SWNOVELS Chapter 2295
Molly knelt in the muddy ground, her eyes fixed on a dark green butterfly with a tail that resembled an emerald fan.
"Classic Wayne," she muttered to herself. Couldn't he see who had the real love for butterflies?
But then again, his attention seemed perpetually glued to his son and daughter. It wasn't surprising he missed the signs.
She didn't know if it was a stroke of luck or Cory had done his research.
When Rosalynn and her group arrived, they had stumbled upon a butterfly bonanza.
Rare species fluttered everywhere.d2
Consequently, they lingered in Butterfly Valley for an extra half-day before heading to their next destination.
Molly was settled in Rosalynn's car, sitting next to Ivy.
The two girls, almost like sisters, happily shared their butterfly captures of the day.
Cory, meanwhile, had his headphones on and kept to himself, not even bothering to lift an eyelid.
Rosalynn occasionally glanced back and could sense Cory's quiet joy beneath his stoic exterior.
The final stop of their journey was a vast, open prairie.
That night, they camped near a lake on a rancher's field, and the rancher was exceptionally welcoming. On their arrival night, they even had a campfire celebration.
Ivy befriended a darling little lamb, but she had grown up. Gone were the days when she'd insist on taking home every cute animal she fancied, though leaving the lamb brought a twinge of sadness. Still, she never once mentioned wanting to bring the lamb back to H City.
On the last evening of the trip, as the sun began to set and the sky blazed with color, the group packed up, ready to head for the airport.
"Mommy, look at the beautiful sunset!" Ivy exclaimed, always mesmerized by the natural wonders of the world.
Paige walked arm in arm with Baillie,
who carried Trista with one arm. When Trista saw Ivy pointing excitedly at the sky, she started clapping her hands as well, sending Paige into peals of laughter
Rosalynn glanced at the happy trio, then back at the sky. Unconsciously, her gaze drifted to Wayne, who was already looking at her. Their eyes met, and they shared a knowing smile.
"Wait a sec, did we forget to take a group photo on this trip?" Jaime slapped his forehead. "C'mon, folks, Mother Nature's given us this gorgeous backdrop for our O
finale-group photo time!"
Everyone rallied at Jaime's call. Calvin, chuckling, helped Hilaria out of the car.
They found a spot with the lake and the spectacular sky as their canvas and squeezed together, each family unit cozying up to the others.
Jaime set up the camera, refusing the rancher's offer to snap the photo, and after setting the timer, he dashed back to the group to crouch next to Cory and Ivy.
The timer beeped down.
Then click.
The moment of shared happiness was immortalized.
When they returned home, the new family portrait took pride of place in the most visible spot of the Moonlit Lake community area.
Time meandered by, slowly but surely.
Their cherished happiness flowed on, much like a peaceful, unending stream.
(The End)