A second chance at love?

October, Fall 2013, Justin Kim is 32, Kira is 7 and, Misha is 4. (Le-Fen T'ang is 35. Adrian Chew is 9.) Last update.

  
"The kids in my class all have mommies. They ask me about my mommy, but I told them that I don't have a mommy."


Misha's topic for discussion at breakfast takes Justin by surprise. It never dawned on him that children at school would ask Misha about her parents. He chalks this oversight up to working with teenagers for a few years now. They are so consumed with themselves that they hardly ever worry about anyone but themselves.

He can hear his mother now, telling him why it's so important to have a female presence in the girls lives. She would be more in tone with these kind of things. Ready to talk about and share feelings. He knows he's mother is right, but he's still wearing his engagement ring.

"But I simply say that my mommy is in a better place, meeting lots of people in Heaven."





"That's good, that you can tell them that."

He's again surprised by the wisdom his youngest daughter possesses. They never talked about where Shelby went once she died. He never thought there would be a need to. Yes, his mother had warned him, she told him to speak with the girls once they were older.

He just felt he didn't have to. He didn't want to open wounds that they never knew they had. Or maybe it was as simple as, he didn't want to open up the wounds that had barley healed for him.





Kira, on the other hand has to stuff her hand into her mouth to prevent from yelling at her sister. Misha thinks she's so smart. So cute. So cleaver in coming up with stories about their mother.

Who even cared where she went. All Kira knows is that their mom had left them. She didn't have to die, but she did. And now she's here, with her bratty little sister, and only a daddy.

Even though he wasn't a bad daddy, he was a great daddy. But it would be nice to have a mommy too. So instead of dwelling on the matter, Kira continues to stuff her face with breakfast.





She finishes breakfast and runs out of the house, as fast as she can. If she has to listen to Misha and her stupid mouth for one more second she'll go crazy.





She meets up with Adrian Chew, her best friend in the whole wide world. They talk for a few moments, well, they mainly complain to each other about their siblings. They giggle and laugh, making jokes, calling them big bubble heads and the like. She wishes things could be like this all the time. No parents. No bratty little sisters. Just Adrian and her, handing out, having fun.

***

Justin and Le-Fen have managed to keep things friendly between them, with a bit of flirting mixed in. They both know it's wrong, but flirting never hurt anyone. They know their limits. The boundaries that shouldn't be crossed.





But home, alone. His girls outside playing. They have no interruptions, no prying eyes that could tell on them. Flirtatious giggles and caresses that turn into heavy petting and, passion fulled kisses.





Just like that they tumble up the stairs, feeling their way into Justin's bedroom. The whole time Le-Fen can't believe what she's about to do. They fall onto the, lips interlocked, only breaking apart to get more comfortable.





Reality comes crashing back down just then. She can't believe it. She's gotten so carried away. She loves her husband and she owes it to him not to cheat on him.

Justin, heartbroken, understands. He doesn't want to make Le-Fen do anything that she doesn't want, plus, he really doesn't want to be the other man. They decide that maybe it's better off that they no longer see each other. It's better that way. Safer.

***

Misha loves playing with her big sister. Normally Kira doesn't want to play with, so she annoys her instead. Laughing and giggling, she's having the time of her life!





Too bad Kira doesn't see it the same way. She hates when her sister messes with her.





She snaps, "Why don't you just leave me alone?! I liked it better when you were a baby. I wish you were the one who left, not mom!"

Misha doesn't understand why Kira is so mean to her lately, but her words hurt. She tries not to but she starts crying anyway.

Satisfied, Kira runs away.

***

A few days later and a new sporting a hair style, Justin's answers his mother's call. She has to tell him about this cute girl that works with the women's soccer league. She's not a player, she's actually Cynthia's assistant. She knows she's perfect for Justin, so she's decided to set them up.

Justin sighs, he really wishes his mother would stay out of his love life. But with all that's been going on, she's transferred all her worry onto finding him a companion. So he agrees to the date.





He cheeks himself over in the mirror. Besides Shelby and Le-Fen, he hasn't given much though to how is appearance. And not to mention nervous. What if this new woman doesn't like his new look? What if she doesn't like him period. He's been out of the game for far to long. Maybe it's not to late to call things off.





But he was worried for nothing. Things start out promising! They share many things in common. Laney Barthelet is charming, polite, and very pleasing on the eyes. Justin hates to admit it, but his mom actually did a good job in is setting them up.





It may be late fall, but the snow hasn't fallen yet. The days are crisp, but the sun is strong, so they decide to go to the beach. They share more with each other. Laney tells him about the time she was on vacation with her girl friends and was pick pocketed. She was so upset.





Justin shared about when he was younger, still in college, and how he thought staying unemployed for the rest of his life was cool. It's wasn't until his junior year that he decided to major in education.





"Let's build a sandcastle." Laney suggests. Justin hasn't made one of these in years. But it's a date, and they are having fun, so he doesn't see a problem with playing in the sand.





It doesn't come out how they expect, and the two burst into laughter. How sad is it when to gown adults can't pull off a sandcastle?





She smiles at him. "I'm having a really good time," she says.

Justin smiles back. "I am too." And he means it. This blind date has been wonderful.





They sit, learning more and more about each other. Like when they received their first kiss.





What was the best thing they have ever eaten just to mention a few.





They stand, finally starting to fill the nip in the cool autumn night air. They stand smiling at each other like school kids, when Justin notices another sandcastle over Laney's shoulder.

"I think that's how ours was supposed to look."

She turns around to the small mound of constructed sand and starts to laugh, causing him to laugh as well.

"Maybe we can try it again...?" She leave the last part unfinished.





"Yes, I would love to try another sandcastle with you, Laney." Justin says.

Sadly, it won't be tonight. It's starting to get late, it's only seven pm but he has two small daughters at home, and a job to get to in the morning.

Laney understands. They say their goodbyes, before Justin takes her hand in his, placing a light kiss on top of it.

"I've had a wonderful time with you tonight."

 "I did as well. Don't forget to call me." Justin smiles again, "I won't."

***

Misha's happy that their daddy is out on a date. Whatever that means, since she hasn't a clue what a date is. She does know what a play-date is, so maybe daddy's date is a play-date. Either way, she gets to eat cookies for dinner.

She hurries and stuffs as much as she can into her mouth, before the Nanny comes downstairs and sees what she's doing.





Kira isn't happy about their dad's date, not one bit. She's really mad about it. Of course she hasn't told him this, but she is.

So she grabs a book, she's going to read, to become lost in the fantasy worlds contained within the pages. She just hope Misha will leave her alone.





She doesn't have to worry about her little sister, the nanny is keeping her busy.

"May daddy is on a play-date," she tells her.

The older woman smiles and agrees.




Kira is still buried in her book when they come in to warm up. The nanny tires to start a conversation with her, but Kira ignores her. She doesn't want to speak with anyone. She just wants to be left alone with her book.

***

I've been trying and trying to find Justin a nice girl to go out with. I think there are two reasons why I failed to shamefully, 1) Justin has a thing for teenage girls. ROFL That's all he does is heart fart all over them. and 2) My game has a lack of available women his age.

I think my game agrees. So I used the gypsy with the crystal ball to find him a date. I had him pay the $5000 to get a match. Well guess who the gypsy gave him? Yes, a teenage Laney. So I had to age her up. ROFL They have hit it off wonderfully though, so I am very pleased. I'm giving his mother, Cynthia Kim, credit for this match. ;)

As for Kira. It's taken me a while to get a feel for her. But she's only 7 so I still have time. But I figured since she is older than her sister she does remember their mom, and she's jealous of the other kids at school because of it. And she's jealous of Misha, because she doesn't remember their mom, which leaves her with this fairy tail ideal of her. So she may stay a little unruly for a bit.