Loid finally got home with a peanut cake in his hand. He went to the kitchen to refrigerate it before checking on his wife and still recovering daughter.
Loid opened the door to the little girl's room and saw Anya soundly asleep. His wife turned to him as he emerged from the door.
"How is she, Yor?"
"Loid," she smiled after seeing her husband. "Anya is fine now. She asked me to call her Planetarium buddy that she won't make it today. After that, she went to bed and quickly fell asleep."
"I see. She must be tired from all the crying she did earlier. Thank you for looking after her, Yor." Loid said.
"Uhm, you really don't have to thank me," Yor replied slightly blushing. "I like taking care of Anya, even though I'm not really her mother."
For a second, Loid saw sadness in Yor's eyes.
"Er, I think I must do something. Excuse me, Loid." She stood and excused herself in a hurry.
Loid noticed the change in Yor's demeanor. 'Maybe she forgot something,' he thought. Loid chose to ignore it. He carefully touched Anya's forehead to check her temperature. 'Her fever's really gone.' He fixed her blanket. Loid then left the room and saw Yor enter her room at the same time.
'Now then, I need to do that mission so I can free up a day for Anya.' He opened his tiny planner. He scanned to check the assigned mission this week.
'This one.'
He pointed to a freshly-written series of letters G-S-Db:AS under Thursday.
'GSDb:AS - Grocery Smuggled Diamonds at Billa. Ostanian Diamonds will be smuggled in a box of flour brand Srettil for Hugaria at Billa Grocery. Informant said the box will be delivered Monday 5am and will be put at the back of the rack 39M by 10am of the same day. Diamonds will be brought to Mettle H Pawnshop to be inspected by a veteran Hugarian jeweler, so that would be the next point to intervene in case the diamond has been purchased. Price to be computed by the jeweler will be billed on Wednesday to Hugaria. Wire transfer will be made on Thursday. Estimated total cost of diamonds: 80 million dalcs. Funding direction: Ostanian Army and Guardian Force Armaments Section and Research Division. :AS means the mission is an ASAP-S class mission.'
Loid closed his eyes to think.
'If I'd get this done today until Wednesday, Thursday afternoon will be free for the Planetarium visit. Alright.'
Loid went inside his room to assemble the things for the mission. He got ready in no time.
Before leaving, Loid knocked at Yor's room. "Yor? I will be leaving for a while."
No one answered. Loid decided to take a peek. He opened the door and saw Yor on her bed.
He went inside and pulled the blanket over his wife. He noticed streaks of tears about to dry on her face.
'Is something bothering her? I should probably ask her later.' He thought. He then left the room, eventually the building, to begin his mission.
He went into an alley to meet Franky, his informant. They discussed the details of the plan.
"Yes, I'll be your driver and lookout." He pointed to a nearby car. Loid and Franky inserted a device in their left ear. Donning a fake face, he covered the device with his wig.
"Let's go." Loid and Franky went into the car.
Within 7 minutes, the two arrived at Billa Grocery. Franky parked in the front door parking. Loid alighted as a black-haired, purpled-eyed man in a blue shirt bearing a spatula and brown pants. He walked inside the grocery store. It was 10:42am.
Loid took a cart for his grocery shopping while he scanned the surroundings to check for any suspicious individual (aside from himself). He was not alarmed.
To look natural, Loid went first to the baking and pastry supplies section to buy a muffin tray, liners, and cooking spray. He also took peanuts for Anya at a nearby aisle, as well as tea and coffee for himself and Yor. He had a passing thought about Yor this morning while taking the escalator to the second floor. He brushed off the thought and redirected his attention to the mission as soon as his foot stepped on the target floor.
Loid immediately found aisle 39. There was a woman with a cart scouring the aisle before him. He walked through the aisle, keeping a distance behind her, and taking baking powder and sugar along his way. The woman reached the end of the aisle and went to the next. He looked behind him and saw no one.
'39M. M is the thirteenth rack. Odd number, right side. Therefore, 7th rack from the front. Quick, Twilight.' He thought. He was right— he saw the Srettil brand flours just where he deduced he would find it. "Phil, how many should I buy for the cake?" He asked.
Franky replied, "Six would be enough, Seraph." In reality, the two communicated that the search has now commenced.
In front of Loid were 3 rows of 7 neatly lined flours. Loid pretended to check the box in front, nodded, then placed it back.
"Alright Phil, I'm getting all six boxes of flour." He reached for the 6th and 7th box on each row and placed them in his cart one by one. However, he felt that the 4th box was much heavier. He continued to take two more boxes which also felt as heavy as the other two. 'Mission accomplished.' He thought.
"Okay, Phil, I'm getting buttermilk and vanilla, then I'm done." Loid said. He went and took these, and then proceeded to the first floor for check-out.
"Hi sir, do you have Srettil Flour here?" Loid overheard a tall, seemingly ordinary man ask. He then asked the cashier how her day is going and pretended while he listened to both her and the suspicious man.
"It's upstairs sir, aisle 39, shelf M." The manager answered.
"Thank you."
'We have to get out of here fast.' Loid thought.
"Do you wish to purchase an ecobag, sir?" said the cashier.
"Please put it in a box, please. I know you have many boxes to dispose of." Loid answered with a smile.
"Alright sir," the woman cashier beamed cheerfully.
Loid discreetly looked around and saw the man disappear to the 2nd floor.
"Uh, I'll help you with that," said Loid. "Here's the exact payment. Thank you."
The woman thanked him as well. Loid carried his groceries outside and brought the box inside Franky's car. He saw 3 suspicious man and a car parked on the other side. Loid went inside the car and they left the grocery.
As soon as they were out of the suspicious mean's sight, Franky sped up at the freeway.
"He only missed you by a few minutes." Franky told him.
Loid nodded. Franky exited the freeway and brought the car back to the rental shop. They walked to a nearby building where they changed and then took their real car into a hidden track in the forest. As soon as they passed, Westalis spy assistants came out to cover their tracks. After 12 minutes, the two reached a building and went through a hidden backdoor. They again transferred to another car and drove to the Handler's hideout.
"Very well. Let's open the boxes." The handler told Twilight (Loid's spy name) and Franky. Twilight took 3 boxes with a green dot on the side — a sign he'd put on the boxes which were significantly heavier than the other flour boxes.
As soon as they opened the first box, the three gasped. Twilight's jaws clenched. The box contained flour and rocks.
"Hmmm. There's a decoy, huh? Very clever." The handler said. "Hurry, open the second box."
The three held their breath as they opened the second box. This time, Twilight tapped the table. The box contained flour and cheap beads.
Handler closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Let's open the third one." She commanded.
'Don't tell me this is not it.' Twilight's fists closed tightly as he waited for Franky to open the flour. Their jaw dropped when diamonds gushed with the flour on the table. Handler held a diamond under a loupe and into the diamond detector. She took the contents of the third box into a device that filtered the diamonds from the flour. She weighed these and made a few computations. Finally, she spoke to the two.
"These are real 3 carat diamonds, 720 grams or approximately 1200 individual diamonds. Estimated amount is 80 million dalcs. Once again, good work, Agent Twilight, Franky." Handler continued.
Twilight was greatly relieved upon realizing that he successfully accomplished the mission. Now, he can schedule Anya's Planetarium visit on Thursday, after school.
It is 12:15 noon. Twilight left ahead of Franky to go home. He called his house. Yor picked the phone up.
"Yor, sorry I went to work for a while and failed to tell you." Loid said.
"It's okay, Loid, I fell asleep earlier." Yor told him. "Anya just ate peanut cake. She's now running around, playing with her stuff toys."
"I see. It seems she's really feeling better." Loid replied. "Have you eaten? I'll buy food along the way."
"I also took a bite of Anya's peanut cake, but I haven't eaten a proper meal too." Yor said.
"Alright, I'll buy so we can eat together." Loid said.
"Uh— okay." Yor smiled. "Take care and we'll wait for you, Loid." She hung up.
Loid bought some food from a nearby restaurant and walked home.
Meanwhile, Yor carefully laid her body on the sofa, the back of her right hand over her eyes.
'I'm fake and useless. I couldn't even cook food for my family.' She cringed.
"Mama, are you okay?" Anya asked.
"Yes, Anya." Yor responded.
"Okay, I love you mama!" Anya told Yor before going to her room.
Yor smiled.
'Anya sees me as a real mother, it seems.' She thought. 'If I could just be a better woman, maybe Loid would see me as a real wife too.' She thought as she stared at their family portrait on the wall.
Yor has fallen for Loid ever since he defended her from Camilla during a party, and proposed with a grenade ring when they were chased by his patients. Because of an agreement, Yor agreed to live with Loid and act as a fake family in his house. She thought their relationship could possibly deepen and bloom by living together.
However, despite months of being together, Yor felt as distant to Loid as they've first met. Knowing Loid hasn't fallen for her, she faulted herself for not being a reliable woman. She took her clenched fist to her chest.
Suddenly, Loid emerged from the door. He caught a glimpse of Yor's facial expression before she went back to her usual self.
"Loid! You're home." She said. "Let me help you with that." Yor went to Loid and began fixing the food on the table.
Loid, now aware that Yor is hiding her feelings, asked her about it. "Yor, I know we are a fake family. But you can always tell me if something is bothering you." He told her.
'I can't tell you this, Loid.' Yor thought. "I'm fine. It's just that, I wish I could help you more, Loid." She said, hiding the other reason of her pent up frustration.
Loid patted Yor at the back. "Yor, you have greatly helped me already." He said.
"Eh? How?" Yor doubtfully asked.
"You don't notice it, do you?" Loid gently placed the plates on the table, Yor looked at her husband. "You notice it whenever I feel tensed, and give me new perspective on how to handle things, especially Anya." He said. "I would not have calmed her down had you not told me to let her be upset for a while." He smiled at her.
"I see," Yor replied. Her sadness still visible in her eyes. "Thank you, Loid. But honestly, you are a great father. You really could have done everything without me." Yor said with a quivering voice.
Loid saw the sorrow that Yor feels as her insecurity crept within. He immediately remembered himself and his difficult childhood, and imagined how painful and debilitating it is to fall into the hands of a critical inner self.
'Yor has helped me countless times. She has unknowingly contributed to the success of Operation Strix and the peace that we still can protect. Yor— helped me fight her brother's skepticism. She fought beside me and... even saved my life...'
'If she leaves, I cannot possibly find a better... wife.' His heart weighed heavily. Franky warned him to keep his feelings in check. But Yor is a beautiful, kind, sweet, and strong lady. A rare lady who can even handle thugs herself. Just the perfect wife for a spy in a spy novel— he realized. His fake wife is a novel's ideal spy wife incarnate.
Fighting to keep her tears from falling, Yor turned her back on Loid. Seeing her hair float and fall in place, Loid brushed his fingers on her silky long hair, before putting his hands on her shoulders.
"Yor, thank you for being with me and Anya all this time. I may not show it, but our life feels complete with you here with us." He said... sincerely.
"Loid, I— I wish I could do something more for Anya... For you." Yor turned to her husband, his face just a breath away. Finally, the first tear drop fell on her left cheek. Loid gently wiped it with his thumb and held her left cheek on his right palm.
"I see. Thank you, Yor. But," he paused to make a point, "there is no need to try too hard and become the perfect wife. Do whatever it is you want to do for us, Yor. I want you to be yourself, in your imperfections. As you have accepted us for what we are, I... We... love you just the way you are." Loid softly said, his heart pounding.
"Loid." Yor said. 'He's so close.' She blushed. 'He said he loves me... for who I am...' She smiled softly.
"Thank you, Loid. That means so much for me to hear." She said, her eyes closed.
To her surprise, Loid took her into his arms. He gently put Yor's face on his left shoulder.
Fearing the consequence of what he is about to say, as his emotions drowned him, Loid gulped.
"I want you to stay here with us." He said.
Surprised, Yor hesitated to hug Loid back. Finally, she gave in. Her arms flew around him.
"Yes, I will. You can count on me, Loid." She said.
The two rested their thoughts and worries on each other's arms — in a mutual embrace that is as real as it can get.
Suddenly, they heard a door creak. The two quickly went back to fixing the table when Anya emerged from her bedroom with faces as red as tomato.
"Mama, Papa!" She said. "I'm hungry."
Anya went closer and realized her parents' faces.
"Are you hot? Why are your faces red?" Anya innocently asked her parents.
She then heard Yor's thoughts, 'I hope Anya didn't see me and Loid embracing.'
'EMBRACING?!' Anya froze.
"Uh— nothing!" Yor answered in a visibly embarrassed look.
"Ah." Loid nodded while he scratched his face and looked away.
Anya quickly hid her awkwardness by looking down as she quietly took her seat on the table. 'Anya should stop mind-reading right now!'
Anya suddenly started stuffing food into her mouth, to her parents' surprise.
~~~~~
Next Chapter: Welcome Back, Anya!
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