Yours, Until Needed
Chapter 80: Rest Stop

Chapter 80: Rest Stop

There wasn’t much that we could do about the sudden flowers. They were able to find the shop where the order came from, but even on their system, it was just a generic online order. We couldn’t get any customer information from there.

So, all that we could do was to inform everyone to be vigilant.

And I just hoped there wouldn’t be any more problems while Rina and I were away for a few days.

We’re going on a field trip. Or what looks like one.

Grandpa was not playing around when he talked about the holidays. Instead of allowing us to ride our own vehicles to the family villa, we were all asked to report to the main house so we could all go together.

Only my parents, who were only coming once they were free, would come by themselves. And even that surprised me because Mom had actually been there before. She said that this was a ritual from back when they were young, and Lucian’s Grandma was still around.

"So we’re all riding that giant bus to go there?" I said as I marveled at that bus parked by the entrance.

"Yeah. It’s so that we can’t run away with our own vehicles. Tsk." Lucian rolled his eyes as he explained.

Meanwhile, my brain was thinking about more important things. "If we’re riding that, then please empty the car. The snacks must come with us!" I nearly pleaded. And Lucian told Mr. Jim to strip the car of the snacks and have them sent to the bus for us (me).

"If I had known it would be like this, I would’ve brought more things!" All I knew was that it was going to take several hours and riding a plane was impossible. We could’ve used a helicopter, but Grandpa wanted to take the bus because Lily wanted to experience it.

And because it was going to be a long trip, we’re here at 2 am in the morning, yawning while freezing outside.

"Go in. The snacks will get to the bus. You don’t have to watch." Lucian shooed me inside, but I just followed because I might actually turn into a popsicle before we even got to leave if I kept on staying there.

By this time, the house should have been quiet, but people were buzzing around, double-checking the luggage and emergency necessities.

The other family members were still upstairs, probably making last-minute preparations, which was understandable since we had arrived an hour earlier.

"Go to my room if you’re still sleepy."

"No, it’s fine. I’ll have a hard time waking up if I sleep on a nice bed." That’s true. I’ve again practiced procrastination in bed, and Lucian’s bed was guaranteed to be great.

"I’ll just lounge here while waiting."

So much for just lounging, I lounged on my husband, as usual.

I was woken up when he said we needed to go to the bathroom before we left for the trip. So I clung to him as he carried me to the nearest powder room.

My brain wasn’t online yet, so when I got out of the powder room only to find Lucian carrying a blanket and a pillow, I extended my arms out in preparation for being carried.

Just like at home. Where I get carried everywhere when I don’t have my slippers on.

Now, if only my brain were online and I had used my barely open eyes, I would have seen everyone who watched us in shock as I clung to my husband like a monkey.

But for now, ignorance was bliss. I wouldn’t have to live with the mortification until later on. We got settled on the bus just like that, where I continued sleeping and snuggling with Lucian in this cold weather.

__

Later on...

My peace was interrupted when something poked my cheek. My eyes took time to adjust to the light, only to see Rina’s face close by.

"What the!"

"Good morning to you, too, sleeping beauty. I had to wake you up because we’re at the rest stop." Rina has this teasing expression early in the morning.

"Rest stop? How did we get to a rest stop?" I asked her as I tried to reposition myself, only to realize that I wasn’t even sitting on a seat.

"I don’t know about you, sis. We got here by riding the bus. While you rode on someone else." She started laughing uncontrollably, and that got me looking around.

Oh. It’s Lucian—a newly awakened one.

"Go to the bathroom." Well, good morning to you, too.

I just nodded while pushing Rina’s face away so that I could clamber off Lucian’s lap.

This wasn’t something I found unusual. I’ve gotten used to being in this position or much worse. But I forgot about something crucial, only to realize it when I heard a small voice.

"Good morning, Big Sis!" Said a small and milky voice that I shouldn’t be hearing this early in the morning.

Lily?! I whipped my head to Rina’s side, where a very cute girl waited for my response.

Oh, fuck.

We’re not at home, right?

I was internally screaming but managed to greet Lily with a smile. "Good morning, Lily." Now, how great this smile looked while my insides burned in embarrassment. I wasn’t so sure, but I tried.

"Are you going down too?" She asked, looking up at me with those big and hopeful eyes. Even if I hadn’t had any intention before, I would have gone just from that.

"Did you want to go together?" I asked, slowly disentangling myself from my husband, who hopefully still had oxygen running through his legs.

"Yes, please!" She smiled happily.

"Let’s ask the adults for permission then," I told her as I prayed to the heavens.

Maybe only these two saw us? We were seated towards the back, after all.

But Rina’s snickering face didn’t give me a reassuring feeling.

True enough.

Maybe the ground could just swallow me whole.

My instincts told me to jump out and find the nearest bus to collide with, but I stopped my thoughts enough to greet the other passengers who hadn’t gotten off, starting with Grandpa.

Grandpa was kind, and I’d like to believe it because he didn’t call me out even when I could see it on his face. In my imagination, he was surrounded by flowers. Thankfully he just let us go our way, and even with Lily in tow.

I wanted to get my bag in case we were going to buy something, but Lucian said it was with the luggage.

"Just tell me what you want to buy." He said as we walked towards the shops after a short trip to the bathroom.

Maybe a new identity? Where do they sell that?

At least Lily looked excited, going to a rest stop while on a family trip. And like any excited child, she set her eyes on the snacks.

"Just try not to eat too much. You might not be able to eat properly later if you’re too full," I told Lily, only to be mocked by Rina.

"Eli, that would be more believable if you hadn’t demolished your own snack pile." She said as she was sipping her drink.

"I won’t eat everything. I’ll save some for school!" Lily said with a determined look.

"For school? But you’re on break for a while. And why would you need this many snacks for school?" Riri asked the child, who was suddenly thoughtful.

"If there’s not enough, I won’t be able to share with my friend."

"Oh? You’ve made a new friend? That’s great!" I was especially ecstatic because I saw her state at school firsthand.

"Yeah, it’s that boy you saved, Big Sis!"

Did she mean Joshua? Was he also from St. Andrews? However, I probably shouldn’t be surprised that most families of his caliber would automatically choose that school or some schools abroad.

"You met Joshua already?" I was curious to know how they met.

"Yes, he said he approached me after learning that I was a Sinclair. Joshua said that his savior was also a Sinclair!" Lily looked smug, which was cute.

"He’s not so bad. He’s not really fond of the water, so we couldn’t play with the ducks, but it’s fine otherwise!" Lily shrugged as she proceeded to divide her snacks into piles.

I laughed because she tried sorting out her favorites but felt bad, so she kept on hesitating.

"You know what, we’ll just buy more snacks before your school starts. Maybe for now, you can just taste everything so you know which ones are good."

"Spoken like a true glutton." Said today’s volunteer wallet, who still got jabbed after he paid for everything.