“Cristelle! Wait! Listen!” Diego followed her, refusing to let her go.
Cristelle was so sick and tired of this.
“Mommy! This way!”
Cristelle’s head whipped in the direction of Cody’s voice. Cody jumped out of the car, running toward her. The boy stood before Cristelle, blocking Diego away from reaching her, “Sir, why are you here to harass my Mom again? I’m calling the police if you don’t stop right now.”
Diego faltered, looking embarrassed.
Cristelle also felt a bit awkward. How did her son get here? She looked up and spotted the car. That figure sitting in the backseat was so familiar.
Cristelle suddenly started to have another headache. She wanted to feel mad at Linford. Why did this man bring their children to look for her?
Cody grabbed Cristelle’s hand and led her toward the car, “Mom, you should stay away from the bad guy.”
“Okay,” Cristelle felt like an errant child when Cody got serious.
Diego could only watch as they left. He had the heart to catch up and snatch Cristelle away, but he knew he was in no place to do that.
Cody held the door open for Cristelle before getting into the car.
Diego watched in bitter regret as he stood there. Cristelle used to be his faithful girlfriend before.
He still couldn’t bring himself to give up.
Candace stretched her arms toward Cristelle when she got in the car. Cristelle cradled her little girl in her arms, “It’s okay, honey. Mommy’s okay.”
“Mom, why did you come here at all?” Cody asked immediately, like an adult.
“Well…” Cristelle didn’t know how to answer her little boy.
Linford cut in coldly, “Tomorrow is Saturday. Mom’s gonna take you guys on a trip. But she decided to come here first.”
Candace’s eyes lit up.
But Cody was not easily fooled. He could sense they were lying.
The boy arched an eyebrow suspiciously.
Cristelle got a bit nervous as she explained, “Cody, Mommy’s here because I have something important to deal with. I want to tell you the real reason, but you’re just a child. I promise that I will tell you when you grow up.”
“You should at least pick up the phone. Do you know how worried I was?” Cody pouted his tiny lips.
Cristelle pulled him in a hug. “It’s my fault. I apologize. I won’t do this anymore.”
Cody stretched out his arms to hug her back, his voice sulking and muffled, “You can’t do this to me again. And I’m not forgiving you yet.”
Cristelle suddenly got a bit embarrassed under Linford’s watch. But she knew Cody was not someone who anyone could fool.
She could only promise, “I’ll be good. Don’t be mad anymore.”
Cody didn’t say anything.
Linford only sat there, watching. He didn’t expect the boy to be so full of principles.
That’s my boy. He thought.
They went to the fanciest hotel in the city. Linford’s phone started to buzz, but he only cast a look at the number before hanging it up.
Cristelle walked into the suite, carrying Candace in her arms. The place was pretty spacious. She saw sets of toys in the corner. It seemed like Linford had put some effort into preparing the room.
Cristelle put Candace down and went to the kitchen. The refrigerator was stocked with fresh ingredients. Cristelle thought for a while before smiling at Cody, “Baby, do you want to have pizza tonight? Mommy will make your favorite pepperoni pizza.”
Cody knew she was trying to make him happy, but he just had to pretend he was still angry.
Linford got changed before leaving his bedroom. He heard what Cristelle said, knowing Cody wouldn’t give in that easily.
He went to the couch and sat down, pulling out a set of puzzles so he and Candace could play together.
Cristelle went back to the kitchen again and got all the ingredients she needed to prepare. She was busy opening a bag of Pepperoni when she heard the click of the door, “Cody, is that you? Do you mind microwaving some instant macaroni for me?”
Linford faltered before grabbing a box of instant macaroni from the refrigerator.
Cristelle saw the tall figure from her peripheral view, whipping around in surprise.
“Why did you come here?” Linford walked toward the microwave without looking up.
Cristelle turned away, “I don’t think I have to explain anything to you.”
Linford faltered, “Candace and Cody were so worried when they didn’t see you at the school gate today. Candace looked like she was gonna cry.”
He wouldn’t say anything hard. He only needed to state the fact, and that was enough for Cristelle to reflect on herself.
Cristelle sagged, feeling guilty already, “I won’t do this again.”
Linford didn’t want to fight, but his voice was cold, “I don’t care about your purpose. I just want to remind you that you’re a mother of two babies. You need to consider the consequences whenever you want to make a decision.”
“You don’t need to remind me,” Cristelle bit her bottom lip.
The dinner started soon.
Cristelle laid the table before the family of four sat down to eat.
Cody took a huge bite from his macaroni, “It tastes so good! I love it!”
Cristelle was a bit awkward because Linford was the one who microwaved it.
If Cody got to know that it was Linford who did it, he would stop eating instantly.
Cristelle could only smile, “You like it? Have some more then.”
Candace also busied herself with chicken wings.
Cristelle made sure the babies had enough before making them stop. Kids sometimes didn’t know when to stop. She always watched over her babies’ eating habits in case they became obese due to overeating.
Candace couldn’t put the chicken wings down as Cristelle told them to stop. Linford almost argued with Cristelle again, but he instantly stopped as he knew he was doing this because he couldn’t stand being watched by Candace that way.
“Guys, you really should stop. Eating that much dessert is unhealthy. Come on, Mommy will cook something even better tomorrow, okay?” Cristelle was pretty serious when it came to issues like this.