Page 2 of The Mesmerized

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“Thank you. I think she’s a keeper,” Minji said, and winked at Ava.

Ava giggled.

Quickly taking in Minji’s waist-length black and purple dreads, black clothing, tattoos, and Asian features, the woman’s expression took on an air of confusion. The stranger’s eyes slid back and forth between Minji’s distinctly non-white features and Ava’s freckles and red hair.

“Oh, I see! Her eyes are like yours,” the woman said triumphantly.

Minji gave a brief nod, struggling not to show her annoyance. “And she has my father’s red hair.”

“But Daddy’s freckles,” Ava added.

“Oh, so she’s only a quarter Japanese?” The words were said as if she’d solved some great mystery.

“Korean,” Minji corrected.

“Ah, that’s so nice,” the tourist decided with a pleased smile.

“What’s nice?” Ava asked, sounding suspicious.

“That you’re part Korean. That’s very nice.”

Minji and Ava exchanged amused looks. This wasn’t their first time dealing with people who found Ava’s bi-racial appearance intriguing. Minji looked like her mother’s side of the family though she did have her father’s hazel eyes and naturally thick wavy hair, so she wasn’t the subject of as much scrutiny as Ava. It did hurt when people asked if Ava was her biological child. Since their youngest daughter strongly resembled Minji, her husband was often asked if the baby was adopted when he was out in public and Minji wasn’t about. Those comments angered Jake, but Minji was gradually developing scripted responses for the occasional odd inquiry into her daughters’ genetic background. Her husband had no time for such nonsense and let people know it.

All of Jake’s six foot five Swedish handsomeness appeared strolling down the hallway. A black t-shirt emblazoned with the insignia of the fictional band DethKlok was stretched across his muscular chest and he wore dark gray cargo shorts and black high-top Converse. Blond hair swept into a ponytail, he carried their youngest daughter on his hip while struggling with the baby backpack and diaper bag.

“Min, can you give me a hand?” he asked.

The tourist openly stared at Jake, her eyes widening a bit. It was a common response. Jake was someone people always noticed.

“Excuse me,” Minji said to the woman, and then pulled on the short pink and purple leash attached to Ava’s backpack. A gift from Lily, Minji had scoffed at it until Ava developed a bad habit of dashing away whenever something interesting caught her eye. It was a little embarrassing, but in Las Vegas she wasn’t about to take a chance with her daughter’s safety. “Gimme the baby, hon.”

With a relieved moan, Jake handed over Bailey. Not quite a year old, the little girl was getting bigger and heavier every day. Minji kissed Bailey’s soft cheek while tugging the pale yellow shirt down over the baby’s round belly. Bailey’s dark hair was in pigtails with bright pink pompoms holding them in place. Like Ava, she had a smattering of freckles on her nose.

“I’m convinced this thing was made to drive me crazy,” Jake muttered while setting the diaper bag on the floor so he could mess with the backpack. “I’m a programmer. I should be able to figure this out!”

Ava giggled. “You’re doing it all wrong, Daddy.”

Jake fussed with the straps and buckles while casting an amused look at his eldest daughter. “You think this is funny?”

“Uh huh.”

Tickling Ava’s side, Jake winked. “I’m glad someone thinks it is, because Daddy is about to lose his mind over it.”

“I think you flipped something around when you took the baby out.” Minji pointed. “That piece right there.”

With a bit of tugging and a lot of swearing under his breath, Jake sorted out the backpack. “If not for the safety rating on this thing, I’d swear it was defective.”

“Eh, it’s just a torture device for parents. We already agreed to that.”

Shrugging on the backpack, Jake squatted since there was well over a foot difference in their heights, and Minji slipped Bailey into the contraption. Minji carefully made sure her youngest was securely strapped and patted her husband’s broad shoulder. “You got it, babe.”

Rising to his full height, Jake rolled his shoulders. “That’s better.”

Bailey immediately grabbed his ponytail and held on.

Jake grunted. “I’m going to cut it off. I swear.”

“Then you won’t look like a Viking,” Ava said with a pout. She loved telling her friends at school that her father was a Nordic warrior.


Tags: Rhiannon Frater Horror