Diamond Pumps

16. Beauty, shopping, parenting too

Misty and Ash were out shopping in the mall. Yes, for clothes. Ash was tired of hearing Misty all the time talk about how if she had the money he has, she'd be buying more clothes instead of wearing the same suit three days in a row. She called it fashion faux pas. Ash didn't even know what that meant, but he didn't like the sound of it.

"I'm so excited~." Misty hugged Ash's arm, giggling. "I LOVE shopping!"

"I can see."

"I used to go suits shopping with Rudy all the time!"

Ash scoffed.  "Yeah, cool."

"Jelly Ash." She poked his cheek.

"Why would I be jealous of him? He's friend-zoned for eternity." Ash and Misty have gone way too far with their love life and Rudy was really, really, really behind. He'd never catch up with Ash.

"That isn't nic-..."

Misty stopped walking. She was looking somewhere. Ash asked, "What? What's wrong?"

"That child over there." Misty pointed to a toddler standing by himself on the other side of the mall. "He looks lost."

Ash tilted his head. "Really?" Well, the child was looking right and left... "Okay, maybe we should get a security agent."

Misty let go of Ash's arm and rushed toward the child.

"What? Hey!" Ash wasn't expecting that reaction from her. He quickly followed after her.

"Are you lost?" Misty bent down to the toddler's level. Ash just stood behind her. He had no experience whatsoever with kids. He couldn't remember the last time he had to deal with a child.

The boy, who looked around four or five, nodded.

"Oh, sweetie." Misty frowned. She stroked his hair. "We are going to look for your parents. Don't worry."

"That's not our job." Ash made a face.

"Get the security," Misty told Ash.

"Okay, okay..."

"No, wait, before you go." Misty stuffed her hand in Ash's pockets and took out all the chocolate pieces he had collected from every time he ordered those fancy espressos.

"That's mine!"

"Look at this poor child!" Misty whispered. The boy stood beside Misty, her being the most trust-able person for him at the moment.

"It's dark chocolate and it goes with coffee. He won't eat it!" Ash rolled his eyes and started walking away, trying to find a security agent.

"Okay, let's sit there. We should wait for security to find your mommy and daddy." Misty grabbed the boy by the hand and took him to a bench nearby. She sat beside him and gave him one of the chocolates. "Do you want chocolate?"

"Yes!"

Misty watched him happily as he ate the chocolate. Ash was wrong. He did like the taste of the dark chocolate. He even asked for more. "What's your name?"

"Tommy." Misty wiped the chocolate stains off his cheek with her napkin.

"And what's yours?" The boy asked.

"Misty."

"You are very beautiful, Miss Misty."

"Aren't you sweet?" Oh God, she wished she could take this child with her home.

Ash was back with a security agent. The man said he could take it from here and keep the child with him while they do the announcement, but Misty refused.

"We'll keep him here."

"Mist?" Ash blinked.

"He wants to stay with me! Right?" Misty grabbed the boy's hand. "Do you want to stay with me?"

"Yes!"

"What does the boy even-..." Ash sighed heavily. He turned toward the security agent who had no idea what was going on. "Uhm, can you use the shops as a reference?"

He let a chuckle. "I need to take the child to our office."

"Okay, fine!" Misty got up. "I'm going with him. I need to make sure he's okay."

Honestly, Ash had no idea what was going on with Misty. She was getting too protective of a kid that wasn't hers and it was starting to make the security guard suspicious.

Ash turned to look at the guy. "She works with... children... often."

The boy's parents showed up at the security office pretty quickly after the announcement. Ash and Misty stayed around the whole time since the redhead refused to move anywhere. She talked and played with him, all under Ash's curious looks.

"Byye!" Misty waved back at Tommy who was waving at her.

She turned around to a rather amused Ash.

"Are you judging me?"

"No, not at all." Ash chuckled. "I didn't know you had so many talents, parenting included."

"I'm a superwoman. I'm everything you'd ever want."

"Hah, of course you are."

Misty giggled. She approached him. "I just hate seeing children in distress."

"I understand." Misty was really caring and he learned that when she stayed by his side after he fell ill. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that she had to care for herself for a long time, or maybe she just could be empathetic with everyone – and that made of a great person. Ash loved how thoughtful she was. He just... loved her, all of her.

"I don't give that impression, do I?"

"Do you want me to remind you of the time we first met?"