The past week had been a blur of activity for Awa Carpenter. Between work, picking up Beatrice, and the strange unease that still clung to her after the incidents with Kelsey and Forrest, she felt like she was living in two different worlds. One, the world she knew—of work, family, and routine. The other, a shadowy, unpredictable realm that saw on the rooftop, one she couldn't understand but couldn't ignore. Or was it merely her own imagination?
Today, however, was supposed to be a normal day—or at least as normal as possible. Awa, Keira, and Mark had taken the radio station's mobile van out to cover a local sporting event live. The sun was high, the crowds were buzzing with excitement, and their show was rolling smoothly with jokes and commentary flowing easily between them. Despite everything, Awa found herself getting lost in the energy of the event, forgetting her troubles for a while.
As Keira cracked a joke about one of the players on-air, Awa couldn't help but laugh, her spirits lifted by her co-host's infectious humor. Mark gave a thumbs up from behind the soundboard, signaling that the live broadcast was going off without a hitch.
"Alright, folks, this is Keira and Awa signing off for now, but don't worry—we'll be back with more live coverage of matches. Stay tuned!" Keira's voice filled the van as she hit the button to end their segment. She leaned back in her chair, stretching her arms. "Whew, that was fun. I think we crushed it."
Awa smiled and pulled off her headphones, feeling lighter than she had in days. "Definitely. And the crowd loved it. We've had great feedback all day."
Mark, always the silent but steady presence in their team, gave them both a nod of approval. "Good job, ladies. We'll wrap up here in about fifteen minutes."
Awa checked her phone and realized how late it was getting. She had asked Tina to pick up Beatrice from school today since she knew she wouldn't make it back in time. The plan was for Awa to meet them at a cafe near Tina's office afterward, so they could grab something to eat together.
She quickly sent Tina a text: Be there in 20 minutes.
Her stomach did a small flip, though, when she thought about how she had to avoid Kelsey. Tina had assured her that they wouldn't cross paths again, but even the slightest chance of running into him made Awa's skin crawl. She was grateful Tina had agreed to help out more with Beatrice, but the unease still lingered.
"Everything okay?" Keira asked, noticing Awa's distracted expression.
"Yeah," Awa nodded, sliding her phone back into her pocket. "Just heading to pick up Beatrice after this."
Keira smirked. "Mom duties never stop, huh?"
Awa grinned. "Nope, never."
Twenty minutes later, Awa arrived at the cafe near Tina's office. It was one of those charming, bustling places with outdoor seating, the perfect spot to unwind after a long day. But as she stepped inside and scanned the room, Tina was nowhere to be seen. A pang of worry tugged at her as she glanced at the clock on the wall.
"Where is she?" Awa muttered to herself, walking further inside. She couldn't help but feel the same gnawing anxiety that had plagued her over the past week. Her eyes darted around, searching for any sign of her sister or daughter.
Suddenly, she heard a familiar sound—the light, melodic laughter of Beatrice. Awa's heart skipped a beat as she followed the sound, moving toward the back of the cafe where the noise seemed to be coming from. Her pace quickened, the worry fading slightly now that she knew Beatrice was nearby.
But when she turned the corner and spotted the source of the laughter, her breath caught in her throat.
There, sitting at a table with her daughter, was Forrest Quinn.
Awa's heart fluttered unexpectedly. Forrest looked completely different from the cold, distant figure she had seen the last time they met. He was smiling—genuinely smiling—his usually sharp, aloof features softened as he leaned toward Beatrice, who was giggling about something he'd said. The scene was almost... endearing.
For a brief, maddening moment, Awa felt a strange thrill course through her—a spark of excitement that she quickly tried to squash. What was wrong with her? Why was she reacting like this? This was Forrest, Kelsey's cousin, part of whatever strange world the Quinns seemed to operate in. She should be wary, not excited.
She clenched her jaw, willing herself to rein in whatever ridiculous feelings had stirred inside her. This wasn't the time for this.
Forcing a neutral expression onto her face, Awa approached the table, but she could feel her pulse quicken the closer she got. As she neared, Forrest's attention shifted, and his smile faded, replaced by that, guarded look. The wall was back up, the warm, human side of him vanishing as quickly as it had appeared.
"Where's Tina?" Awa asked, her voice harsher than she intended. She wasn't angry at Forrest, not really. But she needed to project her confusion and frustration somewhere, and he was the easiest target.
Forrest's expression hardened. His eyes, which had been sparkling with amusement a second ago, went cold. "Tina stepped out to take a phone call," he said evenly, leaning back in his chair. "She'll be back any minute."
Awa's temper flared, though she wasn't sure if it was because of the situation or because of the way she had felt seeing him with her daughter. "And you're just... sitting here with my daughter?" she snapped, crossing her arms defensively.
Forrest's gaze flicked to Beatrice, then back to Awa. His face remained impassive. "She was bored. We talked. That's it."
Awa clenched her fists, trying to calm the swirl of emotions inside her. She didn't like this—the way he looked at her with such detachment, like she was just another problem he had to deal with. "You don't get to just sit here with her like it's no big deal."
Before Forrest could respond, Beatrice piped up, oblivious to the tension between them. "Mommy, Mr. Forrest is really nice! He told me about his dog, and it's the biggest dog I've ever heard of!" Her eyes sparkled with excitement, and Awa's irritation softened, just a little.
Forrest's face didn't change, though Awa noticed the slightest twitch at the corner of his mouth—like he was trying not to smile again. But it was gone in an instant.
Just then, the door to the cafe opened, and Tina walked back in, her phone still in hand. Her face brightened immediately when she spotted them. "Hey, sorry about that, work stuff," she said cheerfully, sliding into the seat beside Beatrice. "You didn't mind Forrest keeping Beatrice company, did you, Awa?"
Awa's gaze flickered between Tina and Forrest. Tina's tone was casual, but the way she glanced at Forrest, the way she brushed her hand against his shoulder when she sat down—it wasn't lost on Awa. There was something between them, something that made her stomach twist, though she couldn't quite place why.
"No, I didn't mind," Awa muttered, though the words felt hollow as they left her lips.
Tina didn't seem to notice Awa's internal struggle. She turned to Beatrice, her eyes twinkling. "Did you have fun with Mr. Forrest? I told you he's great with kids."
Beatrice nodded eagerly. "Uh-huh! He said maybe we could see his dog one day!"
Awa bit the inside of her cheek, trying to keep her irritation from spilling over. Was she imagining it, or was Tina being unusually close to Forrest? She glanced between them again, watching the way Tina smiled at him, and the subtle way Forrest's stiff posture relaxed whenever she was near him.
And just like that, Awa felt a pang of jealousy twist in her chest—a sharp, unexpected sting that she quickly tried to push away. She had no right to feel this way. She had no claim on Forrest Quinn, and whatever was going on between him and her sister had nothing to do with her. But the feeling was there, gnawing at her, making it hard to think clearly.
"So, what's the plan now?" Tina asked, looking at Awa, seemingly unaware of the tension brewing just beneath the surface.
Awa forced a smile, her mind still racing. "I'll take Beatrice home. Thanks for picking her up."
Forrest stood, giving Beatrice a small smile before glancing back at Awa, his expression unreadable. "I'll leave you to it," he said, his tone polite but distant.
As he turned to go, Tina called after him, her voice bright. "See you tomorrow, Forrest?"
Forrest gave a brief nod, though he didn't look back. Awa watched him walk away, her emotions swirling with confusion, frustration, and something else she didn't want to name.
Tina grinned, seemingly oblivious to Awa's inner turmoil. "He's a nice guy, right?"
Awa didn't respond immediately. She was too busy trying to push down the wave of irrational feelings rising inside her. "Yeah," she said finally, her voice quieter than she intended. "He's... nice."
But the truth was, she didn't know what to think. About Forrest. About Tina. About the strange, conflicted emotions stirring inside her.