Chapter 227: Calm (1)
"Did you have fun?"
"Yes. I seem to have a lot of fun when you are not around," Annalise answered. "Has she stuck by you the entire time I was gone with your mother?"
Annalise smiled at the little girl hiding behind Rafael. "Has she told you her name? Look, I brought you more berries. This town seems to be full of them since every step I took, there was someone selling berries. Take as many as you like," she said, stooping down with the bag of berries.
"Is it really berries or did you get distracted by candy?" Rafael asked, leaning over to get a good look at what was in the brown bag. The child didn’t need candy right now.
"I did not buy any candy and if I did, you shouldn’t be so concerned about it since you once bought me a bag of candy. It is only berries since she liked the ones I had earlier. We can sit here and eat together unless you have some friends you would want to share with. No?" Annalise added after the little girl sat down. "Aren’t we friends for you to tell me your name?"
The little girl placed her hand in the bag while staring at Annalise. "Lydia," she spoke softly and then placed a berry in her mouth.
"Lydia is a pretty name. I promise the giant and I won’t tell anyone else your name. It’ll be our little secret as friends. Don’t eat so much at once or you’ll choke. There’s plenty for you to eat so you don’t have to rush. Rafael," Annalise said, looking up at him. "Do you mind stepping a little to the right to block out the sun? We should make some use of your height."
"Who is the employer here?" Rafael asked as he moved. He only moved so Lydia could be out of the sun while keeping some light on Annalise.
"You are the employer. Oh, great commander of the Callahan knights. Berry?" Annalise asked, holding up the bag to him.