DOMINICK'S POV
Only the sound of the air-conditioning can be heard in the car as I begin to pull into a parking space in near Aria's apartment. The car was alive with the conversation the entire drive over, but conversation instantly died down as I approached the entrance gate to apartment complexes. This is new, Mollie usually gets really excited and I have to remind her not to try to unbuckle her seatbelt or try to unlock her car door.
After I have parked the car, Tyde and I exchange a look, we are both thinking the same thing. What's wrong? Not even one minute ago, Mollie was chattering away about a story she made up and a movie she watched at daycare. Now, she is silently looking out the window, almost expressionless.
"Mollie," I say grabbing her attention. She looks over at me, her expression not changing. I furrow my eyebrows. "Are you okay?" I ask her worriedly.
She nods her head. Tyde leans over and gently feels Mollie's face with the back of her hand. "You're not warm." she states. "Are you feeling sick?" she asks as leans back. Mollie shakes her head in her response.
Tyde and I exchange another look. "You stay in here with her, I'll go get Aria." I say to her as I unbuckle my seatbelt. I leave the keys in the ignition to keep the car and AC going. I exit the car, still worried about Mollie and trying to figure out what could be bothering her. She has not gotten into trouble today; at least, nothing more than a couple little things like not completely listening and running down an aisle at the store.
"Be right there!" Aria's voice calls from inside the apartment after I ring the doorbell. A couple minutes later, she opens the door. She locks up her apartment door before giving me a quick one-armed hug. "Thank you for picking me up." she says.
"No problem." I reply. "Have to warn you, the car is a bit of a mess." I say as we begin walking toward where I parked the car.
"How are you not freezing!" Aria exclaims, commenting on my attire of a T-shirt and shorts. Aria is dressed more appropriately for this time of the year, wearing a white knitted-cap, a long-sleeved light-pink sweater, and long black jeans. I
I shrug my shoulders, "Super powers?"
Aria laughs and walks ahead of me to the car, she opens the left backseat door. "Hi Mollie." she croons while getting into the car.
"A wave? No 'Hi Aunt Aria'?" I hear Aria say as I get into the car. I look over at Mollie in concern. Mollie shyly says, "Hi."
Tyde and I exchange another concerned look. "Mollie, what is the matter?" Tyde asks.
Mollie shakes her head. While leaving the apartment complex, I debate whether or not to go through with our plans to go to the farmer's market today. I am about to ask Tyde and Aria how they would feel about a change in plans, when, as suddenly as the silence came over her, the silence washes away. Mollie's chattering begins to fill the car once more.
I give Tyde a look, and she merely shrugs her shoulders. "Maybe its a toddler-thing." Tyde says.
Or maybe its not. I think to myself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Daddy," Mollie says pulling on my hand. I glance away from the jars of jams I was looking at displayed on tables at one of the many stalls at the farmer's market. I look down at Mollie, she has a frustrated expression on her face. "Daddy, shoulders." she says.
I glance around at the crowd of people, I can imagine that all Mollie is seeing is a sea of legs. I look back down at her. "Can we say 'please'?"
YOU ARE READING
No Shame (Book 2 - No Regrets)
Teen FictionThere are events that you hear about but never want to experience. The seams of my old life seemed to finally find their place in the tapestry of my new one. Yet, one horrible day, all the seams were yanked out. Forced to rebuild my life, I find mys...
