3

Paula chattered nonstop as she drove them down to the department store. She wanted to be filled in on everything that had been going on in Jaime's life and she also filled him in with hers.

"Work must have really stressed you out." He noted.

"Yes, yes!" She groaned.

"Teenagers are always so difficult to handle. It's a miracle I'm still a teacher even after 5 years." She hissed.

"Someone may think you hate your job when you actually enjoy being a teacher." Jaime said rolling his eyes.

"I know right?" She cackled and pulled up in front of the store.

"Just a little shopping and we'd stop by Linda's house. I need to get the bottle of whisky she promised me so we can both use to celebrate tonight." She informed him before coming down.

Jaime also came down and followed her inside the department store.

Walking beside him, she felt really small. She always liked having him around because he gave her a sense of peace and security.

He suddenly held her hand as they walked side by side.

Jaime always liked to hold her or touch her hair or brush some loose strands out of her face or just squeeze her hands and smile at her.

He was very touchy with her and she liked it. It always reminded her of the little boy back then and how clingy he was. Seeing how much he had grown made her heart feel warm.

A lot of people must have assumed they were a couple when they entered the store but Jaime didn't let go of her.

"Oh! This should be good." Paula said as she dropped some soaps and other items inside her shopping cart.

"The thing with women." Jaime said with a sigh of resignation.

"What thing?" Paula asked as she continued dumping things inside the cart.

"You said you were coming to buy soaps and shampoos, now look." He looked down at the full cart and laughed.

Half of the things inside the cart were actually being bought for him and he was extremely touched by that. He knew arguing with Paula was going to be futile so he just let her buy everything she wanted to buy. Thankfully, he was with his card so he would just have to pay for all of it even if she doesn't agree to that.

"That girl has been checking you out." Paula said as she used her chin to point at a girl who was shopping not every far from where they were.

"She just could be your Christmas buddy ya know?" She grinned.

"Nah! I'll pass." Jaime shook his head.

"Come on, I don't want you to get lonely and bored and regret coming here for Christmas."

"Arrgh!" Jaime groaned. What a nag she was.

"I know you want me to go hit on her."

Paula shrugged, not bothering to deny it.

"Fine. I'll do it!"

"Really?" She asked with shining eyes.

"Yea. On one condition." He said as he crossed his hands over his chest.

"Condition? What?" She asked paying close attention to what he had to say.

"You also do not have a boyfriend and I wouldn't want you to spend Christmas all by yourself. That man there has been checking you out. So if you are able to get his number, I'll go ask for that girl's number."

"No way!" Paula gasped as she looked at the man who threw his eyes to the side when they locked eyes.

He was probably in his late thirties, tall, sturdy, average looking and all those great things ladies saw in men but she wasn't interested.

"What? You are scared? No confidence?" He teased with a smug smile.

She looked at Jaime and closed her eyes to take a deep breath.

"Fine!"

"What? Fine?" He asked in surprise.

"Fine." She repeated with a firm nod, "Watch me." She said confidently and began to stride towards the man while Jaime watched in amusement.

"Hi!" Paula smiled at the man when she stopped in front of him. He looked obviously surprised to see her talking to him.

He thought she looked pretty but kept back since she was with the guy who looked like her boyfriend but here she was talking to him?

"Hi!" He greeted back with a bigger smile.

"I'm Paula. Paula Scott." She extended her hand to him and he happily shook it.

"Williams Parker. Pleasure to meet you."

Paula smiled and tried to think of what next to say or do. Oh yea, she remembered something. Girls usually tucked their hairs behind their ears shyly so she did just that.

"The guy with you. Thought he was your boyfriend?" Williams said glancing over at Jaime who was staring at them with an unreadable gaze.

"Oh..." Paula turned to look at Jaime before looking back at Williams.. "Not at all. He is my—"

"Mum!" Jaime suddenly called as he walked towards them.

Paula's eyes widened as well as Williams'. She had wanted to say he was her brother. What was he thinking calling her mum so loudly?

She looked around in embarrassment before looking at Williams who was looking at her with obvious surprise.

"You are his... mum?" He asked in surprise at the sheer absurdity of that.

"Uhm.. no.. haha! He is.."

"Mum can we buy more snacks?" Jaime asked with a pout but his eyes held a hint of amusement.

"Uhm! I guess I just have to.. you know.. get going." Williams stuttered and left before Paula could say anything else.

She could hear Jaime trying to suppress his laughter and turned to hit him with her purse.

"Why did you do that? I thought we had a deal?" She asked with a displeased frown as she returned to where their cart was.

Even the girl who had been staring at Jaime was now giving them a weird look.

"I didn't think that guy was good for you." Jaime said with a shrug.

"And you had to call me mum?! Did you see how he looked at me? Like some kind of old ugly monster who had gone under the knife a couple of times to look this young when I have a son as old as you!" She summarized with a dark glare making him laugh even more.

"Just forget it! Let's go home and we have to talk about this. No calling me mum in public or even in private!"

"That's not gonna happen. I like calling you mum, mum." He said before holding her hand.

"Can you look at you and look at me!" She stopped walking to say in a tone of utter disbelief but he completely ignored her.