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MidReal Story
The Benefits of Being an Only Child
Scenario:olivia et son fils de 3 ans connor se ballade au parc connor vavoir nick un jeune homme lui demande de jouer avec lui nick accepte
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Olivia Bennett
She is a single mother and employee at a local bookstore. She is caring, independent, and resilient. Olivia struggles with the death of her husband and raises her son, Connor, alone. She encounters Nick at the park where they bond over playing with Connor. Olivia is intrigued by Nick’s kindness and generosity towards her son, leading her to invite him to dinner.
Connor Bennett
He is the son of Olivia and a young boy who loves playing outdoors. He is curious, energetic, and sociable. Connor enjoys playing with other children and quickly forms a connection with Nick at the park. His interactions with Olivia and Nick highlight his playful nature and his ability to bring joy to those around him, making him a central figure in their budding relationship.
Hannah
She is Olivia's best friend and coworker at the bookstore. She is supportive, witty, and perceptive. Hannah provides comic relief and emotional support for Olivia throughout her day. She notices the changes in Olivia's demeanor after meeting Nick and encourages her to pursue new relationships. Her playful banter with Olivia shows her loyalty and dedication to their friendship.
It’s a beautiful day.
The sun is shining, birds are singing, and my three-year-old son, Connor, is enjoying the swings.
I’m able to keep a close eye on him while I sit on one of the benches.
It’s days like this that I’m grateful for.
"Mommy, look!"
Connor says, running over to me.
He jumps onto the bench and then off again, repeating it a few times.
I watch him, smiling.
He’s such a happy boy.
"I see, buddy. You’re showing me your jumping skills," I say to him.
He runs back to the swings, and I turn my attention back to my book.
I love days like this where I can just bring Connor to the park and let him burn off some energy while I get to read a few chapters in my latest addiction.
It’s all about quality time with my son and relaxation for me.
"Hi there," a deep voice says behind me.
I turn around and see a young man probably around my age standing behind the bench I’m sitting on.
He’s dressed in jeans and a black T-shirt with a ball cap covering his dark hair.
"Hi," I say back, smiling at him.
He looks at the swings and then at his watch.
"Do you mind if I ask you something?"
I shake my head.
"No, not at all."
"Is that little boy yours?"
I watch as he points to Connor, who is still swinging.
"Yes, that’s my son."
He nods and then walks over to the swings.
I set my book down and watch him.
He crouches down to Connor’s eye level and says something to him.
Connor looks at him shyly, but when the man pulls a small foam ball out of his pocket and asks if he wants to play catch, Connor nods excitedly.
The man steps back a few feet and tosses the ball to Connor, who catches it and then throws it back.
The man catches it and tosses it again.
They keep playing catch for a few minutes before the man shows Connor how to catch with both hands.
I watch them, alert but trying not to hover too much.
The man is patient with Connor, praising him after each throw and catch.
After a few minutes of playing catch, Connor drops the ball, and it rolls away from him.
The man runs after it, diving for it dramatically.
Connor bursts into giggles at the sight of this big guy diving for a ball on the ground. I can’t help but laugh too.
A few other parents around us look over at the commotion and smile at the sight of this big guy playing with my little boy.
After about fifteen minutes of playing catch, Connor runs over to me, breathless and grinning from ear to ear.
"Mommy, he said he's my uncle!" Connor exclaims, pointing back at the man.
I freeze, looking at the man for confirmation.
He nods, a serious expression on his face. "I'm your brother, Emily. We need to talk."
I stand up from the bench, my heart pounding in my chest.
I look at Connor and then back at the man.
"Connor, go play on the swings for a few minutes," I say.
He nods and runs off to the swings.
The man watches him go and then turns back to me.
"I'm sorry," he says, holding up his hands in surrender.
"I didn't mean to freak you out. I was just messing with Connor. I told him that I'm his uncle, but that's not true. My name is Nick."
He holds out his hand for me to shake, and I take it hesitantly.
"Emily," I say, shaking his hand.
"It's nice to meet you."
He smiles at me, and I can see that he's genuinely sorry for scaring me.
"I'm sorry again," he says.
"I didn't mean to cause any trouble."
"It's okay," I say, smiling back at him.
"I know you didn't mean anything by it."
We stand there for a moment, looking at each other.
I can feel the tension between us, but it's not uncomfortable.
It's more like a sense of curiosity. "So, how do you know Connor?"
I ask him finally.
"I don't," he says, shaking his head.
"I was just walking by and saw him playing on the swings. He looked like he could use someone to play catch with him."
"That was really nice of you," I say, smiling at him again.
"He loves playing catch."
"Yeah, I can tell," he says, laughing.
"He's a good kid."
I nod in agreement.
"Yeah, he is."
We stand there for a few more minutes, talking about nothing in particular.
Connor comes over after a while and asks if he can play catch with Nick some more.
Nick agrees and they go back to playing catch while I watch from the bench.
As they play, I find myself stealing glances at Nick from time to time.
He's handsome in a rugged sort of way, with dark hair and piercing blue eyes that seem to see right through me whenever he looks at me. After about twenty minutes of playing catch, Connor comes running over to me again, breathless and grinning from ear to ear.
"Mommy, can we have dinner together tomorrow night?" he asks me excitedly.
I look over at Nick, who is standing behind Connor with a smile on his face.
"I don't know," I say hesitantly.
