When Family Became a Place I Couldn’t Return To novel Chapter 162

Fine, for her mom’s sake, she decided to let things slide with April.

As soon as April heard they were going out, she grabbed Nelly’s hand, practically bouncing with excitement. Carrie was about to stop her, but April just reached out and took her hand too. For someone so small, April had a surprisingly strong grip. It actually took Carrie a few tries to pull her hand free.

Since they were already heading out for lunch, Nelly figured she might as well turn it into a day of fun for both girls. She called the school to arrange for Carrie and April to have the afternoon off.

April was in the boarding section, so her teacher was a bit worried and wanted to call Victoria to check. The moment she heard this, April’s face went pale. She shook her head at Nelly, eyes wide and pleading.

“Please don’t tell my mom…” April’s voice trembled, her eyes filling with tears. “She never lets me leave daycare.”

Even at the hospital, April could only sneak out for a breath of fresh air. Nelly hesitated, unsure if she was doing the right thing, but looking at April, she couldn’t help but think of Finn. After a moment, she pulled the teacher aside and quietly handed her a gift card for the mall.

“I’ll bring April back after school. Thank you so much for your help.”

That did the trick. With Carrie’s family background, the teacher felt reassured.

Once they left daycare, Nelly drove the girls to the nearby mall. It was still early for lunch, so she decided to shop for April’s birthday and get her something nice to wear.

Carrie was in her element as soon as they entered the mall, moving around like she owned the place. Usually, her clothes were picked out by personal shoppers, or Nelly would take her shopping herself. Even though she was only five, Carrie already had a sharp eye for style. Among kids her age, her fashion taste definitely stood out.

April was different. She had never gone shopping with her mom. Most of her clothes were hand-me-downs from her brother. If her mom ever bought her something new, she just brought it home without asking April to choose.

Inside the brand store, Carrie was full of confidence, surrounded by sales assistants showering her with compliments. April, on the other hand, stuck close to Nelly, only sneaking a look at the clothes from a distance.

“April, it’s your birthday today. Let me get you a present. Pick out anything you like,” Nelly said gently, holding April’s hand, noticing how nervous she looked.

April shook her head. “It’s okay. I don’t need anything.”

Nelly smiled patiently. “You’re treating us to lunch for your birthday. If you don’t take a gift, I’ll feel bad.”

With that, she steered April toward the kids’ section to look at clothes together. April was too shy to choose, so Nelly started picking things out, holding them up for her to try. She encouraged April to go into the fitting room and put them on.

After a little while, April had tried on two outfits. The sales assistants were quick to tell her how cute she looked. Finally, April started to relax. For the first time, she picked out a dress and a denim jacket she really liked. She had seen the same outfit in a cartoon and always wanted it.

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