Let's continue with the Chapter 25 !

After the party, around 7:00 PM, I left Ib with Mia and asked Zodiak to come outside.

"Yeah, Garry ? Something to ask me ?", he asked me, closing the door.

"Oh, simply why Azeroth was not here today ?"

"He hates children. Mostly those like Ib, energetic and running everywhere." I chuckled and added :

"Yeah, not false. So where is he ?"

"We would find him at the hotel, or the apartment. One thing is sure, he didn't leave the car for me..."

"I see. I needed to tell you my thanks for the idea of the necklace.", I said, turning toward him.

"We'll say that you found it alone. I had to do it for you, because of the scarf !" He gave me a handshake and chuckled. "Oh, and... how many did you spent for it ?"

"I didn't mind, but I'm sure it was more than 100$."

"You still have all the money you need ? I can give you some, Azeroth don't know how to stop."

"I have, it's okay, but you made me curious. How many do you have ?"

"Millions. But I make a lot of anonymous donations for charities."

"Two good guys, as I thought." Zodiak looked at me and opened the door again.

"Everybody is good in his own way. And you're better than anyone to protect a child.", he said before entering. I followed him and closed the door behind me. He was right, everybody can be good somehow, we simply had to keep staying on the good side. If humans could be so simple...

Mrs Amber, Mrs Drover and Mia left us after 8:00 PM, glad to have been invited. Ib insists for Zodiak to stay, to know where he was these months. He finally stayed with us for the dinner, and went to his apartment later. We have planned to join Mia and her mother the next day at the beach, so we didn't lose to many time and finally went to sleep.

The next day morning, I was awake at first. I went into the kitchen and prepared the breakfast, now that I knew everything about the house. Mrs Jordon came to me some minutes later.

"Good morning here !", she said.

"Good morning, Mrs Jordon. How was your night ?"

"After such a party, wonderful. I kept every moment in my mind, and the fact that I owe you some money for the necklace."

"No way. This is my present for Ib, I pay. Don't worry about me, I have all that I need here. I'm the one who had to ask you about money. Is everything okay ?"

"Sufficient for some years !", she answered smiling, taking a seat and holding her cup of coffee.

"I guess I'll believe you, even if you refused my help to pay half the rent !" Ib's mother took a drink of her coffee. Sometimes I thought that she was hiding something to me, but I guess she hated making me worry about her situation...

"It's true that I gave you a roof. But I don't want anything in return, the happiness you're giving to my daughter makes me even more happy, and relieved. I always owe you more and more, Garry."

"If you think this is a good situation, I won't argue anymore !" Mrs Jordon finished her coffee and asked me, worried :

"Are you scared about people who think you are a... you know ?" I joined my hands on the table and looked toward the living room. After a moment of hesitation, I answered :

"I just... think I'm too close from her sometimes."

"She loves you, Garry, like you love her. Am I not right ?"

"I... like her company, yeah, but I must lie to her, or I know she will cry. And if I make her cry, or harm her, I know that I can hurt myself, very badly."

"I know you wouldn't, Garry.", Ib said abruptly. I didn't hear her coming... she walked to me and sat on my leg, adding : "I understand if you don't love me, you're an adult. But keep me, please..."

"As long as you want, Ib.", I said while giving her a hug, then looked at her mother with a smile. "Of course, if your Mom is okay with it."

"As long as Ib live with me, yes."

"And if we move in a residence, one week's time ?", I added, showing Ib's mother a pamphlet I took from my pocket. Ib immediately raised her head to see, and her mother came to take it, and asked :

"What do you mean, Garry ?"

"Actually, everything is already reserved. We're going to a residence, The Seventh Heaven, for a week, in 3 days.", I said while opening the pamphlet in Ashley's hands. Zodiak had reserved it since months from now on, it was to thank us for the incident of the Imaginary World. We kept the secret from Ib and her mother and planned everything together.

"3 days ?!", Ib and Ashley said at the same time. "When did you get the time for the reservation, Garry ?", Ashley continued.

"Zodiak did everything with me, some months ago.", I answered. They looked each other and then at me, with a huge smile, and jumped on me together for a hug...

After calming the girls, I explained them what could be the program of the week, and everything to know about the residence. Later, we finally made the lunch for this noon, and moved to the beach.

It was a beautiful place, palm trees everywhere, white sand and deep blue water on the beach, and a cliff on the left. Ib's mother sat down on her beach towel to open the bag containing the food, a bottle of sun protection and water. I opened a beach umbrella above us and we started eating.

It's after some minutes that Mrs Drover and her daughter found us. Ib was really happy to see Mia again, and they started to play in the sand next to us, when Mrs Drover said :

"We're here since half an hour now, but we waited after seeing that you were eating !"

"That won't have been a problem, Mrs Drover, you know we are always glad to meet you !", Ashley said. I've let the women talking together and watched over Ib and Mia. Until they ran toward me to ask for swimming.

"Ashley... does Ib knows how to swim ?", I asked to Ib's mother.

"Yeah, we learned her when she was 6, but can you accompany her ?"

"Can you also watch over Mia, Garry, please ?", Mrs Drover asked.

"Mom ! I'm not a baby, I know how to swim !", Mia added, her arms crossed.

"Just in case.", she answered her girl with a smirk.

"Okay, I'll keep an eye on the girls.", I said, looking at Ib and Mia.

"Yay !", Ib and Mia shout, and started to remove their clothes, to stay in their two-piece swimsuits. I always hated looking at that... but I had their lives on hand now. As I was already in my swimming trunks, the girls wanted to go to the water now.

"Girls !", I said, to interrupt their run. "Don't think you can go without sun protection."

"Oh yeah, I forgot !", Mia said to Ib, and they came back to sit on the beach towel.

"Garry ?", Ib asked. I knew in her voice and look that she wanted me to help her.

"Right, Ib. I'll help you." She sat in front of me, and waited for me to apply her the sun protection, for her, and on all her body... I was so uneasy that it was a horrible moment... fortunately, Mrs Drover helped her daughter herself... after that, the girls ran in the sea, and I walked toward them.

We stayed some minutes where I was able to walk on the sand, and saw that Ib could already swim alone. Mia too, actually, but easier than Ib. Then Mia called me :

"Garry, look ! There is a hole in the cliff !", she said, pointing at a cave in the cliff.

"Mia, we shouldn't go there, come back." Mia was already swimming toward the hole, but I had a bad feeling simply by looking at it. Mia didn't stop after my call. "Mia !", I called again.

"It's okay, Garry !" It was too late, Mia was already in front of the hole. Ib took hold of my shoulders and I started to swim to join Mia. A wave pushed us inside the cave, and stopped when we were in the dark. I took my phone from my pocket, opening the transparent waterproof hull and starting the flash app to light up the place while I tried to reassure the girls. When I lit up the place, they screamed...

To be continued... ~