As we reached, I noticed someone already waiting for me. "Hello sir, I am Richard Menon from The Headline Hub. If you are not busy, I would like to have a minute with you," the man said with a bright smile, extending his hand for a handshake.
I refused him and told him to get lost. I had no interest in listening to his nonsense or wasting the valuable time I wanted to enjoy with my family.
(On his way back, Richard slipped a small piece of paper to Bella while I was busy settling Leo in the car.)
"Come on, honey, let's go. We don't have time to waste." She sat in the car, but when I turned and looked at her, she seemed tense.
"You're okay, right?" I asked.
"Yeah, I'm all good. Let's go," she replied, wearing a mask to hide her stress. I didn't investigate any further and simply did as she instructed.
As soon as we arrived, my son jumped out of the car and stood amazed near the entry gate. My wife ran after him to catch up, and in the meantime, I drove the car toward the parking lot. When I reached, I noticed it was overcrowded, so I decided to park in the mall parking just beside it. That lot was also filled but not overcrowded, since parking there wasn't free of cost—but I had plenty of cash with me.
After parking the car, I paid the fees and started walking toward the fare. On my way back, I noticed someone's back. I froze in shock when I realized it was Bella, standing on the opposite roadside. She was talking to someone in front of a flower shop, but I couldn't see who it was—the person was standing directly in front of her, blocking my view.
More shockingly, I noticed that Leo was not with her. I froze on the footpath, unable to move, trying to figure out what she was saying. But her voice was low, and that stranger didn't move at all, so I couldn't make out his posture. From this distance, I could only guess that he had broad shoulders and was wearing a long black overcoat.
I decided to rush toward her, but as soon as I took my first step, my phone rang. It was Bella's number—but she was standing right in front of me, not even moving a finger.
I picked up the call. It was Leo on the other side. "Daddy, where are you? We're waiting for you in the cafeteria."
"Is Mommy there with you?" I asked.
"No, she's standing in the queue, collecting food. We ordered some."
"Can you see her?" I pressed.
"Let me check… Umm… yeah! I can see her."
"What! Are you sure, Leo?" I asked, shocked.
"Yes, it's Mumma. Now come back fast, okay?"
After hearing this, I was confused. My heart was pounding, and when I looked back, there was no one. I ran as fast as I could toward the fair and that damned cafeteria. But just before the main gate, an old woman came in my way. I almost dashed into her but stopped. Still, she fell to the ground.
"Sorry, young man, I wasn't able to see you coming. My vision has started becoming blurry with age, and I dropped my glasses somewhere here. Help me find them."
"Okay, I'll find them," I replied, and began searching.
After a while, I found the glasses lying beside a cycle on the footpath, a foot away from her. "Oh, you found them, thank you. Now hand them over to me." I gave her the glasses and rushed toward the cafeteria.
When I reached, my eyes started moving frantically, searching for my son and wife. Finally, I spotted them. They were eating hamburgers, sipping milkshakes, and enjoying the drinks they had ordered—without me. And Leo was right; Bella was sitting just beside him.
Maybe that was just an illusion. Or maybe it was someone else. I decided to shrug off the thought of her being there.
"Oh, thank God you're here. I thought it would take you a year to park the car and come back," my wife said mockingly.
"Yeah, the parking was overcrowded," I replied.
Then we had our meal and planned the sequence of rides we were about to take.
After deciding, we rushed toward the rides. We played lots of games—gun shooting, ring toss, goldfish catch, and more. We had a lot of fun, though Bella seemed a bit stressed the whole time.
We decided to take a break and sat at a table near the stage. Coincidentally, the chief guest—the Mayor of our city—arrived.
"I think it's time to give a break to the break."
"Right, Daddy, but I need to use the washroom. It's an emergency."
"Okay, let's go," I said, taking my son to the restroom.
10 minutes later—
Leo, are you done?"
"Yes, Daddy, let's go."
I lifted him up to the sink slab, and both of us washed our hands. We moved toward the exit, but I suddenly realized I had left my handkerchief in the washroom. So, I placed Leo at the entrance and went back to retrieve it.
After a while, I returned and walked toward the stage. But Bella was no longer at the table. I set Leo down on the chair and ran in search of her.
Eventually, I found her—again talking to someone whose face wasn't visible. This time, I was determined not to miss that person. I didn't need to step into the light; just a slight change in my angle would reveal their face.
Finally, I saw it. Unexpectedly, it was that chatterbox Noella. "Why? Why is she here? I need to run away before she notices me," I thought, turning back to vanish like salt in water.
"Oh! Mr. Anderson, where are you going? Please allow me to greet you," she called out. And I was caught—everything was over.
"Coming, Mrs. Weinstein," I replied.
"Why were you hiding there?" my wife asked.
"Just checking whether you had any secret lover or not," I answered.
"And what did you find out?" she countered.
I decided to answer smartly. "I am the most handsome man in the world."
"Yes, indeed you are, Mr. Anderson," that chatterbox responded.
"And how?" my wife pressed.
"Because with me, you're not able to find anyone else."
"Oh! Mr. Aiden, you are very flirty," Noella teased again. I don't know why she acts so shy—I hadn't even said a word to her, yet look at her expressions, her posture, her tone. My wife could hardly control her laughter; her face turned pink. Pink like the plums I was eating in my dream, which stirred an urge to kiss her inside me. But thanks to that chatterbox, it wasn't possible at that moment.
Suddenly, Jr. Weinstein came running and dashed into me.
"Oh, baby, be careful—you might hurt Mr. Anderson. Now, come on, say sorry to him," Noella ordered.
"But Mummy…"
"I told you to apologize, so apologize right now!" she shouted.
"Sorry, Mr. Aiden. I didn't do it purposely."
Of course, he did it purposely. He never liked me, because I'm the only one Noella makes her son apologize to. Otherwise, she is very proud of him and never admits his mistakes.
Bang!
"What's that sound? Is that a gunshot?"
For the first time in her life, Noella was right—it was a gunshot. And the sound came from the stage's side.
Both of us rushed toward the stage door, as Leo was still there. When we reached, I found him hiding right under the table where I had left him. We saw that the mayor had been shot. I took Leo into my arms and ran toward the exit with Bella.
At the entrance of the fare, I realized the car was parked far ahead. So, I handed Leo to Bella and sprinted off to get it. I finally reached the car, started it, and drove back to them.
As they settled inside, I noticed a stranger nearby—broad shoulders, a long black coat, the same as before. But this time, I saw something else: a scar. A long scar ran across his neck, and it looked disturbingly familiar.
I didn't have enough time to think about it. Once my family was safely in the car, I pressed the accelerator and sped away from that place. Yet the image of that scar kept circling in my mind, refusing to let go.