Chapter 999 Are You Mad at Me?

I had taken care of business, and my stuff was still at the hotel. I planned to swing by, pick it up, and head straight to the airport. After leaving Astoria with a few instructions, I made my way out of the yard without giving Lucas a second glance. "Yvette," Lucas called out from behind me. I stopped, took a breath, and turned around. My face was a mask of calm. "Yeah?" "When will you be back in Tully?" he asked, his voice low but clear in the quiet. "I'm not sure yet," I answered, my tone nonchalant. I caught the faint shadow of sadness in his eyes but chose not to say anything more. Instead, I gave Astoria a quick nod and headed out. Once I left the yard, I headed straight for the hotel, gathered my belongings, and then made a beeline for the airport. After breezing through check-in, I still had time to kill, so I settled into a café to wait it out. Astoria called me as I was watching the frantic airport crowd from my seat in the café. "Ms. Scott, have you made it to the airport?" she asked. "Yeah," I replied, swirling the bitter coffee that I had never liked much. I was only drinking it for the caffeine kick. "I'm here. I'll let you know when I land in Lake City. Stay safe." There was another hum from her, then a hesitant whisper, "Ms. Scott, did you leave because you're mad at him? He's been cooped up in his room since you left." I cut her off, firm and final, "Astoria, you don't need to update me on his every move. He's a grown man, and he knows what he's doing." I glanced at the clock. It was nearly time to board. "I've got to go. I'll text you when I land. Bye." I hung up before she could respond and made my way to the gate. The trip back to Tully City was a blur, and by the time I reached home, night had fallen. Drained from the journey, I collapsed into bed without a second thought. I was roused from sleep by the soft murmurs of Charlotte and Chloe. They had been fast asleep when I got home last night, but the sight of my shoes at the front door must have tipped them off that I was back. They could not contain their excitement and had been eagerly waiting just outside my room. Their whispers were barely audible, and I would have missed them if I were not such a light sleeper. I have become that way over time, waking at the slightest sound. It was probably a side effect of feeling a bit insecure. Once I was up, there was no chance of falling back asleep. I opened the door to find the two munchkins still crouched there, engrossed in their toys. They looked up, surprised by my sudden appearance. Charlotte's innocent face peered up at me, and she asked with a hint of guilt, "Did we wake you?" I shook my head, crouching down to join them. I ruffled their soft hair with a gentle smile. "Why are you playing out here? It's chilly on this floor. The toy room's got mats, and it's warmer there." Chloe, who had been getting more articulate by the day, cocked her head and explained, "The toy room's too far. We didn't want to miss you if you woke up and got busy again, so we decided to wait right here." I chuckled and turned to Charlotte. "So, you've been sitting here just for me? Is there something you need?" Charlotte shook her head. Her lips were pressed together, and her eyes were as bright as dewdrops. They locked onto mine. "You were away for so long... We really missed you." A wave of warmth flooded through me, and I scooped them both up into my arms. They were a bit heavy for their size, but Charlotte, ever so thoughtful, wrapped her arms around my waist and walked alongside me. Chloe, on the other hand, clung to me. Her head nuzzled against my neck. Even our little black cat joined in the affectionate reunion, weaving around my feet with its tail held high, as if it had missed me dearly too. I settled onto the couch with the kids snuggled up on either side. As I gently brushed Charlotte's hair, I whispered, "Missed me, huh? Why didn't you give me a call? We've got a phone at home, you know." Charlotte bit her lip, murmuring, "We tried, but you didn't pick up. We figured you were swamped with work, so we stopped trying. Granny always said your job was tough, and we shouldn't bug you too much or you'd worry."