77: I WON’T BE ALONE

I WON’T BE ALONE

Clark woke up. He rubbed his eyes and then he called his mother. "Good morning, mom, I'm hungry."2

"Good morning, my little sunshine. Did you sleep well?" she bends over and kissed her son and cupped his face.

"Fine. What's for breakfast?"

"What do you wanna eat?"

"Hmm... I want to eat pancakes!"

"Okay, let's go downstairs. But before that, please change your clothes first." After he changed his clothes, he happily holds his mother's hand and said, "let's go mom!"

Ingrid became anxious to go out thinking she will bump into Clifford again. "Mom... come on!" the child pulled her to go out from the bedroom.

"Alright, alright, you are that hungry, huh?" she chuckled as soon as she saw the child nodded three times.

They are both laughing when they go out from the bedroom, and Ingrid forgot that Clifford was around. She decided that she will avoid him at all cost no matter what.

"This place is so beautiful mom, I want to have this kind of room for us." She looked on his son and his eyes were sparkling of delight.

"You do?"

"Ahuh! And who's room is this mom? Do we have a roommate? This is cool, I won't be alone while you are working." She evaded answering the child's question.

"Come, let's hurry, mommy's gonna be late for her appointment."

The moment she opened the door, it was also at the same time the breakfast arrived.

'Uh oh! Wrong timing!'

"Good morning, ma'am, your A la Carte Breakfast is here,"

"Woowww!!! That smells good; can I take a look at it? I smell pancakes." Clark tagged her dress wanting to be carried.

Ingrid cried inwardly. "It's not for us, honey, that's for our roommate." She lied. 'Just when did you start lying, Ingrid?' she scolded herself again.

The child could only look at the staffs that were busy preparing the sumptuous breakfast on the dining table.

"Oh..." his eyes filled with upset, so she tried to cheer him up.

"But we could–"

"Clark!" the child turned around and his eyes grew bigger because of surprise. He run to him and Clifford took him in his arms.

"Uncle Cliff, are you our roommate? Could I eat with you? I am so hungry." Ingrid felt so embarrass that she wanted to be eaten alive right now.

'Why is this happening to me again and again?' Ingrid felt betrayed by her son.

"Yes, I am your roommate. What do you want to eat?"Clifford did not look at her but instead took her son to the dining table and placed him on the seat.

"I wanna eat pancakes, and I smelled it earlier when your breakfast arrived."

"Yes there are lots of pancakes here. Do you love pancakes, too? And this is not just mine but it is 'our' breakfast." He said with strong emphasis on the word 'our' and stole a glance on her.

"hmmp!"

"I love pancakes! Especially the pancakes mom usually prepares for me. Really? We are included in this? But mom, said–"

"Clark, enough!" Ingrid's voice is faking anger to cover her embarrassment.

"What a coincidence, I love pancakes too, Clark." Clifford ignored Ingrid and focused his attention on the boy. "...here try this,"

Clifford placed mini pancakes, which are specifically made for the child, sausage and bacon on Clark's plate.

"Can you put the bacon and sausage on top of the pancakes, uncle Cliff? And then put honey on it. I love it sweet and salty." The child grinned.

"Really? But I loved it that way, too..." Ingrid could only gulp down as she looked at the foods on the table.

She noticed the lavish breakfast that is served on the table. Fresh orange juice, cafe americano, Eggs Benedict served on English muffins and rocket salad with smoked salmon. Also, there's sautéed mushrooms, roasted potatoes, pork bacon, sausage and baked beans.

"Mommy, why are you still standing there? Come here, let's eat! Haven't you heard, uncle Cliff? It's for us, too."

Then her stomach growled loudly. 'Arggghhh another traitor!' she is really dying inside now.

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