Chapter 188: Hope Is A Dream That Doesn’t Sleep
Lola had always been a dreamer... or so others had told her. Even Loren, Lola’s mother, once said that in passing, with good intentions.
Her exact words were, "I would love to see the world through your eyes."
Because Lola used to dream big. Even as a child, she always dreamed and hoped for good things. She had always been so positive, and unlike now, she was filled with hope, confidence, and aspirations. In her young mind, she always repeated one saying she had heard:
"Hope is a dream that doesn’t sleep."
Perhaps that was why, even in her darkest days, she was able to produce something that touched people’s hearts. Even in the worst days of her life, she could bring something out—something she didn’t have in the first place: warmth, kindness, and meaning.
But lately, she wondered if being a dreamer was something she had unknowingly taken too seriously.
Why? Because, for some reason, she was starting to dream with her eyes open, and briefly, she believed in those dreams.
Standing a few paces from the empty benches, a soft wind blew past her from the east. Her gaze remained fixed, her lips parting ever so slightly.
"Did I just imagine... everything?" she wondered to herself, laughing. "No way."
Still, when she looked around once more and didn’t see the twins, or Atlas, or even Slater, her heart clenched. A quiet sense of dread crawled up her spine, its sharp claws reaching for her heart.
Everyone around her was moving, doing something, while she stood there motionless like a lost child left all alone without knowing why.
Soon, fear settled in her heart.
"He said... they’ll wait for me," she whispered, swallowing the tension building in her throat. Her lips pressed into a thin line, trying to calm herself. Yet, she could only think of one thing.
This was what she truly feared the most: being too complacent and used to their company, that once they left... she would be left alone. After all, Atlas, Slater, Chacha, and Second were family; the blood running in them was the same.
So, if one left, all of them would.
Lola? She would be left alone. In this situation, she was an outsider.
Don’t think about it, Lola. Don’t entertain such thoughts. I’m sure they probably just went to the bathroom.
Slowly, she balled her hands into tight fists and looked around once more, this time with the intention of finding them.
"He promised," she whispered. "He promised me..."
Your own father promised you many things, but all of them were broken. What makes you think a stranger will keep his when your own father can’t even look at you?
Lola’s breath hitched as she heard her own voice sneering in her head. The corners of her mouth curved down, her fist trembling as she tried to shake off such intrusive thoughts.
"Atlas... is not like that..." she muttered, lowering her gaze. "... or was he?"
Just as Lola’s thoughts began wavering, she heard familiar voices from the side.
"Mommy!"
"Mommy!"
Lola turned her head in an instant, almost hurting her neck with the motion. She caught the little princess and prince running in her direction.
"Chacha," she breathed out in relief, her face twitching into a smile. "Second."
Walking behind the two were their father and Atlas, who was hugging the other two stuffed toys while enjoying the ice cream. Slater’s mood earlier had flipped with a dose of sweetness from the twins, but mostly because of the ice cream.
"I should book that ice cream vendor for your wedding," Slater muttered to his brother mischievously. "Everyone will love it for sure!"
"Mommy~!"
Lola squatted down as the twins stopped in front of her. She smiled, darting her eyes between them and stroking their cheeks.
"Mommy, were you waiting for us?" Second asked. "Blame Uncle Best!"
Chacha also pointed at Slater. "He made us take a lot of pictures!"
"What?" Slater scrunched up his nose. "You’re the one who asked me to snap some pictures."
"Slater is trying to upskill." Atlas stopped behind the twins, eyes on Lola. Slater, on his side, gasped in disbelief. "Have you been waiting long?"
Lola looked up at him, the corners of her eyes slightly red despite her lips curling. The thin layer of tears coating her eyes was something Atlas didn’t miss. However, he didn’t point it out.
"No," she shook her head, her lips stretching as she rose to her feet. "I just got back."
Everyone stared at her quietly but said nothing.
"So you guys got ice cream?" She hummed, flinching slightly when Second moved the ice cream on the cone.
"Mhm! It’s really good!" he cheered. "Mommy, this is for you~!"
Gazing down, Lola took it with a smile. "Thank you, Second." Then she looked at everyone. "So, what’s our next agenda?"
They smiled back, and Slater was quick to step in as today’s guide. With that, they sat on the bench and listened to Slater’s rambling. When they finished their ice creams and hydrated well, they wasted no time trying other rides and games.
And as they went, Lola couldn’t help but heave a sigh of relief.
I wasn’t dreaming, she told herself. And he... didn’t break his promise.
They didn’t just leave her alone, like others would. Like how her so-called "friends" would invite her to hang out, only to vanish. Like how she had always been left out by Lawrence and his new family.
But the most relieving part for her was that she hadn’t turned crazy... yet.
Little did Lola know that throughout the rest of the day, Atlas had always had his eyes on her. Whether she was smiling, shouting, or even trying to win prizes for the twins, he was observing her from the corner of his eye.
And the longer he observed Lola, the more his quiet prayers intensified.
Slater should choke on his ice cream, he thought. Or have his camera flash in his eyes as a mistake and go blind.