The next morning, Mia went to Waterfall Park for the children's festival. When she saw many children playing together and laughing happily, a tiny smile formed on her face. She liked Children, especially the Children in Freeborn orphanage. She always visited and sent items to them with her family ever since she was younger. Even now when she didn't have much and her family was incomplete, she didn't fail to visit them once in a while.
"Mia. You're here" She heard Jerry's excited voice when he welcomed her.
Jerry was a young man in his late twenties. Blond, handsome, green-eyed, tall and simple. He was wearing a plain white shirt and black pants with a black shoe.
He had been linking her up with different jobs for as long as she could remember. And he was the one who told her about this.
"How long am I supposed to stay here?" She asked straightforwardly not bothering to engage him in exchanging pleasantries.
"Hmm..." He checked his watch and said "It's just past nine. So let's say you'll be staying till three tops" He answered.
"What? Three o'clock? I'll wear a heavy costume for..." She used her fingers to count "Six hours? in this weather?" She looked at him in unbelief.
"You'll rest obviously" He hurriedly answered her before she would change her mind. He hadn't planned for an option B and didn't want to take Amy chances right now.
Mia sighed deeply. "Why do I have a bad feeling about all of these?" She asked no one in particular and just followed him as he led the way.
***
Leo could finally breathe when his parents left him to greet other families that were present in the crowded park. He noticed his sister was avoiding him. And her emotions had been heightened the entire time; obviously frightened that he might say something to their parents about what she did to his apartment.
"What's with the long face? You should have fun" Louis said to his brother as he placed a hand on his shoulder.
"It's too noisy for my liking." Leo answered in displeasure.
"Just do something. Hang out with the kids and have fun" Louis tapped his shoulder twice before he went on his own way.
"You look....really funny" Leo heard Richard's mock voice behind him and turned.
He actually agreed with what Richard just said. He felt he really looked funny wearing the same outfit with the rest of his family.
He was on a black trousers and a blue polo T-shirt shirt with 'KING'S FOUNDATION' boldly written on the front and back with white ink.
"Don't remind me please" Leo frowned. His facial expression caused Richard to chuckle. He knew Leo didn't like doing what every other person was doing or wearing what every other person was wearing.
"We've just greeted your parents. I saw Louis also. For a moment, I thought he was you. How do your parents differentiate between you two?"
"You always ask me that question every time. You've been my friend for fifteen years and you still can't tell who is who?"
"Well, I can. The cooler one is obviously.....Louis" He said with a teasing smile.
"Just go on ahead. You're being annoying" Leo said before walking past him with both his hands on his trouser pocket.
***
Mia looked at the kids through her Mickey Mouse eyes.
She was dying of heat in there but she didn't relent and danced with some of the kids who were more interested in watching the Mickey Mouse than using the Merry go-round or any other fun equipment in the park.
'I'll never take this kind of job again. Never in my life' She said to herself repeatedly. It was just twelve o'clock but she was already so tired. She wouldn't kill herself because of money.
When she noticed the kids were not going to let her be, she thought of a plan to play hide and seek with them.
Of course, she was the one going to hide. She would use that opportunity to take off this annoying costume before coming out again.
As she looked for a building to hide herself after running a bit far from where the crowd mostly was, her eyes fell on a little wooden building decorated with flowers.
It looked quiet and isolated so she thought it was probably the best place to relax.
She gradually snuck in—body first since her head was still peeking outside to make sure no one was seeing her.
"Ah! Your future is sooooo bright. I am proud of you"
Mia turned in shock when she heard a voice inside the building she had just entered.
A woman who was sitting on a mat held a little boy's face who was probably around six years old and kissed him hard on a cheek.
On the other side of the table, a man who looked like a fortuneteller sat across them with his legs crossed together on the mat.
The interior obviously looked like a shaman house to Mia which made her wonder why somewhere like this was in a park like this.
When they all saw the Mickey Mouse enter, they were startled.
Quickly, the woman took her son's hand and left the room. Seems like her time with him was over.
***
Louis was just walking about when he saw a little wooden building decorated with flowers. Out of curiosity, he decided to take a peek. He was also worried a child might be in there because he could hear faint sounds coming from there.
When he saw a woman and a little boy leaving the place, he became more curious about what was going on in there.
As he was about opening the door, he heard someone speak
"If you're hear to learn your fortune, you can just take your seat"
Louis wrinkled his brow in confusion, wondering whether he was the one the man was referring to. Before he could say something or open the door, he heard a female voice speak
**
"Sorry. I got in here by mistake" Mia bowed her head and tried to leave before his voice resounded in the small wooden room.
"You should purge yourself of bad luck. More may come your way" The fortuneteller said in a relaxed tone.
Mia stopped and turned her Mickey Mouse head to look at him.
"Bad luck? I have bad luck?" She asked him in an indifferent tone.
"You should know best" The man said with his head down while he continued to fiddle with some kind of beads.
Mia was quiet. She thought maybe she actually did have a bad luck. From the moment she was born, her family had been in misfortune. She guessed it was probably one of the many reasons they all didn't like her.
"You should always behave well. You may likely get lucky in your love life." He advised her which caused her to scoff out.
"Hey Mr Shaman. 'May' 'Likely' You're not even sure about the things you're saying and you dare say I have bad luck? How can you be so relaxed when saying annoying things like that to someone's child?"
"Your temper will drag you down if you do not control it"
"Hey!" She screamed at him again.