“Of course, tell me, who do you want this time?”
She was their only parent, and who would attend if she didn’t? Nowadays, kindergarten had a parents’ meeting every year like when she was in elementary school.
“Mommy, I want godfather to attend it.”
“I want him too.”
“No, Godfather is busy, and it’s fine for Mommy to be the representative.”
“But … but other family’s daddy and mommy always came together for this, only we don’t have. I want godfather to attend just for once, okay? Mommy!”
Two small hands shook her arms together, as if they wouldn’t stop until she agreed with them.
“Nylah, Amirah, you’re threatening Mommy again, aren’t you?”
In these five years, the two little ones always threaten her, humph, she definitely wouldn’t agree this time. How could she always bother Jaiden? It was not his obligation.
“Mommy, no, Mommy, you’re the best mommy in the world.”
“Yeah, the best, best, best mommy in the world! Mommy, when I’m old enough to make money, I’ll give you my first month’s salary.”
“Mommy, I’m going to give you a back rub every day since tonight.”
“Then I’ll bring Mommy water to wash feet.”
Oh, gosh! it was the two little people who were so good at coaxing people. Halle wanted to cover her ears, but both hands were already completely occupied by Nylah and Amirah, they wouldn’t let go.
“Mommy, what else do you want us to do?
We’ll do it all if you tell us, Mommy, I want Daddy.”
“I want daddy too, otherwise, the kids always say we’re illegitimate children.”
“Mommy, is ‘illegitimate children’ a bad word?
Otherwise, the children in the kindergarten were laughing after they saying so every time. But the teacher said it’s not, and she didn’t let those children say anything about us anymore, but they always said that about me and Nylah when the teacher was gone.”
Amirah said injuredly with pout.
Her nose was sore, she could ignore their angelic gentle attack, but at this moment, she was softhearted. She leaned down and picked up the two babies one by one, the three faces were pressed together, “Just ignore them, as if we didn’t hear them. Let’s go, mommy stewed pork ribs for you guys tonight.”
The weight of Nylah plus Amirah nearly eighty pounds, yet it was not hard for her, she had carried them since they were little girls, she was really used to the gradually increasing weight.
Nylah and Amirah also said nothing.
The two looked at each other, and then slipped along her body,
instantly slid to the ground, two small hands held the hand of the Halle again at the same time, but no one spoke, and their expression obviously showed they were sad.
Halle was a little apologetic, Nylah and Amirah were always sensitive, they must have understood by her reply that the ‘illegitimate child’ really wasn’t a nice world.
In the five years, what she couldn’t tolerant most was that Nylah and Amirah were unhappy, she was also unhappy when they both were unhappy, squatting down and smiling at them, “Well, let Godfather come to the parents’ meeting next week.”
“Really?”
Nylah immediately broke into a smile. Her little face was like a flower.
“Really.”
“To make a pinky promise, or Mommy will surely regret it.”
She laughed, reaching out to both little hands at the same time to make a pinky swear, “Let’s keep the promise for 100 years, or you’ll be a badass.”
But she really wanted to be a badass when thought of Jaiden. She was going to involve Jaiden again.
She was sorry to think about it.
Turning at the corner, she arrived at the street where the shop was, an old man handing out leaflets came up when he saw her, “You’re Boss Halle from Angel Pregnancy Wear, right? You have to take a leaflet. It’s related to you.”
“Oh.”
She didn’t read any leaflets, but had to against her own will to take it because of the old man’s words, receiving it to look over casually, then was stunned.
A road repair notice.
It would take at least six months to repair the road for pedestrian zone.
Oh my god, did it take six months to repair a road?
Wasn’t it a deliberate attempt to keep people out of business?
“Thank you, Sir.”
Holding the hands of Nylah and Amirah towards the shop, her heart was instantly full with gloom, and she could no longer be happy. What could she do to support Nylah and Amirah without income…
Nylah and Amirah meekly held her hand without saying anything, as if they knew her mood by looking at her expression.
“Aunt Darcy, we’re back.”
The two little girls broke away from Halle’s hand, then jumped into the shop like little butterflies as soon as they reached the front of the shop.
“Nylah, Amirah, wash your hands, it’s time to eat.”
Darcy had cooked the meal. It had been five years, and she was used to the life here, Halle also gave her a raise, no longer need Jaiden to pay her. It was lucky for her to have a nanny who was dedicated to her and the children. She had pay off the money that owed Jaiden. She also quietly sent back the check that Ronan gave her, unknowing if he received it, she had not contacted him for five years.
It was enough for her to have Nylah and Amirah.
She had been thinking about the leaflet of repairing the road while eating. To be honest, she was really depressed. Though the shop was not large, five years of operation made the business was booming. But now …
“Mommy, why don’t you eat? What are you pondering?”
Nylah put down her chopsticks and propped her elbows on the table with a worried look, “Mommy, is there something on your mind?”
“Well, nothing.”
She smiled, “We might have to move.
Darcy was stunned, “Halle, the shop went well, what’s wrong?”
“Well, they’re going to repair the pedestrianization, so that we need to stop doing business for six months.”
“What? Why did they plan to repair the road? It’s not the harsh northern sections, which should repair the road for a long time because they afraid the road will crack in winter. I think there must be something wrong.”
She also thought so, but could not find it out immediately. Now, she had to support the two children. The shop couldn’t continue to open now, she should sell the inventory first, then to find a job to support them. However, she had never worked since graduated, she was nervous that whether there would be employer wanted a woman had no work experience.
The notice came quickly, but the action came quicker. The whole road was blocked next day, leaving only a small passage for pedestrians to enter and exit.
“Halle, I heard that someone was going to buy this land, do you want to reopen another shop in other place?”
The distracted owner of SX Restaurant next door came to her and struck up a conversation with her.
There were so many good lots in T City, and here was a little remote, she really couldn’t understand who settled on this land, “Sister, is there really someone who wants to acquire this land?”
“That’s what I’ve heard, but it shouldn’t be groundless.”
That was what Halle thought, otherwise, why would it take half a year to repair a road? There must be something tricks. They ordinary people simply could not fight the collusion and mutual use of officials and business, and the aim was simply the money. Those people had lost their conscience for money.
“Alas. …”
They signed unceasingly. However, the little arm could not hold the big leg, and no one had a better solution than to face it.
She had had no income for a week. Two children needed to spend much money. It would take one thousand a month to attend a kindergarten in a first-tier city like T City. She’d like to offer the thing that she didn’t have in her childhood. She had two babies, which meant others paid one thousand, but she needed to pay two. Her saving would be used up soon if she couldn’t earn money.
“Halle, what should we do?”
After dropping the children off at the kindergarten, Darcy sat in front of Halle and asked anxiously facing the dull business.
Halle thought for a moment. She slept little these days for pondering how to make money, “Darcy, I want to set up a stall tomorrow, and sell the inventory out, so that I can get the cost, then if the road is really to be repaired for six months, I may have to find a job, I still need you to help me look after the two children at that time.”
She said, and she couldn’t assure if she could earn enough money to pay Darcy. If couldn’t, it was better for her to look after her children by herself, but it would make her lose income. The more she thought, the more she worried about.
“Halle, it’s hard for you these months, besides, I don’t need to do the work in the shop, just cook a meal and pick up the children, so I just need half of the salary.”
Darcy found her trouble and said thoughtfully.
“Darcy …”
A lump came into her throat, she was really touched.
Then they agreed that Darcy would pick up the children and cook, and Halle would start selling stock at a stall, after the stock was almost sold, she would look for a job.
Carrying a large bag of goods to the night market, she naturally set up a stall, anyway, she knew few people in such big T City. However, the price of stall couldn’t compare to the physical store. Only did she sell the goods at a bargain, she could sell out. She sold them in accordance with the cost.
But her goods were really much better in quality than those on the stall, so they were more expensive than other inferior products even she sold according to the cost. The working people often looked around but didn’t buy anything, tormenting her to keep sorting out.
“Mr. Grant, there were always many people in this night market. It would be a good choice if we build a large mall here geared towards the low-income consumer group.”
“Get a count of the number of people who come here every day, I want it relatively accurate.”
Ronan’s voice came over suddenly while Halle was sorting out the maternity clothes in her hands, which made her subconsciously look up. She happened to meet his eyes with a unexpected glance. Staring at each other, she dropped her head in panic and continued to sort out the maternity clothes that had just been messed up, wishing that he didn’t see her clearly.