Ella’s POV
Gabby thought we were both shopping at the supermarket buying groceries but in actual sense, she was the only one doing the grocery run while I was out here on yet another investigative duty.
I had to confirm if the marks I saw were due to a neighborhood watch or a Melody watch. I had to know if the spies (if there were any) were watching Melody or if they were patrolling the neighborhood as they wanted to make it seem.
“Don’t you have anything to buy?” Gabby said as she glanced at me and noticed that I hadn’t thrown anything in the shopping cart I was pushing forward. The children were walking in front of us while we were walking behind them, pushing the cart after them.
“Oh!” I muttered, snapping out of my thoughts.
I had been so lost in thoughts that I didn’t realize that we had passed all the sections and were heading towards the cashier and I hadn’t bought anything. I could understand why she was looking at me with arched eyebrows and curiosity in those eyes of hers.
“I thought you had something to buy.” She reminded me as if I needed one.
I didn’t have anything to buy but had lied to her that it was a good chance for me to get some shopping done as well when she had told me about her plans to go grocery shopping. I suspected that she wouldn’t want to go again if I told her that I wasn’t interested in shopping and I couldn’t allow that. I had to find out the truth behind the marks as fast as I could.
“Don’t mind me.” I chuckled nervously, trying to sound like I was feeling awkward for walking past everything I wanted to buy without realizing it. “I was checking in my head what isn’t at home that I need to buy.”
“Oh! I’m sorry.” She sighed.
I frowned, wondering what she was apologizing for.
“You didn’t plan to come to the supermarket today, did you? You wouldn’t have come if I hadn’t asked you to. Let’s go. You can always come later when you have your list with you. I think that would be better.”
I blinked at her, trying to figure out if I had heard right. I knew I had heard her right and my heart melted more towards her. She was a sweet person and didn’t deserve to lose her daughter.
“Okay. Thank you. Let’s go.” I said.
I looked around as we stepped out of the supermarket with her groceries in two bags and there he was. I saw the man Liam had seen that night. He was dressed exactly the way Liam had described him and looked suspicious with the way he tried to blend in with the shadows and hide from others and walk boldly on the street like the rest of the humans were.
He was moving at the same pace with us though he was in the opposite lane. I stared at him and just as I expected, he walked off the moment he caught me staring but not before giving Melody a final purposeful look like he was making her a promise to see her again though the little girl didn’t see him. She was busy chatting with the boys and they were playing a game I suspected they had developed by themselves with the way they kept shouting in excitement and having the rules changed.
My sons and Gabby didn’t see the man as well. I sighed as we took the turn that led to our street, afraid to leave the two females alone to themselves. Melody was in danger.
If we hadn’t had to leave hurriedly and make this a secret mission, this would have been a good time to have the men with us. Posting two soldiers as watch for Gabby and Melody secretly would go a long way in helping me relax. Kevin and Liam couldn’t do that all till Melody’s birthday or they would be drained.
I also couldn’t tell Gabby to find bodyguards for her daughter without sounding crazy. She wouldn’t believe me and even if she did, there wasn’t much that human bodyguards could do to protect her from her daughter’s enemies who seemed to be from our world.
“Thank you for today, Ella.” Gabby said as we got to our apartment since ours was closer to the road and it would be the first we would get to.
“You are welcome.” I replied, scared to leave the two of them walking home alone.
The spy had noticed that we had caught him twice and it was likely that they would push up their plans to hurt Melody.
I would sound crazy if I offered to walk them home though so I had to force myself to be less paranoid and believe that they would be fine.
“Goodnight.” She said with a small smile, waving at me as she left with her daughter.
“Goodnight.” I replied as I watched her walk away with Melody till I couldn’t see them anymore.
I really hoped the night was good.
Liam’s POV
“Did you find something?” Kevin asked the moment Ella stepped into the house.
We had been paranoid all day, hoping that she found something to confirm our suspicions and hoping that she wouldn’t so she wouldn’t get hurt.
“Mummy didn’t buy anything.” Nathan said.
I frowned, wondering what he meant by that. We weren’t expecting her to go to the market. I glanced at Kevin, wondering if he knew what Nathan was talking about as it was highly likely that he had had another conversation with Ella asides from the one we all had before she left but he was as confused as I was.
Only Ella wasn’t confused and she smiled as she stared at the boys. “Why don’t you boys go to your bedroom now? Have your bath and then change your clothes so you will all be refreshed before it’s time to have dinner.”
“Okay, mum.” They said and walked away, talking of how much fun they had today.
Even without being there, from their conversation I could picture how much they had played with Melody, their future mate.
I hoped they didn’t find out about that anytime soon. That was certainly going to mess up with their heads and ruin their childhood experience. I wanted to keep them innocent for as long as I could and I knew their parents wanted the same thing for them.
If only they knew their mum sent them off so they could talk instead of so she could cook on time as she had made them believe. I knew they wouldn’t go if they knew that. Those boys were curious more than cats.
“Liam was right.” Ella said the moment we were alone.
I wanted to cheer in victory that my guts had been right but couldn’t. I felt sad that I was right. It meant that that sweet little girl was indeed being watched by those who wanted to kill her.
“He saw me.” Ella added.
I sighed.
“They will soon make their moves.” Kevin said, voicing out my thoughts. “They would know we are on to them.”
“I thought of that too.” Ella nodded. “I’m registering the boys in school on Monday.”
“Do that.” Kevin nodded. “The boys would be thrilled to know that they would be attending the same school with Melody. It wouldn’t be hard to convince them.”
“Liam and I would both share the responsibility of taking them to and from school.” Ella said. “I hope you don’t mind, Liam.” She asked for confirmation, staring at me.
Mind? Of course, I didn’t mind. I wouldn’t mind taking over completely.
“Why don’t I take them to school everyday and pick them up as well?” I offered.
Ella’s eyes widened. “Wouldn’t that be a problem? You might get stressed out.”
“I won’t.” I assured them. “Moreover, I think it’s better if only one of us gives the report. I can monitor the environment and quickly notice any change in it unlike how it would be if we had to rotate it.”
“That makes sense.” Ella nodded. “If you say it wouldn’t be a problem, I think we should do that.”
I shook my head.
“That settles it.” Kevin said.
“Let me warn you. The boys are a handful.”
I laughed, finding it funny that she found it necessary to warn me. “Of course, I know that, my lady. I watched them grow, remember? I can assure you that I’m used to their antics by now.”
“Okay then.” She exhaled.
“It’s okay.” I insisted. “I’m sure the two of you can find something useful to do with the alone time that I would be giving you.” I said with a pointed look at the two of them.
Ella blushed just as I knew she would be the one blushing.
Kevin cleared his throat, guiding my attention to his face. “Don’t tease my wife.” He barked out a growl but his facial expression betrayed him. He wasn’t angry as he was pretending to be but amused. I bet he was already thinking of the various things he would love to do when I get out on school errands.
“Yes, your highness.” I smiled, bowing to him in a dramatic manner, teasing him still.
***
Monday morning went by in a blur, just as we had imagined. The boys were at first opposed to going to school when we woke them up and shouted that they didn’t want to go, probably thinking of how stressed they had been the other time Ella was taking them around schools the first few weeks we were here while trying to find the girl.
However, they calmed down immediately they heard it was the same school Melody was attending and they would get to see her again. They had gone into a mad rush trying to get ready after the announcement and whined at Ella to hurry up and not make them get late to school that I had wondered if they were still the same boys who had strongly refused to go out.
Taking them to school was uneventful and Ella and I had gone back home after we were done registering them. It was time to pick them up from school and I was the only one going. I hoped that Gabby hadn’t come to the school yet so I could do my duty asides taking the boys home.
Luck was on my side. I met her immediately after I stepped into the school. She was also heading towards the classroom like I was.
“Gabby!” I called out to her.
“Oh, it’s you, handsome. Hello!” She greeted.
“I am Liam.” I said even though I knew she knew my name.
“I know.” She smiled at me, confirming my thoughts. She knew my name but only wanted to be stubborn. “Here to pick the boys? I heard from Ella they would be starting here today.”
“Yes, they already did.”
“Melody would be thrilled to have them in her class. Can I ask you something?”
“Shoot,”
“Can you pick Melody as well if you are taking the boys home? It’s sometimes not easy leaving the store to pick her up and I hate coming to pick her up late. Most times, I’m later than this. I hope you don’t feel like I’m taking advantage of you. You can tell me if you don’t want to.”
I tried hard to keep the smile from spilling to my face and I succeeded. “I don’t mind.”
I was relieved my work was made easier. I was just about to ask her to let me pick Melody with the boys so she wouldn’t have to stress herself.
“Thank you.” She gushed out her gratitude.
“No problem.” I replied.
It was official. I had fully become the bodyguard to the future Luna.