Chapter 263 | I Will Hold Your Hand Through It All

Chapter 263: 263 | I Will Hold Your Hand Through It All

"Dexter?"

He stopped as that voice sounded familiar.

Dexter turned to see a young woman was standing several meters away, holding a large picnic basket with both hands.

His eyebrows rose. "Tessa?"

Tessa smiled as she stared at him then at his wives.

"Hello Dexter."

Then she looked at the Lyra, then Selene, then at Mira and then at the enormous teddy bears they were holding and then at Dexter’s tiny bear.

Her expression became increasingly strange.

Dexter blinked his eyes and looked down at himself and then glared at Tessa. "What?"

Tessa’s lips twitched. "Nothing."

Then she suddenly burst out giggling.

Dexter sighed. "Apparently everyone has decided to bully me today."

Tessa approached them. "I wasn’t expecting to find you coming out of the haunted house. Seems like you’re enjoying your self here."

Tessa smiled as she continued. "Welcome to our neighborhood."

Dexter chuckled and nodded his head.

Tessa’s attention moved toward the three women. Her expression brightened. "You brought everyone."

Dexter nodded as he spoke. "You’ve already met them briefly, but I don’t think you’ve had a proper chance to talk."

Tessa smiled warmly. "Hello."

Mira nodded politely. "Hello, Tessa."

Selene smiled. "Hello."

Lyra couldn’t speak aloud, so she smiled and raised her hand in greeting. Tessa returned the gesture.

Then she noticed something else and her eyes widened.

"Mira..."

Mira raised an eyebrow.

Tessa pointed toward her right arm. "You’re moving it."

Mira looked down. Her recovered hand rested against the crimson teddy bear then she shrugged.

"Yes."

Tessa stared. "That’s incredible."

Dexter smiled.

Tessa lifted her picnic basket. "I was actually looking for you."

Dexter raised an eyebrow. "For me?"

"For your food."

Dexter’s face went blank.

Tessa pointed toward the main picnic field. "People have already started exchanging dishes. Granny Lucy has been asking where you are because I told her you’d be bringing something."

Dexter scratched his cheek. "We got distracted."

Tessa looked toward Nightmare Manor. "Clearly."

Tessa laughed. "When you’re done having fun, we have a spot that isn’t far from yours."

She began walking beside them. Dexter pushed Mira. Lyra and Selene followed.

For a moment, Tessa simply looked at the four of them. There was something noticeably different from the last time she’d visited Dexter’s house.

They weren’t merely standing near one another anymore. They moved naturally as a group. Dexter automatically slowed whenever Selene did. Lyra stayed close enough to help Selene when necessary. Mira occasionally tilted her head backward to speak to Dexter. And Dexter constantly checked all three without appearing to realize he was doing it.

Tessa smiled. "So?"

Dexter glanced toward her. "So what?"

"Are you enjoying the festival?"

Before Dexter could answer, Mira spoke. "It’s acceptable."

Dexter looked down at her. "Acceptable?"

Mira’s lips curled. "Fine." She hugged the crimson teddy bear slightly closer. "It’s fun."

Dexter smiled.

Selene nodded. "I like it."

Lyra’s voice entered Dexter’s mind. ’Tell her I love it.’

Dexter looked toward her. "You can tell her yourself."

Lyra stared.

Dexter pointed toward Tessa, then mimed typing. Lyra understood. She pulled out her phone and typed quickly before showing Tessa.

[I love it.]

Tessa smiled. "I’m glad."

Then her eyes moved toward Dexter. "And you?"

Dexter looked around at his wives and smiled.

"It’s been a good day."

Tessa grinned. "Good."

Then she pointed toward the picnic field. "Because your peaceful day is about to end."

Dexter frowned. "Why?"

Tessa’s smile became suspicious. "Everyone’s been waiting to taste the new neighbor’s cooking."

Dexter stared at the packed field ahead. Then at Tessa. Then toward the cooler waiting at their picnic spot.

His eyes narrowed. "How many people did you tell about my food?"

Tessa suddenly found the waterfall fascinating.

"Tessa."

Then started walking faster.

"Tessa!"

Mira laughed. Selene smiled. Lyra followed eagerly, apparently delighted by the possibility of more food.

Dexter sighed and pushed Mira to the next event.

...

The roller coaster looked considerably less friendly up close.

The steel tracks towered high above the surrounding trees, twisting into steep climbs, sudden drops, loops, and corkscrews that looked suspiciously designed by someone who disliked the human spine. A train screamed overhead, and the sound of riders shrieking followed it around the bend.

Dexter slowly raised his head as the train vanished, then looked at his wives. "So."

Mira stared upward with obvious interest while Lyra’s violet eyes practically sparkled. But Selene had gone very quiet, and that made Dexter pause.

"Selene?"

She tilted her head toward him. "I’m fine."

Dexter narrowed his eyes. "I didn’t ask if you were fine."

"You were going to."

"True."

Another train climbed the massive first hill, the mechanical clicking of the chain filling the air. Selene followed the sound upward, her face slowly tilting higher and higher until the train plunged and screams erupted from somewhere above them. She immediately shook her head.

"No."

Dexter blinked. "No?"

"No."

Mira looked toward her, and Lyra stopped eating the last piece of candy she’d been carrying. Selene shook her head again.

"I’ve changed my mind."

Dexter almost smiled, because this was possibly the first time he’d heard Selene sound genuinely nervous about something that wasn’t related to the fact that they sleep together.

"What happened to wanting to try everything?"

"That was before I knew how high it is."

Dexter looked up at the towering structure and chuckled. "It’s not that high."

She folded her arms. "You’re lying. I might be blind but I can still basically see."

Mira laughed, and Selene’s cheeks warmed.

Dexter blinked his eyes. "You’re scared of heights.

Selene paused and nodded her head quietly.

Dexter’s teasing expression immediately softened, because that changed things. He stepped closer. "We don’t have to go."

Selene paused, and both Mira and Lyra looked at Dexter. He shrugged. "Seriously. This is supposed to be fun. If you don’t want to ride it, we’ll pick something else."

Selene remained silent. Instead of immediately agreeing, she lowered her head.

"I...I want to."

He raised an eyebrow. "But you’re scared."

"Yes."

"And you still want to ride?"

Selene nodded slowly. "I’ve spent too long being unable to do things."

That wiped the smile from Dexter’s face, and Selene’s fingers tightened slightly around the hem of her dress. "I don’t want fear to become another reason."

For several seconds, Dexter simply looked at her. Then he smiled. "All right." He extended his hand, but when Selene couldn’t see the gesture clearly, he gently took her hand instead. Her fingers stiffened for an instant before relaxing inside his.

"I’ll hold your hand through all of it."

Selene’s expression softened. "All of it?"

"From the moment we sit down until the moment the ride stops."

"What if you get scared?"