Shikera trailed off as the person she was talking to was not even listening to her. She traced Jodi’s line of sight to find that the subject of her attention was Ethan.
"Jodi!" she yelled, startling even Ethan.
"Yes, Miss!" the girl replied, surprised to see that there was another person in the store. "How can I help you?"
Shikera shook her head, "Don’t bother helping any of us. We are only here to sit for a while."
"Alright. Enjoy yourselves," Jodi wished with a smile which widened as she saw Ethan take a seat. She had more ti to drool over this eye candy.
anwhile, Ethan noticed that the slight furrow in Shikera’s brows had disappeared, and he could tell that she was no longer in pain.
"How are you feeling now?" he asked, just to confirm his thoughts.
"Why do you care?" Shikera snapped, glaring at him.
Ethan looked behind himself to be sure he was the one her words were directed to. And finding no one except the girl behind the counter, he frowned.
"You’re talking to ?"
"Who else would I talk to except the man who refused to wear his facemask so all the girls and ladies on the island can gush and laugh and smile while ogling at his face?" She grimaced, rolling her eyes as she set her lips into a pout.
"If I rember well, Kera, I did ask if you want to wear it or not. And you said no," Ethan defended himself. How was it his fault that won were staring at him? And by far, he was sure they hadn’t even co across a woman at all. Or even a man. Humans, in all, expect the girl behind the counter just now.
Shikera rolled her eyes, "It doesn’t matter, does it?"
Her eyes moved away from Ethan’s face to stare at sothing, or was it soone, behind him.
"Hey Alan!" she waved.
’Alan.’ The na resounded in Ethan’s mind, and he imdiately realized it was owned by a man. He turned at the sa ti as Shikera to see soone stepping into the store, a man just like he had imagined.
"Who’s that?" he turned back to ask Shikera, but the latter’s whole attention was on the approaching man. He was about to repeat his question when the man arrived at the table they were sitting, and placed his hand on Shikera’s shoulder.
"Hi Kera," he greeted, without even sparing Ethan a glance.
"You are here this early," Shikera noted, raising her brows.
"Yeah," Alan nodded. "The won are being extraordinarily demanding today and I have no choice but to cater to all of their needs. I’ll probably have to make countless trips to this store today."
"They are being extraordinarily demanding today? Is there a special occasion?"
All this while, their conversation progressed with none of them making reference to Ethan. In fact, it was like he was just an invisible entity to them. And Jodi was the only one who had her entire being enraptured by him.
Alan was a little bit surprised at her question, but he soon regained his composure.
"You didn’t know? Grandma’s supposed to have told you. To think that I was actually waiting for you this morning," he stated.
"What did I not know?" Shikera asked.
"That the island’s flower festival is today. I don’t know what the festival ans or its importance but all I know is that everyone on the island, no matter which community the individual lives in, makes it a duty to attend the festival. It’s one of those rare days when you can see the shores filled with people. Even schools are closed on that day and that’s why Jodi’s ho," Alan explained.
"That’s true," Shikera nodded, suddenly realizing that she hadn’t bothered to ask why Jodi was at the store and not in school, when they just entered. Then, she had been consud by—What was this feeling called again?
"Yeah. By the way, you look pale. Are you alright?"
At this point, Ethan’s hands were clasped together as he rested his chin on it and continued observing his wife, and this strange man. Their conversation and facial expressions as they talked showed that they were more than familiar with each other. Plus the man also noticed that sothing was wrong with her. Perhaps...was this the reason why Shikera was refusing to go back with him?
"I’m alright. So what are you getting? Do you need my help to cater for the wo—"
"Isn’t that enough?" Ethan interrupted, finally drawing attention to himself. He failed to notice how Alan’s brows furrowed when he recognized him.
Alan knew without anyone telling him that it was Shikera’s husband, and Mignon’s brother. He just had to put an imaginary mask on Ethan’s face to see the man he t when he and Mignon were at the hospital.
"Hello," he gave a small bow, unable to withstand the dominant gaze in Ethan’s eyes. When he stepped into the store few minutes ago, his eyes had been fixed on Shikera so even though he noticed that there was soone sitting before her, he thought it was just one of the other n on the island.
"Ethan DeLoach," Ethan introduced himself, even though he could already tell that the man knew who he was. Now that they were facing each other, he noticed it was Mignon’s friend whom Leonard had called her husband when they were at the hospital.
"Alan, I’m a Parker," Alan replied. He added, "I’m so sorry for not noticing you earlier. My attention was solely on Shikera."
"I could see that. You and this wife of mine completely ignored ," Ethan laughed, a laugh which lasted only for three seconds before it completely dissapeared from his face.
"I just apologized," Alan pointed out.
"But it wasn’t accepted," Ethan countered.
It suddenly occured to Shikera at that mont as she looked up at Ethan,
"Was it Mignon who told you i am here?"
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