Chapter 195

Early the next day, I put Mia in her stroller and join Steven and Beau for a walk. It’s not totally unusual. We often go for walks to help Mia get some fresh air. And since I haven’t been feeling well enough to work out or jog, I also enjoy the less taxing pace of a walk to stretch my legs.

However, the difference between today and all those times before, is that instead of wandering through campus like usual, today we are walking through the area dictated by Wyatt and the Alpha King’s correspondence, in relation to their search for Mia’s mother Carrie.

The neighborhood seems nice enough, though much less wealthy than what Steven and Beau are generally accustomed to. We continuously have to stop for them to peer into department store and convenience store windows.

Once, we have to go inside a building so they can see what a combination pizza shop/laundry mat looks like.

“You should see the bar/laundry mats,” I say. “They are quite popular near campus.”

Beau looks at me with wide eyes filled with childlike wonder. “There are more of these magical places?”

“What other combinations of establishments have people made?” Steven asks.

I regale them with tales of coffee shops and yogurt stands inside of bookstores, and a place I know where you can get your nails done and your taxes filed in the same place.

“Amazing,” Beau says, and he could be teasing me. It’s hard to tell, but he seems more in awe of it all.

As we walk around all of these stores, we keep an ever watchful eye out for Carrie. Even when we are in places of wonder, I spot the brothers looking around. I keep an eye out too.

As we pass a thrift store with brightly dressed mannequins in the window, I immediately brighten.

“See here?” I say, pointing for them. “It’s a second-hand store. A true treasure trove. You never know what you are going to find in here.” I smiled, the memories flooding back. “My mom and I used to go into places like this all the time. I would play in the toy section while she shopped. Sometimes, if I was good, she’d buy me something or a quarter.”

So busy am I reminiscing, that I don’t notice right away that Beau and Steven are giving each other strange looks, and then turning that same look on me.

It isn’t until we pass the store that I see it. “What is it?” I ask.

“Your childhood sounds depressing,” Beau says bluntly.

I blink. “What are you talking about?”

“Secondhand clothes? A toy for a quarter? Are you even hearing yourself?”

I roll my eyes, and unlike when I usually do with him, where I’m obviously messing around, this time I 1000% mean it. “Not everyone is born with a silver spoon in their mouths.”

Silver spoon? More like platinum spoon. Covered in diamonds. The Hayes brothers were beyond rich. And I know they had a shitty childhood, but to imply that my childhood was also shitty just because I didn’t have any money? Get fucked.

I push Mia a bit faster, eager to place some distance between them and me to cool my anger. Unfortunately they match my pace too easily. My damn injury isn’t helping things. I get winded almost instantly and have to slow down.

“Let me push Mia for a while,” Steven offers. I sigh, because I don’t feel like I have any choice. My body is working against me.

So I nod and step back and let Steven take the helm. I stay by his side, however, not wanting to walk near Beau in case he wants to spew more entitled bullshit.

Steven, from his earlier glances, clearly feels the same way as his brother, but he at least has the decency to keep his damn mouth shut.

Until now, when he tries to play peacekeeper. “We are just worried about you.”

“What is there to worry about?” I say. “I live with you guys now. You shower me in clothes and all kinds of shit. Stuff I don’t even need. Why worry about the past?”

Steven hesitates in replying. I appreciate him, he always takes a while to consider the least harmful way of saying something.

Unlike Beau, who blurts out, “Is this where you’ll go when you leave the Pyramid?”

I stop. I turn to look at him. “What?”

“We’re not worried about the past,” Steven says. He’s stopped beside me. Beau too, a couple feet behind. “We’re worried about your future.”

Oh.

I… don’t know what to do with that.

“I don’t know,” I say honestly. “I don’t think so. Isaac was putting me through school before you guys came around. I’m sure he would start again if the money runs out. But I have so much saved up now from working as your nanny, that I really don’t know if that’s necessary.”

“But where will you live?” Beau asks. “One of these… apartments…?” He says the word ‘apartment’ like it leaves a bad taste in his mouth.

“I’ll probably live in the dorm,” I say.

“The dorm?!”

Gods, he made that sound even worse.

“What’s wrong with the dorm? Lots of people live there?” I ask.

“Nanny, no. Please.” Beau, shaking his head, pushes past us to keep on walking.

I look to Steven for explanation. “We’re just worried about you,” he says, and that’s all I get before he starts walking too.

I hurry to chase after them. When they see me coming, they both slow enough for me to easily catch up.

Though I think they are both snobs of the highest order, their kind gesture does not go unnoticed, so I guess I can forgive them their ignorance. For now.

We continue walking for a while. Steven shares the photo with each of us again to refresh our memories. Then, as we turn the corner, I look back behind us and swear I see a blonde woman watching us from the opposite street corner.

I stop at once, watching her. She’s a bit different from the picture. She’s wearing glasses, and her clothes are more billowy than the style in the photo. But if I look closely enough… maybe…

But she’s staring right at me too. Our gazes are locked. It feels so strange, almost like she’s trying to tell me something. But what?

A warning? Or a plea?

Then her gaze dips to Mia. And I know at once, this is Carrie.

“Guys,” I say, but they don’t hear me. I turn to them, and hurriedly pat each of them on the shoulder. “Guys! Over there!”

They turn toward me and I point back at the street corner where I just saw the woman. Except now she’s gone.

“What is it?” Steven asks.

“I saw her,” I say. I check up and down the street. But it’s like she vanished into thin air.

“Where?” Beau asks. He’s looking now too.

“She was right there,” I say, motioning again to the corner. “She was looking at me, and then she saw Mia, and I knew… I turned to get you. And now…”

“You are sure it was her?” Beau asks.

“Positive.” I’m absolutely sure of it.

Steven frowns.

“What could this mean?” I ask, looking at him.

“I’m sorry, Chloe,” he says. “But this likely means she doesn’t want to be found.”