2

SEVEN YEARS LATER

NEW YORK

"Mama mama!! Aunt Sel's going to catch me, help me hide mama!," Arie shouts running inside.

Startled, I dropped the mug filled with coffee I was holding.

Damn it! not again.

"I'm sorry mama, I forgot you get scared when I make too much noise" she says walking up to me and wrapping her arms around me.

"It's okay baby, I was just a little distracted."

"Ugh, Ri I'm so tired help me remove my shoes please" Selene comes in from outside covered with mud.

"No, I don't want to you're dirty, you'll make me dirty too Aunt Sel" Arie replies

"Please don't make my carpet dirty Selene, I'll kill you if you do" I say with a serious tone.

"I can't tell if you're joking or not" she says

"That's the point Sel." I reply

"Go and get ready Ri, We're going to the mall today and we can get some ice-cream if you're quick" I tell her squishing her chubby cheeks.

"Yaay ice-cream!!" she runs upstairs

Selene removes her shoes and throws herself onto the couch. She pushes her hair into a bun an takes the remote.

"I got another one for you," she says clicking through the channels.

"Who is it?" I ask.

"Robert Garcia," she hands me the file from under the couch "Mayor, 58, 7 kids from different women, wife of 38 years, 5 kids with her and 10 grandchildren, 3 current sugar babies."

I quickly go through the file.

"Human Trafficking, money laundering," I say to myself reading through the file.

"Is he the one in charge of taking the kids and women?" I ask her

"No, he is the one who then ships them off to the auctioneers, as he is a member of the active government, he cannot be seen actively kidnapping hundreds of children and women. He basically funds the kidnappers then ships the victims to the auctioneers. Such a disgusting man."

"I agree, he is a disgusting pig" I nod my head closing the file. "I'll take care of it tonight; you know what to do."

"Yaay! I'm babysitting, again." she rolls her eyes sarcastically.

"Maybe you should go into the field once in a while and you wouldn't have to babysit her at all."

"Nah, I like babysitting Ri, we have so much fun together, it's almost as if she loves me more than her own mother," she laughs, and I throw a cushion at her.

"Shut up Selene, I'm leaving now." I say walking upstairs

"Fuck you and bye, have fun" she shouts after me.

"I will, as usual."

⁜

"Mama can I please get the teddy bear?" Arie says pulling my hand, pointing to the white teddy bear on the shelf.

"No baby, I'm sorry we can get it next time."

"Please mama please. I want the teddy bear" she says tears gathering in her eyes.

She can't keep doing this to me, she knows her tears are my weakness

"Fine, okay fine, let's get it."

"YAAAAY!!" she cheers running to the toy aisle.

I gave in as always, I need to grow a backbone

"Thank you so much mama, I love you to the moon and back" she said wiping her tears like they were never there in the first place.

"I love you too to the moon and back" I replied.

"Let's get Ice-cream now!" she grabs the teddy and runs to the till.

"Okay okay slow down Ri." I follow her.

She grabs a black one and I grab a white one.

"But afterwards mommy has to go on a date." I said.

"A date. With whom?" she asks still looking at her ice-cream.

"A guy named Tom" I said.

"Really?" she replies.

"Yeah, so you're not mad please?" I say.

"No, I'm excited"

"I know but you know he's my friend and we just go out sometimes. Right?"

I hate lying to my daughter to go on missions, But Garcia needs to be eliminated, with immediate effect.

We stop by the car and Selene opens the door, putting the teddy bear on the seat. We then head to go have some ice-cream. Selene orders her usual. Arie orders a kid's ice cream, cookies and cream. I order mine as well.

"What?" I ask them.

"Don't you find it weird how you still eat macadamia nut ice-cream?" Selene asks

"Nope" I replied, "I love it" I take the first bite.

"You always order it too, it makes you seem like you're ten" Selene replies

"Hey! , I can like it" I interjected.

"I like it too" said Arie.

"No you're don't, you're like seven, that's so old Ri" Selene says

"Nooo I'm not old," she laughs making a funny face, she looks at me and says "Mama tell Aunty Sel that I'm not old"

"She's not old Sel" I can't seem to hold in a laugh at Selene's face,

"Ha-ha-ha, laugh all you want I'll get back at you" she says

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