CHAPTER 129: A BABY CROCHET

"What are you—"

But Aurora didn’t finish. Her brother, Adam, rushed forward and quickly clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Pretty sis, go and hide," he whispered in a low, urgent tone, his eyes darting toward the door. "I think I saw someone like him... I mean... Theo Kingsley..."

Daisy froze at the name, her heartbeat thundering in her ears. Her palms, still damp from earlier, pressed against the table as if she needed something solid to anchor herself. She dared a glance at the door, terrified yet desperate to see if it was really him.

"Go, now, both of you. I will cover here, he didn’t know me." Adam said, pushing Aurora, and gently led Daisy to a storage door.

The bell on the main door chimed.

The faint scrape of shoes echoed against the tiled floor, followed by the soft rustle of plastic packaging as the visitor brushed past a shelf stacked with keychains. Adam straightened his back, plastering on his most professional smile.

"Welcome to Wanderer’s Keepsakes! Feel free to look around," he greeted, voice a touch too cheerful.

The man paused near a rack of postcards, fingers grazing them without really looking. His presence seemed to fill the small shop, the air heavier with each second.

Behind the storage door, Daisy’s heart hammered so loud she was afraid it would give them away. Aurora gripped her wrist, both holding their breath as the little brass bell above the door gave one last soft ding, swaying gently in the silence.

"Is this handmade?" The man picked up one of the postcards, his gaze lingering on the looping letters as if they meant more than what was written.

Adam forced a smile, stepping closer. "Ah, yes. Beautiful, isn’t it? All our postcards are handmade, brought in from small local artists. Wanderer’s Keepsakes prides itself on things with... meaning."

He held his breath after the words left him, praying the tremor in his voice didn’t give away the two people hiding just a wall away.

"Really?" The man paused, his fingers tracing the edge of the postcard before lifting his eyes to lock onto Adam’s. His stare was steady, unreadable. "Then I’ll take all of them."

Adam blinked, caught off guard. "S-sorry? You mean... all of these postcards?"

"Yes," the man said, his voice calm, almost soft. "Because the handwriting... It reminds me of my wife." He smiled faintly, then reached into his pocket and took out a name card. "Theo Kingsley..." he paused, "Have we met before? You look... familiar."

Adam forced a nervous laugh, trying to mask his shock and then took the name card. "Ah... It can’t be... a face like mine is rare," he joked, though his words trembled slightly. "Ha ha ha... I’m joking, sir. Nice to meet you."

"I rarely forget faces," Theo smiled again, though there was an edge to it, a meaning that made the words feel heavier. "You really look like someone I’ve met before..."

Adam’s forced grin faltered slightly, sensing the weight behind Theo’s gaze, though he tried to play it off. Behind the storage door, Daisy and Aurora froze, hearts hammering at the unmistakable tone in Theo’s voice.

"If you are talking about that one actor, I heard that a lot—"

"Nope," Theo cut him right away, "You looked like my wife’s friend, Aurora. I heard she has a brother, are you?"

Adam clapped his hands right away, "Oh God, I am an only child, never ever thought what it would feel like if I ever had a sister... my life would be really interesting, right?"

Theo’s gaze sharpened, a flicker of recognition crossing his eyes despite Adam’s awkward joke. "Hmph... interesting," he muttered, tilting his head slightly as if weighing the truth in Adam’s words.

Adam cleared his throat, trying to redirect the awkward tension. "Anyway, sir, all these postcards... shall I wrap them for you?"

Theo’s eyes didn’t leave Adam. "Yes... and would you mind sharing the numbers of the person who makes this? I would like to order a large amount of this..." he waved the postcard lightly.

"Ah..." Adam titled his head naturally, "That would be hard Mr. Kingsley, I made a business deal with the artist that all the items could be sold through me... you know business thing..."

Theo tapped the postcard lightly against his palm, his smile polite but his gaze sharp. "So... no exceptions, hmm?"

Adam chuckled, a bit too quickly. "Exactly, sir. Exclusivity... it keeps the mystery alive."

Theo nodded slowly, a faint smile touching his lips, but his eyes still carried that sharp edge. "I see... exclusivity. Smart move. Makes sense in a business way."

Adam relaxed slightly, relieved that Theo hadn’t pressed further. "Exactly, sir. Keep the items special, and the customers coming back."

Theo waved the postcards lightly, placing them carefully on the counter. "Very well. Wrap them all, Mr—?"

"Daniel," Adam replied with a bright smile.

"Right. So... Mr. Daniel... I’ll take every single one you have today. Consider it... an investment."

Adam gasped in happiness. "Oh, thank you so much... Mr. Kingsley." He gestured toward the cashier and pulled a chair from the side. "Have a seat while I pack them all..." He walked toward the stock of postcards before suddenly pausing. "Oh, anyway, sir, would you like to see another souvenir from this artist?"

Theo’s eyes followed Adam’s gesture, curiosity flickering beneath the calm surface. "Hmm...sure, show me," he said, his tone even.

"Actually, since they’re handmade, there aren’t many," Adam said, walking behind the counter. He returned holding a small display stand, the kind used for hanging keychains, each carefully hooked so they didn’t tangle.

Theo’s eyes wandered across the keychains, lingering on one in particular. It was a tiny crochet figure, a baby swaddled in a blanket that resembled the sandy beach nearby, delicate stitches forming the waves and shore. Something about it made his chest tighten, an unspoken longing echoing in the craftsmanship. He picked it up gently, turning it in his hands as if he could read the story woven into every loop.

"Oh, this baby crochet—"

The moment Daisy heard about the baby crochet, she reached for the door handled.

"No!"