Twenty minutes and a hundred photos later, we leave Jake’s preschool and head out for dinner to continue the celebration.
We’re finally at the restaurant, where Elena’s parents, Joseph and Marija, generously treat us to an all-you-can-eat buffet dinner. I’m seated between Jason and his dad, Jim, while Elena and her parents sit across from us. Of course, Jake—the real star of this evening, takes the spot at the head of the table.
“It’s great to finally meet you, Mila,” Elena says, her smile devoid of genuine warmth. “Although, I can’t help but wonder why it’s taken over a month for me to be introduced to my son’s babysitter.” Her gaze flicks to Jason as she finishes, and he meets my eyes for a brief second—a flash of guilt in his expression, before returning his attention to his ex-wife.
“Well, Elena, I wanted to give Mila and Jake a chance to get to know each other, and build trust, especially since you always think I hire unsuitable babysitters for him.”
“I only want the best for my baby,” she retorts.
“Mum! I’m not a baby! I’m going to big school!” Jake cuts in, earning a chuckle from his grandparents—and me.
Jason gives a gentle pat on his shoulder. “That’s right, bud. You’re our little man now,” he replies with a playful wink.
“As I was saying,” Elena continues, her eyes connecting with mine, “tonight, I expect us to finally get to know each other. After all, you’ll be around my son for as long as necessary.” She pins me with a pointed look.
Jason rolls his eyes, his tight-lipped expression revealing his growing irritation with his ex-wife. Around the table, everyone else seems to be absorbed in their food, making polite smalltalk. Yet their subtle pauses every so often suggest they’re keenly attuned to our conversation.
“I think that’s a great idea,” I reply with a confident smile, refusing to let her intimidate me. “I’ve been curious to meet the woman who’s been nurturing Jake’s love of insects and turning him into a walking encyclopedia on the subject.”
Jason and the grandparents laugh, and I don’t miss the subtle grin playing on Elena’s lips.
She glances at Jake, her expression instantly softening as she gently brushes back a loose strand of hair from his forehead. “Jake and I have always shared a love for wildlife,” she divulges. “It won’t be long before he’s following in my footsteps and wanting to dive into science. Isn’t that right, honey?”
A flash of annoyance crosses Jason’s face as he shoots Elena a sharp glare, clearly displeased with her comment. I feel a strong urge to say something, to point out that Jake should be supported in making his own decisions rather than being steered towards a predetermined path. However, since this is my first time meeting her and the rest of the family, I’ll hold my tongue—for now.
“Well, I hope that whatever pathhechooses someday, it will be something he’s truly passionate about. I’m just so proud of everything he’s accomplished so far.” I turn to Jake with an encouraging smile. “Are you excited to be starting Kindy soon?”
Jake nods excitedly. “Yup, I can’t wait to meet new friends and play sports. Dad said I can start rugby next year,” he shares, his words slightly garbled through a mouthful of food.
“Jake!” his mother barks. “What have I told you about talking with food in your mouth?”
“Cut him some slack, Elena,” Jason interjects. “He’s just a kid—do you really think he’s going to have impeccable table manners at the age of five?”
Elena huffs, crossing her arms defensively as she narrows her eyes at him. “Well I’ll have you know, Justine’s son, Caleb, has perfect manners, and he’s two years younger than Jake.”
“Good for Caleb and his overbearing parents, already moulding him into the perfect little gentleman when he’s barely out of nappies. As formychild, as long as he’s not hurting or disrespecting anyone, he can do whatever makes him happy.”
“Alright, that’s enough, you two!” Marija snaps, her voice stern. “We’re all here to celebrate our darling Jake. So let’s keep it civil and be thankful that we’re all here together to mark this special milestone.” Her eyes meet mine and she gives me a warm, motherly smile.Oh,I like her.
“We’re really glad you could join us tonight, Mila,” Jason’s dad, Jim, says, steering the conversation back to me again. “Jason’s spoken a lot about how amazing you are with Jake. Are you planning to work with kids, like your sister?”
I dab my mouth with the napkin and place it on my plate. “I’m studying to become a speech pathologist, so I plan to work with both children and adults once I complete my Masters.”
“That’s wonderful, dear,” Marija says with a kind, nurturing smile. “Before I retired a few years ago, I spent several years working as an occupational therapist in a multidisciplinary team alongside speech pathologists. I still keep in touch with a few of the organisations I collaborated with. If you’d like, I’d be happy to introduce you to some of them.”
“Oh, Mrs. Povich, that’s so thoughtful of you. I’d be truly delighted, thank you.” I beam, marvelling at how someone as kind and sweet as Marija could have a daughter like Elena.
“Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m definitely ready for dessert,” Elena’s dad, Joseph, chimes in. “How about some ice-cream, buddy?” he asks Jake.
Jake nods eagerly, grabbing his bowl and trailing behind his grandfather to the dessert bar.
Minutes later, Jason and Elena head off to the beverage station to grab everyone drinks, while Marija and Jim get caught up in a conversation about some new drug that helps treat early-stage Alzheimer’s. I take this chance to slip away for a quick bathroom break.
As I round the corner towards the restrooms, Jason and Elena’s angry hushed voices immediately catch my attention. The moment I hear my name, I swiftly duck behind the wall, leaning in just close enough to eavesdrop on their conversation.
“Say what you need to say, Elena, and stop wasting my time!” Jason barks, his tone edged with annoyance.
“She’s younger than the other babysitters you’ve hired before, and it’s obvious she’s very attractive.”
