~ Chapter 13 ~

Small Talks

Four chairs, interesting, there was only three of them. But oh well, she thought. It looked fantastic. Beau took he hand to encourage her to move from the spot she stayed frozen on. Daniel followed them smiling.

"What's all this?" her voice was shaky and she looked puzzled, however she was calm.

"Just thought we'd surprise you, right Beau?" the kid smiled and pulled a chair for her to sit down. She took the seat and hugged her son.

"Oh sweety..." she might not be saying a lot, but her body language and her eyes were giving it all away. She was touched, her eyes were turning misty and her hands were shaking a little bit, she didn't seem to be focused either.

"Happy birthday Willie." Daniel stood up and handed her a present that was shaped like a box. She accepted it and thanked him.

"This is just perfect, thank you baby and Daniel, thanks too." she looked from Beau to Daniel.

"Don't lie to yourself, it's not perfect.. Your daughter's not here." he said what she was thinking.

At the mention of her daughter, she looked down a little. Beau pulled her chin up and smiled, while getting off his chair.

"Mom, don't be upset."

"I'm not sweetheart, I'm happy." she lied again.

"Wilhelmina." Daniel said, her eyes turned to look at his.

"Nico.." he said and she tilted her head, unsure of what he was on about.

At the mention of her name, Nico came out of the house in to the garden, "Hey mom"

Wilhelmina stood up from her chair and steadied herself by holding on to the edge of the table. Beau and Daniel had huge grins on their faces. Wilhelmina's face was hard to explain and so were her emotions inside. Since Nico knew her mother, she closed the gap between them by giving her a quick hug.

"Happy birthday. Hey, are you okay?" she asked touching her arm to make sure she was okay. Wilhelmina touched her face to make sure that it was all real. And it was. She laughed a little while slight tears fell from her eyes. This time, she pulled Nico for a hug.

"I didn't think you would be free.:

"I am..." she hugged back gingerly. She wasn't used to getting hugs from her mom. Especially not when she's all emotional and in tears, it wasn't much like her at all. It freaked her out, but she imagined her situation - she guessed she would be like a wreck too. So can't really blame her mom for that.

"How?" she asked pulling away and offering Nico her seat. But Nico turned the seat down and took the one next to Daniel, who smiled at her.

"Your two boys, oh.. I didn't mean it like that.." she bit her lip.

"It was Daniel who called Sis, mom." said Beau who was sat picking on the grapes.

"You're still in contact with each other?" she looked at Daniel with her face looking shocked.

"Of course.. Right Nic?"

"Yep." she said and looked over to Daniel, "He's like my second dad slash brother." they laughed except for Beau who didn't get it and Wilhelmina who lifted her brow but she had a small smile on her lips.

After they ate the dinner Daniel 'helped' prepared, Beau pushed his mom to have a conversation with his sister, who was encouraged by Daniel too. And they did, they went and sat on the bench, facing the pool while the two boys were still sat on the table, smiling at each other since they can see the smiled and laughters that were coming from the mother and daughter.

"I hope you had fun Beau." Daniel reached for an apple and took a huge bite off it. Beau laughed at him and nodded, still not taking his eyes off his mom and sister.

"Look at them, they look so happy... I think this is the best birthday she's had for years. So thank you Daniel, I guess you're not as bad like Mom says." he finally looked at him and offered a shake, which Daniel gladly took.

"Gee, so your mom talks about me a lot does she?"

"Don't get too excited, it's mostly bad stuff."

"Why would I get excited?"

"I know you like her, I can see it in your eyes." he smirked. Daniel looked confused but he was smiling.

"I do?" he asked himself and Beau.

--

"I still haven't asked, why is Danny here?" Nico was pulling on the end of her dress, Wilhelmina shrugged looking ahead.

"He followed me here when he found out about Beau." Nico turned her head to her.

"You're not gonna tell him about Beau are you?" she asked, waiting for an answer.

"I don't know Nico, I don't know when, it's not the right time." she turned to her daughter.

"Mom.." she touched Wilhelmina's hand , "Beau's growing up, he needs to know and so does Daniel. I'm Daniel's friend mom. I don't want this to carry on, I can't keep lying to him." Nico still had her hand on top of Wilhelmina.

She stroke her hand with her thumb and smiled truly.

"You're really grown up."

"I have?" she asked.

"Honey, you have.. And I'm glad, I'm glad because now we're able to sit and talk like this, unlike before we can't be in the same place as each other for a long time or else we'd have a huge pointless fight." she remembered the time when Nico was young and she went against her by doing a campaign about 'Fur being Murder', and that was hard for her, because she's heard a lot of hurtful words that came out of her daughter's mouth. She couldn't sleep for a week after that, she tried so hard to make it up to her, giving her everything she needed for boarding school. But it was a shame she didn't know that all Nico needed back then was a supportive mother, or just a mother who thinks of their child as their number one priority and not their self and especially not their career.

Yeah, she really was clueless how everything fell apart with her and Nico. But she was glad to have a moment with her, it's definitely a memorable one too, it's her birthday and people she cared for the most were there to celebrate it with her. Nico, Beau and Daniel. Which surprised her.

She looked over to Nico who was getting up, so she did too. They walked back to the boys.

"Wilhelmina, can I have a moment?" Daniel said, lifting his index finger up to get her attention.

Wilhelmina nodded and he followed her inside the house. Just in case it involved some more moments like earlier that day, which he was sure she didn't want her son to see.

"Go on.." she put her hands on her waist.

"This is really hard for me, but during the past few days, seeing this side of you, again... I real---" she cut him off by sighing.

"Don't tell me that my son was right Daniel."

"He told you what?"

"You like me. It's funny isn't it, now please don't say it. You know what's gonna happen."

"I do want to say it Wils, you kept saying we know what's gonna happen, but to be honest with you, we have no idea what's in store for us." he grabbed her shoulders and lowered his hands on her arms, while looking in her eyes.

"Daniel, there wasn't an us before, there isn't gonna be one now."

"Liar." he said with a smile and stared deeply into her eyes, trying to gather some emotion. She looked confused.

"Daniel... get your hands off me now." she looked down on her feet, avoiding his gaze.

"If you really wanted me to let you go, you could have done it yourself Wilhelmina. For the first time in your life, stop resisting." he said as he lowered his head to her level, cupped her face with one hand to push her face upwards, and then he targeted her lips. Moving in slowly. She turned her face to the side so his lips landed on her cheek. Daniel didn't let go though. He didn't even dare move, he was breathing harder than before. Wilhelmina thought he was angry, probably annoyed.

Fist clenched together, she pushed him hard on his chest and backed away from him.

"Don't you dare ruin my life again Daniel." she threatened him.

"Oh, so you think having Beau ruined your life?" he said angrily.

"You know what I meant. So don't make me get mad, you've been great for doing this tonight. Don't ruin it."

"But it's what you're saying really. Us which resulted to Beau ruined your life.

"Who says he was your son? I love MY son Daniel. So fuck this topic." she looked seriously to Daniel.

"I'm an asshole." he said and laughed slightly.

"Yes you are, and I'm a bitch. Conversation over."

A/N: Again, sorry to end the chapter like this. But I think in the next chapter - I'll have Danimina talk MORE - and maybe do something else too. Haha, fine I'm teasing, can you tell? xD

Thanks again for the reviews, I appreciate them :)