CHAPTER 75: DAY OUT (6)

Royston hesitated; the inner conflict with himself was quite obvious. He reached out his hand and then let it drop. He struggled with his emotions, not knowing what to do, yet fully knowing that she was out of his reach then. Meeting her that day had been really surprising as Royston was not yet ready for her.

"I-"

He ached to ask her the one question that he could not bear to hear the answer to.

The hidden reason behind why he had vaguely asked about her husband. This was because he was not in the position even to ask.

’Is he able to do his duty as a husband?’

"I’m sorry, Royston, goodbye."

She walked off with Suzie without a second glance. Even if Shelby had wanted to stay, she had started to feel a close sense of responsibility for the children.

Shelby was oblivious to the stream of gazes following her, but her friends were not.

"Is it me, or did Shelby get more charming and rather popular after her marriage?"

Brianna scoffed, rolling her eyes. She looked meaningfully at the crestfallen man who had been left behind.

’He is hot! Look at all those muscles under that skimpy apron! I need a man like that in my life! He’s so hot but not my ...’

"Brianna, let’s go help her find Ingrid."

"Who? The little girl? How is she, my problem? I have enough things on my plate," she blew off invisible dirt from her perfectly manicured nails.

Ava did not wait, and with a wave at Royston, she ran after Shelby.

"Tell me what happened?"

"Miss, I was with them the whole time. Ingrid went to the bathroom and never came back. We searched all over the place, but we could not find her."

They did not go too far before Shelby stopped them.

"Wait..."

She turned and waited for Ava to catch up, "Ava, there was a street band here moments ago; do you know where they might go?"

Her phone chose to buzz then. Shelby looked at the unknown number and shoved it back into her little purse.

"Sorry about that, Ava... you were about to say?"

"Oh, them, they will usually be around that corner. Why do you think-"

"It’s just a hunch. Let’s go check there."

Suzie carried up Gabriel so they could hurry. And there she was when they rounded the corner in a secluded section with her eyes trained on the street music band.

Shelby signalled the group to stop, and she walked over silently. She could hear the little girl hum along to the music. Her humming voice was interesting. ’She would be a marvellous singer.’

Shelby made a mental note of the fact that Ingrid may like those things because her eyes had been glued to this group back when they had been eating in the restaurant.

"Do you like them?" She whispered,

Ingrid snapped her head around, her glasses almost falling off her face, so startled that she looked like she was about to bolt but relaxed when she saw that her visitor was Shelby.

"I-"

"There is no need to say anything, Ingrid; I understand, too. Isn’t that melody beautiful?"

Ingrid shared a rare smile just a Gabriel’s small voice echoed behind the two of them.

"Ingrid! You should not go off alone! You made us all run and look for you! I even left my strawberry milk back in there ... and now I can’t drink it again!"

Shelby stifled a laugh at Gabriel’s tiny finger with his hands perched on his waist and a stern look on his face.

Ingrid retreated into her shell once more, the smile disappearing from her face. She pushed her glasses up and lowered her head again as if she were being reprimanded.

Shelby could not help but sniffle a laugh. She went on her knees and at eye level with him.

"Gabriel, Ingrid is already sorry, so let’s not make her feel any worse than she is now, okay? Also, I will get you another bottle of strawberry milk."

"You will?"

She nodded with a wink.

"Mama Shelby is the best!"

Shelby let out a chuckle and then led the two kids back to the rest, holding each one by hand.

"I think we’re going to be real best friends, Ingrid," Ava shouted and met them halfway, with an apologetic-looking Suzie trailing behind, mouth curved downwards and nervously twisting her pigtails.

"You know why?"

Even though Ingrid shrunk behind Shelby, Ava kept talking animatedly, "I see you like that band, and I also do! I will take you next time to see them and we will have fun and even eat cream puffs!"

Ingrid peeked out but went right back behind Shelby. The adults burst out laughing.

Brianna never went over with them but returned to the restaurant, and no one missed her presence!

Just then, Ava’s phone rang, and she excused herself, but not before Shelby saw her stance stiffen. Ava was a breath of fresh air for everyone with her lively nature, and so the slight wariness in her caused Shelby to be concerned.

Ava’s eyes showed a gloom before she entered a secluded corner to receive her call.

It didn’t take long for her to come back out.

"Shelby, honey, I must leave and care for something. Thanks for the visit and let’s meet some other time."

"Are you okay, Ava?"

"Of course I am; why would I not be?"

Ava opened her arms and hugged Shelby tightly.

Pecking her on the cheeks, "Make sure that you enjoy him to the fullest and use my gift to add to your charm!"

Shelby fake-glared at her, trying to hide her blush. She knew that Ava was trying to take her mind off whatever was happening with her, so she played along.

Ava ruffled Gabriel’s hair, sending a wide smile at Ingrid.

"Goodbye, my angel and my new best friend!"

Then she was gone.

"I think we should go back,"

Shelby went straight to the parked car not far from them. As the kids settled in, she also made a call.

"Hey siiissssss! It’s good to hear from you today!"

"Rocky, can you do me a favour?"

"Anything for my sis.... What’s up?"

"Your school is near Ava’s home, right?"

"Yes, why?"

"Please help me check on her. I think something is not right with her."

"Don’t worry sis! I am on it!"

"I knew I could count on you. Thanks, Rocky."

With Rocky going to check on Ava, Shelby relaxed and climbed into the car, only sending a message to Brianna that she was off.

Inside the restaurant, Brianna’s anger surged.

"Both of them left me alone here? Who are they to do that?"

"Hello, beautiful...."

She looked up to see a handsome man in front of her,

"Fuck off!"

The man’s face reddened as his friends laughed at him from across the room.

Inside the car, speeding off back home, Shelby relaxed against the soft cushion of the car seat. This time, she tried to take in her surroundings as the car sped past fields of vineyards and different fruits.

’I missed this!’

She shut her mind off as Albert would not stop thanking her for the meal and praising Ava’s cooking skills. On the other hand, Suzie also apologized on end but later, joined Albert’s tune. For her, she had eaten too much, and her tummy hurt, but she dared not talk about it.

Gabriel’s small hands slipped into hers,

"Mama Shelby,"

"Yes, Gabriel,"

"I don’t like Brianna! She looked at you weirdly!"

"You don’t want to call her Auntie?" Gabriel shook his head vigorously, and Shelby ruffled his hair. A gesture that all of them were starting to become too fond of doing. "You don’t have to call her that if you don’t want to, but don’t be rude to her, okay? She is Mama Shelby’s friend."

"I think you should get a better friend. Only Auntie Ava is enough!"

"I t-hink s-o too..."

Shelby’s head snapped to look at Ingrid in surprise....

That got her thinking. Ingrid was not one to say anything, but she looked like a good observer.

’Am I imagining things?’ She thought.

To add oil to fire, Suzie added,

"Miss Shelby, I think she is too calculative."

"Not you, too!"

But that really got her thinking. She also felt good that she had these people looking out for her. She felt her phone vibrate, and she glanced casually at the caller, placing the phone back down. The unknown number had been calling her for the better part of the late afternoon after they had gotten to the restaurant, but she preferred not to answer such calls.

Just then, her phone rang again. Looking at the number of missed calls on the phone, she contemplated for a while, thinking, ’It might be an emergency,’

Shelby sighed and picked up the call, but there was only silence on the other end.

"I’m sorry, who is this?"

*********

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