My Ex Next Door

After getting their tickets, Ken, Novie and the triplets went inside the zoo. As they entered, Ethan and Leo pulled their hands from Novie and ran away.

Novie's heart skipped a beat when the two boys started acting like a caveman who just escaped the jungle.

"Ethan Leo!" she shouted their name. The two boys looked back at her and pouted when she gestured them to come back. Without complaining the boys ran to her direction and held her hand.

Novie felt relief that they listened to her but, to her shock the two grabbed her hands and ran away, bringing her along with them.

Her feet took a big step and tried to balance her body, the way they were pulling her body was as if she's a toy, not caring if she will fall or not.

When she looked back at Ken, the man was holding Alexa's hand and both of them was waving a hand in the air as a goodbye.

"I will see you around" Ken shouted and turned his back and walked away with Alexa.

Novie parted her lips in shock, she didn't expect that they will split in a group if she had known it, she will pair up with Ken and the triplets can go by themselves.

She sighed and let the two boys dragged her body wherever.

The stopped in front of bird cages with different species. When she saw Ethan opening his bag, her hearts pulverized. She prepared herself for worse but, to her surprise, Ethan took out a camera from his bag.

"Aunt Novie, can you take us a photo?" Ethan asked in a tiny voice while handing her the camera.

Novie smiled and accepted it with a complaint. When she lifted the camera, Ethan paused and stood next to the bird, when Leo occupied the space next to Ethan, the boy pushed his brother away.

"Leo, I want to take a picture with the birds, not you" Ethan grumbled and pose once again.

Seems like Leo didn't mind it, the boy went to Ethan's bag and put his tablet inside.

After some photos, Ethan took the camera from her and asked Leo to pose.

Leo didn't hesitate and immediately stood in front of the bird. Minutes later, Ethan asked a man passing by if he can take a photo and asked Novie to stand next to Leo.

Novie bent her body to reach the boy's height, Leo was on her right side while Ethan was on her left. As the man counted to three, the boys hastily tossed a kiss on her cheeks which made her eyes to stretched in surprise.

The man that took the photo sneered and handed the camera back to Ethan.

"Your sons are cute" the man commented and ran back to his family.

Novie nibbled on her lower lips and stared at the boys with narrowed eyes.

"Since you parent will get a new baby. Can I adopt you?" she facetiously said, the boys looked blankly at her and shook their head.

She flattened her face and felt hurt that the boys rejected her without consideration.

"Let's go" suddenly her mood ruined.

–

In the other side.

Ken and Alexa were in the ice cream store after walking for ten minutes, Alexa complained and asked if they can rest.

They seated opposite to each other in a round table outside of the ice cream store with a big umbrella attached to the table.

They both ordered an Oreo flavor ice cream with chocolate toppings above. As they were half of their ice cream, Alexa lowered the spoon and looked at her uncle with her lips pouting.

"Uncle, I am tired. Can you feed me" she spoke in a sweet sounding voice.

Ken's eyes shifted from looking at his phone to Alexa and sighed. Without a word, he picked up the spoon and started feeding her.

"Why do you and your mother always order me to do silly things. Your mother always says 'Brother buy me this', "Ken sign this'. 'That shirt is so ugly on you'." Ken imitated the voice of Daniella while his face shifted in different expression.

Alexa's shoulder shook as she giggled. After Ken set the spoon back in the glass bowl, he grabbed a tissue and wiped Alexa's face.

As he wiped the ice cream away from her lips, the little girl parted her lips.

"Because we love you Uncle Ken." the girl said in between her laugh.

Ken sneered and shook his head, doubting her words.

"You and your mother is torturing me. It's not love" he explained.

The girl shook her head to differ.

"No Uncle Ken. We are only doing that to get your attention. It's called love" the girl explained in an innocent voice.

Ken scoffed and creased his brows in confusion, wondering where did she get that information.

"Love? You are five years old, how do you know love?" he asked.

Instead of replying, the girl opened her bag and took out a bar of chocolate and put it on the table.

"Uncle, Leo always hide a chocolate in his bag, he knows that I always take it but, he still keeps it in the same. That's love Uncle" she explained once again but, Ken could not understand her point.

"I think he's just stupid. He knows you are stealing his chocolate but still hide it in his bag" when he said those words, Alexa's head shook in disagreement.

"First, I didn't steal it, because he's fully aware that I am the person who's taking his chocolate. Second, he's not stupid because he always makes my homework" she spoke in a proud tone.

Ken bite his lips when he saw her expression, he grabbed another spoon of ice cream and feed her.

"Does your mother knows you're letting Leo do your homework?" he asked while checking on his phone, wondering why Novie didn't call him.

When Alexa didn't answer, he looked at her in confusion. His eyebrow rose by itself when he realized the reason why Alexa's face blanched.

"Wow! So you're not doing your homework?" he clicked his tongue repeatedly while his face wrinkled in disappointment.

And once again Alexa didn't respond, instead, she held the chocolate bar she took from Leo and slide next to Ken's ice cream.

Ken stared at the chocolate and slowly lifted his sight to Alexa's face. When their eyes met, his whole body wanted to explode after seeing her expression.

He can't be mistaken, the expression Alexa had in her face was the same as her mother's expression every time Daniella slide a cheque under the table.

The girl's round eyes blinked repeatedly while her lips curved up a shy smile.

When Alexa's lips parted to speak, every word she uttered was like a scissor cutting all the thread he's using to hold his laugh.

"Uncle, Is this chocolate enough keep my secret?"