The Indifferent Ex-Husband: Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate novel Chapter 383

Theresa didn't catch the subtle vibes between adults and was chomping at the bit, grabbing Brandon's arm with excitement and blurting out, "Daddy, I wanna go on the roller coaster!"

Brandon took a pause to glance at Sophia, leaving the ball in her court.

Sophia eyed the roller coaster, noting that it was tame enough for tots to enjoy, so she gave the green light, "Let's hit it."

The roller coaster had three seats side by side, with Theresa plopped right in the middle and Sophia and Brandon taking the flanks.

The little munchkin was beside herself, having both mom and dad to tag along for a playdate - it was a total novelty.

This was also a first for Sophia and Brandon to hang out together, probably all for the kiddo's sake, leaving Sophia's feelings a tad tangled.

But she didn't let that emotional spaghetti mess with the day, nor did it put a damper on Theresa's fun.

She and Brandon were just like any other set of parents, bending over backwards to make Theresa's day.

Brushing aside a long-lost sense of regret, Sophia actually found joy in the moment.

Having kids made one wanna give them the world, spoil them rotten, and just shower them with love unconditionally. So seeing Theresa this happy and bubbly really filled Sophia's cup.

Sophia and Brandon were with Theresa as she took the playground by storm, hitting all the kid-friendly rides like bumper cars, water rafts, merry-go-rounds - you name it, they did it, with patience and genuine enthusiasm.

During the halftime breather, Brandon snuck off to the loo to dial up Kent, nudging him to bring Susan along to the amusement park.

"That's a bit out of the blue, isn't it?" Kent seemed to wrestle with the idea on the other end, "Randomly asking her out, she might think I'm up to something."

"How's that out of the blue?" Brandon's voice was chill, "Your boss needs a hand with the kiddo; you're out of your depth, so why not call in the kid's godmother for some backup? What's the big deal?"

Kent saw the light and agreed without skipping a beat, "Alright, I'll give Susan a ring."

After hanging up with Brandon, Kent called Susan to see if she could lend a hand; his boss had roped him into some babysitting, and he was a bit out of his league. Theresa knew her well, so maybe she could help.

Susan was at home, bored out of her skull, binge-watching some show.

She'd gotten a heads-up from Sophia's family about their outing earlier in the day, asking if she wanted in.

Susan figured they'd be a trio doing their thing and she'd stick out like a sore thumb, so she passed. But now, hearing Kent's proposition, she did a double-take, "Aren't Mr. Crawley and Sophia already taking care of the kiddo? Why do they need you to step in?"

Kent pondered for a sec, "Probably some last-minute work stuff. You know how busy Mr. Crawley can get."

"Sophia didn't mention anything," Susan couldn't help but murmur.

Kent shot back, "You know how Ms. Yearwood is, not one to trouble folks - probably didn't want to put you out."

Susan figured that made sense, "Okay, then. Meet up at the theme park in an hour?"

"How about I swing by and pick you up?" Kent offered, "I'm about twenty minutes out, get yourself ready."

Susan didn't play coy; she nodded, "Sure," and hung up.

Susan had thought about slipping into something and dashing out, but standing at her closet, she paused, gave herself a once-over in the mirror, then grabbed a towel and some clothes, and decided to freshen up with a shower and a bit of makeup. She got all dolled up before stepping out.

When Susan and Kent arrived at the theme park, Sophia and Brandon were gearing up to grab a bite with Theresa at the theme restaurant.

Sophia was a tad surprised to see the two rock up together, "What brings you guys here?"

"Just felt like getting out of the house, blow off some steam," Kent jumped in before Susan could speak, pulling out a chair for her and one for himself before sitting down.

Susan chimed in, "Yeah, it's been ages since I've had some fun; thought I'd tag along."

Sophia got the picture and let it be, not prying any further.

She'd be over the moon if those two hit it off, though it didn't seem like they were there yet.

Brandon kept mum the whole time, just turning to signal the waiter for two more sets of silverware.