It's been awhile since back when

C

Charlotte Hastings

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7/2011
It was time for Charlotte to come back in New Zealand to arrange for an exhibition courtesy of the Museum of New Zealand that would be held in London's National Art Gallery. It was a yearly occurrence and every year they held a gala to unveil the exhibit. It was normally just Charlotte traveling to New Zealand but as she thought of her daughter Emma being left alone again with her nannies, the woman decided that it was time for them to have another mother and daughter vacation.

After a bustling meetings with the museum's curator and executive staffs. They got an exhibition and signed it off. Now, free of all meetings and they have five days to embrace the spring weather. Charlotte and her daughter Emma stood just outside of the museum. "So, what does my beautiful daughter wanted to eat?" She looked down at her with a smile. It was their trip and every decision has to be Emma's. No one can ruin their vacation.
 
Emma had been on her best behavior all night. It wasn't often her mama brought her along to her museum things, but she was always happy for the adventure when she did. She smiled up at her mama as the beautiful woman asked her what she wanted to eat. It had been a long day of meetings and signing papers, and Emma had had more than enough time to think of what she wanted to eat.

"I want to go sit down somewhere with a good cheeseburger that isn't fast food." She told her mama, smiling happily. "Or some pasta. You can never go wrong with a good pasta."
 
Avarian was marveled with the exhibit he attended that night. He was given an invitation to show some of his photos which were made into oil paintings by some of the students near the museum. The man was proud of the young artists and honored that they chose his wildlife photo as their models for their painitngs. During the gala and a couple of meetings, Avarian noticed that he saw someone vaguely familiar. What stopped him from fully recognizing the woman was the child with her. It could not be since the last he heard of his brest friend was she was not married and never had.

Stepping out of the museum, Avarian was ready to head home when he saw the woman and the little girl again. Could not contain his curiosity any longer, he slowly approached them from behind and softly, yet cautiously, tapped the woman's arm.
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The woman giggled at the enthusiastic little girl that was her daughter. Charlotte had been so used to just being them eating dinner and all that, so, she will treat her extra tonight. "We will go for some good old cheese burger. I know there's one near by. Let me call our driver." The trip was mostly paid by the gallery back in London and so, they get a driver to take them everywhere they wanted. Charlotte was about to fish for her cellphone when she felt a soft tap on her arm that sent shiver down her spine. Her smile was visible when she decided to turn around but it vanished once a very familiar face entered her line of vision.

But Charlotte calmed down and put that smile back on. "I beg your pardon, sir. Would you like some assistance?" Charlotte's chest heaving but her lips still on that smile. His features was still the same since the last time she saw him. It was the time she was one month pregnant with Emma. Her daughter on her mind, the brunette woman slowly keep Emma behind her. Hiding her from him.
 
Emma was surprised when her mother turned around and then promptly hid her behind her dress. Emma's brow furrowed a bit and she peeked out from behind her mother's legs. "Mama? What...?" She started, but stopped as she saw the man that was standing there.

"Oh! Mama, that's the man you told me about!" She chirped, clueless to her mother's hesitation. "Don't you recognize him?" She asked, taking a few steps towards the man. She was well mannered, after all.

"Hello! My name is Emma." She introduced herself, holding out her little hand.
 
Avarian's smile faltered when the woman, Charlotte, seemed to not know him. Or did she? His brows furrowed futher when she made it worse when she asked him like he was just any stranger. Avarian, being a photographer, could easily distinguished emotions even in the eyes and Charlotte's were as clear as the day that she knew him. Of course, she would never easily forget her best friend. Her action of moving the child behind her did not escape Avarian's observant eye as well. Avarian put on a bland smile in response to hers. The timing was just right when the child stepped out from behind Charlotte. His brows shot upwards when the girl mentioned that Charlotte had mentioned him to her. He chuckled softly, hoping his best friend did not hear him.

The photographer-turned-Ministry-employee bent down to accept the little girl's hand who introduced herself as Emma. "Hello, Emma. I am Avarian. Nice to meet you.", he replied with a smile. Deep inside him though, he could not stop himself from looking at Emma and felt like he already saw her face somewhere. Or maybe she just looked somebody he knew. He straightened back up and glanced at Charlotte."I would love some assistance.", he replied to her question,"I would like to take my best friend to dinner and catch up with her and her daughter.",glancing at the girl again before sending Charlotte a meaningful look. Clearly, there was something she did not tell him and when he thought of it, the last time they saw each other, there was something different in Charlotte that she never told him. Avarian would want to find out once and for all.
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It was supposed to be a fun day for them. It seems everything falls apart when fate doesn't stop to annoy her. The worst part was her daughter's friendliness, the little girl came out of her hiding from behind Charlotte. She watched as the girl introduced herself to the man she bare resemblance to. Charlotte can't take it. Anger spurge her inside. He was supposed to go away, he promised. The woman was merely staring at the two and barely heard the man say anything directly toward her.

The traffic noise outside the museum became quiet and Charlotte looked at the man, Avarian promised not to bother them. This wasn't a coincident, he planned it all. That's what she thought but maybe she was just paranoid. Without thinking, she held Emma from both of her arms and turned her to her fully. Her gripped on her little arms tight. "What did I told you, Emma?!" She asked her daughter. But never waited for that answer, "Do not talk to strangers, I told you that so many times. Why do you have to be such a brat!" Charlotte shouted. She didn't mind the people looking, and greatly, she didn't mind the man near them.
 
Emma opened her mouth to respond to the man when her mother grabbed her and started shouting. She looked at her mother with wide eyes. "But mama, he isn't a stranger." She insisted. "Several of the paintings in the exhibit were based on his photos. It was in some of the artist bios with the exhibit, remember?" She asked, uncertain. It was odd for her mother to yell at her, and the hurt look on Emma's face was proof of that.
 
Avarian was stunned at Charlotte's action toward Emma. He did not expect her to react like this. He felt this sudden urge to step in between them for Emma but held himself back. Charlotte was normally a gentle person so this scenario boggled his curiosity. "You are right, Emma. I can see that you have an observant eye.", he forced a smile to the girl, ignoring the tensed woman near him. "Do you like photography?",he asked, since she knew that his photos were used in the paintings.
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She didn't really looked at the other art pieces inside as she was more into the natural history they have. She was there to book their exhibit for their own museum. Charlotte now wonder if she should hire a nanny from now on whenever they travel together? Oh, who is she kidding, Avarian will know eventually but would she let that happen? She's the mother, she bare Emma for nine months he wasn't there but it was her own fault. "Did you just talked back to me, Emma Fallon Hastings?" Charlotte's chest was heaving. She confronted Avarian and hid Emma again behind her.

"I don't know what you're up to but whatever it is just don't do it." She held her gaze on his. Charlotte didn't want to drown on his loving eyes and so, she fought it. "Please, don't take Emma from me." She whispered to him. The woman was paranoid and wasn't thinking straight. Since her daughter was born, she was scared that Avarian would take her from her. Charlottle didn't tell him about Emma but it came to her that he might have hired investigators. It was possible.
 
Emma was very confused. Her mama never acted like this. And normally she praised her for her intelligence, not reprimanded her for it. So there had to have been something else going on.

A vague idea began in Emma's head and sh leaned out from behind her mother a bit to look up at the man. Was it possible that this was her father? She studied him with big blue eyes, her midwhirring.
 
Emma Fallon Hastings.

Avarian digested the name of the child Charlotte with. He remembered Charlotte using the name Fallon as her pseudonym. He smiled despite what transpired between them. He was about to step in between the girls when Charlotte faced him. Holding his gaze in hers, the man could not help but also notice her features. She had never changed. Yes, both of them had matured but Charlotte was still the same woman he had fallen in love with. Sure, he loved his wife but the friendship both he and Charlotte was a different bond.

The words that next came out of the woman's mouth stopped him short and proved his instincts right. This was the secret she was hiding from him the last time they met. He did not do anything nor say anything but it seemed that Charlotte herself had just revealed the news. Crossing his arms on his chest, he replied,"I am not doing anything.", he looked her in the eye, "And why would I take her, Charlotte?" He already knew the answer but he just wanted the woman to realize what she just said. Emma was peeking from behind her mother at him. She really resembled Ava in a different way. This girl was really her daughter, no doubt.
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