Tabitha's POV
I didn't know the baby, but her crying made me unable to ignore it.
Thus, I rushed to the tall man and asked, "Do you need any help?"
Maybe it was just my imagination, but I could totally feel his body stiffen.
Since he had his back to me, and there was a mask on his face, I couldn't see his expression at all, making it impossible for me to confirm my guess.
"Sir, don't get me wrong," I explained kindly. "I just noticed that you're handling two kids alone, so I figured you might need some assistance."
The guy stayed silent, but the kid in the stroller wailed even louder.
All my attention was drawn to the child.
In the milky white stroller, a little baby girl dressed in a pink onesie was crying so hard that her facial features were all scrunched up, her tender little face full of woe.
Without thinking twice, I scooped her up, and the man didn't stop me.
"Hey there, sweetie! Are you hungry? Don't cry." My voice seemed to have a magical effect; the girl who had been squealing nonstop calmed down immediately.
Probably due to crying for so long, she hiccupped and sniffled in my arms.
Only then did I get a clear look at her face. She had delicate features, her eyes big and round.
Her long, thick eyelashes were adorned with a few sparkling tears.
I couldn't help thinking to myself, 'She looks so adorable, like a baby angel.'
But why did I feel like she looked familiar?
Suddenly, the child stopped crying and started to giggle. A cute little dimple appeared on her left cheek, which wasn't very noticeable against her baby fat.
Snapping back to reality, I quickly apologized, "Sorry, I got a bit anxious, so I picked her up before asking for your permission. She's not crying anymore."
The man beside me stared at me for a while before finally saying, "Don't you recognize me?"
His voice was deep and had this torn vibe to it.
It was so soft that I almost thought I was hallucinating.
Worrying I might've misheard him, I fixed him with a bewildered gaze. "Sir, what did you just say?"
He glanced around cautiously and then remarked, "This is not the place to talk. Let's step aside."
This time I caught what he said clearly. "Do we know each other?"
Hearing my words, he turned around. He was completely wrapped up, and I could only see his eyes peeking out from all that clothing.
It gave off this dangerous vibe without him even trying.
There was a hint of confusion flickering in his eyes before he spoke again, "I'll be waiting for you at the coffee shop on the seventh floor. Come alone, and don't tell anyone."
As he took the baby girl from my arms, he added, "I'll tell you everything—the whole truth."
As soon as the girl left my embrace, she started crying again. The man tucked both kids into his down jacket, placed the pile of baby items he had chosen onto the stroller, and hurried toward the checkout counter.
Just then, Spike approached me. "Tabitha, what did that guy say to you?"
Even though I couldn't remember anything about that man or our past interactions, my instinct stopped me from giving anything away. "I saw him struggling with two kids and helped out. So he thanked me."
Spike reminded me gravely, "Tabitha, that guy seems kinda sketchy. Stay away from him. Don't just approach strangers. Let's get what we need and leave as soon as possible."
"Okay." I pulled my gaze away from the guy at the checkout counter, feeling a bit uneasy.
He said he would wait for me at the coffee shop. Should I go or not?