Hold On Mr.! Your Sweetheart is a Real Queen

After lunch, Daisy Ginger hurried Ryan Smith to wash the dishes, then carried Erin Ginger upstairs for a nap.

When there was no news from Edward Stephens, her heart felt empty, unfocused, and she would wake up startled from dreams at night.

But now Ryan had come over with news of Edward Stephens, yet her heart still lacked a sense of relief; if anything, there was an increasing sense of unease.

At some point, she had turned into a coward, afraid to ask further.

If he was awake, why didn’t he contact her? Why was it Lady Stephens who missed her, and not... him?

She went downstairs and saw Ryan coming out of the kitchen shaking his hands. She pinched the bridge of her nose, "There are no international flights these days; when do you plan to leave?"

"The snow here is really heavy," Ryan exclaimed, "I haven’t seen snow this thick in many years. I’m not in a hurry to leave; staying here for a few days is fine."

"..." Daisy paused, then nodded, "Alright then. You’ll be the one buying groceries for the house. Can you cook?" 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"... Is this how you treat your guests?" Ryan was displeased, "No matter what, I’m still a guest, aren’t I? You ask guests to cook?"

"Then find a hotel and stay there yourself."

Daisy didn’t coddle him.

"Tsk." Ryan huffed softly and went to lazily lie on a sofa, "I really don’t understand what that kid sees in you."

Daisy ignored him; her head was pounding. She took a painkiller and swallowed it.

She turned her head to look at Ryan, who was comfortably playing a video game on Erin’s console by the sofa, seemingly carefree, without a care in the world. It seemed like Edward Stephens indeed wasn’t in any life-threatening danger.

Thinking of this, she felt much more at ease.

*

Three days later.

The snow had melted, but the chill in the air seemed harsher than it had been in the past few days.

Daisy emerged fully armed, and as soon as she opened the door, she shivered.

Ryan was even more frozen, cursing and sneezing repeatedly. Daisy shut the door and crouched down to look at Erin, whose long eyelashes were peeking out from beneath a thick down jacket. She asked softly, "Are you still cold?"

Erin blinked his big, grape-like eyes, reached out his little hand to hold Daisy’s, and shook his head.

"Go call for a car." Daisy urged Ryan, the flight was at three-thirty in the afternoon. Though they had set out four or five hours early, the highway was icy, and the original hour-and-a-half drive might not get them there on time.

Ryan still retained a semblance of gentlemanly manner and didn’t let her and the child hail a cab alone; he trembled his way to the gate to wait for the car.

"Mommy." Erin looked up and called to Daisy.

"What’s wrong?" Daisy bent down.

"Where are we going?"

Daisy hesitated for a moment, then leaned down to gently touch the child’s face, speaking softly, "Do you remember Uncle Stephens? He’s the one who brought you home when you ran away."

Erin stared at her, without blinking.

"He’s sick now, so Mommy is taking you to see him..."

Erin asked, "Is he Daddy?"

"!"

Daisy stared at him in shock.

Erin blinked his thick lashes, "Is Daddy sick?"

Daisy felt dizzy, wondering how she had inadvertently leaked this secret. But it shouldn’t be possible, Edward Stephens didn’t know after all.

"How did you know?"

"I just know by looking." Erin replied earnestly, looking at her.