Thanks to the monkey and his mother, the children now refuse to go back to playing in the playground. They're looking at it like it's their worst enemy, gloom looming over their small faces.
Damn it. They were having so much fun earlier, too. From what I've gathered, it's not often that they get to go out. And that Karen just had to ruin their day!
That frigging woman, I should have wrung her neck—
"Is everything alright…?"
Melissa's voice travels to my ears, and I snap my head toward her. She doesn't seem to be in a hurry to leave, even though I've been ignoring her in favor of taking care of the kids. I've taken the time to greet her, but that's all.
I mean, between catching up with an old acquaintance and calming down the children, the choice is easy to make.
"Yeah, we just had a little encounter with a Karen a moment ago."
"Ah, I see."
She offers me a sympathetic smile and a knowing nod. She turns her head toward an ice cream booth standing in a corner, near the playground.
"Maybe an ice cream would help lift the children's mood? What do you think?"
"No, they're lactose intolerant."
"We can ask for—"
Melissa stops mid-sentence, her eyes widening slightly. I smile, and she gets the cue. She has always been very adept at sensing spiritual energy, and I guess the inability to tell whether the kids in my arms are human or not has thrown her off.
Jordan did tell me about how good his species is at concealing their spiritual traces. Honestly, I've been skeptical. Well, not anymore.
"Right. I did hear about your marriage. Are they…?"
"My husband's kids, yes."
"Dad," Ellena sniffles, peering at me. "We're your kids, too, no?"
…No, you're not. Don't mingle the present with the future—wait. No, I'm not going to think about what that entails.
For now, let's just say yes.
"I am, but Jordan is still your biological father, while I'm not."
A pout purses her lips.
Oi! Why are you offended?! Would you rather I be your biological father or something?!
"If you can't be our biological dad, then can you be our biological mom?"
I almost choke on my spit. What the heck are you saying, Elois?!
And what has Eve been teaching them, for fuck's sake?! No, wait, I don't want to know.
A light chuckle echoes, and I glance at Melissa with a wronged expression. Why is this one laughing at my expenses now? Try handling these kids, and see how it goes for you!
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she waves her hands in a sign of surrender. "It's just that, well, I've rarely seen you this… You know? Relaxed?"
Relaxed? Me? Has she gone blind?
"Hum, do you have some time? We haven't had the chance to catch up lately, and I don't know when we'll meet again, so, hum..."
I pinch my lips.
My clan has always been trash, but even amid trash, there's been some gems hidden beneath the layers of garbage. Melissa is such a gem. A gentle soul who has always stood up like a sore thumb in that hell.
—One of the few who actually showed me kindness back then.
"Do you mind if I catch up with my friend?"
But first things first, let's ask the kids for permission. Yes, I'm being careful. I'm not dealing with a throwing fit later 'cause I haven't given them enough attention. I've seen that happen too often in TV drama.
Both children shake their heads. Yet they latch onto me like octopuses, eying Melissa with suspicion.
I don't know whether to be happy about not having a jealous-possessive husband, but having children who are.
Well, whatever.
It could be worse.
Anyway. I drag my feet and the hanging kids on my thighs to a bench, plopping on the cushion. Ellena climbs on my right, while Elois goes to my left. They attach themselves to my arms, now that they can't do so with my thighs.
Sure, sure, do whatever the hell you want. As long as they're not throwing a fit, I don't care.
I tilt my head to the side, gesturing for Melissa to sit beside Elois, and she awkwardly does so. Meanwhile, Todd is back with my coffee. He doesn't comment and hands me the steaming hot cup instead before moving beside the bench, standing upright like a bodyguard.
"So, how's life been for you?"
The opening question makes me pause for an instant. I think back on these past two weeks. Things… have been going well, in fact. No ashtrays and wine bottles have been thrown at my face, as of yet.
"Quite well, actually. You?"
"Busy, I'll say."
Oh, so some supernatural beings are being a pain in the butt, and she's in charge of the hunt. She's younger than me by a year, but she's been going out on hunts since she was a teen, so she has a lot more experience than me. I'm not without experience myself, of course, but I can't compare to her.
Melissa is one of the few geniuses of my generation, and that's not always a good thing. She's not used as canon fodder like others, but she's already gotten scarred and battered too many times.
"Crazy busy?"
"Crazy busy." She laughs. "Even right now, I'm in the middle of working. I'm cheating and taking a break, though."
Meaning that thing attacks in the day, too. What an annoying little shit.
"Anyway, did you know? Rumors about your legendary wedding have been flying about in the field. Did you really…? You know, do that?"
I spit out the coffee back into the cup at the question. By that, she probably means walking down the aisle in my underwear and high heels. She's known me to be a calm, rational kind of guy, so it's warranted that she asks.
"Well, I'm actually quite spiteful."
And at the time, I didn't have to care about the consequences of acting up.
"Is that so?"
Another laugh echoes, melodious and full of life. Despite the hardship, Melissa has always been quick to smile and laugh.
"Miria has been seething in anger since then, you know? I'm lucky since I'm out on hunts, but others aren't as lucky."
"The punching bag is gone, so someone else has to replace it. I'm sorry, but I've got no sympathy for any of them."
"As you should."
A silence settles between us. It's not a heavy one; no, it's comfortable, and we quietly watch the people walk by.
Melissa is probably one of the few people from that place whom I can call a 'friend'. We've never been particularly close, but she's tended to my wounds a few times and has snuck some food to my room a few other times.
Her sunshine personality has always been agreeable, too.
"Alright, I should probably get back to work."
A grimace distorts my face at the reminder. Still, she has things to do and can't laze around all day, lest she wants Miria to vent her frustration on her next. So, she pushes herself up to her feet.
"I'm glad to see you've been doing well." She offers me a bright smile. "I'm also glad you've managed to get away from that house. Maybe not in the way you'd have liked, but—"
"Don't worry."
I cut her off. It's my turn to offer a smile, which seems to stun her. Things might be awkward with Jordan, and the kids are clingy monsters, but I can't deny that life has been going smoothly there.
Compared to before, at least.
"It looks like being married off was one of the best things that could have happened to me."
She eyes the children, who are marking their territories by hugging me tighter, and shakes her head in amusement.
Yeah, I know. No need to laugh.
A moment later, Melissa turns on her heels, waving her hand back to us as goodbye. She quickly disappears in the crowd, her long ginger hair the last thing I see.
Now that she's gone, I'm about to ask the kids what they want to do when Elois lets out something that sounds like a half-sigh, half-whine.
"Hm? Is something wrong?"
"I don't know… It's just that I feel really sad. Really, really sad."
I frown as the boy lifts his misty eyes to me. Are you really that jealous….? I've only talked to her for a few minutes, come on!
Why are kids so dramatic?!