Shattered By Broken Dreams

Harley sat at a table in the corner by the window. It was 12:30 and she sat with her coffee and watched out the window for anyone that would resemble her son. She had no idea that she was only a half hour away from coming face to face with his father. Not only did Zacky and Aubrey not know that Harley was Blade’s real mother, but it was a closed adoption so Harley wasn’t privy to the names of the adoptive parents. She did not know that she handed her son off to his real father. The fact that his last name was Baker didn’t even register that it could be that Baker.

At 12:45 she glanced down at her watch and started to get nervous. Still there was no sign of anyone who would resemble her son. Something deep down inside her told her he wasn’t coming.

On Blade’s 18th birthday, she’d made the decision to try and find him. She hired a private detective, but his search came up with nothing. After three years, and a few bribes to the adoption agency, she was given his name and address. It took all the strength she had not to just show up on his doorstep. Instead, she wrote him a letter feeling that it would be less invasive and when she mailed it, she hoped for the best.

At 1:00pm sharp there was still no sign of her son. She went to the counter and got a second cup of coffee and returned to the table by the window where she waited. She told herself that she would only wait 15 minutes before leaving behind her quest to meet her son.

With her eyes on the window, she never caught sight of the two men walking through the door. Zacky and Brian stood just in front of the door looking around the place for any sign of a woman who appeared to be waiting for someone. There was a pretty blonde sitting in the corner looking out the window, but neither one could see her face as it was turned sideways.

They walked over to the counter and ordered their coffee. After their orders were filled, they took their cups and walked over to an empty table in front of the window. They were less than two feet away from Blade’s mother and neither of them knew it.

The two of them sat there making small talk when the woman who was seated at the table adjacent to theirs stood up and put her purse over her shoulder as she readied herself to leave. It was Brian who noticed her first.

“Harley?” he spoke directing his gaze right at her and Zacky turned in his seat to come face to face with her. Her eyes were watering and both men knew right then and there.

“Hi” she said faking a smile.

“What are you doing here?” Zacky asked.

“I was just leaving. I was waiting for someone, but he isn’t coming.” She fought back the tears not wanting to let them see her cry.

Zacky stood up and put his coffee down on the tabletop. “You? It can’t be. You’re Blade’s birth mother?”

She looked at him with a questioning gaze. “Yes, but how did you…” she put her hand over her mouth in shock. “Oh my God” she whispered.

“wow” Brian whispered.

“How could you?” Zacky said in shock. “He’s my son isn’t he?”

She nodded and lowered her head to the ground.

“How could you fucking do that to me?” Zacky growled. “How could you not tell me I had a son?”

“Calm down, man” Brian put his hand on Zacky’s shoulder

“I couldn’t tell you. You played me for a fool back then telling me you loved me and then when I called you on it you went and married Aubrey. The day I left I told you I would keep your secret and I meant it. So, when I decided to keep the baby, I just thought it would be best to keep that a secret too.”

“You selfish bitch, for 21 years my own son has been right in front of me and I never knew. How do I explain that to him?”

“I don’t know,” she cried. “He doesn’t want to see me, does he?”

“No, he doesn’t. He said he knows who his real mother is and it isn’t you. I need a fucking minute” he walked away and headed to the bathroom leaving her there alone with Brian.

“Why did you do it? After all this time, why did you wait until now?” Brian asked calmly.

“I have been trying for the last three years to find my son. I just wanted to see how he turned out.”

Brian nodded. “He isn’t your son and he turned out just fine. So why don’t you leave now, because today isn’t your lucky day. If you try and contact him or Zacky again, you’ll have me to deal with and it wont be pretty.” He smiled after finishing his sentence.

She reached into her purse and pulled out a business card and handed it to him. “If he changes his mind, I can be reached at that number,” she said.

“He wont” Brian smirked.

She nodded and headed out the door to her car, but out in the parking lot sat another vehicle running idly as the driver watched her through the window. Curiosity had got the better of Blade and he watched her talking through the window with his father and Brian. He couldn’t read their lips or make out any part of their conversation, but he’d finally got a look at the woman who had given him life.