c33

10:00 A.M.

"Wow, you did a great job!" said Cassidy, admiring the dining room table, she was wearing the same type of pajamas as Corine, but hers were green with giraffe patterns and black slippers with white giraffes on them.

"It looks like an all-you-can-eat buffet," Chloe said as she sat down.

"That's kind of the idea," Grace said as she put the bowl of chopped pineapple on the table. And put a ladle in it, so everyone could take a scoop and put it on their plate.

"As you can see, we have pancakes, bacon, sausages, eggs, and so on. They are still warm," she said, pointing to the various dishes and removing their lids.

"Depending on your taste, you can make your own dish, you have plates here, and we will bring you the juice jugs. If you have a particular juice in mind, and it's not on the table, you can ask us, and we'll bring it to you if it's available, with that said, bon appétit."

"Thank you," everyone said, Harmonie then entered the room with Adelaide in her hand after she had gone to wash their hands.

"Good morning," she said and everyone answered her, then she lowered her eyes to the little one.

"You have to say hello, Mama," she said softly to the child, kissing her on the forehead.

Adelaide lifted her head from Harmonie's shoulder, removed her pacifier, and then said "hi" softly, waving her hand. They all cooed as they greeted her with a smile as well.

Adelaide put her head back on Dada's shoulder before picking up her pacifier to put it back in her mouth, but Harmonie stopped her,

"Tell me, do you want to sit on your high chair or with me?" she asked Adelaide,

"Toi, Dada, (You, Dada)" she said quietly, putting her pacifier back in her mouth.

"Okay. Tia, can you get me a bib for Adelaide," she looked quickly at the table, "and some mango juice, please."

The maid Tia nodded and went to get what Harmonie had asked for.

Harmonie pulled out the chair, sat down, positioned Adelaide facing the table, and then moved forward a little.

"Are you all right, Mama?" she asked as she lowered her head, and Adelaide nodded.

Harmonie knew that even though Adelaide was close to everyone at the table, she must have been a little embarrassed to have everyone's attention, so she tried to distract the little one.

She took an empty plate and placed a pancake and two slices of bacon on it under Adelaide's watchful eye. Then she took a bowl and a pitcher of warm milk and cereal.

"Before or after?" asked Harmonie, Adelaide pointed to the cereal and Harmonie complied. She put the cereal in the bowl and added the milk. Adelaide tended to change the order of things, so Harmonie asked her before each time.

Tia returned with the jug of mango juice and a bib. At her side was Grace, holding a cup of coffee.

Grace set the coffee down next to Chloe, "Thank you, Grace." Chloe said with a smile before turning her attention to her plate, which had a croissant on it.

She took the croissant first and started to eat. This gesture on her part had somehow unconsciously given the newcomers permission to eat. They didn't need anyone's permission to eat, as long as everyone was present and seated.

"Grace, aren't you coming to eat?" asked Harmonie, who was waiting for her at her side.

"I have to get the water pitcher," she replied, and Harmonie stopped her.

"She looked at her and said, "Stop right there."

"Leave it, Tia can take care of it," Chloe said, making sure to chew and swallow before speaking.

"How dare I let others do my work," said Grace with an indignant look,

"Don't worry Grace, Lucie and I will take care of it," Tia said as she pulled out the main chair for Grace to sit in, and Grace reluctantly complied. Tia then went to get the pitcher of fresh water.

Seeing that Grace had taken a plate and started to help herself to the pancakes, Harmonie continued to feed her daughter and began to eat under Cassandra's watchful eye. They, Harmonie, and Adelaide shared a bowl of cereal.

Chloe finished first and excused herself from the table. After finishing the bowl of cereal, Harmonie cut the pancake in half and gave one half to Adelaide and the other to herself. They soon finished.

Harmonie then gave one bacon to Adelaide and the other was for her, of course. As she finished chewing her bacon, she began to pour some mango juice into a glass, then some pineapple juice, and she added water.

"Why are you doing this?" Corine asked curiously, Harmonie raised her head to confirm that it was indeed her Corine was talking to, then answered.

"I have to dilute it with water so that it is not too sweet for her," she answered simply, before taking Adelaide's sippy cup that Grace had brought earlier and pouring the liquid from the glass into it. Then she closed the sippy cup, shook it a little, and gave it to Adelaide, who took it in her hands. Adelaide looked at Harmonie, who was still chewing her bacon and grunted.

Harmonie smiled, understanding what she meant.

"You're welcome, sweetheart," she then poured mango juice into the same glass she had used and added water without pineapple juice.

She didn't have to look up to feel the stares of those around her.

"These fruits tend to be very sweet, and in juice, it's worse. We can't drink it when it's so sweet, Adelaide and I." The others had their questions answered.

They nodded in understanding and continued to eat.

When she finished her juice, Harmonie pulled back her chair and turned to Grace.

"May I leave the table?" she asked, and Grace nodded.

"Yes, you may. But leave the bib on the little one while she finishes her juice."

Harmonie nodded, held her daughter, and got up.

"Dada," Adelaide said softly.

"Yes, Mama?" said Harmonie, looking at her daughter.

"Mommy?" said Adelaide, looking at Harmonie, the look melting Harmonie's eyes without her knowing it.

The people at the table, who had heard what the little one had said, raised their heads and looked at her, shock written all over their faces.

Without saying a word, Harmonie moved closer to where Cassandra was seated. Cassandra lifted her head and looked at her.

"She wants you to hold her," Harmonie said simply as she handed the child to her. Cassandra took her in her arms and gave her a kiss on the forehead, and Adelaide had a big smile on her face. She put her head on her chest and continued to drink her juice, Cassandra smiled and gave her another kiss on the head before continuing to eat.

Harmonie, on her side, had sat down to the left of Cassandra and had her phone in her hand. Grace did not comment, as she had somehow left the table and was only waiting for Adelaide and Cassandra.

"She called you Mommy," Corine said with surprise in her eyes, as did everyone else present.

Cassandra stopped moving her hand and raised her head, smiling, "She started calling me that yesterday." Cassandra lowered her head to look at Adelaide, who raised her head to look at her, and Cassandra kissed her on the forehead before raising her head again.

"After I told her that Harmonie talks to her mommy, she started calling me that."

"That doesn't really surprise me," Sylvia said as she popped a grape into her mouth.

"What do you mean?" asked Cassidy as she turned back to her.

"Most of the teachers who pick up the children are their mothers, and since Cassandra and Adelaide had met, she was the one who picked up the child most of the time. Once, Cassandra had come to pick up Adelaide, and one of the children had asked Adelaide if Cassandra was her mother-"

Cassandra looked at her in surprise and said, "Really? What did she say?"

Sylvia smiled and said, "You were talking to one of the teachers." She lowered her eyes to Adelaide and continued, "Adelaide looked at you first and then looked back at her friend and nodded. The child had a big smile on her face, and Adelaide smiled back, and then you came and picked her up. I think that must have been when she started to think of you as her mother, but she never said anything about it until now."

Cassandra smiled and looked at Harmonie who was playing on her phone, but the little smile she had on her face let Cassandra know that she heard what Sylvia said.

After Sylvia finished eating, she asked Grace a question that she had been working on since earlier, but she didn't dare ask, "Grace, isn't Chloe going to eat anything but a croissant?

She was a little disappointed that Chloe didn't like the pancakes she had made.

Grace finished what she had in her mouth, then put the knife and fork down and gently wiped the edges of her mouth before drinking some water, then turned back to Sylvia who had left her time to finish.

"They don't eat much in the morning, and sometimes they don't eat at all in the morning. Only Adelaide eats breakfast every day. Of course, unlike the other times, Harmonie added a pancake and two slices of bacon, and again they shared these two foods," she said, looking at Harmonie and Adelaide, who seemed to be having a very animated discussion about unicorns.

"And Chloe and Harmonie are really the ones who seldom change their eating habits in the morning. On the days they decide to have breakfast, Harmonie doesn't eat anything, she just drinks juice, cereal is for the little one and Chloe has the croissant, raisin bread, or pain au chocolate with her coffee," Grace smiles and says, "My little one added the pancake and bacon because she knows our little miracle likes it, but not really in the morning, so they shared the food."

Sylvia nodded in understanding and looked lost in thought.

"If you really want her to taste your pancakes, bring her some strawberry milk, there's some in the fridge, and pancakes where she is now, and she'll eat them. You don't have to ask her, just put them next to her."

Sylvia looked at Harmonie, who gave her a small smile, then turned to Adelaide, and Harmonie patted her gently on the shoulder.

Adelaide lifted her head from her hiding place and looked at Harmonie, "If you're done, can we go? We have to get you ready, Mama."

Adelaide nodded her head very slowly with a sad look on her face, and when Harmonie saw it, she understood what Adelaide had in mind.

She stood up and took the child, removing her bib and sippy cup and placing them on the table, before turning to Cassandra and saying,

"Let's go," she said, nodding to Cassandra who had also finished eating, Adelaide saw this and had a big smile on her face. Harmonie kissed her cheek and said,

"Silly mama," she said, and the little one looked at her, then gave her a kiss and said,

"Si'y, Dada." Then she reached out and grabbed Cassandra, who hugged her smiling. Adelaide kissed her and said,

"Si'y, Mommy." Then she laid her head against Cassandra's chest, seeking comfort.

"Am I?" said Cassandra, still smiling, and she felt Adelaide nod her head.

As they left the dining room, the others looked at each other as Cassidy asked,

"Did we miss an episode or what?"

"That's what I'm wondering," said Valerie, who hadn't spoken since the beginning.

"What did we just witness?"

"A fluffy family moment," Corine said with a smile. And the others smiled in turn.

...

" I finished showering her. " Cassandra said as she came out of the bathroom with Adelaide covered in a towel in her arms. Harmonie got up from the bed and said,

"Her clothes are on the bed, her cream is on the nightstand."

She walked into the bathroom, "I'm going to take a quick shower," she said before closing the door.

Cassandra dried Adelaide's hair and then laid her on the bed, powdered her, and put on her diaper.

Then she dressed her in a gray shirt, then dark blue shorts and long white socks, and white shoes with black stripes.

"Well, now we're going to try to tame your curly hair. Where did your dad put your stuff?" Looking through the drawers of the vanity.

"Ah, found it. Come here, dear," Cassandra said as she took Adelaide in her arms and sat her down on the vanity chair. Cassandra untied the knots in her hair, taking great care not to hurt her, then gave her a French braid.

" All right, I'm done." Cassandra then picked up a mirror and handed it to Adelaide. Adelaide watched herself in silence, then lifted her head to look at Cassandra, who looked nervous.

" Pwetty, mommy?" she said softly, Cassandra smiled, took the mirror, put it back in its original position, then lowered herself so that her eyes and Adelaide's were at the same level, then said,

"Yes, you are beautiful, my love." Adelaide smiled, then a door opened and closed.

They looked up to see that it was Harmonie, holding a towel and trying to dry her hair.

Harmonie was already wearing a white tank top and shorts of the same color. Her ironed clothes were already placed on a chair. Which consisted of a gray suit, a black shirt, and a black belt. And she started to get dressed.

...

Cassandra sat on the edge of the bed, watching her little girl play on her tablet on the bed, and then raised her head when she saw Harmonie coming toward them.

"Can you help me with my tie, please?" Harmonie said softly, looking at her with a dark gray tie in her hand.

Cassandra nodded, so Harmonie crouched down, taking care to keep her balance on the edge of the bed so that Cassandra wouldn't have to get up to help her.

Cassandra took the fabric, straightened the collar of the shirt, placed it around her neck, and began to tie it. She had made it a habit of helping her father tie his ties and bow ties when she was younger, so it had become second nature.

" Here you go," Cassandra said, folding the collar of the shirt neatly. Harmonie looked up from Adelaide's table and looked at Cassandra, who looked back at her.

"Thank you," Harmonie said gently, not taking her eyes off Cassandra.

The way Harmonie tended to look at Cassandra, it was as if she saw only her. There was an intensity in her brown eyes that was so immense, Cassandra thought.

Not the kind that puts you in danger or anything, but rather the kind that takes you deeper and deeper into its arms.

The way she looked at her was filled with joy, happiness, love, tenderness, desire, passion... but also with sadness, regret, melancholy, suffering... the emotions that were also present, but that Harmonie tried so hard to hide, were mostly fear and a slight possessiveness...

If it had been anyone else, she would have been afraid, but with Harmonie, this possessiveness was rather harmless.

However, knowing her, if she really wanted to act with only that emotion, she would have done so. No one knew about this trait of hers. She only showed it to herself and only to herself.

All of her emotions tormented her constantly, unabated. Cassandra knew it.

She knew that all this was possible because Harmonie had let her in. She willingly showed her fragility. Cassandra used every moment to get to know her again and to help her as much as she could. And she knew that Harmonie would do the same when it came to her.

She put her hands on Harmonie's cheeks and stroked them with her thumbs.

Her eyes and fingers traced the features of Harmonie's face. She looked at every detail of her face as if she wanted to keep a mental portrait of it.

She started at the bottom of each side and worked her way up and down. Then she rested her two thumbs on the edge of Harmonie's lips.

She had the impression that her lips were inviting her, she wanted to bite them and suck them again and again without a break.

Then she saw Harmonie's tongue come out slightly and moisten her lips, and unconsciously her tongue did the same.

Then her eyes met Harmonie's again, which had never left her. They had always been filled with so many emotions, but now mostly with desire.

Her eyes finally landed on Harmonie's hair, and Cassandra's hands landed on her hair. She ran her hands through Harmonie's hair, taking great care not to hurt her.

"Are you going to leave your hair like that?" she said softly, with a note of joy and playfulness in her voice and eyes. Harmonie saw this and smiled.

"I want it slicked back." Cassandra raised an eyebrow but continued to massage Harmonie's head.

Harmonie continued, "It's too short to do a neat bun or ponytail. And to do other hairstyles would take too long. And I don't want to leave them like that."

Cassandra nodded, just like Adelaide, Harmonie had curly hair. But unlike Adelaide's, Harmonie's was shorter and curlier.

She usually braided them, so you didn't notice how curly they were.

"Would you like me to help you?" Cassandra asked as she took a quick look at Harmonie before continuing with her new job as a head masseuse.

"I was going to call Tia, but yes, your help would be most welcome."

Harmonie straightened up, shaking her legs a little as she felt a trace of numbness.

Cassandra rose in turn, and they headed for the vanity.

Adelaide had raised her head, but when she saw that they were only in front of her, she lowered her head and continued playing on her tablet.

"Use this pomade and this wide-tooth comb to help me style my hair," Harmonie said, pointing at them.

Then she quickly went to the bathroom to get two clean towels to cover her clothes. One around her waist and the other around her neck.

Seeing her, Cassandra shook her head, hiding her smile, but Harmonie had noticed.

...

"Do we have everything?" asked Harmonie, her hair pulled back and her gray jacket suit on.

"I think so," said Cassandra, taking Adelaide's blankie, the bag she had brought, and Adelaide's backpack with the cat and giraffe patterns.

Harmonie took Adelaide's backpack and diaper bag and put them on each shoulder, her backpack on her back, then took Adelaide.

"Okay, let's go."

"Are you going to be okay?" asked Cassandra worriedly.

"Yes, don't worry. There's the elevator, and when we get down, someone will probably want to help. "

Cassandra nodded her head.

...

The elevator opened and they stepped out.

The others were in the hallway and turned to see them get off the elevator. Chloe approached Harmonie and took the bag that was on her friend's left shoulder. And Corine took Harmonie's backpack.

"Thank you," Harmonie said as she adjusted Adelaide's position.

Cassidy approached her sister and took her bag and Adelaide's from Harmonie without saying anything. Cassandra smiled and patted her head.

Meanwhile, Hazel studied Harmonie's outfit from top to bottom as she gently shook her head, smiling.

"Harmonie? Where are you going dressed like that?"

Harmonie looked at her, then down at her outfit, and asked confused, "Is something wrong?"

"Of course there is, you've gone into your serious mode, it seems. It's a change from the joggers and hoodies you like to wear."

"I have an important appointment, I have to clear things up," she said as she quickly looked at her phone, then added, "and I like the way I usually dress because it's comfortable."

"Do you have an appointment today, on a Sunday?" wondered Corine, puzzled.

Harmonie nodded and said, "Yes, but the place closes at noon, so let's make a quick arrangement about who's taking whom?"

"I'll take the Rolls-Royce!" exclaimed Chloe, then she turned her head to Sylvia and as fate would have it, their eyes met. Chloe looked at Harmonie and added with a grin, "I'll take Sylvia too."

Harmonie turned her head to Sylvia to get her opinion, but Sylvia had her head down and said nothing, taking that as an agreement, Harmonie looked at the others.

"I'll bring Valerie and my car." Hazel was talking about the new car she had just bought, a black Lamborghini. Valerie, hearing this, looked at Hazel and turned her head sharply.

"Why? I was going to take my Bentley," she said with a dejected air, Hazel gave her a quick look, then ignored her.

"She probably wants you to go with her, she doesn't like to drive alone," Harmonie said, without changing her tone and expression from beginning to end as if she was talking about a futile thing. Valerie understood the situation and quickly looked at Hazel, who continued to ignore her, confirming what Harmonie had just said.

She turned back to Cassandra and asked, "Are you riding with me or taking your car?"

"With you." Cassandra simply replied, wanting to see Harmonie drive. Harmonie nodded and then turned to Cassidy and Corine.

"You two are going with Marc and Grace?" asked Harmonie looking at them.

"Okay," Cassidy replied with a shrug.

"Right," said Corine.

"Alright, we'll meet this afternoon, don't forget to bring the floaties," Harmonie reminded them and the others nodded their heads.

They had agreed to have a picnic today at a place where there was a lake, but it seemed more like a beach with a park.

...

Harmonie was in the process of maneuvering herself to park in front of Cassandra's house.

"Here we are, we've arrived," she said after parking and turning to Cassandra.

She took off her seatbelt, then got out of the car and went to open the hood. She retrieved Adelaide's backpack and diaper bag and took Cassandra's duffel bag as well. She closed the hood and made sure Cassandra had picked up Adelaide, then locked the car.

"Let's go," she said as she approached Adelaide and Cassandra.

...

"Well, I'll leave you to it. I'll go and deliver the documents. And that will give you time for her to adjust to this new environment," Harmonie said, looking at Cassandra.

Cassandra moved closer and wrapped her arms around her neck. Harmonie lifted her head to look at her questioningly, and Cassandra smiled tenderly.

"Don't you need us to come with you?" she asked, and Harmonie shook her head.

"No, I just want to check out some of the facilities we have after I send the documents," Harmonie said with a smile and they shared a kiss.