****Special thanks to belle and others for their prompts and suggestions! Thanks for reading a following and reviewing everyone! You are the best! Much love! Some background info: One of my best memories of being a kid was getting a matching outfit with my best friend and going around together looking exactly the same, shirts shorts, socks, everythingJI still have the picture and the good memories, although I haven't seen or heard from my friend in years. Also, this story happens to take place in Toronto, my hometown, (yes all the places I write about are real or based on real places, including some of the less savoury ones, like the house Rumple grew up in). Svenson's was a real restaurant that used to be at the Eaton's Centre where they did indeed have great milkshakes and ice cream, not to mention my favourite, grilled cheese sandwiches. My grandmother used to take me there when I was little as a treat. It no longer exists, (having since been taken over by mostly chain stores), but I rememberJ*****
Books and Ice Cream
With their old clothes in the shopping bag in the stroller and Rumple's walking boot back on, they made their way to Svenson's Ice Cream and Milk Shakes. Unlike most of the shops which were typical mall chain stores, Svenson's was special. There was only one Svenson's and they had the best ice cream in town.
Chris got a chocolate milk shake for herself and one for Rumple and Belle to split together. The milkshakes were huge and difficult for small kids to eat all by themselves.
"I've never been much fond of shopping, but you two might just change my mind," admitted Chris as she looked across the table.
"A toast!" she proposed. "To my favorite shopping buddies, Rumple and Belle."
The two kids raised their milkshake glasses and had a careful clink with Chris in the middle of the table.
They'd planned to hit the toy store after, but by the time they left Svenson's most of the stores in the mall were already closing down. They went to the bookstore instead, which was a large one and open until 11pm.
Belle knew it well, even though she'd lived in town for such a short time compared to Chris, who'd been there all her life. She knew she'd have to bring Rumple back again on his own. Belle showed him her favourite section in the store and the table with the Legos and puffy chairs big enough for the two of them to sit together side by side.
Surreptitiously, Chris snapped a picture of the two of them on her phone sitting together in their matching outfits pouring over a big picture on a bright green poufy chair.
"Aw," cooed a woman, pushing a double pram beside her. "They're so sweet. You're really lucky they get on so well together and are so well behaved. I hope mine stay friends like that when they're older," she said, indicating her own twins in their pram. "You've obviously taught them well."
"Uh, thank you," murmured Chris, surprised, not having the heart to admit to the lady that they weren't twins or even siblings.
She looked down at her phone at the picture she'd just snapped and saw a message had just come in from Kate. Funny, she must have turned the sound off.
"Are you bringing the kids home soon?" read the text.
"Why? Is Maurice there?" she typed back. "Is his wife alright?"
"Yes, it's not that," came the text from Kate. "Something with Rum. Please we need to talk about it in private."
Chris glanced over at Rumple who was still reading with Belle, oblivious to anything else going on.
Shit.
He seemed so carefree right now. What could possibly be wrong?
"C'mon guys, time to go!" Chris said to the two little readers.
"Can we get this?" asked Rumple holding up the book they'd been looking at.
"Sure honey," Chris said, barely glancing at the cover. Her anxiety was mounting. She just wanted to find out what was wrong. Why did Kate have to be so secretive all of a sudden? What couldn't she say over the phone?
Unaware anything was amiss, Belle and Rumple purchased their books, Chris lifting each of them up so they could put the books on the counter themselves.
It was a long way from the bookstore back to the place where they'd parked. Towards the end, Chris could tell Rumple was seriously flagging.
"Stroller?" she asked him point blank and he just nodded tiredly and got in.
The drive home was a lot quieter than the drive there. It was dark by the time they arrived at the house and when Chris looked in the back seat she saw Rumple and Belle were asleep. Belle's head leaned on Rumple's narrow shoulder and Rumple's head rested on top of hers, looking completely peaceful.
She woke them with regret as they pulled into the driveway.
"Maurice is on his way," she told Belle as she got Belle and Rumple settled on the couch, watching cartoons. "I'll be in the study with Kate if you guys need anything."
Once she was certain the kids were fully absorbed in their video, Chris went into the study softly closing the door behind her to talk to Kate.
"You've got me going crazy with worry. What's all this cloak and dagger business? Now what's this all about?"
Chris studied Kate's cheeks. They were flushed like she'd been crying.