Hold Her Better Next Time

Izabelle’s eyes widened as her eyes met with Marcel’s. They both stared at each other in shock and it was as if time stopped for them. Their eyes remained glued and their mouths fell open in shock. Izabelle was the first to remove her gaze from him and swallowed before looking at the cheerful face of her daughter and then at Marcel.

“Daddy is so cool, Mommy. He beat up those bad men to a pulp. They ran away,” Little Rosie giggled, bringing her mother’s attention back to her.

“What bad men?”

“They tried to take me away but Daddy saved me. He’s so cool, isn’t he?”

Hearing that some bad men tried to take her daughter away, Izabelle dropped her carefully on the floor and inspected her body for any possible injury. Her eyes fell on little Rosie’s bruised wrist.

“See, you’re hurt. Why did you move when I asked you not to?”

“Sorry, Mommy. I was stubborn. Rosie won’t disobey you anymore,” she batted her eyes at her mother knowing fully well that she won’t remain angry at her when she gives that look. “Come, Mommy. I’ll introduce you to handsome Daddy,” Little Rosie held the hands of her mother and brought her to stand before Marcel.

His dark eyes were staring right into her soul if that was even possible and she averted her gaze not wanting to meet eyes with him.

Izabelle avoided eye contact with him and said.

“Thank you for saving my daughter. I’m grateful,” she bit her lips after appreciating him.

“You should hold her better next time. What if those men had taken her? If you can’t hold a child then give her to someone else. A little child like this shouldn’t be left alone. There are child traffickers everywhere,” his words came out harshly and he looked colder than ever as he stared at the woman and child before him.

“Sorry for troubling you. I’ll heed your advice.”

Without another word, he turned his back coldly at them and walked away followed by his assistant. Izabelle stood there star-struck, still trying to process all that happened less than two minutes ago. She had known that coming back to the United States, there might be a chance that she was going to run into Marcel but she never thought that it would be so soon and in such a situation too.

In such a messy situation with him saving their daughter and pinpointing how bad of a mother she was. Although he might not mean it that way, that was what it came out to be.

“Mommy?” She kept her emotions in check at hearing the voice of her daughter call and she managed to force a smile and stared at her.

“Yes, honey?”

“Are we going to see him again? I want him to be my daddy.”

“Do..don’t say things like that. Come with me, your aunt is waiting.” She held the hands of little Rosie and with her other hand, she held their luggage and headed to the parking lot of the airport.

They got to the parking lot of the airport and Izabelle’s eyes lit up when she saw a woman who seemed to be searching for someone and looking at her phone every passing second. The lady’s eyes landed on her and she smiled before walking toward the mother-and-daughter duo.

“Izabelleee,” just as she got to them, she engaged in a tight hug with Izabelle and they hugged each other for a while before pulling away.

“I can't believe it's you that's back in the United States. You're looking so good, girl. It's been almost a year since I last saw you. Welcome home.”

“Thank you, Ruby. I finally made a decision. Perhaps it is the right thing to do.”

“It is.”

Ruby took their luggage and carried it to the truck of her car before turning back to them.

“Hello little Sie Sie,” she greeted the frowning little girl.

“Sie Sie, come on. Greet Aunt Ruby.”

The little girl folded her hands under her chest and frowned at them before looking away. It Seemed like she didn't want to greet her.

“Sie Sie,” Izabelle warned.

“Hello, Aunt Ruby.”

“You're so grown up now. I miss our little fights, Sie Sie. Guess what I got for you.”

At the mention of a gift, Rosie’s attention was stolen and she stared at her curiously wondering what it was that her aunt bought for her.

“Let's get into the car first.”

They settled in the car and little Rosie insisted on sitting in the front passenger seat with her mother.

“Here. I got you lots of storybooks. I know you love storybooks. I bought lots of them. The Mermaid and the Beast, Cinderella, Beauty, and the Beast, the Mermaid, and her knight…….”

Little Rosie’s eyes widened as Ruby kept mentioning the names of the storybooks she got for her. Her previous frown was gone and replaced with awe. Her eyes fell on the back seat of the car and again, her eyes widened causing her to look so cute with her widened eyes and open mouth.

The back seat of the car was loaded with storybooks just for her. No wonder aunt Ruby was still counting and saying the names of the books she bought.

Doing all of these to impress one little child. Really?

“That's all. They're more than fifty,” Ruby finally stopped speaking and stretched her hands to get one of the books and handed it to little Rosie whose eyes now shone in delight. She would have lots of storybooks to read and not feel bored when her Mommy is out. Aunt Ruby sure knows how to impress her.

“And what are you supposed to say to her, Rosie?” Izabelle asked.

“Thank you so much, Aunt Ruby.”

“It's alright. Anything for our cute little Rosie,” Ruby smiled. “Ahh, Sie Sie. I hope you're no longer angry at your godmother, are you?”