"Oh. Isaac," she said, her voice slipping back into that familiar calm, polite tone. "What a coincidence to see you here."
Isaac didn't even bother to play along.
"It's not a coincidence. I've been searching for you."
Her brows drew together slightly, confusion settling on her face.
"Searching?"
"You're late for the event."
Celia blinked once. Then again.
She pulled out her phone, checked the time, and immediately paled.
"Oh no."
She placed her hand over her forehead, then groaned.
"Arlene is going to give me an earful."
Isaac waited, watching her glance back at the kids still playing nearby.
Her eyes lingered on them longer than necessary, and for a moment, it looked like she was considering staying anyway.
"What happened?" he asked.
Celia sighed. "Their toy broke. I tried fixing it, but I couldn't. Then one thing led to another, and… well, I guess I lost track of time."
He didn't respond immediately.
