The Traps of Black Swan

At Skyarc Penthouse,

Aarvi and Shawn had dinner after Lara dozed off. Aarvi wanted to wait for Aaron no matter what Aaron had told her. However, Shawn had dragged her away.

Even after scattering to their place, the friends were again on a video call when Dax was having his dinner. Aarvi sent a picture to their group of three friends. It was a picture of Lara asleep in Shawn's arms.

Dax suspiciously looked at Shawn who was still excited looking at the picture, "Shawn, are you planning to make babies now?"

"Heh?" Shawn rolled his eyes. He propped his legs on the desk and sipped his drink before looking at the laptop screen, "I am daydreaming of Little Heart and Bro's children. They will be pretty and smart."

'Children.' Aarvi choked on tea hearing him.  She couldn't believe he even thought of it when there were so many problems to solve. 

To her bewilderment, Dax became excited and started discussing with Shawn how many children Aarvi and Aaron should have. In between both would teasingly look at the camera for Aarvi who was blushing bright red. 

There was also awkwardness because they had increased from 1 child to three children and stopped at half a dozen. 

"Do I look like a baby-making machine for you two? You two better have a dozen before asking me." She growled.

Dax and Shawn laughed looking at her embarrassed. They were aware she didn't have time to think of all that. It was already a great improvement Aaron made space in her heart and she loves him, unconditionally.

"My Dum Dum is dumb." Dax breathed after another bite of his chicken salad.

Shawn followed his suit and questioned, "My Little Heart's heart is so small. Why do you want to stop at six? You should have more babies to love them more."

Aarvi: "..."

Firstly, she almost thought her nicknames weren't sweet but they kept it to scold her. Secondly, "What the hell! When did I say I want six babies to stop at six? Shawn Rivas, don't try to trick me."

They continued to have fun till the enjoyable dinner of Dax was completed. Aarvi then came down to the topic. "My team had bugged Tia's bag when she had stopped by the supermarket on the way."

Then Aarvi's fingers danced on the keyboard of her laptop and clicked the enter. She played the audio for three to listen.

It was audio after Tia reached home.

….

At Spencer's house.

It was a simple, well-maintained middle-class house. An independent house had a small lawn on either side of the walkway.

Tia half bowed to the driver appointed by Aarvi to drop and pick her daily. "Thank you, Mr. Fedrick. Have a good night."

"Are you sure you don't need my help, Ms. Spencer?" The middle-aged man's voice sounded.

"No, no, I will manage. Reach home safely." Tia bid him before she opened the iron gate then made a slight creaking noise. Grabbing the big five bags, she quickly went to the door.

She pushed the main door by her shoulder biting her lips to the heavy bags she was holding. "Mom, I am back. I bought groceries on the way." Tia's voice sounded tiring and breathy, carrying heavy bags.

"Ah… Child…" The woman in her forties who was watching television sprinted towards Tia who was holding three bags in each of her hands. 

She quickly held the three bags from her left hand. She sighed looking at Tia, smiling in relief. "How many times have I told you to return home straight? Ahh... This girl never listens to me." The middle-aged lady, who Tia addressed as Mom nagged her. There was affection and helplessness in her voice.

Tia chuckled as followed the lady waving her hand at the old man who was smiling at her warmly.

The house was cozy and sufficient for three to live in. The three looked like a happy family of three.

Tia kept the bags near the kitchen and ran out to close the gates and closed the door behind her.

As soon as she turned around, the middle-aged pinched her ear and another hand had spatula, "You already pay room rent more than required. Why do you keep bringing things home?"

Tia cried as she earned a gentle hit on her legs, "Mom, Mom… The superMarket is on the way… Mom, that hurts."

The middle-aged lady stopped beating her and also left her ear, "That's my mistake. If I had behaved like a landlady, you would have conducted yourself well." 

Then the landlady again started hitting her legs causing Tia to jump and scream as she ran inside the living hall, "I am already calling you Mom, you aren't allowed to take away my privilege. Mom…"

She ran behind the old man and pointed at the landlady, "Grandfather, your daughter is so mean to me. Mom, would have stopped me if I was your real daughter?"

The landlady argued back, "Yes, I would have still stopped her. Tia, you work at two places. Save money for yourself, stop spending it for us."

"Grandfather see, Mom's at it again. Same old dialogues." Tia grumbled to the old man.

The old man chuckled as he turned off the television, "Will you guys starve me between your fights? I am hungry. Let's eat first."

The old man grabbed Tia's hand and the landlady's hand, "You guys fight after dinner. These television shows aren't interesting as you two banter."

Tia and landlady: "..."

The old man burst into a peal of laughter.

"Dad."

"Grandfather."

The two ladies said in unison which only made the old man burst into laughter.

The three had a good sumptuous meal, the landlady went to clean dishes sending Tia to complete her second work which was online work. The old man cleaned the vegetables and stacked them in the refrigerator.

"This girl, there is no space in the refrigerator to keep all the vegetables and meat." The old man shook his head in resignation. He started making space and rearranging.

  After cleaning the dishes, the landlady joined the old man and quickly wrapped the work. Sitting at the dining table with their tea, the old man smiled, "I doubt if our Tia or Neil treated us so well like Tia."

The lady smiled, "I was so scared when we planned to rent a room. With Tia around, I feel like she came to substitute our loss. Such a sweet child." Her longing gaze shifted to the photo frame.

It was a family picture of five captured four years ago. The old man, his son, daughter-in-law, a grandson of age twenty-two, and granddaughter in teenage. They had beautiful smiles without knowing it would become their last family picture. 

The girl in the picture was the real Tia spencer. She was young and beautiful. They had lost her. When they needed a source of income, another Tia came and filled their life with happiness which they had lost.

The old man and his daughter-in-law didn't continue their conversation. Mrs. Spencer noticed Tia had left her bag in the kitchen when Tia had kept the grocery bags. She warmed a glass of milk and grabbed Tia's bag which had a microphone bug before she went into Tia's room.