Chapter 140 Mall
Liam’s brows creased.
The file read PATERNITY DNA RESULT.
He stared at the report.
“Liam” Heaven called out.
He snapped out of the haze and put the file back into the compartment.
“Did you find any?”
“No mama.” He answered, his heart beating erratic.
“Never mind, we will find one inside the mall”
“Becca,” Heaven called her a pet name and stretched her hand for the little girl to take.
Rebecca looked at the soft smile on her mommy’s face and finally took it tightly. Gently they walked towards the building.
Liam tagged along beside them, his mind still circling on the words that were written over the file.
Inside the supermarket, Heaven took a large trolley.
“Liam, please hold her so I can get what she needs and we can then go get her clothes.”
“Okay, mama,” Liam said, still absent-minded.
He laced his hand with Rebecca. The little girl didn’t mind that she felt safe with him.
She began putting the things Rebecca would be needing. Toothbrush, hairbrush, hair packers, face cream, wipes.
They passed through the line that sold plush toys and teddy bears. Rebecca stopped moving. Liam tugged at her hand but she wouldn’t bulge.
He turned to her.
“You can’t be scared of everything, Becca” he sighed like he was about to begin a lecture too serious for his age.
“They are not alive, they are man made..”
“Brother Liam I’m not scared of it,” she told him. She liked it but grandpa told her it was expensive and couldn’t be afforded so he crafted one for her from his old clothes.
Liam followed her gaze to a medium-sized pink teddy bear with soft white button eyes and a little black bow.
“So you want one?” he asked.
Rebecca looked down at her feet, twisting her fingers together. “No.”
Liam studied her for a second. Then he let go of her hand.
“Wait here,” he said.
He walked straight into the plush toy section without hesitation.
Heaven was two aisles ahead reaching for a detangler spray. Not noticing the kids were not following.
Liam stopped in front of the teddy bear Rebecca had been staring at. He reached up on his tiptoes, pulled it down from the shelf, then he marched back to her and held it out.
“Pick any other one you want,” he said simply. “I’ll get it for you.”
Rebecca’s eyes widened. She looked from the bear in his arms to his face, then back again.
“Really?” she whispered.
Liam nodded. “Brothers are supposed to do that, right? Get things for their little sisters.”
Rebecca’s heart melted. She reached out slowly and took the teddy bear, hugging it tight against her chest.
“Thank you, Brother Liam.”
He nodded.
The sales attendants approached smiling professionally until her smile shifted to Rebecca’s oversized hospital clothes and her tangled hair.
“Little kids you can’t take that, go get your mother to come make payments.” She said curtly.
Rebecca’s hand tightened around the bear.
Liam pulled out his phone from his pocket.
“Where would I make the payment?” He asked calmly.
The attendant blinked at the little boy,she looked him up and down.
“This way,” she said leading him to the counter:
Liam turned to Rebecca, “wait right here.”
She blinked and nodded, clutching the bear.
As Liam walked away a little girl dressed beautifully in pink channel clothes, walked towards the teddy stores. A woman dressed in a maid cloth assumed to be her nanny walked behind her.
“It’s all sold out!!” The little girl screeched, stomping her feet.
“Miss Rosie, maybe we should pick another one,” the nanny tried. “There are so many—”
Rosie turned and saw a girl dressed shabbily holding the exact teddy she wanted.
“Hey,” she marched over. “Hand is over to me,”
Rebecca looked up, startled. “No. It’s mine. Brother Liam said I can have it.”
Rosie scoffed “From the way you look I doubt you or your brother will be able to afford it.”
She yanked at the teddy.
Rebecca stumbled forward, clutching it tighter, in fear . Her eyes darted around lost, searching for Heaven or Liam, but she was alone.
The commotion attracted the attention of another attendant .
“What’s going on?”
Seeing it was escalating the nanny intervened “Miss Rosie, she picked it up first, let it go”
“She picked it up but she doesn’t have money for it,”
The little girl turned to the attendant. “I will pay double for it, can I have it?”
The attendants eyes widened, double the amount meant if she was doing her account for the day she could keep the extra cash.
She moved to a scared Rebecca who had tears hanging on her eyes while clutching what her brother gave her.
“Little girl, can you please hand it to me,” the attendants bent down. Her voice was falsely sweet.
“No, it’s mine, brother Liam said I can have it.”
“Where’s this brother of yours?,” the assistant asked.
“He went over there.” She pointed towards the direction.
The rich girl lost her patience and yanked harder.
Rebecca whimpered, holding on with everything she had.
Heaven was done picking out the things Rebecca needed. She turned and didn’t find them behind her, fear gripped her.
“Did you see two kid–“ she described to a random stranger who shook their head.
She retraced her steps quickly, her head whipping through the different aisles then she saw few people gathered.
She moved past until she saw Rebecca was in a tug-of-war over the teddy bear with another girl.
“What’s going on here ?” Heaven's voice raised an octave.
There was a pause. Rosie pulled back
Rebecca’s voice whipped towards the direction of her voice not letting go of the teddy
“Mommy Brother Liam said I could have it and she wants to take it away.” Her lips quivered.
Her tiny voice sounded.
“You can’t take what you haven’t paid for, it's stealing call security ,” Rosie’s voice rang out.
“Who said the payment hasn’t been made?” Liam came out from the counter area in time his eyes narrowed at Rosie.
“What?” Rosie whipped her head.
“You are taking what someone has paid for and that’s stealing. It wouldn’t be your first time since stealing is your hobby.” Liam said bluntly.
Rosie's face was drained of color. Liam was her arch enemy at school.
“Apologize for making my sister cry. Now”
“I.. I didn’t know she was your sister.” Rosie stammered.
“I don’t mind us going to security and I will show them your previous record,” he raised his phone up.
“I’m so sorry,” Rosie apologized. Her nanny pulled her away before the matter escalated more.
Heaven quickly pulled Rebecca close. “Are you hurt?” She said, wiping the tears from her face.
“No mommy,.” She smiled
Meanwhile in another area of mall,
Havilah picked the tenth item into the trolley. Butler Rose creased her brows.
“Little young miss,all this doesn’t look like what you would need. What do you need, a clipper and a shaving lotion..”
“It's not for me.” She said
As she came out of the roll she was greeted by her friend's face.
She bolted with lightning speed.
“Liam!”
Her hand wrapped around his waist. “Liam I didn’t expect to see you here,”
Liam’s ears turned red immediately.
Heaven looked at her son and the blonde girl who held him and smiled sweetly in surprise.
“Well I’m here.” Liam answered awkwardly.
Butler Rose was short sighted; she had managed to walk fast to keep up with Avi. When she saw who the little girl hugged, shock gripped her.
It was a face she couldn’t forget.
“Avi, my mama is watching, let me go.”
Butler Rose turned slowly.
“First young madam?”