Se connecter133~Velma’s POVJaden blinked up at me, sniffing and nodding faintly. Theron gave him an encouraging smile, and even Juliet’s small hands reached out, touching my arm for reassurance.Marianne returned and crouched down beside Jaden, gently unwrapping a small bandage. “Let’s clean it up first,” she said softly. The smell of antiseptic filled the air as she carefully dabbed at the tiny cut. Jaden flinched once, then relaxed as the sting faded. I held his other hand tightly, whispering, “See? All better soon.”“It’s… not too bad, right?” he asked in a small, uncertain voice.“No, little man,” I said, brushing his hair back from his forehead. “It’s just a little scratch. You’re going to be running around again in no time.”Marianne finished dressing the wound, gently placing a tiny bandage over it. “All done,” she said softly. “You were very brave.”Jaden’s small face lit up with a shy grin, and Juliet pressed her cheek against mine, her eyes still a little watery. I kissed the top of h
132~Velma’s POV“Why don’t we move to the dining area to have our lunch?” Juliet’s mother asked politely.“Sure,” I nodded and they led us in.The smell of warm food filled the air, comforting and rich, mingling with the faint scent of flowers from the vase on the dining table. The house had a quiet hum to it, the soft clink of cutlery, the low chatter of Jaden and Juliet, the distant tick of the clock marking moments that somehow felt slower, more deliberate, as if the world had paused just for today.We all settled around the dining table, Jaden and Juliet across from each other, their small hands sometimes brushing as they reached for glasses of juice. I sat beside Theron, who had a faint, satisfied smile tugging at his lips as he watched the kids’ interactions. I could feel him relax, his arm brushing mine now and then as he reached for a dish, small moments that felt heavy with comfort and familiarity.The first course was a simple but elegant spread: roasted vegetables, fresh s
131~Velma’s POVMorning light spilled softly through the curtains, gentle and golden. I blinked a few times, still half-dreaming, and realized that Theron was already awake, quietly stretching beside me. The house was still peaceful, the faint hum of the morning outside, the distant chatter of birds, the soft rustle of leaves in the wind, forming a quiet backdrop to the start of our day.Jaden, predictably, was already awake. I heard his small, muffled voice calling out from his room.“Mom! Dad! Wake up! Today is the day!”I groaned softly, snuggling closer to Theron for a moment before sitting up. He chuckled quietly, low and warm, brushing a strand of hair from my face.“Looks like someone is very excited,” he murmured, the corners of his lips twitching upward.I laughed softly. “I think our little man barely slept, and now he’s on full energy mode.”“Go check on him,” Theron said, his voice amused but gentle. “I’ll be out in a minute.”I slipped out of bed, padding softly down the
~Velma’s POVThere was a brief pause, and then Marianne spoke again. “I was wondering… if it’s not too much to ask… would you all like to come over tomorrow? Just for a while. We thought the kids could play again, and we could get to know each other better. Nothing formal, just… a casual visit.”My heart skipped a beat. I hadn’t expected this. I wanted to hesitate, to come up with some excuse, but I couldn’t. The thought of furthering this budding connection between our families, of letting Jaden and Juliet continue to grow close, felt right.“Yes, we’d love that,” I said softly, smiling. “Thank you for inviting us. Please send me the address, and we’ll be there.”“Oh, wonderful!” she said, her voice bright. “I’ll send it right away. The kids are going to be so excited. I can hardly wait to see them together again.”“I can’t wait either,” I replied, a soft laugh escaping me. “We’ll see you tomorrow then.”“Thank you again. You really made today so special,” Marianne said before ending
129~Velma’s POV“Would it be alright if we joined the pictures?” Juliet’s mother asked politely, tilting her head, her eyes warm. “We’d love to have a few shots together with the kids.”I exchanged a glance with Theron, whose eyes softened when they met mine. I nodded. “Of course. Let’s do it.”Theron’s arm looped around my waist gently as we stepped closer to the kids. Jaden grinned so wide I thought his cheeks might crack. Juliet clutched his small hand, her fingers curling tightly around his, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.The operator behind the camera clapped his hands. “Alright, families! Everyone together! Make it fun. Smile, be silly, do whatever you like.”Jaden immediately began jumping, tugging Juliet toward the props stand. “Hats! Mustaches! Sunglasses! Everything!”Juliet laughed, picking up a pair of oversized pink glasses. “I want these!”I handed Jaden a small pirate hat, adjusting it carefully on his head. Theron put on a fake mustache from the props, holding
128~Velma’s POVTheron crossed his arms, his gaze playful. “Spinning, huh? That sounds like the spinning teacups. They have those over by the central area. Fast enough to make you laugh, but nothing too scary for your little hearts.”Jaden’s face lit up. “Yes! That’s it! The teacups! We’ll spin and spin and spin!” He twirled around in a small circle, giggling, then tugged at Juliet’s hand. “Come on! Let’s go!”Juliet laughed, her soft giggle mingling with his. “Okay! But I’m holding your hand the whole time!”Her mother nodded approvingly. “Good choice. Now, make sure to listen to the ride rules. No standing, and hold on tight.”I smiled and ruffled Jaden’s hair. “Alright, little man, lead the way. Mommy and Daddy will watch, but we’ll be right here. I want to see how fast you can make your teacup spin.”Theron chuckled, looping his arm through mine. “You know, I’m almost a little jealous. We should’ve picked one too, maybe we could have challenged each other.”Juliet’s father bent d
33~Dylan’s POVI sat in my room, staring at my phone, irritation twisting in my chest. I knew Velma would not pick up, and yet I tried calling her anyway. Maybe I wanted her to be angry with me, maybe I wanted to hear her voice, maybe I just wanted to know she was okay. Every ring went through, an
29~Velma’s POVI was still breathing hard after ending that call with Dylan. My hands were shaking a little, not from fear but from pure irritation. I hated how his presence still got under my skin like that. I hated that he thought he could just insert himself into my life again as if nothing hap
32~Dylan’s POVI was in my room getting irritated. My mother felt like she had control over me, her voice sharp, accusing, like she had every right to judge me. Every word she had thrown at me was still echoing in my head, and I could feel my blood pressure rise with every memory.I heard the door
30~Velma’s POVI picked up the phone before it could ring the second time. My hand was shaking a little, even though I tried to pretend that I was fine. The moment I saw Theron’s name on the screen, something in my chest softened like I had finally found a place to rest my thoughts for a while.“T







