The car had barely left the academy grounds when Leo broke the silence.
"Mommy," he asked softly, "don't you like your mother?"
Ivy turned to look at him in surprise.
Leo had been staring out the window, watching Florine's shrinking figure until the woman disappeared from view. Now his curious eyes were fixed entirely on Ivy.
For a moment, she didn't know how to answer.
"Is it that obvious?" she asked with an awkward chuckle, rubbing the back of her neck.
Leo leaned back in his seat, folded his arms, and let out a tiny sigh that was far too dramatic for a child his age.
"I don't like her either."
"Oh?" Ivy raised an eyebrow.
"She tried to lure me with ice cream."
Ivy blinked.
"And that's bad because...?"
"Because I don't even like ice cream."
For a second, Ivy simply stared at him.
Then she almost burst into laughter.
*Is there really a child in this world who doesn't like ice cream?*
"But you ate the one I brought you the other day," she pointed out.
