The Runaway Groom

Lulu stared warily at the woman. "You're the maid from before, aren't you?"

She did not let down her guard even though she recognized Erma— why would Erma return after she was gone?

Moreover, considering how impatiently Erma treated her baby, Lulu's expression became stern as well. "Didn't Mr. Slate tell you not to come anymore? What are you doing here?" Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

"Hello, miss," Erma said fawningly. "May I ask for your name? And you don't look that old... Others might think you're the mother with your pretty face—"

"Shut up!" Lulu suddenly snapped, cutting Erma short.

She was surprised by her own reaction, despite knowing that Erma’s flattery was exaggerated.

Nonetheless, she calmed down, realizing she had lost her composure there.

"This is my employer's baby. Why would she be related to me?" Lulu demanded, rearing her head. "I was an hired employee like you, and if you have a problem, take it up with Mr. Slate—not me!"

She more or less understood from Erma'’s fawning that Erma wanted her to talk to Zachary.

Even if she was not Luna's mother, she would not allow such a heartless woman to hang around a baby!

Erma was promptly angered when she realized that Lulu was refusing to side with her. Since fawning would not work, she had to use moral coercion.

"How could you be so unreasonable?" Erma cried. "Looks aside, we're all just employees. I'm sure you understand how difficult a life can be. My children aren't working yet and I still have elderly to take care

of, so they are all counting on me! Are you trying to kill us all? Moreover, everything you saw wasn't the whole story—I tried to coax the baby to sleep before you came, but I just lacked experience and didn't notice she was sick! Can't you be understanding? What's the big deal anyway? You could just teach me! And with me around, I could take care of the housework while you focus on the baby! It would be easier for you!"

Erma tried to walk up and take Lulu's hand, but Lulu avoided her—she despised people who would resort to moral coercion.

“It's like I've said!" Lulu snapped, slowly and clearly as she looked in Erma'’s eyes. "Go to Mr. Slate. I'm just a child care worker he hired—I can't decide for him!"

With those words, she started to leave—she was going to buy a stroller to take Luna on strolls when Luna was older.

She could buy some pure cotton clothes along the way as well, since a baby's skin is delicate and pure cotton is ideal.

However, Erma planted herself on the concrete when she saw that Lulu was leaving. She then wrapped her left hand around Lulu’s right and anchored herself with a brick on the right!

"How could you be so cold?!" Erma cried. "It was an accident! How was I supposed to know the baby had a fever? Mr. Slate was the one who promised to get a babysitter and that I would just be helping for a while! Was that so wrong?!"

It was noon, and the apartment was quiet until Erma’s outburst, causing several people to gawk at them!

"What are you talking about?!" Lulu snapped as she tried her best to pull her leg away, but she could not overpower the woman when she was carrying Luna too!