"Mom? What's your answer?"

"Stop it, Clark. It's not funny anymore." Then she wiped her mouth and stood up. "... I am preparing for meeting later. Both of you should not disturb me."

"But, mommy–"

"Clark, I said enough." The child no longer insisted when he knew that his mom is now serious.

Clark glanced at Clifford and he winked at the child and grinned.

"Continue eating Clark, and because your mom doesn't like to be disturbed, let's have some fun."

"Yayyy! What are we gonna do, uncle Cliff?" the child clapped his hands out of excitement.

"Hmmm, let me think." Clifford pretended to be thinking of something.

"Ahh, I know! I know!" Clark raised his hand volunteered to suggest what they should do. "... let's go to the beach, uncle Cliff, I love playing in the beach. Then, oh! Let's make a sand castle, too. Mom bought my stuffs for those."

The child climbed down from his seat and run to the bedroom. And when he returned, he was already carrying his stuffs and as well his swimming trunks.

"Wow! You're well prepared. Did you disturb your mom?"

"Uhh, she didn't know that I took these because she is in the bathroom. I know mom will not allow us to play, so.."

'Clever child.' the child grinned and Clifford could only shake his head.

....

Ingrid's attention was divided, she was thinking about her presentation as well as her son and Mr. Briggs.

"Should I really entrust my child to a stranger? But I really don't have a choice, do I?" she silently muttered. "...but I know, my son is in safest hands."

So instead of worrying about her son, she diverted her full attention in sealing the deal with the couple. She took a shower to freshen up, put on a comfortable dress that gives her soft and warm impression. She wore a knee length blush pink sundress that gives an air of sophistication but at the same time captivates anyone who looks at her.

Her meeting is at ten o'clock and she still has thirty minutes to prepare, she decided have a final review of her proposal and after that she also checked the doc.u.ments and when she saw that it was all set she decided to go. It's ten minutes before their meeting.

When she went outside the bedroom, Clifford and Clark were on the living room that was both silent and serious with what they are watching. She was somewhat taken aback with their expression because they have the same intense stare on the screen, their eyes move in sync. Clark was beside Clifford who sits the same way as Clifford did, of which she knew that it's the way Clark sits if he is serious with what he watches.

'Why am I seeing things that I shouldn't even have?' she then lowered her head.

"It's almost time, Ingrid. Let's go." She looked at Clifford and both of them looked at her too.

She swallowed her spittle at the sight of them. The more she spend with Clifford the more she observed the similarities of him and her son.

'This is not good.'

"Mommy, are you okay?" her son called her attention.

"Ye-yeah, let's go..." she extended her hand to his son and took him with her, Clifford was just at their back. But Ingrid stopped her tracks.

"By the way, Clark why are you coming with me?"

"Because you took my hands mom?" she was surprised of what she was acting.

"He has to go with us, Ingrid, since I have to be with you at first by introducing you to the couple and after that we'll leave. Besides, it's not proper that we leave Clark here alone, right?" Ingrid then thought about it and then she agreed.

Without any arguments, they left the penthouse still Ingrid is holding the hand of his child while her other hand is carrying her laptop and some doc.u.ments. They were all silent while in the elevator.

"Let me." Clifford took her things from her hands and she could not protest anymore.

Her mind was just focusing on her task that she did not notice that there already some people who were with them in the elevator. They all discreetly took glances on the three and there's only one thing in their mind: WHAT A LOVELY FAMILY.