"Why? What you have in mind?" Jayden asked still looking down and refusing to show his eyes.
"I thought that since Dinah is here we could go out today. It's been a while since we went into the city and spent the day today as a family. Just wished your mother could be here? Is she still in Louisiana?"
"Of course… She said her mom is doing better…"
"Really… that means she might be home right?" Mr. Ellis sounded hopeful.
"I'm not sure, it's hard to say."
"Yea… that's true." Mr. Ellis said with a little sadness and disappointment in his voice. Suddenly he perked back up.
"Well at least you two are here and a man can't ask for much more than that. It's good having family…"
Mia covered her mouth, stilling the gasp that was storming out of her lips. She thought her heart would rip right out of her chest. Goodness how could Jayden sit here and listen to this man innocently hurling insult after insult at him, reminding him how much he loved and cherished his family yet denied him who was his own flesh and blood. Mia had to get away, otherwise she would be balling her eyes out and that wasn't going to be good.
"Excuse, I have to go to the bathroom…" She said with a shaky voice as she quickly got up with a bowed head not looking at anyone. Jayden heard the deep sorrow in her voice and he was pretty sure of what she was thinking. He wanted to go to her, but he didn't want to alarm Mr. Ellis. Then he would have to hear Mr. Ellis worrying about what was wrong with his daughter Dinah.
Once safely hidden in the small confines of the stall, Mia let the tears pour out. She couldn't stop the hurt and sympathy that she was feeling for Jayden. Then she had a flashback from when she had erroneously accused him of being insensitive to his father. How insensitive and presumptuous had she been towards him? She felt guilty and disappointed with herself for passing judgment on him without having knowing what he was dealing with and going through. She had been too hard on and judgmental of him. She owed him an apology and the first chance she got, that's just what she intended to do. Mia quickly washed and cleaned her face and then went back to the dining area where she had left them. Arriving back she saw them standing at the entrance waiting for her.