fantishu
Chapter 492
Chapter 0492 Chapter 0492 Hannah
Amber's big move weighed on me for days. I was happy for her, genuinely. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't going to miss her like hell. And with her going away party coming up, I wanted to do something special before she left.
I thought about finding her a small going-away gift, just a little something to remind her of us. When I told Noah my idea, he grinned, grabbed his coat, and said he was in. It was Sunday, and neither of us was working. Besides-we needed a family day. Which, of course, meant that Melody had to come too dressed her in a cute little pink sweater set, and we set her up in her stroller once we arrived at the mall. She wiggled her arms, babbling to herself and us and everyone we passed as we made our rounds. "She's gonna be a yapper like her mother when she grows up," Noah mused with a mock sigh, which earned him a well-deserved smack from me.
"Actually, I think she gets her overactive nature from you," I teased, poking his side. "Don't act like you weren't a bit of a wild child when we first met. Always outside, running to the beach or the woods or climbing on some roof that you didn't belong on." He laughed, shrugging. "Guilty as charged. Maybe she gets it from both of us, then."
We wandered down the mall's winding corridors, stopping to look at window displays and stepping into different shops here and there. It was a particularly busy day, and we got stopped more than once by pack members who wanted to chat.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.
Melody, of course, wiggled her fingers at everyone who talked to us, her charm in full effect as she flashed them her best toothless grins. We couldn't help but laugh every time someone waved back, their faces lighting up with smiles.
About halfway through our excursion, we passed a little photo booth tucked between two stores, and Noah slowed. "Family photo?"
"Oh, that would be nice," I replied, lifting Melody from his arms. "I think it's high time we got a family photo. I'll give a copy to Amber as well so she doesn't forget about us when she leaves."
With that decided, we crammed into the tiny booth, and I balanced Melody on my lap while Noah squeezed his tall frame in beside us.
The timer counted down, and by the time the first picture snapped, Melody was looking at the camera with her mouth wide open in shock at her reflection on the screen. The second picture caught her reaching for the lens with her chubby little fingers, and by the third, her head was taking up the vast majority of the frame.
Noah and I made our best attempt at being wholesome and cute in the background, making kissy-faces and holding up bunny ears behind each other's heads, but we were too busy cackling with laughter to care about anything else by the time that last picture was taken. When the strip printed out, I grabbed it, nearly squealing at the sight of the adorable pictures. "Definitely a keeper," Noah said, taking a strip from me. He carefully slid it into his wallet, grinning down 1/2/2
at me. The look he gave me almost made my knees buckle. "This one is mine."
We continued through the mall, stopping at more shops while Melody finally dozed off in her stroller. In one store, I found a gold bracelet with a tiny compass charm. It was delicate and understated, and the tiny compass would symbolize guidance her on her newfound journey.
"Perfect," I murmured, holding it up for Noah to see. "This way, she'll never get lost."
"If only it actually functioned," Noah teased. I rolled my eyes and stomped over to the counter.
Once I paid, I found Noah standing outside the shop. He was looking through the window, his attention fixed on a small display near the front. I followed his gaze to a beautiful pocket watch resting in a velvet-lined case, the polished silver catching the light.
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