In the house opposite Valerie and Roe, a pair of eyes spied on them.
"My God...! He looks like a carbon copy!" Sylvia Hawthorne giggled, peeking from the window with a pair of binoculars. "Though I can only wish my boy ever laugh like that in my dreams."
Her one hand blindly felt around for the bowl of chips.
Katerina pushed the bowl toward her. She stuffed several chips in her mouth, eyes still glued to the lens.
"Just look at the Little Munchkin's puffy cheeks!" she sighed. "I knew we should've bought the chipmunk plushies."
Katerina perked up, picking up her phone. "I'll have them delivered, Madam."
Sylvia gasped, taping her frantically. "Katie, look!"
Katerina immediately picked up her own binoculars.
Below, their Little Master was trying to sneak another sweet from the snack basket while Valerie firmly moved the plate out of reach.
The little boy was pouting with puppy-dog eyes.
"She's scolding him, isn't she?"
Katerina nodded. "Yes, Madam. It seems like Little Master had too many sweets for the day."
Sylvia huffed in frustration. "So what? My boy never ate sweets! He's going to lose these baby teeth when he turns seven anyway."
Katerina blinked before giving up trying to make sense.
"...Madam, how about we try meeting them normally?"
"Absolutely not." Sylvia quickly waved her hand. "I'm the mother-in-law. How can I simply go without an invitation? I bet my heartless son hasn't even mentioned me." She put the binoculars down.
Her shoulders slumped in sadness. Her husband died when she was in her late twenties. The only son she had was taken away from her because he was the heir of Hawthorne's.
Her maiden family refused to let her remarry or bring her back to keep their connection with the Hawthornes alive. Despite living in the same house, she could only talk to her son for an hour on weekends.
"...He must see me as a stranger." She murmured, emptily smiling at the kiddy themed room she decorated for her grandson.
She used to do these for her son to play with him too. He would go through the motions like it was another one of his assignments.
It was so painful to watch she stopped.
Feeling her own heart ache at the sight Katerina was about to suggest they visit a new cafe when her eyes lit up with an idea.
"Oh! What if we don't meet them directly?" Sylvia tilted her head in curiously, when Katerina smiled, "How about we 'accidentally' run into them?"
Sylvia's eyes slowly widened.
"That's genius, Kat!" She shot upright. "If we're gonna pretend to run into them, we need props!"
"Why props...?" Now Katerina was confused.
"Yes, let's use Max as our primary prop!" Sylvia snapped her fingers, remembering her cat. She began digging through her dressing room. "I'll be a socialite. You'll be my assistant."
Katerina wanted to smack her head for the idea.
What she meant was that should run into them and introduce Madam not try to stage a play!
But it was too late, Sylvia was already running around the room, picking out her 'props'.
"Madam… you are a socialite and I am your assistant."
...
An hour later, they were hiding near the flower garden bushes.
Sylvia wore a sleek black summer dress, dark glasses, an oversized parasol, and carried Max—a fluffy white Persian cat.
She looked around impatiently. "Where are they? They couldn't have known, right—"
"Madam!" Katerina whisper-yelled, pulling her down.
Right on cue, Valerie appeared with Little Roe. They wandered slowly through the garden paths before finding a perfect spot near a flowering hydrangea hedge and sat down with their sketching supplies.
She set up her canvas and began painting the flowers.
Sylvia and Katerina casually strolled past them several times. Each time, Little Roe's wide eyes locked onto Max.
Little Roe frowned in concentration, trying to draw the fluffy cat when he felt something creep up his leg.
"Eee!" He squealed, startling Valerie.
"What—? Oh... It's a cat!"
A fluffy white thing was curled around Little Roe's tiny legs.
The little boy gasped in delight and immediately scooped the cat into a clumsy hug.
"Mommy, kitty!"
Valerie laughed softly, lifting her phone to take a picture of the ridiculously cute scene when her eyes fell on the thin black cord attached to Max's jeweled collar.
Her gaze followed it to a beautiful woman seated gracefully across from them beneath a parasol, dressed entirely in black, with another formally dressed woman standing nearby.
Valerie smiled politely.
"Miss, if you don't mind… can I take a picture of my son with your cat?"
Sylvia froze and leaned toward Katerina.
"Did she just call me miss?"
Katerina nodded.
Barely suppressing a smile, Sylvia sat up straighter.
"It's Sylvia. Do you like Max?" She pointed to the cat.
"Oh, yes. He's lovely."
Sylvia readily extended the cord. "Then you can keep him."
"Huh?" Valerie laughed in confusion. "That's kind of you, but pictures are enough."
Sylvia shrugged, taking the cord back.
Valerie snapped one when Sylvia clicked her tongue, now standing right behind her.
"What are you doing with such a model?"
Sylvia extended her hand so confidently that Valerie handed her the phone.
She expertly adjusted the camera lighting, angles, and saturation in front of her.
Then she snapped several shots before handing it back.
"See the difference?"
Valerie nodded with wide eyes.
"Wow. That's amazing."
"Yes, yes." Sylvia waved dismissively. "Quickly send them to my son."
"What?"
"Wh-What, what did I say?" Sylvia began coughing fiercely, realizing her blunder.
"Ah... Your husband! Madam meant your husband." Katerina hurriedly stepped in. "Madam's sons are as old as your husband."
"No way!" Her astonished eyes moved over Sylvia's smooth skin and elegant posture. "I thought you were in your thirties!"
Having dodged a bullet, Sylvia perked up. "Oh, stop flattering this old lady!"
"I'm not! If you didn't tell me, I would never know."
Giggling, her smile turned solemn. "It's just a shame both my sons have forgotten this old lady."
"Oh... Is that why you are alone here?"
Sylvia nodded, sighing. "My youngest is always at work. His job is so dangerous he always keeps this old woman on her toes, and my eldest..." She sighed again, holding Valerie's hand.
Valerie leaned closer, "What about him...?"
Sylvia smiled painfully, clutching their joined hands to her chest. "He got married but didn't invite me and then when he started a family, he didn't even show me my grandson. Not even once! I...I am just a poor, unfortunate, lonely soul!"
"Sylvia, for what it's worth, it's their loss-"
"Exactly!" Sylvia looked up, stretching a smile to Valerie's surprise. "Anyways! Enough about me, I don't let that bring me down." She pushed her to Little Roe. "Sit. Sit! I'll take proper mother-and-son photos!"
"Huh?"Valerie was taken aback bythe change of mood but nodded. "...O-Okay."
What followed was an impromptu photo session that Little Roe happily posed with Max for.
And somehow, by the end of it, all four were walking back together. When they reached the estate gates, Valerie was surprised.
"Wow… You live right in front of us?" The house was directly opposite theirs.
"Yeah…" Sylvia dramatically gasped. "Who would've thought!"
Katerina pursed her lips to hide her smile. Valerie too looked genuinely happy, making Sylvia beam.
"Since we're neighbors, why don't you and Little Roe come for lunch the day after tomorrow?"
Valerie nodded.
"That sounds lovely."
The moment Valerie and Little Roe disappeared inside, Sylvia spun around and high-fived Katerina, practically skipping inside.
"We need to prepare the menu immediately."
Katerina chuckled, following after her when her phone buzzed and her smile vanished.
Chairman Hawthorne.
Her chest tightened. "...Madam."
Sylvia turned. Her gaze dropped to the phone. "Is that from your mother's hospital?"
Katerina stiffly nodded.
"Oh..." Sylvia pulled out a card, pressing it into her hand. "Then you should hurry. Tell her I'm wishing her to get well soon."
"Madam, I can't take this—"
"Katie, dear. You are my girl now." Sylvia smiled, pinching her cheeks. "Take it as pocket money and go already."
Katerina couldn't help smiling until she sat in the car though her chest felt heavy.
These past few days with Sylvia, she had felt like she was a human. Though her life was just as wretched and filthy, she felt like he could breathe when the older woman did mundane things with her.
She wondered what kind of face Sylvia would make if she knew the truth.
Would she be disgusted, or would she feel pity?
Either left a bitter ache curling inside her heart.
.....
Valerie's new studio room had large windows overlooking the garden.
With things settled and Little Roe sleeping, she finally sat in front of her latest piece, her gloved hands stained with plaster.
The sculpture in front of her was of a woman frozen mid-scream.
The theme of her work had always been melancholy. The more it came together, the more disconnected she felt.
Sighing, she pulled off her gloves. She needed inspiration. It felt like all her recent works were rinse and repeat. Not to mention she somehow couldn't connect with them at all.
She grabbed her phone, scrolling absently, trying to clear her head when her eyes widened.
Forty-plus missed calls!
There was only one person in her life who will call her like a clingy ex if she didn't pick up.
"...She's back?" Valerie winced.
How could she forget her only friend had gone on a month-long retreat?
She was supposed to be back... Valerie looked at the date... Yesterday.
"Damn..."
Valerie straightened immediately, dialing her.