Zach approached her. The smell of her bath essentials was overpowering. It seemed like she just got out of the shower. "Miss Sonia, you're not tricking me?"
"Why doubt me? I'm no liar." She paused when she remembered she lied to her brother the other day. "Slash that. I do lie, but not for things like this."
She held Zach's left hand and let him touch her hat. Then her silk sleeve. "See?" she said while eyeing him, but he just stood dazed.
"Your hand is really warm," he said.
"Did you feel the fabric?" Sonia looked at him weirdly before squeezing his hand to break the trance he was in.
"I... I guess I did, yeah I did." He paused. "I apologize for doubting you. I usually wait for several hours, so Miss Sonia dressing this fast, it's hard to believe."
"Usually? Does that mean you have accompanied a lot of women?"
"My relatives, to banquets and shops. Do women here dress and bathe as fast as you?"
"Some do it quicker, others a little slower."
He nodded. "Earlier, while we were talking about the plaque…"
Sonia placed her index finger on his lips to silence him. "Later, I'll discuss that with you in detail once we return. Ok?"
Once he nodded, she slid her hand straight to his Adam's apple, down to his well-fixed tie. "You're a fast learner," she said.
After several hours, Sonia parked in front of a towering mall. She unbuckled her seatbelt and shook Zach. "Wake up, we're here."
"At your mansion?" he asked while opening his eyes. His long locks were everywhere, and his white suit was creased as he leaned on the car seat like a puddle of slime.
"In front of another mall"
"Miss Sonia..." he squeezed his eyes shut and opened them wide to stay awake. "I don't need much since I might leave soon."
"No, you need more. Someone under my roof, even if temporary, cannot possess too little. You can't live in lack while you're with me."
'But it's not material abundance that I want. As long as I can feel warmth and hear the breath of life close to me, I'd be more than happy.'
Sonia looked at him. "We can stay here for 30 minutes if you want to rest more."
"I'll continue resting later," he said sluggishly while trying to unbuckle his seatbelt, but he couldn't. "Miss Sonia, how?"
"At your right, near your hip, trace the fabric, once you feel a buckle, press the button on top."
Zach did as she said. Once he unbuckled the seatbelt, he buckled it back and undid it again. "So that's how it works."
She nodded once while watching him fix his collar. Right after, they stepped down.
"You're using an umbrella?" he ensured when the intensity of the blazing sun dimmed.
"I am"
"I'll hold it for you," he said, so Sonia handed it to him.
As they headed to the mall's entrance, passerby's chattered and stared at their unreal existence. Sonia resembled an ice queen who takes away life. While Zach embodied an elf who nurtures it.
"Greetings, madam," two security guards said before they eyed Zach from head to toe.
Sonia gave them a nod and shifted her full attention to Zach. "You can turn off the umbrella now. Just press the button on the handle."
"Like this?" he said after pressing the triangular button with two thumbs.
"Yes," she said. Her eyes glinted with delight as soon as his face lit up.
After they went in, the burly guard whispered to his companion. "Man, he must be so loaded, he has never held an umbrella before."
"Must be, madam's well acquainted, so he must be a big shot somewhere. Talkin' bout rich people, boss is here," the feminine-looking guard said while watching an expensive car park over.
Idris came out carrying a five-year-old child and headed to the entrance.
"Greetings, sir!"
The guards tried not to, but their eyes still wandered to the child's silky white hair and purple eyes. Then they looked at each other. Every time they see Freya, they can't help but think their boss is a two-timer. Still, their eyes glint with respect every time they see Idris. He's an insanely capable man after all, just like the one he works for.
Idris greeted the guards back and stopped. "Do you have something else to say?" he asked when he noticed their lingering stares.
"Madam Sonia is here."
Freya looked at the guards who spoke at the same time. "Mommy?" she pronounced loosely. Her eyes twinkled with delight as soon as she heard Sonia's name.
The guards gave Freya an awkward smile and nodded when Idris signaled them to.
"Thank you for informing me." Idris shifted his attention to Freya and turned back. "Why don't we go to the dessert shop across the street first, hm?"
"No, I want to see Mommy."
"But Daddy doesn't want to meet her on holidays."
"Why?" Freya said with a frown. Her cheeks puffed into circles as her fleshy lips puckered.
"She abuses your Daddy at work. Aren't you sad that Daddy always comes home late?"
"Mommy would never do that."
'But she always does,' Idris thought.
Freya stared at him with a pout and cupped his face. Her snow-white skin contrasted her father's dark tone. "I want to see Mommy."
"Alright, let's find her." Idris set Freya down.
"Yay, we're gonna find mommy." She ran to the stairs. Her pigtails bounced as she climbed with excitement. "Mommy, mommy, gonna see mommy," she sang while Idris followed behind with a whipped expression.
Idris was in paradise, as he watched Freya climb the stairs. However, within a second, his expression turned grim. 'My wife's gonna get jealous if she learns Sonia and I met with Freya. I hope she doesn't let me sleep outside.'
He followed Freya around to search for Sonia, but deep inside he prayed they wouldn't come across her, especially not now. However, when Freya giggled, he knew his prayer wasn't heard.
"Kyahh, Mommy's there." She bounced up and down while pointing a white figure amidst rainbow-colored clothes.
'There's no doubt that's her. Who else would be as white?' Idris thought as he watched Sonia stand still.
Sonia's hand was entwined with a man he could not recognize. To make sure he's seeing things right, he wore his glasses but nothing changed, so he looked at Freya instead. "Careful," he said as she ran towards Sonia.
"Mommy!"
Sonia looked at the side after hearing a familiar call. "Oh my! My precious baby." She picked up Freya and hugged her. "I missed you."
"Did you miss me?" Sonia asked. Her voice was soft and mild, Zach's brows furrowed as he tried to make up what's going on. He knew well how icy her tone was whenever she spoke to him, but just now, she sounded like an alluring siren of the sea.
"Yeah, I missed Mommy," Freya said, so Sonia hugged her tighter.
"Not too tight Sonia, she might get hurt," Idris said. His baritone voice made Zach turn in his direction.
"Sorry, were you hurt?" Sonia gazed at Freya's eyes which reflected her own, galactic purple.
She shook her head. "I'm alright."
"Freya, since you already met her, we should go now. Your mother and brother are waiting upstairs." Idris glanced at Zach before looking at the elevator. Right in time, he met his wife's gaze as customers poured out.
Then the elevator closed. Within seconds, it opened again to give way to Dianne and their son, Frey. Once they reached them, Idris gulped.
"Darling?" Dianne said, asking why they were there instead of meeting them.
"We're on our way upstairs to meet you and Frey. Then this happened," he explained.
"Mommy," Freya pronounced properly, so Dianne looked at her.
"Frey's pulling me down," Freya complained while watching his twin cling to Sonia's leg.
"Let him have time with her too. Ok?" she said forced.
"Kay," Freya said while opening her arms, so Dianne strode towards them. Her silky white hair flowed down her curves as she strode like a model. While her blue eyes met Sonia's stare.
They smiled at each other, making Idris clasp his hand. Sonia's smile was polite and apologetic, while Dianne's looked sincere, but Idris knew it wasn't. After all, his wife hated Sonia so much when she was pregnant, one of their children ended up looking and behaving exactly like her.
After Sonia handed Freya over, she picked up Frey.
Meanwhile, Freya clung to Dianne tightly before showing the bar of chocolate Sonia gave. "Mommy hehe," Freya giggled while asking Dianne to open it.
"Cute," Dianne kissed Freya's cheek. Then she noticed people were already paying attention to them, whispering. Before she was reminded of all the chatter and assumptions she already heard before, Idris ordered the staff to disperse the crowd.
"Mommy, what about mine?" Frey asked, his blue eyes sparkling.
Sonia dug at her coat but there was nothing left, so she approached Zach who was holding her pouch.
"Zach, can you open my pouch?"
"Mm," he nodded.
When Sonia dipped her hand to take a chocolate, Zach leaned in. "Are you alright?" he asked, because with his keen hearing, he heard enough from the crowd to make his imagination run wild.
Frey looked at Sonia's face before tugging on Zach's sleeve. "Mister, is Mommy sick?"
"I'm healthy." Sonia handed the chocolate to Zach before shifting the child's position in her arms. "Open it at the side," she added when Zach pressed and caressed the plastic wrapper.
"Mommy, who's this, mister?" Frey asked after taking the sweet in Zach's hand.
"He's my gu..."
"I'm her friend, so can you leave me and your mommy to converse for a moment?"
"Don't wanna," Frey said. "You're already together when we arrive. Be patient cause I'll only meet Mommy for a short time."
Zach shook his head after imagining how Sonia feels right now. "I'm not a patient man. I want your mommy with me now."