Chapter 148 - Fill the picnic basket

Besides the classics of butter, cheese, baguette and grapes, Lily chose for the picnic in the park a delicious smelling Quiche Lorraine, which seemed to be fresh out of the oven and various cold salads, such as a seafood salad, bulgur salad, a hearty mango salad and an asparagus-strawberry salad, which she found quite interesting. For Adrien, of course, the pasta salad could not be missing in the basket, it was essential for the little prince! But the Tandoori chicken skewers were also among the toddler's new favorite dishes since their visit to the Camden Town market. Therefore, Lily added a few more meat kebabs to the basket.

Alexandre left the choice of food to his son and wife, while he just enjoyed picking out the right bottle of red wine for himself. Lily and Adrien, on the other hand, chose a rhubarb lemonade.

While Lily was still selecting some dishes at the fresh food counter, Adrien also wanted to peek over the glass front to see if he could find anything interesting. "Alec?" With his hand in that of his father, the little fellow looked up.

Alexandre lowered his eyes, gazing into the little man's azure eyes. "Yes?"

"Lift me up." The toddler called out, throwing his little arms up in the air.

Alexandre laughed. His gaze was warm. "Atop my shoulders?"

Hastily the little one nodded, his dark curls bouncing up and down like tiny springs dancing around the child's round head. In a single jerk, Alexandre lifted the toddler up and placed him on his broad shoulders. "Hold on tight."

Adrien nodded, but his gaze was already captured by all the colorful delicacies before his eyes.

However, soon he was getting bored of the food he couldn't eat. So he let his eyes wander of further through the room. There was a lot to discover.

"Look, Lily, look, Alec, look!" Adrien tapped Alec's head with his little chubby hands and pointed with outstretched fingers at a wooden shelf filled with glass bears filled with golden glowing honey. The little fellow had never seen anything like that before! He absolutely wanted to know what this was.

"Would you like one?" Asked Alexandre.

The little one nodded quickly. "May I? May I? Please!" As he spoke, the toddler looked at the golden bears with glowing eyes, expectantly bouncing back and forth on Alec's shoulders.

Alexander smiled. "Let's go and get some."

Alexandre stopped close to the shelf. Adrien stared at the fascinating glasses. "They look like the teddy bear you gave me earlier."

" Oh, really?"

"Yeah, look, Alec. Just like my new teddy bear!" Adrien's gaze was urgent and serious as he studied the honey bears from all sides. He nodded. "Yes, that's my bear's brother."

"Then we must take a brother with us so your bear won't be alone. But there are so many. Addy, you have to help me and pick the right brother."

Adrien dutifully nodded. He had immediately recognized the gravity of the situation. After all, he could not leave his new bear alone. He needed to bring the brother home, too. Immediately, the little fellow bent over and stretched out his chubby arms to grab the honey bear in front of his eyes, pulling it close with his tiny hands."Did you find the right bear?" Alexandre asked the toddler.

"Yes!"

"Shall I carry him for you? He's a little heavier than his brother."

Addy shook his head instantly. "I am strong!"

"Then hold him tight."

Lily, on the other hand, continued to stroll along the refrigerated counter and picked out some cold dishes that she wanted to take along for the picnic.

The next thing Lily noticed was an impact as she bumped into something. Instantly, she staggered back a few steps. Startled, she looked up into the face of a woman. Her eyes were dark and empty, as if staring into two black holes. Holes without a bottom. The woman's face looked sunken and gaunt. As if a thin shred of leathery skin had been stretched over a skull. Her light-brown hair hung down her face, stringy and dull. She wore a heavy fur coat, under which her spindly figure was hidden. A sweetish, penetrant scent with a slightly citrus aroma and a distinct hint of lavender was hovering around her body. She wore a heavy fur coat, under which her spindly figure was hidden. Lily looked away quickly. This lady's gaze was very uncomfortable, almost frightening.

"Forgive me. I'm sorry." She hurriedly muttered an apology. Lily's head was lowered while she gazed down on her tiptoes. Then she turned around to rejoin Melinda, who was barely an arm's length behind her.

But behind her was no longer just Melinda, but Alexandra as well. His face looked flawless as he stared at her with his perfect features. As if Da Vinci himself had carved Alexandra's face in stone. But then she noticed this flicker in his silver eyes. Panic!

A shiver suddenly enveloped her body as a cold hand closed around Lily's wrist like a vice, pulling the girl back with a hard jerk.

Frightened, she gasped for breath. He stiffened for only seconds, but it seemed like half an eternity. She tried to turn away to free herself from the woman's grip. It seemed to her that it was all in vain.

She caught a silver glint from the corner of her eye causing her to flinch. Suddenly a firm arm wrapped around her, pulling her back. All she saw was a strong figure pushing itself in front of her.

Suddenly Alexandre was at her side.