At last, Icy couldn’t find out who paid the medical expenses for her. None of the nurses nor the accounting staffs could tell her any useful information; maybe they didn’t know anything at all. It was meaningless to talk to them.

After the hospital, Icy and little David went to a supermarket. She needed to buy food for herself and her little boy; she preferred vegetables and the kid, who required five meals per day, always needed his favorite snacks; it was essential for her to balance the monthly budget tightly.

“Mom, we must take a taxi home. Look, our shopping trolley is already full, it will be too heavy for you to carry them home.” “Taxi? sweetie, don’t you understand? It is too expensive to go home by taxi from here. I would rather keep the money for you and your milk powder.” “Mom, I can’t agree with you this time. The grocery bags will be too heavy to carry home, you might get yourself hurt again. Why don’t you deduct this taxi fare from my future pocket money?” Bulging his cheeks, David protested; his only concern was his mother who shouldn’t suffer more.

“Okay. kid, I will call a uber or a taxi, It won’t be tiring.” Icy didn’t want to argue with the boy, who loved his mother deeply. “I know mama wanted to save money. But now, you are injured, I feel so worried about you, and I am too little to help you.”

Then little David compressed his lips and turned around naughtily, ignoring his mother. Why did my mother always take good care of him; but never took good care of herself?

“Sweetie, you are right and I am wrong. I am feeling okay now and don’t feel tired anymore.” Icy embraced her boy, carried him with both arms, and kissed him on his bulged cheek.

“Mama, do you always feel exhausted and worn out because of me? I don’t want to be your problem… Hey mom, it will be good if I have a father. What do you think?” David looked around. He was jealous of other kids who always went out with both father and mother. But he only had a mother.

“Dave…” Icy corked up. Didn’t know why, on the issue of father, she had failed him; she should have done better than this. “Mama, please don’t worry, maybe my father was a scoundrel, you can always find a better guy; I think uncle Lindley was a good man. What do you think?” David gently patted on his mother’s head, as if he was consoling her and also himself.

“What are you little boy talking about? Do you have slightest idea what you have just said?” Icy was amused. Where did he learn the term scoundrel? She dared not imagine being intimately with Hosea Lindley who had a much higher social status than her ; also he was Shirley Lindley’s elder brother. The most important and critical concern was that David was Paxon Chevy’s son. How could she possibly face Hosea with this fact? What would Hosea feel?

“HUm! You always treat me like a little boy. I have learned so much and one day I will grow up.” As soon as he finished talking, David leaped out from Icy’s arms, pushed the shopping trolly forward, as if he had suddenly became a young adult. Icy smiled heartily but was silent, following her little boy from behind. Maybe he was right, she should consider a father for her boy.

Probably because of the rush hour, Icy couldn’t find a taxi nor a uber. Little David standing beside her, looking fatigued and exhausted. “Mama, I feel very tired, can’t stand anymore; could you carry me? I really want to sleep in the sofa now.” Icy was carrying a huge sack of food, worrily gazing at David whose face was red and weary. She looked around; How could we find a taxi?

“Hey Dave, it is rush hour now and we won’t be able to find a taxi. Why don’t we find a coffee shop, sit down and have a drink, and then see if we can find a taxi later?” Icy didn’t want David worn out, so she found a place to sit down; it was really exhausting for a little boy to stand outside for too long. After they finished drinking coffee and orange juice, Icy still couldn’t find a taxi or uber online. The sun was sinking and the sky was getting dark, she felt agitated as it was almost the time that David would feel hungry.

“Baby, why don’t we go take subway train? It is useless to wait here.” “But mama is carrying too many things, and subway train was always crowded with people…" David was probably right again; it wouldn’t be easy for Icy who was injured to look after her boy and carried that huge sack of food on a train. Patiently, Icy tried to convince her boy to go home by subway; while little David’s concern was that her mom was hurt and taking subway was too laborious. If Icy had not been hurt, David wouldn’t complain and would just follow her quietly. All he wanted was her mother getting home quickly, without too much hardship. But life wasn’t easy for them.

Finally David agreed with her; they held each other’s hand and started walking toward a subway station. Suddenly the boy shook off her hand and ran to a parking car. “Hey Dave, come back! Where are you going?” Icy widened her eyes and ran after her boy terrifyingly. What did he think he was doing?

Paxon Chevy was in murderous mood; whoever knocked on his car window must have some kind of death wish. “What the heck do you want?” Paxon grumbled and opened his car door without looking; David wasn’t paying attention to his fast movement and was hit and fell on the ground. The little boy climbed up himself, patted his trousers and smiled at Chevy, as if nothing had happened to him. “Mr. Chevy, we met before, today in the hospital.” David could remember Paxon Chevy clearly because that evil lady was hiding behind him. And he thought it was very funny.

“David, why run so fast? I can’t catch up with you!” Finally, Icy trudged up gaspingly to her boy and pulled him to her perimeter. She saw him falling and climbing up alone from a distance. “Mama, I have found a uber!” David pointed at Paxon Chevy with his little index finger; this mysterious uncle was helping the evil lady this morning, it would break even if he could drive him and his mother home.

“It’s you?” Icy was shocked to Paxon Chevy; she was stunned, stepped backward and was too afraid to have any connection with him. “Oh, it is you again? “ He gazed at her and coldly replied; it seemed the world was too small for both of them. “Mama, you two really know each other. This is good.” David applauded and felt relieved that her mother could finally get home without more difficulty.

“What could possibly be good? You little wimpy kid.” Paxon Chevy glanced at the short little boy who could only reach his thigh; but this kid was indeed funny. “I am not a wimpy kid.” David clenched and wielded his fists; he really hated someone calling him wimpy kid; he found it extremely offensive and insulting.

“I am very sorry, David was very impolite, I must apologize for disturbing you, Mr. Chevy. We are leaving now.” Icy didn’t want to intertwine with him anymore; she immediately dragged David’s arm and tried to walk away. “No! Mama, please wait, give me two minutes…” David knew it wouldn’t be easy to find a cab at this hour, Chevy’s car was their only chance that he didn’t want to lose. Icy couldn’t hold out against him and was pulled by him to the front of Chevy’s car. “Uncle Chevy, do you know that it is pleasurable to help other people?” David stood beside the driver window and stuck out his little head.