More Threat

"Done." Dorran came to the table just to see everyone smiling at each other like they know a secret he doesn't. Well, everyone except Kaia.

"What happened while I was gone?" He asked, resting against the table as he looked at everyone on the table.

"We came to a decision." Kaia signed at him, explaining what had just happened.

"What if I refuse to go to therapy?" He raised an eyebrow as a look of annoyance came on everyone's face.

"Don't worry. You and Cait- Cara will go together when we find the perfect therapist for you." Shia said dismissively.

"Ok what about Faith and Aliya?" He continued watching realizations come on all their faces except Kaia's.

She is the only one that made that decision with everyone in mind. She and Carlotta but it seems it slipped the latter's mind for a split second there.

Odd but nothing to be concerned about.

Right?

"Shall we leave then?" Shia asked, already standing up and making her way out of the table.

"We should." Max agrees, standing up on his feet. "What time is it?"

Carlotta looked at her phone and saw the time, "Two fifty-nine."

"Already? How long have we been here?"

"About an hour or so." She said, standing up as well and stretching. "I'm sleepy."

"Is there anything you need to do now?" Dor asked as she walked out of the table, followed by Kaia.

"No." She answered, looking over at Kaia, "Do you have anything you need to do?"

She shook her head.

"Then I can just sleep for a while once we get back." She said, wrapping her scarf properly around her neck.

"I will be going on home then," Shia said, zipping up her jacket and fixing the hat on her head.

"We can drop you." Dor said, "A little joy ride isn't going to cause us any problem, right?"

"Of course not." Carlotta said, walking to him, "You just have to make sure you do not get sucked into the house though."

"It is difficult to say no to her mother." He said, turning to Shia, "Your mother has very persuasive skills."

"I know." She said with a grin. "No one has been able to say no to her. Not even my father."

"I think Cati is the only one who is able to refuse her requests." He said looking at the girl wrapping Kaia tightly in her muffler and jacket.

"There, now the cold won't enter your body even a little bit." She said, proudly as she looked at her handiwork.

"Forget the cold, not even Kaia is going to be able to escape that," Max said, trying not to laugh at how squashed up Kaia looked with all layers she wore and how tightly Carlotta did everything.

"Are you jealous?" Shia whispered, startling the boy.

"Why would I be jealous?" He asked, rubbing his ears.

"It seems the person you like is showering more attention to someone else that isn't you." She said, a hint of teasing in her voice.

"Kaia deserves all the attention she is showing her." He said, crossing his arms like she did. "Again, Cati owes me nothing."

"You keep saying that, but how much of it do you really believe?" She asked, "But then again, that isn't my problem."

"You have it easy don't you?" He asked with a grin.

"Only as easy as you wish to make of it." She said with a wink. "How does it feel to be attracted to people?"

"How does it feel to not be attracted to people?" He asked back, the two exchanging playful frowns.

"Hey, maybe I have not found the 'right person'." She said, with as much belief in her statement as one has to their family when they are looking for the T.V. remote.

"There are more chances of you marrying your breadsticks than this 'right person' you talk of." He said it's his turn to tease her now.

"Look, they do not have much to compete with." She said, pointing a finger at him. "They just need to be better than food to me."

"Yeah, not going to happen." Ran said, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Don't worry, you'll make a great aunt to my children in the future. Just be prepared with gifts every month."

"Just how many are you planning to have?" She asked, finally drawing the attention of the others.

"How many what?" Carlotta walked to them after hearing a little bit of the conversation.

"We are discussing about our future kids." Ran explained, then turned back to Shia, "Fifteen?"

"Fifteen? Are you crazy?" Carlotta said, looking at him in surprise.

"I agree," Shia said with a smirk.

"What? Not enough?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Of course not." She said. "At the very least, it should be twenty. Don't you agree?"

"Why stop at twenty?" He asked back.

"Ok," Shia said, rolling her eyes. "You two just love to see how far you can push me, don't you?"

"Push you?" Dor asked, looking from Shia to Carlotta. "What are you talking about, Shia?"

"Yeah, what do you mean, Shia?" Carlotta asked, mirroring the same confusion on Dor's face.

"You aren't really planning to give birth to twenty of them, are you?" She asked, bewildered.

"No," Dor said.

"Of course not," Carlotta said, turning to the guy. "Did you think that?"

"No. Did you?"

"No."

"What were you planning then?" Shia asked again.

"Adoption." Both said at the same time, though it did sound like three people talking instead.

"You are silly, Shia," Carlotta said, playfully hitting her arm. "Don't you think so, Ran?"

"Maybe a little bit." He said, both spoke as though Shia is a child and she doesn't understand what the 'adults' are talking about.

"I give up on both of you." She said with an exasperated sigh and walked out of their cabin. "Do whatever you wish."

"Aww~. Don't be like that, Shia." Carlotta ran after her, hugging her from behind. "Come on, Dor. We need to apologise to her."

"I have nothing to apologise for." Ran said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Neither do I." She whisper yelled as she struggled to hold her back. "But you know …"

"Fine." He said, walking to them.

"I do not need either of your apologies," Shia said, as she kept attempting to walk ahead while Carlotta's arms are around her waist, feet planted on the ground.

"I'm sorry for making you feel dumb, Shia," Carlotta said with a sly smile on her face.

"I didn't know you would feel so affect in that way, Shia." Ran continued, "I apologise for making you feel that way."

Shia grabbed the edges of the table and sighed as she continued to try and move forward for Carlotta's iron grip. "You two are the reason my brain cells are dying every minute I remain with you."

"But you still love me." She said, looking at her with the best puppy dog eyes she could make.

Shia sighed as a laugh escaped her lips while she looked at the girl clinging onto her and smiling, "Of course I do."

Kaia and Max watched as the entire scene unfolded in front of them, amused.

"Forget Shia's mother, no one can say no to Caitlyn," Max said, as Dorran walked to the two and they began their conversation again.

"I agree." Kaia typed on her phone, drawing Max's attention. She then loosened the muffler and the zipper of the jacket a little bit.

"How are you doing?" He asked, watching her struggle with the clothes feeling more entertained by the second.

"What do you think?" She signed at him. "Could you help me with this a little bit?"

"I think you look cute." He said as she continued to undo her muffler.

"I am trying not to suffocate and you can only think of that?" She asked, frowning at him.

"Ok. Ok. Here, let me help you." He said, unfurling the muffler and wrapping it properly around her neck. "There, comfy?"

"Thank you." She signed, taking out her phone from her pocket and checking the news.

"You have been doing that really often recently," Max said, peaking at her phone screen.

"Yes." She signed, looking at the weather report.

"Why?" he asked again, "Are you expecting something? Is there something else we have to look out for?"

Kaia shook her head, "I don't know. My memory of my past life is a little bit fuzzy. It's not as clear as I wish it was, so I am hoping that something from the news will help me remember an incident or two."

"How's that working out?"

"So far," she sighed and put the phone back into her pocket, "it hasn't been helpful but I'm just doing what I can."

"Are you still afraid, Kaia?"

"Should I be?" She asked, looking at him with her shimmering blue eyes. "You are here right?"

"Of course." He said, those eyes always have been able to draw him in, no matter. Making him want to grant her every wish and desires.

Forget Carlotta or Shia's mother, the real threat is standing before everyone, hidden in plain sight.