Erica’s POV
“Erica? Erica ?”
I was pulled out of my thoughts by Javier staring at me, as well as the kids. I gave a nervous laugh
and tried my best to collect my thoughts.
I didn’t want Javier coming with us, but at the same time, I didn’t want to seem rude. He seemed
like a nice guy and I was certain that there was definitely not going to be an incident where I
would end up fucking him.
If anything, he was way better company than Dante. Maybe that was what I needed: some good
company.
“Hey, Erica,” he started softly. “You seem a little hesitant about me coming along with you and
the children. I don’t want to force your decision. I can go if you like. I actually have…”
“No, no, no,” I said, holding his arm tenderly.
I looked up at him and was once again captivated by his warm golden eyes and his handsome
face.
“I would be delighted for you to come along with the kids and me. I’ve actually been stuck in
some bad meetings this week and some good company would do me a lot of good.”
I watched his lips curl into a smile and it almost seemed like his pearly white teeth reflected the
lights in the mall.
I couldn’t help but catch myself staring once or twice at his handsome lips. Would it be a crime
for me to imagine what it would be like kissing him?
“Well, I am honored. So”
He rubbed his hands together expectantly.
“where exactly are we going first?”
I looked at the kids and they were staring up at me with their puppy eyes and I couldn’t help but
swoon softly at how adorable they all looked.
“How about we take the kids to buy some toys and while they look around, both of us can have a
little adult conversation .”
The kids cheered and Javier looked at me in admiration.
“Your friend should be glad that you are taking care of her kids .”
I smiled nervously and prayed that he couldn’t read the lie that was written all over my face.
The kids clamored around me, holding onto my hands and dress, and seemed to form a
protective barrier around me while we walked to the toy store.
Elma was especially fierce and I kept catching her give glaring looks at Javier. Every now and then,
Elma and Javier’s eyes seemed to be in a deadlock.
“Elma, you know that it’s rude to stare .”
Elma pouted angrily and turned away from Javier but not without giving him a death stare first.
Javier chuckled lightly and the both of us locked eyes again. He leaned towards me and his breath
tickled my earlobe.
“Your friend’s kids seem to be very protective of you. I think it’s adorable. You know you didn’t
have to scold Elma for staring at me. I find her eyes quite captivating .”
I returned his polite comment with a smile and spoke to him with my eyes telling him that we
would talk better once we got to the toy store and the kids stopped holding me hostage.
“Mommy, look! Mommy, look !”
Elsa stopped me and the rest of us followed her pointing finger and saw that she was pointing to
a large toy store with a lot of fluffy animals on display.
Elma’s eyes brightened up but Ethan’s narrowed in annoyance.
“Let’s go somewhere else. They probably only sell girl things in there .”
Elma and Elsa shot death stares at Ethan and he immediately fell silent knowing that he couldn’t
take his two sisters on at once.
“How about you kids go in and have a look around and if you find anything that you like you just
come outside and tell me and we can go buy it.
“But Mom,” Ethan interjected, about to complain.
“Go in with your sisters, Ethan. You might find something that you like and I need you to watch
over them. You’re the oldest and I’m leaving you in charge of your sisters .”
The words ‘in charge’ seemed to comfort him and he strode after his sisters who had already
dashed into the store.
Javier and I laughed as we saw them running around the store oohing and ahhinh from one
stuffed animal to another while Ethan stood like a security guard, watching his sister’s scurry
around the store.
Javier leaned in closer to me and I was once again caught off guard by his dazzling eyes.
“The kids seem to be very attached to you, for someone who is simply babysitting them .”
I felt my heart skip a beat and I remembered what I told Javier earlier about the kids. My mind
thought at lightning speed to find a lie to tie the whole thing together.
“I know. It’s actually a very long story .”
Javier stole a glance into the store and we both caught sight of Elsa trying to decide between a
pink unicorn or a large teddy bear.
“Well, the kids seem to be very preoccupied with the toys, so I guess that we have more than
enough time on our hands for a long story .”
My face was flushed. Javier spoke so calmly and I realized that avoiding the question would seem
suspicious.
“Okay. I actually am not just babysitting them. I adopted them .”
“Adopted them?” Javier asked with his eyebrow raised high.
I gave a slow nod and the story began to form in my head brick by brick.
“It’s not a very happy story and I refrain from talking about it, especially where they are.”
I took a deep breath and my expression became solemn and moody.
“A friend of mine is very sick and she doubts that she’s going to make it. She begged me to take
her kids and take care of them for her. I accepted but she also told me not to mention her to
them. She felt that telling the kids at such a young age that she was sick and going to die would
probably scar them for life and she wanted me to spare them of all the trauma.”
I turned my gaze to the store and my eyes took in the kids again. I was fully immersed in the story
that I was telling and a tear slipped down my face.
“They call me Mom because they don’t know who their real mother is. Their mother has been
sick for 5 years now. I adopted them 6 months after they were born. The doctors insisted that she
breastfed them before she decided to finally give them to me to adopt .”
More tears slid down my face and I wiped my face with my sleeve but Javier stopped me and
handed me a handkerchief from his pocket instead.
“Look, I am sorry that I had to make you tell me about the kids. I didn’t know that it would make
you feel this way .”
“No, it’s fine. I remember it every now and then and it hurts to know that I’m keeping the kids
away from their true mother even though it’s for the right reasons .”
Javier was about to say something else when the kids came barreling toward us with smiles on
their faces. I wiped my eyes hurriedly and they all embraced me just below my waist.
“Mom! Mom! Mom!”
I chuckled.
“All of you should calm down. I believe that you all found something that you liked?”
They all nodded, even Ethan, who initially protested entering what he thought to be a ‘girl’s toy
store’.
They pulled me inside and Javier followed us. They picked the toys that they liked and we all went
to the checkout.
Elma placed her stuffed puppy on the counter and turned to look at me with wide eyes.
“Mommy, why didn’t you get yourself a toy?”
Javier smiled and I was pleasantly caught off guard.
“Well, why do you think Mommy needs a toy ?”
“So that you can cuddle at night when you get scared. What if you need to give someone hugs?”
I bent down and grabbed my kids and pulled them into a tight, squishy hug.
“Well, that can never happen because I have you three to always cuddle and hug whenever I
want…”