Lionel still seemed a bit reluctant to let go of the conversation. “That Paul guy is really something,” he remarked, taking a couple of sips of water. He smacked his lips and repeated with admiration, “Really something…”
Miranda couldn’t help but laugh. “Dad, the way you’re looking right now, it’s like you’ve just met your dream guy.” “Nonsense! My dream has always been your mom!” Lionel declared. “…Okay, I’m full now.”
Since climbing the Elgerson Wall had exhausted them the previous day, Lionel and Mindy decided to stay in and rest. Miranda, of course, respected their decision.
After a good day of rest, the three of them ventured out again the next day. This time, they headed to the Old City. Miranda had booked the tickets a week in advance.
Mindy even had a photoshoot, during which she dressed up in historical attire. The photographer complimented her, saying, “Wow, lady, you have an incredible air about you. Every move you make looks like you’ve traveled straight from the Renaissance era, haha!”
Mindy laughed along, clearly enjoying the compliment. After all, what woman did not like to be praised?
It turned out the photographer had a great eye, as the final photos were indeed stunning.
That night, Lionel slept alone while Miranda shared a bed with her mother. Mindy held her just like when she was a little girl. Surrounded by the familiar and comforting scent of her mother, Miranda quickly drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
The next morning, Miranda woke up and, as usual, checked her email. To her surprise, she received a response from one of the bioinformatics journals she had submitted to. They requested her to provide additional references for her article.
Although she had double-checked everything before submitting, there was always a chance something was missing. To be safe, she decided to review her work again.
“Dad, Mom, I’m heading to the library for a bit. I should be back by noon.” “Alright, take your time. Don’t worry about us!”
By noon, the weather had changed suddenly. What had been a blazing hot day quickly became overcast in the time it took to finish lunch.
Mindy looked out the window with concern. “It looks like it’s going to rain heavily soon. Mimi didn’t take an umbrella when she left. Let’s bring one to her. It’s not far and just a few minutes away.”
Lionel nodded in agreement and immediately got ready to head out. As soon as they stepped into the stairwell, they heard footsteps coming from below. The motion-sensor light flicked on, revealing that it was Paul.
“Paul? You’re back early today?”
Over the past few days, Lionel and Mindy had run into Paul quite often. Gradually, they’d become more familiar with him.
“Are you both heading out?” Paul asked.
“Yes,” Lionel replied. “The weather’s changing quickly, and it looks like it’s going to pour soon. We were just about to take an umbrella to Mimi at the library.”
When Paul had come back, the sky had only just started to darken, though the heat lingered, and the distant sky flashed with signs of an impending storm.
He wanted to mention that the library had spare umbrellas, but it was clear that Lionel and Mindy intended not just to bring an umbrella but also to fetch their daughter.
“The way to the library can be a bit tricky. How about I take you there?” Paul offered.
“Oh no, that’s not necessary,” Lionel quickly waved his hand. “You just got back, and we wouldn’t want to trouble you. We’ve been there once, so we should be able to find our way.”
“It’s no trouble at all. I actually forgot some materials at the lab and was planning to head back there anyway,” Paul said, not entirely untruthful.
Lionel and Mindy exchanged a glance and decided not to refuse. “Well, thank you so much then. We were worried about those winding streets. They all look the same, and we might take a wrong turn…”