Fabio took the little girl by the hand and said to Ashley, "Mommy, this is my good friend. Her name is Dany Mo."
Ashley looked at Dany with a gentle smile. Not knowing why, she felt a strong desire to get close to this little girl.
"Hi, Dany. May I call you honey?"
"Of course," Dany answered, licking her lips.
She was a little shy and was averting her gaze, but when she saw how gentle and approachable Ashley was, she found that she could look her in the eye.
Her will to regard Ashley as her own mommy deepened.
Standing next to Dany, Fabio had no knowledge at all, of what was running in her mind. He was not aware that she was contemplating stealing his mother from him.
"How old are you, dear?" Ashley asked.
Before Dany could open her mouth to answer, Fabio replied on her behalf. "Mommy, Dany is the same age as me," he said.
Dany looked at Fabio unhappily as Fabio stole her opportunity to answer.
Long tongued boy!
She wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to exchange a few words with Ashley.
Ashley smiled and did not care much about it as most of the kids in school were about the same age as Fabio.
While they were chatting, most of the children were picked up by their parents and there were only a few left.
After all, most of the parents would never keep their children waiting for too long.
Ashley and Fabio were also about to head home, but neither of Dany's parents had shown up yet.
Ashley looked at Dany doubtfully and asked, "Honey, where are your parents? Aren't they coming to pick you up?"
Looking at the little girl standing in front of her, Ashley strongly felt like they had known each other for a long time.
Biting her lips, Dany just shook her head.
"I have no mommy."
Ashley did not read too much into Dany's statement. She thought Dany meant that her mommy could not come pick her up today because she was involved in her business.
Then, she asked, "Where's your daddy, then?"
This time, Dany kept silent.
Truth be told, Ashley liked the girl from the bottom of her heart. Her parents had not come to get her yet since classes were dismissed. Leaving Dany alone here didn't seem to be an apt choice.
With a brief thought, Ashley found Honey's eyes and asked gently, "Would you like to come with me and have some fun in my house?"
Not only Fabio and Dany but Ashley herself was stunned upon her words.
Although she liked this little girl very much, she did not expect herself to say something like that to a little girl she had just met.
But she could not take her words back anymore.
Ashley looked at Dany expectantly, waiting for her reply.
"Is that okay?" Dany asked as if in a daze.
She spoke while looking at Ashley anxiously.
Looking at the way that Dany behaved, Ashley suddenly thought of her daughter. Her heart was almost melting as she said, "Of course. You can come with us if you'd like."
"I'd love to come!"
Dany nodded.
Fabio was also happy because he liked Dany very much.
"All right then. Let's get in the car and go pick up Fabio's brother," Ashley said.
Fabio and Dany got into the car with Ashley between the two of them.
Richard's classes should be over by the time they arrived.
Richard had been waiting for them at the school gate. As soon as he saw the familiar car, his face lit up. He pursed his lips and walked toward his family.
"Mommy,"
Richard called out.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: A Love Trap