Lili told her that she was doing okay and that she had gotten a new doll over the weekend. Kaiya suggested that she bring the doll to dance class with her so that she could see it, and Lili agreed.
Just then, Tyler walked up to them looking handsome in a pale blue polo shirt, black jeans, and black sneakers. His neck-length hair blew in the wind, causing it to fall unruly across his forehead.
“Kaiya,” he said, nodding at her.
“Tyler,” she simply said, avoiding looking at him as Lili rushed into the building.
Tyler stretched forth his hand to hand her his daughter’s backpack. Their hands brushed, and time stood still for them. Sparks were ignited from the simple touch, and they stood there staring at each other in the sizzling tension. Kaiya wanted to deny that she didn’t feel bolts shooting up her body as his hand met hers.
She tried to look away from his mesmerizing gray eyes which had turned darker, but it was an effort in vain. Thankfully, the arrival of a car in the parking lot broke the thick silence and highly charged moment.
With her color heightening, Kaiya nodded at Tyler and swiftly took the backpack inside, all the while asking herself what just happened.
She went to her office and sat there for some minutes to compose herself. Then she called herself a fool for reacting in such a manner.
“Of course, I’ll react that way to him. We always had sparks flying between us, but that doesn’t mean anything. He’s still the loser who left me.”
In control of her emotions again, she went to the dance studio and began her lessons. As usual, Lili was very attentive and was the best dancer in the class.
The dancers just finished the class when Jalissa, Kalilah, and Milania came into the studio. They exchanged pleasantries as parents picked up their children.
As usual, Tyler was tardy in coming to pick up Lili. Kaiya didn’t mind; she was already used to it. Besides, since she was becoming fond of the little girl and enjoyed interacting with her, she had no complaints. She asked her niece to keep Lili company.
“Have you noticed that Lili has a resemblance to you?” Kalilah suddenly said into the conversation the three women were having.
Kaiya froze. “What?”
“Yeah,” Jalissa concurred, staring intently at the little girl playing in the corner. “I see the resemblance. When I first saw her a few minutes ago, I was wondering who she reminded me of.”
Kaiya gave an uneasy laugh because she had to talk about her rival. “Well, it’s hardly surprising since back in the day a lot of people claimed Lena and I looked alike.”
Gently chewing the inside of her cheeks, she recalled that the woman who Tyler had cheated on her with also had the same dark hair, brown eyes, and heart-shaped face like her. Lili had those features which sprung up jealousy in her again.
Nodding with remembrance, Jalissa stated, “That’s true. I remember, and I also remember how much it used to annoy you.” She chuckled when Kaiya shot her a dirty look. “Well, it just went to show that Tyler had a type. Slim heart-shaped women with dark hair were obviously his thing.”
“And Lili seems taken in with you,” Kalilah pointed out. “She appears to be very comfortable with you.”
Kaiya shrugged. She didn’t mind having the girl around. Lili was a delight to be with.
Kaiya brushed past the two girls to get them glasses of juice as she did for every student whose parent was late in coming to pick them.
“My mommy is in heaven,” Lili said to Milania at the play table where they were seated.
Kaiya’s heart lurched and almost burst out of her chest at those words.
Oh, poor baby.
Kaiya had wondered several times where Lena was since she never showed up at the dance studio. She had wondered if the woman was miffed that her daughter was learning ballet in her rival’s school.
Now that she knew the woman was deceased, she felt bad for Lili and Lena both. The woman had had a baby she couldn’t nurture while she didn’t have one. Kaiya bit her tongue from interjecting in the conversation and asking Lili what happened to her mother. For weeks, she had itched to ask Lili about her mother but always stopped herself just in time from snooping. Tyler wouldn’t take it lightly if he found out she was questioning his daughter about their lives.
Just then, Tyler showed up with a petite blond older woman with a pixie haircut. Kaiya reckoned that at one time the woman would have been very beautiful. Although she still was, evidently, life had taken a toll on her.
Lili ran to them, calling, “Grandma.” Kaiya was taken aback.
Grandma?
So, this was the woman who had engaged in so many alcoholic binges, that she neglected her son. Tyler must have sought her help when Lena passed away to help raise his daughter. Kaiya hoped the woman was sober now.
