Aiden watched Claire sleep as he played with strands of her hair. Her eyes were a bit puffy from crying two days in a row and she had dark circles under them, but she still had the face of an angel in his eyes.
He looked over at Lily when he heard her move and saw that she was waking up. She yawned while lazily looking around the car without any real focus. Turning to her side, she panicked when she realized Claire wasn't next to her. Quickly scanning the car she saw her laying on Aiden while he was already smiling at her, making her relax.
"Did you have a nice nap princess?" He asked her. Lily nodded in response. "That's good."
He looked back down at Claire who was soundly asleep in his arms and gently patted her head to wake her up. She slowly started to open her eyes.
"Time to get up angel." Aiden said as she sat up straight while rubbing her eyes. He then switched seats to help Lily out of her car seat. As he finished, he knocked on the car partition. A few seconds later Cameron opened one if the doors letting the sunlight in.
Once out of the car, Claire noticed that is was already midday. She felt confused since it was still early morning when they first got in the car. The mall was only half an hour away from the cafe, meaning she and Lily had slept for at least three hours!
She looked up at Aiden and couldn't believe he hadn't woken her up sooner. Sure she didn't weigh much, but that didn't mean staying in such a position for so long wasn't uncomfortable for him.
"Couldn't bring myself to wake you up. The two of you were just too cute while napping." Aiden leaned closer to her to tell her since he understood the reason for her confused expression.
Before she could say anything she felt a tug on her finger tips. She looked down at Lily who wanted her attention.
'Mommy where are we?' Lily asked while curiously looking at the enormous building in front of them. She wasn't used to going places as grand looking as that one.
"We're at the mall sweetie. It's a place filled with different kinds of stores where you can eat and buy lots of things." Claire explained to her. Her little flower had never been to a mall before.
"It's also where we're going to find your uncle a present." Aiden added as he placed his hand on Claire's lower back and guided them inside.
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Villan Market was the city's most exclusive and high end mall. It had an array of designer stores, one of a kind products and restaurants of the highest quality. Only the richest of socialites shopped there.
After walking inside, Claire noticed there were people walking around. She stopped in her tracks and looked up at Aiden who answered her without needing to hear her question.
"Actors." He nonchalantly said as he gently nudged her to keep walking. Thinking that an empty mall would be too odd and depressing, he had hired people to act as shoppers.
While Claire's head was trying to wrap around just how far Aiden would go to accommodate to her wishes, Lily was awestruck.
The interior of the mall was amazing. The ceiling was mostly glass so the sunshine lit up the place, the store fronts all had unique themes and colors making the open space look lively and welcoming. Fountains and small garden patches spread throughout the layout making it's aesthetic even more pleasing to the eye.
Lily looked around and suddenly felt scared and shy. She had never been to such a place filled with unknown things and people. At least not without previous warning and preparation. She wrapped around Claire's leg and pressed herself against her. Causing Claire to immediately stop and worry if it was all too much for her.
"Sweetie, we can leave if you want to." She offered as she patted her head. Seeing as Lily wouldn't answer, she worried even more. She was about to turn around and leave when all of a sudden Aiden crouched down next to her.
"Hey there princess, you seem scared. Mind telling me what's bothering you?" Aiden asked her with his cello like voice. He had a soft expression on as he watched Lily slightly turn around to face him. His shoulders were so broad that the only thing she could see was him, helping her calm down a bit.
'There are too many strangers here.' She shyly told him.
"You're right. There are strangers here." He looked around pretending like he hadn't noticed them before. "Does that make you want to leave?"
Lily was about to sign yes, but then she remembered what she went there to do. She didn't want to leave without finding a present for Colton.
'I.....I do want to leave. But I want to find a present for uncle." Her expression was conflicted. Her lips were slightly pouted making Aiden's heart soften even more. She was too adorable.
"You know princess, I don't like that you're scared. It makes me feel sad." He held his chin for a moment as if he were thinking. "How about this, what if I help you feel less scared and you help me feel less sad?"
'How do we do that?' She looked at him like a curious little kitten.
"Well I have an idea, do you want to try it?" He asked her.
'Okay' She signed in response.
As soon as she said yes, Aiden lifted her in his arms and stood up. He held her high enough so that they were at eye level. "How about you hold on tight to me whenever you feel scared and I'll hold on to you whenever I feel sad? That way we both feel happy."
At first Lily felt alarmed. Nobody other than Claire, Colton, Ben or Anna had ever hugged her, let alone picked her up. But it quickly changed to feeling....safe. It was similar to the sensation she experienced when Claire or Colton held her. His arms around her were firm but gentle. Yet for some reason, it was slightly different. Not because he was somebody new to her, but for some other reason she didn't understand.
"So? Do we have a deal princess?" Aiden asked her as he lifted his palm for her to shake in agreement.
Lily studied his face and smiled. She was really liking him. His eyes were kind and the way he continuously spoke to her was filled with warmth and reassurance. She took his hand and they shook on it making them smile at each other.
Claire watched as her little flower smiled at him and get comfortable with his presence. 'He really is different." She thought to herself.
It was more than evident that Aiden was in a class of his own. It was all happening so fast yet so naturally. Claire couldn't understand how she felt so beaconed towards him without even knowing him. Or how he was so sure of liking her without showing a single shred of doubt.
But none of it mattered anymore. It was already too late. Watching Lily smile at him was the undoing of Claire's last bit of reluctance. He had found a way in.