Sonia touched her belly, a gentle smile curling her lips.
When Toby saw that, a thought raced through his mind. She doesn’t seem like she hates the baby. So why is she…
“Mommy!” Douglas broke Toby’s train of thought.
Douglas was swinging her arm again, while snitching on Toby. “Dad bullied me.”
Sonia snapped out of it and looked at Douglas. “What did M… Daddy do this time?” Whew, I nearly said the wrong thing!
“He pinched my face.” Douglas pointed at his face, but he looked at Toby smugly.
Toby’s face darkened. This brat…
“Let me take a look.” Sonia didn’t realize Douglas and Toby were fighting. Instead, she looked at Douglas’ face carefully. When she saw the red patch on it, she frowned. “Toby, Douglas is just a child. How could you do this?” She chided Toby while hugging Douglas.
That made Douglas grin, and he even shot Toby a provocative look.
Toby pursed his lips. What an annoying brat. And Sonia actually scolded me for that brat? Who does she think she is? His mother?
Before Toby could say anything, the woman from earlier said again, “You look like a happy family.”
Sonia was surprised. “Happy family?” Why does she think we’re a happy family?
Toby was curious as well.
The woman chuckled. “That’s how it is. The son and the father hate each other. When the father tries to do anything to the son, he’ll tell his mother, then the mother will scold the father. That’s what you guys were doing. Sure, it looks like an argument, but you guys are actually on good terms.”
“I… I see.” Sonia’s lips twitched again. She never thought the lady would think they were a happy family. I just didn’t like it that Toby was picking on a child.
Sonia’s annoyed look cheered Toby up, and he answered, “You flatter us, madam.”
“Oh, it’s just the truth.” The madam waved him down.
A moment later, the host—who was also the manager—came up to them. “The games are starting soon, everyone. Please take your seats.” He pointed at five numbered sofas not far from them.
When Sonia looked down at the number on her waist, she realized the manager was asking them to take the seats according to their number.
There was also a number on Toby’s waist. He knew what he had to do, so he told Sonia and Douglas, “Let’s go.”
Sonia nodded and was about to hold Douglas’ hand, but Toby picked the boy up and nestled Douglas on his left arm.
“You…” Sonia was surprised.
“What is it?” Toby looked at her.
“I thought you’re a germaphobe.” Sonia was surprised that Toby didn’t react when the dirt on Douglas’ shoes fell on his suit.
Toby smiled and answered with a question, “You still remember that?” He thought she’d forget about it after the divorce.
Sonia pursed her lips and answered calmly, “I didn’t get my head knocked in. Of course I still remember.” I just fell out of love with you, but that doesn’t mean I’d forget the person you are.
Of course, Toby didn’t know what she was thinking. The fact that she still remembered it delighted him for some reason, and he extended his hand.
Sonia looked at his hand curiously. “What are you doing?”
“The other couples are holding hands,” Toby reminded her.
Sonia looked at the other parents. Just like what Toby said, they were holding hands. So what? Doesn’t mean we have to follow them. “We don’t have to follow. They’re real couples, but we aren’t, so let’s not do it. It’s better this way.” She looked away and gave him that answer calmly.
Toby pursed his lips, held his fist, and put his hand down. “I see,” he answered darkly.
Sonia noticed his annoyance, and she arched her eyebrow. What’s he getting annoyed about? We’re just not holding hands. Does he want to hold hands with me? He must be joking.
Thus, she shook her head and put that behind her before sitting down on sofa number five, while Douglas and Toby flanked her. They didn’t sit like that by choice; it was the rules.
After the families took their place, the manager asked the wait staff to give them the poker cards.
Sonia told Douglas to pucker his lips before putting a card on it, only letting go after knowing that the card wouldn’t fall. “Good. Just like that. Stay there, Douglas. Or the card will fall,” she told Douglas calmly.
Douglas blinked at her, saying that he wouldn’t move.
Toby watched them as they interacted, and he fell into his thoughts again. She’s so gentle to someone else’s child. What about our child? Will she be gentler?
Halfway through his thoughts, the manager said, “All right. All the children have their cards now, so the game starts right now! Parents, get prepared. You have one minute. The three families with the fastest time at the end of one minute will proceed to the next round. Ready… Start!”
All the families started moving right after that.
Douglas turned around to face Sonia, who leaned forward to pick the card up with her lips, but she didn’t pass it to Toby immediately. It was an indirect kiss after all. It wasn’t a real kiss, but still, it was awkward.
Toby realized why she was hesitating the moment she stopped moving, so he said calmly, “We’re going to end up in the last place if you don’t pass it soon.”
Sonia snapped out of it and turned around to make the pass, but since she turned too quickly, it caused the card to loosen up a little. She could feel the card slipping off of her lips.
Panicked, she was about to hold the card and stick it back to her lips, but Toby was already leaning in. Just when Toby was about to take the card, it fell. Without the card standing as the buffer, Toby’s lips came in contact with Sonia’s.
Both of them froze, while Douglas widened his eyes and covered his mouth. The restaurant’s patrons and the manager were surprised by the kiss as well.
After he snapped out of it, the manager laughed. “Looks like family number five is a loving one. What a good show of public affection. Give them a round of applause, everyone.” The manager clapped first, and the patrons followed suit.
But Sonia’s face turned red, and she pushed Toby away. She didn’t expect the card to fall off right before Toby could take it. Thanks to that, they kissed in front of everyone, much to her intense embarrassment. Sonia covered her face, trying to hide her shame.
On the other hand, Toby was as cool as a cucumber. He didn’t expect things to happen the way they did, but he didn’t dislike the kiss. “We still have time, so let’s go on. We’re going to get eliminated at this rate.” He picked up the card on his lap and looked at the side that was facing him. There was a lip print there, but he pressed that side to his lips after thinking about it for a second. Coincidentally, or not-so-coincidentally, his lips overlapped with the lip print.
Sonia didn’t notice that. When she heard they were about to be eliminated, she threw her embarrassment out of the window and put her hands down.
