Tryst with Destiny: The End of the Beginning

105: A Test of Bonds

"Hello." the girl replies in a sweet embarrassed tone.

"Hello there. My name is Serena. Don't be afraid. Who're you?" Serena asks the girl.

"My name is Alice. Have you seen my mommy?" the girl asks in a shy tone.

"Umm. No. Is mommy invited to my wedding?" Serena asks.

"No. She just vanished. I have been looking for her for 10 minutes." Alice replies.

"Maybe she had to go somewhere?" Ash suggests. Alice immediately gives Ash a questioning look.

"Don't worry about him. He's Ash, my husband we just got married here." Serena says in a comforting tone as she gently pats the girl's shoulders in order to calm her down.

"Oh. You got married here?" Alice answers in a curious tone.

"Yes. I did. A little while back actually." Serena replies.

"That's nice. I like weddings. A week back, I was the flower girl in one of my relative's weddings." Alice says in an excited bubbly voice.

"Well, that's good." Serena says.

"Why don't we do this. I'll have people go and look for your mother. Meanwhile, you stay here. When your mother comes back you can go with her. Is that fine with you?" Ash asks in a warm tone.

"Yes. I like weddings. I like cake and seeing jewellery." Alice responds while smiling.

"Well, why don't we let you have some cake while you wait?" Serena asks.

"Yippee. That'll be wonderful." Alice squeals in excitement. On Serena's indication, a server comes and gives Alice a piece of cake.

"Please stay with me. I feel a little lonely." Alice replies as she sees Ash and Serena almost leaving.

"Of course sweetie. Whatever you want." Serena says.

"Can you both come close to me and bend down till you are at my level? I want to have some fun with you." Alice asks. Both Ash and Serena glance at each other before smiling.

"Of course." they reply while bending down.

"What is it? What fun did you wish to have?" Ash asks in a sweet tone. Alice mischievously smiles back.

"Close your eyes." Alice says in a mischevious tone while grinning.

"OK." Ash and Serena say in unison as they close their eyes while smiling. However the very next second they feel a cold chocolaty sensation on their skin and their clothes. They open their eyes in shock as they realize that Alice has smeared their faces and clothes with chocolate cake. Everyone is shocked beyond belief as they see Ash and Serena wipe their faces with Ash's handkerchief. All of Ash's buddies have put their hands on their faces as they try not to burst into laughter while their girlfriends glare at them for such childish behaviour.

The only thing that goes through Grace and Delia's mind is the expensive dresses, which were more than 75,000 poke francs individually, have been ruined. The mouths of all the other guests are hanging open as they see Alice laugh her lungs out at the sight of Ash and Serena's condition.

"That was a fun prank." Alice chimes in a sweet innocent tone as Ash and Serena stare at her in wonderment knowing that she has ruined their dinner dresses for the night.

"You aren't mad at me. Are you?" Alice replies in a softer tone as she stops laughing. She then looks down on the floor and her feet start shuffling. Everyone breathes a sigh of relief when they see Serena's hand reach over and sweetly ruffle the hair of the little girl.