Chapter 235: Cabin
The day had passed as usual for Atlas: meetings after meetings, negotiations, and then more negotiations. He was used to it, even though today his schedule was more packed than it had ever been. All because he wanted to take a short break from work and focus on something else... or rather, someone else.
When he returned to his office, he stopped as soon as he closed the door.
There, seated on the floor with some drawing materials, were his children. They were smiling, waving at him with bright expressions. Shifting his eyes to the couch, his gaze landed on the sleeping Lola. He opened his mouth, but his kids quickly placed their fingers in front of their lips.
"Shhh..." they hushed, mouthing, "Mommy is sleeping."
I can see that.
He quietly walked over to her, not making the slightest sound. He stopped near the couch where she was sleeping. At the same time, the twins knelt beside the couch. The three of them studied Lola’s sleeping face.
"Has she been asleep all this time?" he whispered, gazing at his children.
The children nodded.
"I think Mommy is tired," Chacha whispered, cupping her hands around her mouth. "Or her tummy is full."
"I see." Atlas snapped his eyes back to where Lola was sleeping. "Pack your things. We’ll take her with us without waking her up."
"Okay~" the twins chorused, quickly picking up their drawing materials scattered on the floor.
As for Atlas, he reached out to her and checked her breathing. When he was sure she was fine, he brushed the back of his hand against her forehead.
She’s not sick, he thought. She’s just sleeping too deeply.
*****
Lola hadn’t slept right away after Atlas left her in his office. She idled, tossed, and turned, her mind jumping from one subject to another. But when she finally drifted off right before the twins arrived, it was a deep sleep, like her body had gone into hibernation.
However, the deeper and longer her sleep, the more her mind always had a way of waking her up.
GASP!
Lola snapped her eyes open and sat up unceremoniously. A painful throb struck her head, making her clutch it.
"Ugh..." she grunted, shutting her eyes as she let her body adjust to the sudden movement. When she recovered, she carefully opened her eyes and pulled her hand away.
"What a shitty nightmare," she whispered, her chest rising and falling heavily.
For the next few seconds, Lola focused on steadying herself after waking from the horrible dream. Once she was physically and mentally calm, realization dawned on her.
"Atlas—" she almost bit her tongue as she turned her head, only to see she was no longer on the couch. Instead, she was on a bed, and the place she was in was no longer the office.
"Huh?" Confusion spread across her face as she looked around. The walls were rough-hewn logs, the polished floorboards led to a hearth where fire danced and cast a warm glow across the room. It looked like a cabin—a small yet cozy one.
Her eyes fell to her lap, where a thick, soft blanket lay.
"Where in the world am I?" she muttered, baffled at how she could sleep in one place and wake up in another.
Lola snapped her gaze toward the door, then carefully swung her legs out. Much to her surprise, there were indoor slippers waiting for her. She slipped them on and quietly opened the door, peeking through the small gap. From this room, she could see a small living area, where old wooden couches and other rustic furniture decorated the space. Another fireplace was lit there as well.
"..."
Before her thoughts could spiral, faint voices reached her ears. She listened closely, and soon she recognized them. Without hesitation, Lola stepped out of the room and turned her head.
The cabin was small, with the living area flowing directly into the dining area and kitchen. Just by turning her head, she spotted Atlas and the children in the kitchen, preparing dinner.
"You’re awake?" Atlas said even before turning to face her.
As soon as he spoke, the twins, who were busy playing head chefs, turned to Lola.
"Mommy~!" Chacha cheered, dropping everything and running to her. Second sprinted right after, shouting, "Mommy~!"
Within seconds, the twins had wrapped themselves around her legs. Looking up, their faces brightened even more.
"Chacha, Second." Lola’s eyes softened as she reached for them.
"Mommy, you slept like a dead fish! We got a bit worried!" Second said. "Did you sleep well?"
"Mhm."
Chacha piped up next. "We thought we were going to the hospital. We don’t like hospitals—they make us sick!"
Lola bit her lip, trying to maintain her smile. "I did hibernate a bit. Sorry for making you worry." She squatted to meet their eyes.
"It’s okay, Mommy."
Lola pinched their cheeks, smiling at them before the twins dashed off, yelling about the dishes they were making. She chuckled, then followed, stopping at the small bar counter where Atlas stood.
"Atlas?" she called. "Where... are we?"
He shot her a look. "Family cabin."
"Oh?"
"I wanted to tell you about it, but you were sleeping, and I didn’t want to disturb you," he explained in his usual flat voice. "Did you sleep well?"
"Uh, yeah." Lola massaged her neck, briefly raising her brows. "Felt like I just paid off all my sleep debts."
"Good."
She pursed her lips and leaned over a bit, glancing quickly at the twins before returning her attention to him.
"Why are we here again?"
"Family vacation."
"Ah..." she tilted her head. "... and I didn’t know about it?"
Atlas paused, giving her a confused look. "You were asleep."
That’s not what I meant. Shouldn’t you have at least told me about this plan beforehand?
Lola’s mind was still foggy from waking up, so she wasn’t sure how to react to this sudden vacation she was only now hearing about.
But before she could speak, he continued.
"I decided when you were sleeping," he said, meeting her eyes. "I think you needed a break."
Her lips parted, then pressed together again. "You think?"
"Mhm." He slid the glass he was wiping in front of her. "Help me clean these. They’re almost finished."
Lola glanced at the glass and then at the twins, who were busy working miracles in the kitchen. A shallow laugh escaped her as she picked up the glass and the folded cloth beside her.
"You’re impossible," she said. "How can you let the children do the cooking?"
Atlas gave her a knowing look. "Need to keep them busy."