Sold?

•Arius

"You've been in a good mood for the past few days." I looked at Caesar suspiciously while I sat in the library window and he stood by the shelf.

"What makes you think that?" He replied trying to seem ignorant.

"Don't you dare try me, I know you all too well. I will always be able to tell."

"..." He knows I'm right so now he's choosing the silent treatment.

"Fine." I sighed, "I won't ask for the reason. Happy?" I shook my head and shifted my attention towards the book I was reading, "Any luck with the search?"

"No…"

I closed my eyes in defeat, "I searched the whole damn country when she left that day…" In frustration I closed the book loudly, "What if I can't find her this time either?"

"We'll find her!" He was suddenly enthusiastic, "I'm sure we will."

I looked at him suspiciously and then smiled sadly.

"I hope so too."

The door opened and Zara entered the room with Athena, "Sir, are you here?"

"Yes. Come in." I told her.

She came in with Athena in her arms, "I gave her a bath and dressed her."

"Okay." As soon as Athena saw me she pushed against Zara's shoulder and threw herself towards me but as a baby she only had so much strength and wasn't able to escape.

I chuckled and took her from her nanny, "You can leave." I told her and she turned and started walking towards the door. I looked at Athena and noticed something, "Wait!" I ordered and she stopped in her path then looked back at me.

"Yes?"

"These clothes." I looked at her, "She was wearing the same dress two days ago."

"Ah well," She fiddled with her fingers, "She only has a hand full of dresses…"

"..." I remembered what Ben told me a few days ago about Athena's stuff, "This is unacceptable." I stood up and looked at Zara, "You're coming with me."

I started walking out and she followed behind hesitantly, "Um, sir? Where are we going?"

I glanced back, "Obviously we're going shopping." I looked at Caesar who stared at me a bit surprised, "Caesar, if you find anything tell me immediately. Keep the search going."

"Okay…"

***

I looked at the clothes in the baby shop wondering which ones to choose, "Athena," I looked at my daughter who was sitting on my left arm, holding my shirt with one hand and looking around everywhere and at everything she found fascinating. When I called her she turned her face towards me, "Which dress do you want?" I pointed at the rows of clothes.

She looked at me confused then waved her hand over the whole row of clothes, "Awa?"

I smirked, "Is that so? We'll do that then." I looked at one of the shopkeepers, "We'll take all the clothes her size."

"Uh-uh Sir!" Zara stepped forward in confusion, "I don't think you need to take all the clothes! A few dresses would be fine!"

"Why not? My daughter wants them all, so we'll buy them all." I gave her my answer.

She looked at me in bewilderment, "I-uh- mean, she's a baby! Please select a few clothes, babies outgrow their clothes very fast."

"Hmm, You have a point." I placed my right hand on my chin. After a few moments of thinking I arrived at the best solution and looked at the shop keeper, "I'll buy the whole store."

"Sir!?!!!" Zara and the shopkeeper both spoke simultaneously and were astonished, I saw their eyeballs practically leave their sockets.

I took out my card, "Well now that we're done here let's move to the next store." I was about to hand my card to the shop lady when Athena grabbed it.

"Aa," I let her have it.

"Do you want to try and pay?" She stared at it for a while then put it in her mouth, "..." I sort of felt like something shocked me. I grabbed the end of the card and pulled it out of her mouth, "You're not supposed to eat it…"

I handed the card to the shopkeeper sort of forgetting that I should have wiped the saliva off first.

I saw the grim expressions of the lady when she took the card but good customer service since she didn't say anything.

"Sir…" I looked at Zara as she finally recovered from her shock, "Why do you want to go to another store? You already bought everything from here!"

"Well Athena should have a room for herself now. So we should buy all the stuff." I looked at the baby on my arm, "Right? You want your own room right?"

"Nnn!"

"See?" I smiled at her.

"..."

***

Athena pointed at a pink bunny.

"Okay!" I looked at the store manager, "We'll take that one as well."

"Sir Arius!!" Zara scolded me, "No!! You can't just buy everything Athena puts her hand on!"

"Why not?"

"Because she's a baby! Everything fascinates her at this age!"

"Well then I'll buy her everything."

She gasped, "Oh God…" This time she recovered from her shock faster, "You brought me here to help you right?"

"Yes."

"Well then, let me handle this." She stepped ahead and took Athena from me, "Please step out of the store."

I blinked at her in confusion, "Huh?" I shook my head, "Why?!"

"I'm a mother of three, I can handle this better than you."

Before I had any chance to retaliate or before I even realized I was standing out of the store.

"What the…" I turned my head and glanced inside while Zara hand picked the things for Athena. I smiled. Zara gives a really warm motherly feeling… "Well, I guess it's alright." I whispered to myself.

I was going to find a place to sit when my phone rang.

I took it out of my pocket. It was Lee.

"Yes?" I answered expecting it to be a normal call but what he told me made my heart jump.

"Arius, We found Azalea."