CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR;
Ugh.
---
"And that's it," Althea said after a long silence among the three. She smiled at the two. "Mystery solved,
cased closed- game over."
She sighed and looked away. She watched Kai- who was currently walking slowly back at them while
admiring the ice cream in his hands. He was cautious to not run with somebody and spoil his dessert
again. Althea can only sigh again and roll her eyes in her heart because- who is stupid enough to not
look and be cautious when walking inside a place where many children run and play around?
'Ah,' Althea said in her mind. She took a sneak peek of Sheryl before shaking her head mentally. 'Of
course.'
Only those people who is stupid enough to get absorbed in their own little world and put on an
expectation that no one will have the guts to run into them.
"I hope this won't be brought up in the future." Althea paused. "Actually, I hope we won't meet again in
the future."
"Hpmh," Sheryl scoffed. "As if I also wants to meet you in the future."
Althea chuckled briefly, "Fair enough."
"Do you want to eat it too, mom?" Kai finally reached them after his cautious and slow steps. While
walking, he was also eating the treat so when he presented the ice cream to her, it was already halfway
eaten.
"Nope!" Althea ruffled his hair before smiling brightly at him. "You can have it all." With her hand on top
of her son's head, she looked at the other two and said her goodbye. "Then, we'll get going. Goodbye."
Before the two can reply, Althea already pulled Kai away ans headed towards the entrance of the
amusement park. Sheryl gaped as she watched them walk towards it before sighing exasperatedly.
"How rude! You see that Tyler? She's rude! Tyler, hey! Why are you ignoring me?"
Tyler was silent all along and he didn't even looked at her all the time. His face was hooded and dark,
Sheryl wasn't even sure what he was thinking. She stomped her feet and pushed him to wake him up
from his daze state. "Hey!"
That was the only time he responded, he raised his head and looked at the direction of the parking lot,
then, he said, "I'll drive you back."
"Huh?" Sheryl asked. "What?"
"I'll drive you back." He repeated and walked towards the parking lot.
Sheryl ran after him, "Wait Tyler! How about your work here? Didn't you said it was important?! Hey!"
Tyler ignored her and fished out his phone from his pocket. He dialed a phone number. "Sharon,"
"Yes sir?" A startled voice answered.
"I want you to handle the matters about the amusement park." He opened the door of his car after
unlocking it and then entered it fluidly. Sheryl was hustling to enter the car herself.
"Sir?" Sharon said in surprise. "But-"
"You're just inspecting the site," he plugged the keys. "Don't tell me you can't even do that?"
"... I'll try my best."
"Good," he hungs up and drove off, completely isolating himself from the world.
Sheryl can only helplessly looked at him and didn't try to talk. It would be useless after all.
-
Sharon looked at her phone helplessly and stood up, she glanced at the women infront of her and said,
"Ma'am, I have to go. Sir said I have to handle the matters regarding with... The amusement park."
Victoria widened her eyes, "What?"
Sharon nodded with a tight smile. Victoria gave off a long sigh and pressed her fingers against her
temple. "Why though? I thought he was looking forward for the project?"
"Hmm?" Her friend curious asked. "Is the project that important? Is it big?"
Victoria laughed before shaking her head, "It's not really a big deal, it just renovating the park."
"Oh?" Her friend's attention was perked up. It was the first time that Victoria talked about her son's
project. "Then why?"
"Well," she gave a sheepish smile and took a small sip of her tea before responding. "I'm ashamed to
say this, but, when he was a kid, both me and my husband- ex, ex-husband- was too busy to
accompany him."
She sighed, "So, I can only give him guilty stares whenever we passed a amusement or any places
that kid's normally goes."
"So... Because of that, he has an unusual 'attachemet' towards it and just decided to invest for it?" Her
friend asked, unsure.
"Well- that too!" She laughed. "But," her voice lowered. "Even though he won't say this- I think he likes
children."
Her friend leans in to absorb the new gossip, "Oh? Really? Then why is it that he still hasn't a kid until
now?"
Victoria snorted. "How would I know? I really can't understand that son of mine sometimes," she
sighed.
"But he has a fiance, right?"
"Hmph!" She scoffed. "If it's her- okay, fine! But it's also okay if it's not her!"
"That's rude! Why is it that you don't like her? She's pretty and nice!"
"I don't know," Victoria paused. "I just don't like her."
-
Kai swallowed the last bit of the cone of his ice cream and savored it. When he was done, he looked up
at his mother.
Althea was silent the whole time they walk away from the other two. Kai was a kid, even though he
always surprises the people around him, he is still, of course, a kid. He curiously asked her, "Is that girl
a friend of yours?"
Althea looked at Kai in surprise. When the question entered and registered in her mind, she laughed.
"Friend? What rubbish is that?"
He furrowed his brows, "If not, who was she?"
"Hmm," Althea paused before looking up at the sky. "That's a hard question. Ah, let's put it like this-"
she smiled at him. "She's nothing but a stranger who shares a small memory of mine."
"Memories?"
"Yep!" Bad memories! She pulled him. "Let's go! We need to enjoy the rest of the day!"
She was the one who said that but she had a long face the whole day. She kept on sighing and spacing
out, Kai also noticed the frequency of his mother touching the cold, silver ring she wears.
Kai was enjoying it though, he didn't care about his mother since she told him not to and enjoy his time.
Although he occasionally looks back at her, he indeed tried his best to sieze the day.
Althea can also remember her being like this when she was a kid. She knew her parents were suffering
about something, but when they told her to not bother what it was, she'll obediently looks away and
pretend she knows something.
Like mother, like son.
Althea had no idea whether to laugh or cry.
In the end, Kai was the one who suggested to go back. Althea obediently drove themselves back.
"Sorry about that," Althea said while driving back to the shop. "It was suppose to be our day."
Kai shook his head while squeezing the plushie she bought for him. "It's okay."
"I'm really sorry about it, don't worry, when I get back in track, I'll take you there again. Or in different
places, like aqua parks and a zoo."
"Really?" Suddenly, a spark of excitement lit up in his eyes. "The zoo? Is it where I can see animals?"
"Yes, yes," Althea said with a smile. "You'll see different animals in there."
"Then I will see the flying dinosaurs too!" Kai said in excitement.
Ugh! Victoria!
Althea awkwardly laughed, "No Kai, you wouldn't see flying dinosaurs in the zoo."
"Why?" Kai's voice got smaller. "But Victoria said I can see them there..."
Ugh! Victoria!!!
She sighed before pulling her car into a stop. She looked at her son with complicated expression, not
sure of how she'll explain things to him.
She really wants to strangle Victoria right now.
"Listen son," she started. "The dinosaurs- you know what extinction means?"
"Oh," Kai attentively said. "No!"
"..." She sighed and broke into a fit of laughter. "Nevermind. You see, there are no dinosaurs in the
earth anymore. They are all gone."
"... Gone?"
"Yes, but we can still see them in museum though."
"Then will go there!"
She patted his head. "Good! Then we'll hope to have a very nice day to plan our trip."
-
And as always, god isn't with her.
"Hello there," said the costumer she has. "I would like to buy a flower."
"... I thought you also doesn't want to see me?"
Sheryl laughed. "Althea, no. I was only angry at you that time. Now, I'm calm and collected. So, I want
a heart to heart talk."
Althea's face scrunched.
Ugh.
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