With Crayons and Love (Romantic Suspense) [COMPLETED]

Chapter 6 - Charming

I somehow managed to wake up before Stella, having set a vibrating alarm on my phone the night before. She seemed a heavy sleeper, since the vibration hadn't irked her awake as it did me. I had almost thrown a pillow at the intrusion made by my cell.

And now, as I grabbed a t-shirt and yoga pants and headed to my bathroom, I was as freaking irritable as a bloody bear poked out of hibernation. By a cellphone. But I knew, nevertheless, that if I was to get in a good hour of yoga, I'd have to do so as Stella slept. I was still scared of her, scared enough to hesitate at the thought of leaving her unsupervised as I meditated myself to Zen.

And I desperately needed some time for myself.

After I combed down the tangled mane of my hair, and washed up, I flew for my mat. The beautiful purple thing.

It was a good session. I had used the computer and logged into my DoYogaWithMe account, engaging in the soothing wiles of Hatha with a female instructor that had been blessed with the voice of Buddha. Afterward I set about making some eggs for Stella and myself, as well as a fresh cup of coffee and a few slices of toast. 

She wobbled half asleep to the kitchen some fifteen minutes later, and all but tripped over her own foot.

"Stella, honey. You still a little sleepy?" I was grinning as I served the two plates.

"Mhm," she murmured, "but I wanted to play, so I got up."

Play. Jesus, Stella wanted to play.

Surprisingly I wasn't bothered much, or at all, and I judged my agreeableness to be a product of the yoga.

"Alright, after breakfast we'll get you clean and dressed, then we'll head out into the city." I surprised myself even further with a few unexpected words.

Her eyes glinted. "Really? What will we do? I've never been to Chinago before."

I chuckled. "Chicago, you mean? And we'll do something fun, I think. Maybe some shopping and the park afterward. And lunch."

"Cool! Is the park big?" Gigantic, I thought. Millennium Park was not wee of size.

"Pretty big. It's the one that comes out in the movies with a big metal bean. Wait till you see what it does, too."

"What does it do?" Her little feet wiggled with anticipation.

"You'll see. Now is time for breakfast. I'm starved."

She rubbed her tummy. "Yeah, me too."

***

The mall was lively, even on a Tuesday morning. Tourists, it seemed, were bustling to the shops in the wee hours of the morning in order to get themselves a head start. They knew it would get further crowded in the afternoon.

I had checked the mall's directory online before heading out, making sure I actually had a feel of what a children's store was. It seemed Gymboree and Gap Kids were my best bets, apart from the bigger department stores that sold a little bit of everything. I preferred a smaller setting myself, just in case Stella wandered off in search of a multicolored skirt or shiny shoes, and because I was fairly certain that a big store would dismantle the thin threads of my patience before I found anything I'd like to purchase.

"What kind of things do you like to wear?"

Stella looked around her, a few feet below me, and surveyed the site of Gap Kids.

"I have clothes," she said, her voice small. I knew she had remembered something. Maybe her mother had taken her out every once in a while to the mall. It could've been a bond I was intruding on.