Perfect Preparation

Chapter 17: Trip Gone Wrong

After all packing up into the car Lain started their drive over to the nearby mall. Kaila knew this was all going to take some time to get used to, but going out in public seemed to be the worst yet.

She was eager and excited to get to look at all the Christmas decorations, but was dreading having to get out and walk around in public wearing her yellow outfit and matching bow in her hair.

As they pulled up, she could see the parking lot full of cars, her nerves were starting to settle in. Once Lain parked both her and Mallix turned around facing Kaila.

They anticipated seeing her looking more distraught than she was, instead she was sat mildly fiddling with the tips of her fingers as she looked at the different logos on the building.

Stepping out, Mallix grabbed Kaila from her seat, although she did put up some resistance. He set her down onto her feet and grabbed hold of her hand. If that wasn't enough to make the small girl blush, Lain grabbed hold of her other hand as they walked through the crowded lot.

Here she was dressed as a baby, having these two giants holding both of her hands. By the time they made it through the glass entrance to the mall Kaila's face was a light shade of red.

"Stay close please baby, it's really crowded today." Mallix tightened his grip on her. She nodded and nudged herself closer to him not wanting to get lost in the sea of people around.

When she looked around she noticed a few odd glares her way and others were outright staring. She didn't know what happened, but every time someone looked at her for more than a handful of seconds their face lit up with fear and turned away.

Curiously Kaila looked up at the couple that surrounded her and noticed them making stern and scary faces back at them. Her grip on their hands tightened as they walked further in beginning their first proper outing as a family.

Lain led them over to their first store. Momentarily she had stepped away from them to grab a cart before joining back up.

"You can pick anything you'd like cutie, we're here for you after all." Lain's told the small girl seeing her already eyeing many items they walked past.

A few more aisles and they had finally made it to the Christmas motherload. Shelves and buckets filled with everything and anything relating to Christmas.

Kaila let go of Mallix's hand and ran over to a shelf of fairy lights with a red and green pattern. He chuckled as he and his wife walked over to her. "Do you want that baby?"

Kaila was hesitant to tell him, but after looking at them and seeing how excited they looked to be here she nodded slowly. They added it to the cart and they proceeded the rest of the time like that.

Store after store Kaila picked out many things to decorate her room and the rest of the house with. One of the things she was most excited for was a small penguin stuffie dressed in a santa outfit.

Walking out of their tenth store of the day both Lain and Mallix's arms were full, but Kaila was still happily looking around, "I think this is the last store for today baby, after this let's get going back home." Lain interjected ruining the poor girls mood.

"But there's so many places we haven't looked yet!" She whined, having already forgotten about her outfit, people looked over but they quickly turned away thanks to the couple that were with her.

"Kaila look at us," he lifted his bag filled arms as high as he could, "I think it's safe to say we got enough decorations precious. How about we go home already and we can come back another time to look at the stores we haven't visited?" His eyebrows lifted.

But that wasn't what Kaila wanted, she wanted to be able to see every store and look at their Christmas things. She put a pout on a looked up at them innocently.

Lain couldn't help but melt at the sight, she looked over to her husband seeing him with an unimpressed look. She gave him a pleading look and after a loud grunt he agreed, "one more store only Kaila, got it?"

She nodded eagerly looking around to find the final place to go.

Eventually she found the right place, a small antique store that had a tree decorated out in their front window. She took off running in the direction of it wanting to eagerly look around, including running through a crowd of people in her way.

She was so lost in her own joy that she didn't hear the loud shouts the two were giving her as they were catching up through the large crowds.

The small girl paused in front of the glass window outside the door, putting her hands on the glass admiring the sparkly tree.

That was until she was turned around slightly aggressively. Behind her we're two out of breathe giants looking at her with disappointed faces.

"Kaila I told you to stay close, that does not mean you get to run away from us." Mallix scolded. His voice was flat but loud and as people walked past they stared.

She couldn't help but look down and play with her fingers, she didn't want to keep looking at them.

"Kaila, look at us when we're talking to you." Lain added also with a new voice Kaila hadn't heard before. Her voice was deep and she had just as scary of a voice as Mallix did.

The small girls head rose slowly, she didn't want to see them disappointed in her. Her speed wasn't to Mallix's liking, he reached out and grabbed her chin helping her look faster.

"We know your excited baby, but we also know that you could've gotten hurt. This is why I asked you to stay close to us, come one." He grabbed hold of her hand, as did Lain, as they started walking away from the store and back towards the entrance.

Kaila tried digging her feet into the tiled flooring not wanting to move, specifically away from the store. She wanted to go in and look around. "The store!" She whined more.

Neither of them answered, instead Mallix sighed taking all of Lain's bags around her arms. He was drowning in how many things he was carrying.

But as tears were coming to her eyes, she felt herself get lifted up off the ground and onto Lain's hip.

Tears were certainly falling now, she hid her face deep within Lain's neck wanting to be able to hide herself. She didn't need to be able to see to tell that there were many eyes on them right now. But she didn't care, Lain was rubbing circles on her back as the poor girl started crying.

Back at the car, Mallix threw all of their new goods into the trunk as Lain helped Kaila into her seat. Her eyes were puffy and red with tears still dripping left and right. Behind her cries she couldn't hear Lain's sigh of sympathy.

She left the back seat, disappearing into the passengers seat of the car. Although she didn't get in, instead she reached into a small bag packed away under her seat. Kaila couldn't see what was going on with her tear filled eyes, but she could hear Lain coming back to her.

Mallix was still in the back trying to arrange the bags in a way that they'd all fit, meanwhile Lain sat next to Kaila's car seat. Since she had only put her in and hadn't buckled her yet, Lain pulled her out shutting the back door.

She lifted Kaila up and into her lap as she bounced the girl around softly patting rhythmically on her bottom. "Kaila, can you settle down for me." She repeated while her pats persisted.

But the small girl was far from over with her cries. She was still blinded by water, but before she knew it something soft touched her lips. Trying her best to focus on what was happening, she could see Lain holding something up to her lips.

"It's alright cutie, take it." Lain pushed. Kaila was still unable to fully make out what it was and continued crying. Before she knew it the soft texture entered past her lips and her cries subsided.

She kept whining and pouting but her noise level was down. Lain kissed her head before putting her baby back into her car seat and strapping her in.

Lain walked out into the passengers seat as Mallix entered the car. While he was still upset with the small girl for her stunt earlier, Kaila could hear him coo at her.
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Let me know what you think. Thanks Lexx signing off