Ariana was finally able to cook a decent side to her beef which was still in the oven, leaving it to cook and excrete its natural flavors. After some minutes, she brought it out of the oven and waited for the meat to cool down before eating.
As she chewed in silence, she remembered her younger brother David whom she hadn't seen for days now.
She had been so caught up with everything going on she failed to also give her attention to her little brother.
Guilt crept into her heart and she decided to pick up young David from school. She looked at the time and realized his school was closing in few minutes.
She quickly placed the leftover beef in the fridge and hurriedly changed her outfit before heading to his school. She had missed him so much and couldn't let the guilt continue to eat her up.
Arriving at his school twenty minutes later, she waited at the gate and noticed they had indeed closed for the day and children of different ages and sizes exited the school gate while some stood waiting for their parents.
Ariana deeply hoped that David hadn't been picked up yet. As she waited with her eyes searching through the number of children around, she saw his familiar face. Looking so cute and innocent Ariana feared her heart might burst out of love.
David's cheeks were chubby, coupled with his beautiful round hazel eyes and slightly brown hair that was tied in a neat bun. David looked exactly like her father.
Young David's eyes searched for his matron and chauffeur who usually picks him up. But as he looked around, he caught sight of his sister who he had missed a little too much.
He shrieked and ran towards Ariana, an action that brought warmth to Ariana's heart. He was her little angel.
Opening her arms wide, she bent down to match his height and accept his hug.
"Sister Ariana!" He said as his little arms finally wrapped themselves around her soft and warm embrace.
"My little one. How are you?" Ariana lifted him off the ground, carrying him.
"I hadn't seen you for days so I wasn't fine but now I have, I am fine" little David answered as he laid his head on her shoulder.
He was so loving and Ariana almost found herself tearing up as she had missed him so much.
"I'm sorry I haven't been around. A lot has been going on but I promise I'd always be here for you" Ariana said as she placed him to stand on his two feet.
Looking up at his big sister, David asked "Always?".
"Always" answered Ariana.
She was so glad David didn't throw a tantrum but instead, genuinely admitted how much he had missed her.
"So tell me, what do you want to do today?" Ariana asked, she wanted to make up for the times she hadn't seen him.
Deep down she knew she wouldn't have much time with her little brother anymore as she had moved out of the Sterling mansion. So she wanted to make the most out of the little time they had.
Though Ariana had begun to have doubts she was from the Sterling family, she didn't care about that when it came to David. He was still going to be her little brother regardless.
Her heart was full with so much love for him.
"Uhmm...I want to spend the day with you!" David answered excitedly, making Ariana giggle.
"Do you want to go to the playground? Get icecream or go to the amusement park?" She asked as she opened her car door for him to seat.
Climbing into the car with his little legs, David waited for Ariana to arrive at the driver's seat before giving his answer.
"Can we do all?" David's eyes lit up as he stared at her.
Ariana took a look at her watch and noticed it was almost 3pm. They had limited time.
She was supposed to meet Azaiah soon. But she couldn't bring herself to tell the little one she was going to leave him soon.
An idea popped up in her head and she truly hoped Azaiah wouldn't mind it.
"Of course! We'd do all. But where do you want to go first?" She started driving.
"Let's get ice cream first!" The little boy said.
"Okay. The ice cream shop here we come" Ariana said excitedly and David clapped his little hands to also show his excitement.
After some minutes, they arrived an ice cream shop.
Standing along with the queue, Ariana turned to David whom she was holding by the hand.
"What flavor do you want?".
"A mixed flavor. Chocolate and strawberry" he answered and Ariana smiled as his pronunciation of strawberry sounded funny.
He could pronounce it right on a normal day but now he was so excited he didn't care about his pronunciation.
A child's innocence was unmatched. She thought.
David tugged gently at Ariana's hand, "What flavor would you have?".
"Just strawberry" answered Ariana and they moved forward a bit. The queue was getting shorter as minutes passed.
The ice cream shop didn't have a seating area, it only had a large window where people place their orders, get it and then leave.
The absence of a wide space and seating area created a queue. But luckily, the attendants weren't slow with getting and serving orders.
After some minutes, they were both handed their icecream. Ariana quickly paid for it and they headed back to her car.
She had ordered a cone ice cream for David as that was what he preferred and a cup ice cream for herself.
Entering her car, she drove straight to the amusement park.
She paid for their tickets and they were let in.
"What do you want to do first?" She asked David who was still licking his ice cream.
"Let's get on that!" He pointed at the merry-go-round.
" Alright then but we have to finish our ice cream first" Ariana said and the little one nodded his head before taking big chunks of ice cream into his mouth.
"Don't be too fast, you'd get a brain freeze" Ariana warned but it was too late because he was already holding his head.
"Sorry" she patted him.
After a while, they finally got on the merry-go-round and David was all smiles, delighted he was having fun with his sister.