Steel Rose

Chapter 75

Isabelle Pov

"Get them," Mora demands standing over me as I sit on a plush couch, Dasarious in her arms. He looks over me too. 

"I don't know, Mo." I tell her. "They're so..."

"Cute! I know they are. That is why you need to get them." She adjusted Darcy on her hip. "If they were my size, we wouldn't even be discussing this. I'd be walking out of here with those on right now." 

"Its a summer shoe," I told her.

"Summer will come back around," Mora replies quickly. "These," she gestures to the shoe on my foot. "Won't be here when it does. Plus, they're on sale! Which is another reason why I don't know why we are having this conversation." 

I admire the wedge on my foot. It simple really, nothing too extravagant like the shoes I'm used to wearing  back in Norta. The wedge is all white, with the strap around my ankle and another across my toes.  The strap across my toes are decorated with pink and blue flowers. The way the shoe makes my foot arch is attractive, I admit. "Okay," I wiggle my toes watching them against the flowers. "I'll get them." 

Mora does a little dance causing Darcy to giggle. I can't but help but smile at the pair. I unbuckle the shoe, and begin to put them back in the box. "Happy?" I ask Mora. She adjusts Darcy on her hip and flips her hair over her shoulder. A rookie mistake, as now enticed by her locks, Darcy begins to grab at them.

"Yes," she says. She winces as she pulls her hair from his fingers. "Very." She picks up the box sitting beside me containing the shoes that she picked out. Also on sale, strappy sandals that are covered in tiny rhinestones that make them glitter and sparkle when they catch light. "Let's go pay for these. Then, I want to stop by some clothing stores." 

We spend the rest of the day combing through the shopping district, well, Mora does, I mostly just follow her around. In total, Mora ends up with a new pair of shoes and 3 new outfits. Me, I get ready for the upcoming winter snows and buy me and Darcy new coats. I smile thinking back to the dark blue coat I tried on him, and how he puffed out his cheeks, clearly displeased.

 Now, however, Mora, Darcy and I sit at the front of her shop as she fills out some paperwork for some new customers. In a fresh diaper, and a full belly, Darcy naps in my arms. Mora politely smiles as she hands the young man his yellow slip and sighs as he exits the bell chime echoing throughout the lobby. A mother and daughter stroll through the dresses, the more simple ones, the little girl pointing to every dress that she likes, before jumping up and down begging for it. 

Mora smirks at the scene, "Be glad you had a baby boy," she whispers to me. "Or that would be in your future."

I giggle, "Believe me, I think I have a few future tussles coming up with him when he gets older." 

Mora nodded and cast another glance at the mother daughter duo. "Mmmm. So, when my mother brought up the whole Father thing...again, I'm really sorry about that."

I shrug, "Nothing we can do about it now." I turn and place Dasarious in his stroller to nap.

Mora nods in agreement. "I am a bit curious however," Mora starts. "You never have mentioned his father before. And we both know there is a father."

"Yeah," I mumble weakly. As much as talking about Ptolemus makes me both equally furious and sad I know that its a conversation that was bound to happen. 

"You're not inclined to tell me, Isabelle. It's none of my business, I'm just curious that's all. "

I nod, "I know. But, I have to tell someone, and I trust you."