I decided to head homie, thinking of rallying Luna and the gang from the amusent park, but they were deep into their fun and I hesitated. Eventually, I sent them a text ssage and went on my way alone.
My house wasn’t too far from here; the walk would help cool off after the tense situation.
To my surprise, Damon, Catherine, and their son Leo were also heading in the sa direction.
"Hey!" Leo caught up with a couple of strides, waving at the twins, Serena and Brandon, in the stroller before starting to make funny faces at them.
Catherine, for once, put a stop to Leo’s antics, "Leo, co here!"
Leo pouted slightly, "Mommy, I’m just having a bit of fun. They’re so cute!"
Catherine’s expression shifted subtly at Leo’s comnt, but she quickly agreed, "Yes, they are indeed cute. Don’t you think they resemble that gentleman we saw at the hospital the other day?"
Leo pondered for a mont before shaking his head and answering, "I don’t think so... I think he..."
He pointed at Brandon in the stroller, then at Damon, "He looks like..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Catherine quickly interrupted him, "Leo, have you completed your English workbook today? I rember you rushing out before finishing!"
At Catherine’s question, Leo looked taken aback and a bit anxious, "Mommy, 1..."
Damon spoke up then, "That’s all right, there’s always tomorrow. We can take our ti learning."
Leo quickly hid behind Damon, nodding vigorously, "Right, Dad. You noticed that my English has improved, right? I’m a genius!"
"Even a genius needs to study hard, got it? Don’t use your dad as a shield," Catherine said with a smile of satisfaction on her face. Seeing Damon and Leo getting along must’ve made her happy; it’s what she’d been hoping for all those years.
I bit my lip and hastened my pace.
I walked so fast that I stumbled over a rock and twisted my ankle. I was speechless at the unfortunate timing of this accident.
I attempted to push the stroller ho despite the intense pain, but it was impossible to ignore and even harder to walk normally.
Damon imdiately exclaid, "How many tis are you going to twist those ankles of yours?"
I turned to look at him, surprise flashing in his eyes. He seed as surprised as I was about his subconscious reaction. His surprise quickly turned into indifference "Has Ms. Brooks always had a history of twisting her ankles?" Catherine asked, glancing between Damon and . "If so, it’s best to get it checked at the hospital.
"No need. I’ll just apply so ointnt when I get ho," I declined Catherine’s suggestion, attempting to continue walking despite the pain.
The exertion needed to push the stroller only amplified the pain in my ankle.
Just as I was about to call my parents for help, soone took the stroller from . A set of long, well- defined hands gripped the handle and continued to push the
stroller forward.
I looked at Damon in surprise and confusion. What was he trying to do in front of Catherine?
"Ms. Brooks, let help you walk," Catherine offered, not seeming upset at all. Instead, she supported , allowing to walk more easily.
Damon’s expression softened slightly at Catherine’s actions.
I pretended not to notice.
His gaze was starting to annoy .
Since they both insisted on playing the good Samaritans, I saw no reason to refuse. I let Damon push the stroller while Catherine supported , all the way ho.
We arrived at my doorstep in about ten minutes.
"All right, this is it. Thanks for your help tonight," I extracted my hand from Catherine’s and took the stroller from Damon, thanking them with a smile.
The whole walk, they acted like a couple, especially with Leo running around. His innocent questions made Catherine laugh, and she would then pass those questions on to Damon, allowing father and son to interact.
If it weren’t for my limping between them, they would’ve looked like a couple taking their eldest son and twin babies out for a stroll.
"I’II push it to the door," Catherine offered, taking the stroller from and continuing towards my door.
I was about to refuse, not wanting to make my parents uncomfortable when Jones, my neighbor, suddenly erged from his house. Seeing with Damon and Catherine, he quickly approached, supporting by the arm.
"What happened? Twisted your ankle again?" Jones asked, concerned.
"Yeah, I walked too fast. How co you’re back so soon?" I countered.
"Worried you couldn’t handle the twins alone, so I rushed back. Have Serena and Brandon been behaving?" Jones took over the stroller, intentionally distancing himself from Damon and Catherine.
Catherine looked bemused, "Seems like Ms. Brooks does twist her ankle quite often. Even Jones knows."
I smiled at her, "Well, one’s my ex-husband and the other’s my current. It’s only normal for them to know."
As long as I answered nonchalantly, she couldn’t make uncomfortable, and I could even turn the tables.
Sure enough, Catherine’s smile faltered slightly, but she maintained her composure and returned to Damon’s side, "Damon, Ms. Brooks is in good hands now. Let’s go back and rest, Leo must be tired as well."
Damon’s face remained unchanged, yet I could detect a shift in his mood, a subtle undercurrent of gloom that seed to hover around him like a thermoter gradually rising.
"Hey, you must be tired, too. Next ti, ditch the stilettos, okay? Aren’t your feet hurting?" Damon glanced down at Catherine’s shoes. His words carried a gentle reproach.
Caught off guard, Catherine quickly flashed a radiant smile and nodded. "All right, I’ll take your advice. I’ll wear flats next ti we go out. So, you won’t have to worry."
Damon curved his lips into a smile. "Good, that’s my girl. Let’s go."
With that, be the initiative to hold Catherine’s hand and turned to leave. For a fleeting mont, he glanced at , and his eyes were filled with coldness.
Reviews
All reviews (0)