Chapter Five
1185 Words
“Adrian, please get your brothers for me, it's time to leave.” Daphne waved one of her sons off.
“Okay, mama!” The five-year-old ran off eagerly, his shoe slapping the ground hard.
""Stop running honey! You're going to get yourself a broken tooth!"" Beaula yelled after the kid, wiping her hand with a napkin as she sauntered out of the restaurant’s kitchen.
Daphne laughed.
“I'm sorry we have to leave so early, tomorrow –”
“Oh shut it. You don't have to explain yourself to me. Left to me even, I wouldn't have had you and the boys here to help me clean and set up, but I love having all of you around, and you insisted.""
Daphne chuckled.
""Of course, I insisted. It's your third year as a restaurant owner. You wouldn't let us celebrate the first two years because it might have been ‘too soon’,"" Daphne rolled her eyes. “And now that you'll let us celebrate, I have to ensure everything is in perfect order for the party.”
Beaula rolled her eyes. Then they turned in the direction Phillip had run off in.
""Where are those little tykes? They were just supposed to drop off the old utensils in the store."" She mumbled, moving in that direction.
Daphne shrugged and went after her. They got to the store and made it empty, void of any children.
Daphne's heart immediately flew out her nose.
“Aryan? Aaron? Adrian?"" She called frantically, looking in every nook and cranny.
Beaula immediately ran outside to check.
“There's no way out of here except through that small window!” Daphne exclaimed frantically, running after her.
Beaula didn't answer, just ran out to the back of the restaurant.
""Oh my goddess! Aryan, Aaron and Adrian"" she yelled, checking the kitchen as they ran past.
“Surprise!!!”
Daphne jumped back, utterly startled by the scene before her. Everyone she'd come across since she came to Veaden was lined up outside, holding a cake, and wearing birthday hats.
Beaula and the triplets began laughing hysterically.
“Happy birthday Daphne .” everyone exclaimed.
“Oh my gosh mama! We fooled you badly!"" Zayn ran up to her, hugging her as she stared at everyone, tears forming in her eyes.
“You guys…” she sobbed.
“You've been so busy worrying about celebrating my restaurant that you forgot your birthday.” Beaula beamed, hugging her.
“Thank you, B.” She sobbed and began hugging everyone.
“Oh my gosh, I can't believe you all did this!” She exclaimed as she noticed that all her staff from her laundromat were there, all of Beaula’s staff as well – who'd been her former co-workers before she'd left last year to start her own business – and nearly all her neighbors.
“Oh, you deserve every good thing dear.” Mrs Beatrice, her homeowner, hugged her. “Ever since you joined us here nearly six years ago, you and your boys have been nothing but a blessing!”
Murmurs of agreement went up in the air and Daphne couldn't help it as she began bawling her eyes out.
Everyone laughed and patted her on the back, presenting their gifts to her.
“I still want to know one thing though,” Daphne stated hours later as she, Beaula, and her sons were seated around a table in Beaula's flat which was above the restaurant.
“What's that mama?” Daphne asked.
""How did you guys get outside? There was no way except through the window!""
A sinister smile took over all four of their faces – Beaula included, as she'd been the mastermind of the whole thing.
“We climbed through the window, of course!” The three of them exclaimed in unison, bursting into laughter.
“Oh my goddess,” Daphne blinked, “that window is tiny.”
“And so are they!” Beaula laughed.
Daphne shook her head at the four of them.
“You're always getting these boys into all sorts of dangerous setups, Beaula, if any of them come up one day and tell me they want to become a deep sea diver or some other dangerous thing, I'm going to skin you.”
Beaula roared with laughter, but the boys just looked at their mother and godmother confusedly.
“What's a deep sea diver?” they asked in unison.
Everyone was already used to them doing that.
“Absolutely nothing, you should worry yourself about my loves.” Daphne kissed all three of their noses.
""Now it's time for bed. You all know the drill. Toothbrush time!""
“Yay!” The boys yelled and ran off.
“The PJs they usually leave here are already washed and ready,” Beaula said to Daphne.
“I know.” Daphne smiled. “You're so reliable.”
*******
""B have you seen any of the boys? I've been looking for them for the past five minutes!"" Daphne yelled at Beaula over the counter through the noise in the restaurant.
“They were headed to the kitchen for more spare ribs the last time I saw them!” Beaula yelled back.
The celebration was in full swing, everyone had waited three years to celebrate Beaula's success as a restaurant owner, and they were pulling out all the stops.
Daphne hurried to the kitchen.
It was quieter here, but no less busy. People were running in and out every second.
Daphne ran around, ducking and craning her neck to see if she would see the boys. When she couldn't find them, she got a hold of the cook.
“Pablo! Have you seen my boys?""
The wiry man blinked, as though thinking for a bit.
“Well, they came in for some ribs, but before I could give ‘em someone came and said you were looking for ‘em and then took ‘em away.”
“What?” Daphne nearly collapsed.
“I was too swamped to pay much attention to the person, but don't worry, I'm sure they're around here somewhere.”
Daphne had checked everywhere else already. Her boys weren't in the restaurant.
She knew in the pit of her stomach that this wasn't a prank like yesterday. Someone had taken her boys.
It was confirmed thirty minutes later when Mrs Beatrice’s grandchildren burst into the restaurant and said they saw some guy dragging the boys away into a vehicle. They'd been chasing them on their bicycles, but then the car had gone over onto the interstate, and they couldn't follow them anymore.
But they'd called the police already.
Daphne fainted.
The police arrived nearly two hours later and said they'd lost the car.
“What route did the car take,” Daphne asked in a monotone, sure she already knew the answer.
“To Davedswood.” One of the police officers confirmed.
So her past had come to find her. Why they would take her children she didn't know. But she knew that she had no choice but to seek out a man now.
X. Ark.
- Writer
