Midnight Farewells

At 7:40 pm, we finally arrived home after an extensive shopping spree. Maria's mood noticeably improved with the addition of all the clothes she purchased today. I also relished the part where everyone tried on different outfits, eagerly seeking my opinions on their choices.

This particular segment was the highlight of my experience during their entire spree, along with Tyna sitting on my lap, of course. How could I overlook the most enjoyable moment of today?

Upon entering the house, my first task assigned by Maria was to deliver the clothing bags to her room and hand over the dress she bought for Isabel. 

While everyone went to change into their lighter attire, I found myself responsible for distributing these dresses.

With a sigh, I gathered all the shopping bags and proceeded to deliver them to Maria's room. 

Along the way, I also presented Isabel with her gift from Maria, to which Isabel expressed her gratitude with a graceful bow of her head.

After placing the shopping bags on Maria's bed, I was about to leave the room when she asked me to wait for a moment. 

Turning towards her, I saw her with a big smile, emptying her closet to make room for the new additions she had acquired today.

After finally satisfied with the newly cleared space inside the closet, she nodded approvingly and then turned to face me.

"Ethan, did you enjoy today?" She asked, her gaze locked onto mine.

"Yes, I did," I replied nonchalantly.

"Are you telling the truth?" she inquired, searching for any signs of discomfort in my expression.

"Yes," I affirmed, maintaining eye contact with a smile. 

Little did she know how much I relished the moment when she unexpectedly appeared before me and the other girls in just her undergarments, seeking opinions. 

In her excitement, she had momentarily forgotten my presence, and strangely, she didn't seem to mind me being there, and even sought my opinion about her new garments.

I cheerfully commented on how alluring she looked and joked that if she weren't married, I would have definitely asked her out on a date. 

This prompted Sarah to playfully hit me in the stomach, urging me to stop teasing, while Laura scolded her mom for not behaving appropriately in front of others.

It was only at that moment that she realized what she had done, blushing with embarrassment as she hastily retreated into the changing room to cover herself. 

Now, back to the present,

"I'm glad then. I thought you might have been bored with us dragging you from here to there," she said happily, giving me a light hug for some reason.

"Well, I was a little bored at first, but then you guys started appearing in different outfits, seeking opinions and all, making me enjoy the show a lot. Especially yours, hahaha," I said with a laugh and hastily extricating myself from her hug and making a swift exit before risking a scolding.

As I ascended the stairs towards my room, Maria's embarrassed voice called out to me, prompting another round of laughter. 

I chuckled loudly and swiftly made my way to my room, thoroughly entertained by the unexpected turn of events.

______________________________

Upon entering my room, I observed Luna deeply engrossed in meditation on the floor. Surrounding her small fox form were the elemental forces of water, fire, earth, wind, and various others, gracefully rotating in a mesmerizing dance.

As the door creaked open, Luna, alerted by the sound, opened her eyes and ceased her meditation, causing all the elemental manifestations to vanish instantly.

"Did you start meditating the moment we left for the show, Luna?" I inquired while comfortably seated on the bed.

Luna, too, hopped onto the bed and nodded in response to my question.

"We also went clothes shopping. Would you like to join me someday to pick out some for yourself, Luna?" I suggested.

'Yes, Master,' she replied telepathically.

After a brief conversation about my activities, Luna delved into the intricacies of magic, as per our agreement to enhance my magical knowledge until Isabel summoned us for dinner.

Concluding our lesson on mana control, we descended to the dining area, finding everyone seated around the table with empty plates before them.

Taking my place with Luna perched on my shoulder, I turned to Maria and inquired about the delay. 

She explained that Jack would arrive in 5 minutes, and we were waiting for him before commencing dinner, as he would be heading for a business trip with a midnight flight.

Nodding in understanding, I engaged in conversation with the others at the table.

Meanwhile, I offered some fruits to Luna, who happily munched on them while still perched on my shoulder. 

Amy then inquired about her clothes, and Maria pointed out that it was Amy's own decision not to join them when Jack offered her a second chance to consider, resulting in her missing out on the new clothes.

Amy huffed in annoyance, scrolling through her phone and complaining about Jack being late, her stepdad.

As she finished speaking, the sound of Jack's car engine echoed from the garage, signaling his return. After freshening up and drying his hands and face with a towel that Isabel provided, he joined us for dinner and apologized for missing the movie show.

We simply nodded, opting not to revisit the topic. Observing our reaction, Jack was pleasantly surprised, as he had anticipated some comments.

Deciding not to push the matter further, he shifted the conversation to his upcoming midnight flight, sharing details with everyone.

I asked him if he needed a ride to the airport but he said he would be going with David so not to worry about that.

After the meal, he asked us if we wanted anything upon his return from his trip. Subsequently, everyone began expressing their desires, but as I hadn't thought of anything specific, I mentioned that it was entirely his choice to pick whatever he wanted.

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At midnight, Jack departed the house, and we bid him farewell near the entrance—everyone except for one as always, and that's Amy, who is currently peacefully asleep in her bed.

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To Be Continued....