CHAPTER 144: PARTY AT HEAD OVER HEELS

The sky stretched wide and clear over Manchester that Sunday morning, painted in strokes of pale blue and whispers of early sunlight. Birds chirped above the trees that lined the quiet street of Albany Road in Chorlton, but they were no match for the symphony of laughter, chatter, and the unmistakable rustle of excitement coming from a crowd of small children and their mothers gathered just outside the gates of Head Over Heels.

Twenty-five eager children from Heaton Mersey Independent School, boys and girls aged between five to six, who stood in colourful clusters, some bouncing on the balls of their feet, others clutching their friends’ hands, and many eyeing the bright glass doors of the indoor play center with wide-eyed anticipation. Matching T-shirts in rainbow shades, each child’s name printed boldly on the back, made the group look like a living rainbow ready to spill joy into the world.

Mila Cooper, class teacher of this small group, counted her students and smiled in satisfaction when she found everyone had arrived.

"Alright, class. Do not fight with each other over something. If you have any dispute among yourselves, come to me. The whole playground is reserved for us until evening. You will have plenty of time to play in each section," she said.

"Yes, Miss Cooper!" all the children shouted at once.

The students’ mothers, all radiant with weekend ease and a spark of nostalgia, were no less enthusiastic. Some carried bags stuffed with snacks and water bottles; others had slung camera straps across their shoulders, ready to capture every grin and giggle. For weeks, they had planned this special day out... a full class outing dedicated to unfiltered fun. The goal was to give the children a magical experience, where their imaginations could run wild and every corner held a new adventure.

As the glass doors opened, a wave of cool, air-conditioned air rolled over the group, scented faintly with vanilla cupcakes, fresh coffee, and soft plastic. A bubbly staff member named Sophie greeted them at the entrance.

"Welcome, HMIS! We’ve been expecting you," she said cheerfully, handing out colourful wristbands. "You’ve got access to the full PlayZone, our dedicated Cloud Suite for lunch, and the Sky Terrace Café. Let’s make today unforgettable!"

The children didn’t need any more prompting. Klein Moretti, a playful boy with spiky brown hair, darted through the doors with a triumphant whoop.

"Klein, wait!" shouted Irene Winters, her long ponytail swishing as she bolted after him. Several others followed, giggling and whooping as they entered the play zone like a pack of miniature explorers. Freya walked in calmly behind the others while holding hands with her mother.

Inside, it was nothing short of a fantasy. The main play structure towered high... a tapestry of rope bridges, climbing nets, rainbow-coloured tunnels, padded steps, and twisty slides. Light panels shimmered on the walls, changing colours like mood rings. The air thrummed with the music of delighted children and the soft beat of background pop tunes.

"What!" whispered Chelsey Morgan, clinging to her mother’s hand. "It’s like a castle!"

"You mean a spaceship castle," corrected Damien Quinn, adjusting his glasses and scanning the area like a junior scientist.

The mothers were led to a comfortable seating area on the Sky Terrace. From there, they could sip cappuccinos while watching the organized chaos below. Floor-to-ceiling windows let sunlight pour in, and the cheerful chatter of their kids was music to their ears.

"Okay, shoes off, wristbands on, and play to your heart’s content!" announced Miss Cooper. "We’ll meet again for lunch at twelve-fifteen. Don’t forget to drink water!"

And then, like a floodgate had opened, the children surged forward. The foam floor trembled under the energetic stampede. Zachary Han and Jason Reed headed straight for the climbing wall.

"I bet I can get to the top faster!" shouted Zachary.

"No way, I’ve been practicing at home!" Jason retorted, grabbing onto the first hold.

Jane Austen and Tamara discovered a hidden tunnel lined with soft rainbow lights. They giggled as they crawled inside, their voices echoing.

"This is our secret base," whispered Tamara. "Let’s make a rule... no boys allowed!"

Across the hall, Tim Coulson and Lucy Chapman had taken over the pretend kitchen in the Imagination Zone.

"Today’s special is spaghetti with chocolate sauce," Tim announced, placing a plastic plate in front of Sana.

"I’ll take two, and a side of marshmallow meatballs!" Lucy replied with a grin.

In the ball cannon zone, Freddie Lambert and Jake Stewart launched foam balls with wild abandon.

"Cover me!" Jake yelled as he ducked behind a padded wall.

"I’ve got you, Commander!" Freddie replied, spinning the cannon like a pro.

Near the LED floor, an interactive game lit up, challenging kids to step on glowing tiles in sequence. A group quickly formed: Zara, Bella, Henry, Sana, and Ravi.

"It’s Simon Says, but with your feet!" Zara cried.

"Blue, yellow, green!" shouted Ravi.

"No! Red comes first!" Bella corrected, jumping and laughing.

The energy was infectious. On the upper level, a twisty rainbow slide curled like a candy cane. One by one, the children climbed up and shot down, squealing with delight.

"Mommy!" called Freya, waving at her mother from below.

Eleanor didn’t say anything, just waved back. Seeing her mommy was watching, Freya happily went to play with the others.

On the Sky Terrace, the moms had settled in. Some sipped cappuccinos; others munched on almond croissants.

"It’s so nice to sit down and not worry about the mess," said Priya, Ravi’s mother.

"My living room looks like this every day," joked Charlotte, watching her son Jason somersault into the foam pit.

They shared stories about school, laughed over parenting misadventures, and occasionally leaned over the rail to snap pictures of their children in mid-leap.

Meanwhile, the toddlers were unstoppable. From the bouncy trampolines to the squishy climbing volcano, every corner of Head Over Heels pulsed with joy.

"Look, I’m a ninja!" shouted Klein as he flipped onto a crash mat.

"No, I’m a robot ninja!" Liam added.

The highlight of the morning was the zipline swing. Each child queued patiently for a turn under the guidance of the staff. As they zipped across the padded track, their laughter filled the air like bubbles.

While the children were playing, two mothers came discreetly to Miss Cooper.

"Miss Cooper, you know that we are not wealthy like others. Our children could only enrol in your school because of a scholarship. You said earlier that we won’t have to provide any money. If there is some problem, we can silently skip food to save the money. Here, food is too pricey," said Sana’s mother.

"Don’t worry. Today’s cost won’t be that much. You don’t have to pay. Someone will provide your share," said Miss Cooper.

"If you don’t mind, may I know who is paying our bill?" said Chelsey’s mother.

Miss Cooper said, "Although she asked me not to publicize the matter, I can tell you two. But don’t tell others. It was Freya’s mother. She booked this place for the whole day with her own money and asked me that if anyone had a problem with the food cost, she would provide their share, as this place is costly."

Both women looked in the direction where a gorgeous woman sat elegantly, wearing a purple business suit as if she came to an office, not an outing. She was looking at the children playing below.

From the beginning, she had behaved distantly to others. There were no smiles on her lips. She didn’t participate in gossip or chat with other moms. Everybody greeted her at first because she was Freya’s mother, and Freya was popular among children. But her cold behaviour signalled to others that she didn’t like to chat, so they left her alone.

Now, looking at the figure seated a slight distance from others, they thought otherwise. Maybe it was because she was in another league, way above their level. That’s why she didn’t like to gossip like others.

After thanking Miss Cooper, they both went to greet Eleanor, as they hadn’t spoken before. Even in the moms’ online group, they had never seen her comment.

"Hello. I am Chelsey’s mother. Chelsey is a good friend of Freya," said Dorothy Marlow.

"I am Sana’s mother. It’s nice to meet you," said Susan Kerr.

"It’s nice to meet you too," Eleanor extended her hand to both women and shook their hands. She had heard all the exchange between the women and Miss Cooper and knew why they came. But she kept her face neutral as always.

"I have seen your husband many times but met you today for the first time. You must be busy with your work. You both are so beautiful, like a match made in heaven," said Susan.

Eleanor didn’t say anything, just pursed her lips slightly. She didn’t want to correct them. It might complicate things for Freya. Besides, when she heard Ethan referred to as her husband, she felt a sensation in her stomach.

Am I falling for him? her mind wandered.

Dorothy said, "May I ask what your profession is? Don’t mind me, I’m just asking because your husband always comes to drop and pick Freya from school."

Eleanor said, "I work in a company."

"We saw Freya’s father. Is he the owner of Purplebricks Limited?" Dorothy said.

"Yes," Eleanor replied casually.

Susan said, "My husband and I both work at Miller Group. It’s good to do business. They have a flexible work schedule. If one of us didn’t have such a tight work schedule, then Sana’s school time would be easier for us."

Eleanor said, "Although businessmen have to do more work than employees, they have a flexible schedule. But you got it wrong... I always come to drop and pick Freya when I’m in Manchester. It’s just that I don’t get out of the car."

Although Eleanor’s voice was still cold and detached, the two didn’t mind her tone. They understood it was her normal tone. In fact, they were talking to her with gratitude.

"Do you travel a lot?" Susan asked.

"Not much. I have to go abroad sometimes for work. Otherwise, I spend most of my time with Freya," Eleanor said.

"Do you work at your husband’s company?" Dorothy asked.

"No," Eleanor said.

"Which company do you work at then?" Dorothy asked again.

"Heimdall Technologies," Eleanor replied.

"I applied at Heimdall a couple of months ago. Didn’t get the job. They pay a higher salary than others. Which position are you in?" Dorothy said.

Eleanor had no reason to hide. So, she replied, "I am the Chairman of Heimdall Technologies."

As soon as she said that, both women froze in place. They were speechless and felt funny thinking of their previous conversation. Luckily, Freya came to her mother at that time.

"Mommy, I’m thirsty," Freya shouted as she ran toward her.

Eleanor calmly stood up, picked up her bag, and handed Freya her water bottle.

Susan said, "I’m going to see how Sana is doing." With that, both women hurried away.