gifts and leave my apartment."

Haven made to open one of the bags.

"Don't say that, Dahlia. You know me, I helped when..."

"...when no one would. Thank you for that but that's a long time now, I've been on my own ever since. I can take care of myself and my daughter. Haven, do not touch any of those bags." From the corner of my eye, I'd caught her trying to sneak peaks into each bag.

Paying heed to my stern tone, she quietly left the bags and stood aside, watching us.

"You do not have to be stubborn, Dahlia. You need help and I..."

"I do not need anything from you, Zac. Not anymore. No, I do not! So please, if I can not be worthy of you, then I do not want to waste my time with you."

The only sound that filled the cramped apartment was the ruffling of the gift wrapper as he tore it off the gift. A small box revealed.

I saw what it was. A phone. Not just any kind, the expensive kind. Long ago, this would have been the kind of phone I'd be using. Well, that life was gone. It was gone the moment my family disowned me.

"You do not have a phone." He said, extending the box to me.

"And who told you that?"

He glanced at Haven who put on a guilty smile when my eyes shifted to her.

"See, Dahlia, I'm sorry for how I'd acted when Zoey was around and the things I've said. Please, accept my gift."

I hesitated. I'd always wanted a phone of my own, but between taking care of Haven and saving for her future which was a different struggle on its own, I couldn't afford to buy myself one.

"Please." His green orbs were sincere and honest.

For some reason, they had this strange effect on me. Always had right from highschool.

I took it. "Thank you." I muttered.

Satisfied, he and Haven opened the rest of the bags.

Woah! He bought toys, a game pad and a tablet for Haven, alongside new clothes and shoes. A new custom-made backpack for her. She was beside herself with joy.

He also had some clothes and shoes for me. He emptied two bags containing food - five star kind - enough for five people, said we could eat and keep the rest for later.

I brought out plates and cups for the carton of juice he'd bought.

"What were you doing at that restaurant?" He asked, forking steak into his mouth.

I shrugged. "Job hunting."

"Position?"

I gave him a strange look. "As a kitchen assistant or waitress. But it doesn't matter anymore. The manager doesn't want me."

"Well, too bad the manager doesn't have the final say." He responded.

"Only the owner and I do not have that connection anymore." I was trying not to feel bad and let down.

"You're hired to work whatever position you want and your salary will be discussed." He was so casual with this appointment that I thought it was a joke.

Maybe he was trying to cheer me up, so I managed a chuckle. "Yeah, right."

"I'm serious, Dahlia. You're hired."

The seriousness on his face had me pausing in chewing the next forkful of pasta. "What do you mean I'm hired? Do you know the owner?"

"If you're asking if I know myself. Well, I like to think I do."

"You're the owner?"

"Yes." He response wasn't arrogant. It was just a factual one.

Wow! How rich had Zac become?

He must have seen the surprise on my face because he gave a soft laugh. "Being a soccer player pays me well."

Haven was too excited to pay attention to just her food. She was multitasking - eating and playing with her new gifts - and I didn't have the heart to stop her.

"When do you want to start?" His question dragged my attention away from my happy daughter to his face.

"Whenever you want me to." I answered.

"Does Monday sound okay to you?" He wanted to know.

Monday was four days away. Today was Thursday. Well, I couldn't argue with my new boss. "Yes, thank you."

"This weekend, I have a game. Will you and Haven come watch me play? Front row seats, I promise you." He sounded as though he was begging.

"One, I barely know anything about soccer. Two, I do not want to come across Zoey."

"One, you do not have to know it. Your presence shows your support, I'd like to really have you there. Also, two, Zoey cares about soccer as much as she cares for carbs."

Yeah, it wasn't news, even back in highschool, that Zoey dreaded taking carbs for fear of gaining weight. She always wanted to model and be an actress. It was the one common thing I shared with her.

But finding out I was pregnant, that dream was long buried. Ensuring my daughter's future went smooth was my priority now.

"Haven, would you like to come see me play on Saturday?" He asked Haven when I wouldn't give him a response.

She nodded. "Yes. Me and my mommy will come. I hope the tickets won't be expensive. We can't afford them if they are."

Zac marveled at her smartness. "You and Mommy are special guests. You don't have to worry about buying tickets."

"Good. We'll go."

I quirked my brow in surprise, laughter wanting to bubble through my mouth. My daughter was making decisions for us now? Who was even the adult here?

"I don't care what you say, I'm trusting her words." He turned friendly eyes on me, gesturing at Haven.

"Alright, fine. We'll go."

"Good." His smile took me off guard and I couldn't stop staring. It was bedazzling. "Uh...so, there's something else."

"You've done enough, Zac. I can not accept more."

"Well, you have to because it's a done deal already."

My forehead creased.

From the last bag, he brought out an envelope and handed it to me. Curious, I took and opened. Documents.

I read through and gasped, shaking my head. "No. No. I can not accept this, Zac. It is simply too much."

"Do you want to lose your daughter to the government?"

To say I was shocked was understating. "I...how...how d-did you..."

"How I know doesn't matter, Dahlia. You didn't come this far only to have her taken from you." He reasoned, his tone kind and wise.

I blinked back tears. "But a fully furnished house?"