Perfect Preparation

Chapter 76: Under the Willow Tree

For the next half hour the four girls had completely forgot they were sitting in a sand pit and we're now just talking.

"Hurry and pick one already! It's a important decision!" Bri rushed Kaila having no patience after Tera literally only asked the question a second prior.

Putting her brain into a quick motion Kaila blurred out, "doggie!"

All three of the girls sat across from her laughed, "see Bri I told you she likes doggies better than kitties!" Tera pointed her finger out at Bri.

"Well at least I didn't say she would like neither like Rae did!" She defended herself crossing her arms as Rae looked at her in shock.

Before the two girls could get into an argument a woman with hazel eyes in a light flowing pink dress who looked to be a few inches shorter than Lain walked behind the girls. "Let's go and have lunch now girls." She said oblivious to the fourth head in the group.

"Mommy look! Meet Kaila!" Tera interjected bringing Kaila in closer for the woman to see.

"Hello," the woman said softly. "Are you here alone?" She looked around trying to see if anyone was watching Kaila.

The small girl shook her head pointing to Nina who's face was buried half way behind her book. "Well my girls need to come to have some lunch, if it's alright with her your free to come along. I'm sure they would love the company."

All three of them screamed and shouted in unison as the woman took hold of Rae on her hip and held Bri's hand. "Can I go with Kaila to ask her Aunty, mommy?" Tera asked helping Kaila up out of the sand.

"That's not her m...uh, yeah sure go ahead. We'll be at the spot. Just come over there afterwards." She walked away with the two girls.

Nina was already catching wind of what was going on and looked up seeing Kaila walking over with Tera following closely behind.

"Hello," Nina looked over waving at Tera before looking at Kaila with questioning eyes.

"Can I have lunch with Tera an her family?" Kaila asked playing with her fingertips.

See how nervous the small girl was Nina looked towards Tera. "Where is the rest of your family?"

She followed the direction Tera's arm went up to see them sitting underneath a large willow tree in the shaded area of the park. "Do you mind if I join?" Nina asked not wanting to leave Kaila alone.

Tera nodded happily seeing Nina stand and grab her basket of food, "then lead the way."

Tera grabbed Kaila's hand skipping with the poor girl over to her family that was getting their food ready. "Hello." Nina greeted taking a seat on their picnic blanket with Kaila right besides her.

"Hi, I'm John." The man in a polo and khakis shook hands with Nina. "This is my wife Hellen." A woman besides him smiled and waved before turning her attention to her girls.

"I'm Nina" she grabbed Kaila's food out from the basket and passed it to the small girl. She nervously ate her meal making small talk to Bri, Tera, and Rae.

Meanwhile Nina was deep in conversation with John and Hellen. "And those are our girls Gabriella, Teresa, and Raven. So, your Kaila's aunt?" Hellen took a sip of her water questioning Nina.

"Yeah, she's my friends little, but I'm looking after her today so they can get some work done." She explained biting her sandwich.

"They seem to have kick started off rather well, here let's exchange numbers and maybe we can set up a play date sometime." John suggested pulling his phone out.

Nina smiled pulling her phone out and saved John and Hellen's numbers in them. "So how old are your girls?" Nina asked.

"Well Teresa's nineteen but typically she's five, Gabriella's also nineteen but she's usually around four, and Raven she's eighteen but she's the youngest of the trio since she goes from around three to four." Hellen explained looking lovingly at Tera helping Rae peel the skin of her orange off. "What about Kaila?"

"Kaila's eighteen like Raven, but she is a tricky one. I would say she's about four maybe three when she's really stressed." Nina smiled noting the close ages of all four girls.

Nina, Hellen, and John continued talking to one another. Lunch was one thing but spending it with fresh faces and new laughs made time fly. All of the girls had finished their lunches, after taking time to rest they were allowed to return into the equipment to play again. Kaila was tagging along closely to them.

But it was clear to Nina how much Kaila enjoyed being able to run around and play with her new friends. This was something she could tell Lain and Mallix to help out their anxious minds at ease.

Originally Nina had planned for them to stay til a little after noon, but seeing how much fun the small girl was having she just couldn't stop her now. They all spent time with one another until the sun threatened them to leave.

"Alright it's been nice talking. Tera, Bri, Rae!" John got up and called his girls in. Soon all four girls reappeared and Nina took hold of Kaila's hand.

"It's time we go now, tell Kaila bye. We'll see her another time." Hellen lifted up Raven to her hip while John grabbed Bri.

I'm unison they all frowned telling Kaila goodbye which the small girl reluctantly returned. Nina told her goodbyes and the two of them got back into the car.

Once Nina strapped Kaila down, her head laid against the car window looking outside. "Don't be so sad darling, you'll see them again soon. You were very good today, what do you say we stop by the boutique on the way home and pick out an outfit for you to have?" Nina began driving towards the direction of the boutique.

At first Kaila didn't want to do anything but play with the girls again, but seeing the proud smile Nina was sending her through the rear view mirror made her look towards the reward she was going to get.

The entire ride Nina and Kaila were talking about the small family they had grown rather close to.

Finally making it to the boutique Nina helped Kaila look through the new designs she had created since Kaila's last visit. After checking out over a hundred outfits Kaila finally was satisfied with a yellow breezy summer dress with sunflowers circling the waist line.

Nina took this time to check in with her employees before helping Kaila into the car for the final time tonight and took her home. As much as Nina enjoyed looking after Kaila, she was both excited and nervous to see how Lain and Mallix's meeting with Alex went.
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Let me know what you think. Thanks Lexx signing off