Chapter 211 My Angel | 104

Chapter 211 My Angel | 104
NOELLE

The mall is too bright, or is it just me? I'm standing in the middle of it with one hand braced against my lower back and the other wrapped around a shopping bag I absolutely did not need.

"I'm just saying," I mutter, shifting my weight, "bed rest was a suggestion. Not a prison sentence."

Beside me, Danika hums in a way that tells me she does not agree even a little.

"It was not a suggestion," she says calmly, adjusting her sunglasses as she scans the corridor. "It was a very clear instruction."

I snort.

"From people who panic if Azren sneezes too hard."

She lowers her glasses just enough to give me a look.

"...they watched him stop breathing for sixty seconds."

"...okay, fair," I mumble.

I roll my shoulders.

"I feel fine," I insist. "Better than fine, actually.”

Danika's lips twitch.

"You are glowing," she admits. "But that doesn't mean you should be wandering around a crowded mall like you're indestructible."

I gesture vaguely at myself.

"I literally helped close the Veil."

"And now you're carrying two very powerful babies," she shoots back. "Which means you have even more of a reason to be careful."

I sigh. She's being dramatic.

We move into a baby store, and I immediately forget my argument.

"Oh my goodness," I whisper.

Tiny clothes. Tiny socks. Tiny everything.

My heart does a stupid little flip.

Danika watches me quietly, her expression softening in that way that makes my chest feel warm.

"Help yourself," she says gently.

I don't need to be told twice. I pick up the smallest onesie I've ever seen in my life.

"This is illegal," I gasp. "There's no way something this small is real."

Danika laughs.

"Oh, it gets worse."

"Worse?"

"You'll see socks so small you'll question your entire existence."

I stare at the onesie.

"...I already am."

A few minutes later, I'm holding up two outfits, completely serious.

"Okay. Important question."

Danika folds her arms, amused. "Go on."

"Do we dress them the same or do we go for individual personality from birth?"

She raises a brow.

"You're planning their personalities already?"

"Yes."

"...of course you are."

I nod, satisfied. "Good. I'm glad we're on the same page."

We move deeper into the store, and I slow down slightly, one hand drifting to my belly. They shift a little, and a smile spreads on my face.

Danika notices immediately.

"They're active today?" she asks.

"Very," I say softly. "I think they like it here."

She draws closer, her hand hovering for a second before she rests it over mine.

"They can feel you," she says. "Your mood and your energy."

I glance at her.

"...did Azren do this too?"

She beams. "Oh, he was worse."

My eyes light up instantly.

"Tell me everything."

Danika leans against the display table like she's settling in for a story.

"That boy," she starts, already smiling, "refused to let me sit still."

I blink.

"...what?"

"He would kick—no—launch himself the second I tried to rest."

I laugh.

"That sounds about right."

"I once tried to nap," she continues. "Just a small nap. Within minutes, it felt like he was staging a rebellion in my ribs."

I gasp.

"He hated naps?"

"He hated everything that wasn't chaos."

I press a hand to my belly, horrified.

"...Azren."

Another small kick happens. Danika laughs.

"Oh, you have no idea what you're in for."

We move towards the seating area, and she gently nudges me down onto a cushioned bench.

"Sit."

"I don't need to—"

"Sit."

...I sit.

She nods, satisfied.

"Good."

I cross my arms slightly.

"You're enjoying this too much."

"A little," she admits.

She sits beside me, her tone softening again.

"But listen," she says, turning slightly toward me. "You're doing well. Really well."

I glance at her.

"You think so?"

"I know so."

Her hand squeezes mine.

"And you won't be alone in this."

I gulp.

"...I know."

"I mean it," she adds. "When they do come? I'll be there. Whatever you need. Sleep, food, help, advice—"

She smiles warmly.

"Or just someone to tell you you're doing amazing when you feel like you're not."

My throat tightens.

"...thank you."

She brushes my hair back gently.

"You're family," she says.

Then she eyes me.

"...also, you are absolutely not escaping supervision."

I groan.

"Oh my god—"

"I raised Azren," she says calmly. "Do you really think I'm letting his wife roam around unsupervised while carrying his children?"

"...you make me sound like a liability."

"You're not. You're my precious treasure," she says sweetly.

"...wait," I frown.

She raises a brow.

"What?"

I narrow my eyes at her. "You said he was chaotic as a baby."

"I did."

"And now I'm carrying two of his children."

"...yes."

I stare at her.

"...I'm in danger."

Danika bursts out laughing.

"Oh, sweetheart," she says, patting my hand.

"You have no idea."

Oh fuck.

....

Danika walks beside me, one eye casually scanning everything like she's on a security sweep and the other on me as if I might just spontaneously trip over air.

"I'm fine," I mutter.

"You said that five minutes ago," she replies calmly.

"And I'm still fine."

"Mhm."

I pout. Gosh, I love her. She's so protective over me. Like I'm her little baby.

We turn into a quieter wing of the mall with softer lighting, the noise fading into something distant.

And that's when I see her. I stop walking right away.

Danika takes one more step before noticing I'm no longer beside her. She turns.

"Noelle?"

I don't answer. Because across the corridor is her...

Eleanor.

She looks... different. Utterly drained.

Her skin is pale, almost grey under the lights. Her shoulders are slumped as if something heavy has been sitting on them for too long. And her eyes are hollow.

For a moment, I wonder if I'm imagining it.

Then she looks up and sees me.

"Noelle..."

Her voice is softer than I've ever heard it. Danika draws closer to me. I don't move.

Eleanor hesitates. Then slowly, she walks towards me. She stops a few feet away. Up close, it's worse. She looks like she hasn't slept properly in days.

"...hi," she says.

I blink.

"...hi."

Awkwardness sets in. Then her gaze drops to my stomach. Her lips part slightly.

"...you're... pregnant."

"Very observant," I reply dryly.

Eleanor nods quickly. "Right. Sorry. I just—"

She stops herself. Her hands fidget slightly at her sides.

"I owe you an apology."

That wasn't what I expected. At all. I don't say anything. I just watch her.

"For everything," she adds, her voice thinner. "For how I treated you. For... everything I said. Everything I did."

Her throat bobs as she swallows.

"I was awful to you."

Yeah. You were.

Danika glances at me, silently checking if I want her to intervene. I give a small shake of my head.

I've got this.

"...why now?" I ask.

Eleanor lets out a shaky breath. For a second, I think she won't answer.

"My mum died."

"...what?" I blink.

Her gaze dips, resting on the floor.

"...last week."

Oh.

"I didn't—" I start. "...I didn't know."

She nods.

"Funerals are strange," she continues slowly. "You stand there and people say things... and you realize how much time you wasted being... horrible."

Her laugh is hollow.

"I kept thinking about all the things I did and the kind of person I was."

Her eyes meet mine.

"And you were at the top of that list."

Silence stretches between us. The mall noise feels far away again.

"I'm not asking for forgiveness," she adds quickly. "I don't deserve that."

At least she knows.

"I just... needed to say it," she continues. "That I'm sorry. For the way I treated you. For ganging up with Alex. For... making you feel like nothing."

Her voice cracks slightly.

"You didn't deserve that."

My fingers tighten slightly around the shopping bag.

Old wounds don't just disappear because someone says sorry. But...

She doesn't look like the same girl who hurt me. She looks like someone who finally understands what she did.

I exhale slowly.

"...you're right," I say.

Her shoulders tense instantly.

"You were awful."

Danika stays very quiet beside me.

"But," I add, "that doesn't mean you have to stay that person."

Eleanor blinks as if she didn't expect that.

"I'm not going to pretend it didn't happen," I continue. "And I'm not going to act like we're suddenly friends."

She nods quickly. "I know. I know."

"But I hear you," I say.

Her breath catches slightly.

"And I accept your apology."

Her eyes fill up with tears.

"...thank you," she whispers.

I shift slightly, adjusting my stance.

"...and for what it's worth," I add, "I'm sorry about your mum."

"...yeah," she breathes.

She glances at my stomach again.

"...you look... happy."

I smile. "I am."

Her lips tremble slightly, but she nods.

"That's good," she says. "You deserve that."

Danika finally speaks, her tone warm.

"Take care of yourself," she says.

Eleanor nods again. "I will."

She steps back, hesitating. Then she turns and walks away. I watch her go, closure setting in.

Danika nudges me a little. "You handled that well."

I shrug.

"...I didn't punch her."

"That's growth," she says seriously.

I snort. My hand drifts to my belly again, and I beam.

"Yeah. It is."