LIBERTY

Chapter VI

Libby strolled around the store, running her hands over the numerous clothes hanging on the racks. Her arms ached from all the bags nestled on the inside of her elbows. She liked shopping and getting new stuff but that's where the fun ended. The crowded mall, the heavy bags, the noisy people, the heat and a hyper best friend were the ingredients for a perfect headache – and Libby could already feel the pressure pounding behind her eyes.

The youngest McCoy looked around in search for Chloe who had once again disappeared. Libby found an empty bench and dragged her aching feet to it. She sat down, put her bags next to her before looking for her phone.

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?"

At the soft and gentle voice, Libby looked op from her purse to gaze at a brown haired woman with the kindest blue eyes she'd ever seen. Libby noticed the woman still looked fairly young and assumed she couldn't be older than forty years old.

"Oh I'm sorry, no, please go ahead," Libby offered politely as she moved her bags aside to create more space.

"Thank you," the lady smiled gently.

Libby smiled back before going back to search for her phone. She couldn't it and cursed under her breath when she remembered where she had left it. She only had 10 percent when she left the house after she couldn't find her charger. She was certain that Axel took hers again. Adam always wanted her to be available when she went out, so she had decided to let it charge in Chloe's car.

Zipping up her purse, Libby craned her neck in hopes of catching sight of her friend but sighed when Chloe was nowhere to be seen.

"Looking for someone?" the lady sitting next to her asked.

"Oh, just a friend of mine," Libby replied sheepishly.

"Did you try calling her?"

Libby bit the inside of her cheek sheepishly. "I kinda forgot my phone in her car. I'm sure I'll bump into her, she wouldn't leave without me."

"You can use my phone if you want," she offered. "Do you have her number?"

"Oh you're a life saver Mrs. ... "

"Ava. Ava Walker."

"Thank you Mrs. Walker," Libby smiled.

"Oh don't make me feel so old now, just call me Ava," she insisted with a playful wink.

Libby nodded in gratitude before dialing her best friend.

"Hello?"

"Chloe, it's Libby. Where are you?"

"Uh, getting something to eat?"

Leave it to Chloe to put her stomach on the first place. Libby rubbed her fingers over her forehead, eyes pinched as she tried to keep the headache under control. "I'm on the second floor, right across the kid's store. Hurry up."

Libby didn't wait for her friend's response and hung up. She wished she could say more but she didn't think it would be polite to say it out loud with Ava sitting next to her. She handed the phone back to the woman.

"Thank you, Ava."

"You're welcome," she smiled back. "So your name's Libby."

Libby mentally face-palmed herself – she didn't even introduce herself. "It's Liberty but everyone calls me Libby."

A somber shadow flashed across the woman's features. Libby was confused and thought had said something wrong. Her frown deepened with confusion..

"I'm sorry," the woman briefly shook her head, her brown curls bouncing around her heart shaped face. "It's just, the name Libby, I know someone close to my heart with the same name."