anwhile once the team was done devouring their food, they all decided to handle the dishes and other tasks they believed would make Ivy happy.
So took on the role of washing the dishes, while others helped with the weeding, sothing the system usually handled for Ivy. A few others moved toward the farmland to help with harvesting crops and tending to the livestock.
The entire shelter compound bustled with activity as grown n moved up and down, carrying out different tasks with smiles and laughter on their faces.
When Ivy stepped out of the shelter, she paused by the doorway silently. None of the team mbers noticed her standing there as they remained focused on their work.
A warm smile slowly spread across her lips.
They’re hardworking, Ivy thought inwardly, her chest warming at the sight before quietly turning around and heading back inside since she had been standing there for thirty minutes now and they didn’t notice her and she knew her children will be done eating by now too.
"It’s ti to go ho, Pearl," Ivy said gently. "You can co again tomorrow."
Surprisingly, instead of the usual sad pout Pearl wore when it was ti to leave, the little girl imdiately jumped up excitedly and ran out of the room together with Aria and Lila.
It seed Mr. and Mrs. Smith had already expressed how sad they felt when she returned ho late, and Pearl clearly didn’t want to upset her parents again.
Still, Ivy chose not to ask further questions about it.
"Alright, I’ll be back soon, Aria, Lila," Ivy said softly as she crouched slightly and planted gentle kisses on both girls’ foreheads before doing the sa to Pearl. "Stay indoors and behave yourselves, okay?"
"Okay, Mommy," the girls replied obediently.
Just as Ivy was about to leave, Lila suddenly tilted her head curiously.
"Mommy, who was that uncle that ca in here before? And the sick one too?" she asked innocently while pointing toward Erick, who was still lying asleep on the three-seater couch after eating and taking his dicine.
"Oh..." Ivy let out a soft chuckle. "I’ll tell you about them later, okay? But for now, I need to drop Pearl off, and I still have to prepare dinner tonight."
The girls nodded in understanding.
Without wasting any more ti, Ivy walked out of the shelter with Pearl in one hand while Sunny happily trotted beside her, wagging its tail energetically.
Only after Ivy entered her armored vehicle and started the engine did the team mbers finally lift their gazes and notice her presence.
"Mrs. Ivy, where are you going?" Darren asked imdiately as usual.
"I’ll be back soon," Ivy replied calmly through the rolled-down window. "I’m taking Pearl back to her parents. And thank you all for the work. I really appreciate it."
Before Darren or any of the others could say another word, Ivy drove out of the shelter compound.
The heavy gates automatically shut behind her while the system imdiately activated the shelter’s protective barrier once again.
---
Ivy returned to the shelter late at night.
She had spent more ti than expected talking with Mr. and Mrs. Smith, which was why she ended up arriving much later than planned.
The mont she drove her armored vehicle back into the base compound, every single team mber instantly stood up from where they had been sitting.
It was obvious they had all been waiting for her return.
"How are you doing?" Darren asked quickly, worry evident in his tone as he approached the vehicle. "We thought sothing happened to you. If you still didn’t arrive soon, we were planning to co look for you."
Ivy couldn’t help but chuckle lightly at their worried expressions.
"I’m fine," she assured them while stepping out of the vehicle with Sunny beside her. "I just got carried away talking with Mr. and Mrs. Smith."
Sunny barked softly while wagging its tail excitedly around the n.
"I’ll prepare dinner now," Ivy continued, "but first, let check on my children."
Without waiting any longer, she headed straight into the bunker.
"Mommy!!!"
Aria and Lila shouted together the mont they saw her. Both girls imdiately ran straight into her arms.
"We missed you!"
"I missed you too, my darlings," Ivy replied warmly as she hugged them tightly before planting soft kisses on their foreheads.
Pulling back slightly, she smiled at them.
"Did you girls eat dinner already?" she asked. "I prepared hamburgers and chicken together with the food I made this morning. Did you eat properly?"
"Yes, Mommy," Aria answered with a bright smile. "We already ate everything."
Ivy rubbed both girls’ hair affectionately before rising to her full height. She was just about to head toward the room when Aria suddenly spoke again.
"Hope ate too," she added quickly.
That imdiately stopped Ivy mid-step.
Turning around, Ivy followed the direction Aria was pointing toward and froze slightly at the sight before her.
Little Hope was peacefully resting in Erick’s arms while he carefully fed her formula with surprising patience and gentleness.
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