“What would you like from the café, honey?” Night asked her teenage son as they walked, pushing a small stroller that held her daughter. The mother and son duo were out in town today while Hartz was at work, feeling it was a nice day to spend together. 
    “Hmm, I’m not sure… Maybe a nice smoothie or a hot chocolate…” Jin answered, looking at her with a smile. The seventeen-year-old had his hand on the stroller as they walked, making cute little faces down to his baby sister who babbled and laughed happily. Night smiled warmly at the interaction as they soon walked into the café.
    “Can you watch your sister while I order?” She asked warmly, taking her purse from the bottom of the stroller.
    “Sure thing mama…” Her teen smiled, taking the stroller and rolling it over to a table for them to sit at.

Jin smiled down at baby Serenity and rattled a toy at her to play with her as he waited, a few minutes later the teen laughed when a familiar hand ruffled his hair.
    “Pineapple mango smoothie for you, baby boy.” His mother smiled, setting a glass down on the table as she sat her latte down as well. 
    “Thank you mama…!” Jin smiled happily, grabbing it and taking a happy sip. Night giggled softly and pulled Serenity from her stroller, draping a blanket of her chest as she breastfed her daughter peacefully. Jin scrolled through his phone quietly and Night read a book as she breastfed, the two minding their own business.

How dare they, right?

The mother glanced up when someone stopped at their table, a woman clearing her throat.
    “Excuse me, you can’t do that here.” A woman’s voice stated factually, Jin looking up in slight surprise. Night raised an eyebrow in question, putting her bookmark to hold her page before setting the book down.
    “I’m sorry?” She asked, adjusting herself and her feeding daughter. The older woman scoffed and crossed her arms, pointing to her chest.
    “Exposing yourself in public like this isn’t ladylike, you need to do this sort of thing at home.” The woman huffed, looking over to Jin who remained quiet. “And you’re doing this in front of a boy? You should be ashamed of yourself!”
    “Hey, don’t you talk about my mom like that… Who even are you…?” Jin asked when he spoke up, setting his phone down.
    “Your mother? Oh no, no, that isn’t your mother. She’s much too young to be the mother of a teenager.” The woman spoke angrily, glaring at Night’s sweet little boy. “Are you adopted? I wouldn’t be surprised that your real mother wouldn’t have wanted you. Visibly unappealing to stare at.”

That did it in.

The initial shock of her words stunned the mother and son before the weight of them set in, tears filling green eyes in heartbreak. Jin stood abruptly and rushed from the table towards the restroom, tears coating his cheeks. At that moment, Night thought she saw red. Her anger boiled high but, since she was still breastfeeding her daughter, forced herself to stay in her seat.
    “Who the hell do you think you are? You have no right to come up to me to not only tell me I can’t feed my child but make my son upset.” She seethed, her cool grey eyes turning a burning gold. The older woman scoffed, wrinkling her nose like she smelt something terrible.
    “Oh please, why don’t you just bottle feed like a normal mother? As for that boy, just admit that he’s the father of that brat on your chest. Disgusting woman.”
    “Excuse me? How dare you insinuate something so vile! What is wrong with you?!”
    “No, the question is what’s wrong with you?! There are men in this establishment and you flaunting your body like this might cause one of them to act up-“
    “Hey! Leave that woman alone this instant!” A deep man’s voice bellowed angrily, an officer entering the engagement when another patron saw him passing by and flagged him down.
    “No, you need to arrest her! She’s exposing herself in public and messing around with a teenager!” The entitled woman yelled, pointing accusingly to Night who was still seething.

The officer, in turn, looked over to Night, noticing the blanket that she had draped over herself before turning back to the woman.
    “Ma’am, she’s very obviously covered up with a blanket, I don’t see an issue.” He told her matter-of-factly, her face starting to turn red at the obvious fact.
    “W-well, she’s still fooling around with a teenager! Surely you can arrest her for that!”
    “Officer, the teenager in question is my son. She’s not only harassed me but made my son run off into the bathroom in tears. He’s been through a lot when he was younger so he’s still pretty sensitive.” Night explained calmly, glancing over and glaring at the woman.
    “You’re his legal guardian?”
    “For two years now, yes?”
    “May I see your ID?”
    “Of course.” She nodded, rummaging into her bag and pulling out her wallet. She fiddled with it and pulled her ID out, handing it over.

Jin had finally calmed himself down with the breathing exercises he learned from therapy and had walked out of the bathroom, sniffling softly and then freezing when that vile woman belted out, “That’s the boy, the emo-looking one!”
    “M-mama…?” The teen called out nervously, Night looking at him and waving him over.
    “Come on honey, don’t be scared.” The mother said sweetly, the officer looking at the teen in question.
    “Hello son, how are you?” The officer spoke kindly, obviously noticing how nervous he was.
    “O-okay… U-uh, what’s going on…?”
    “What’s going on is you and your ‘mama’ are going to get arrested! What you two are doing is-“
    “Enough! Knock it off before I have you arrested.” The officer snapped to the woman, Jin visibly flinching and shutting down. “Now, Miss Slydale, it says on your ID that you’re twenty-two years old, when did you adopt him?”
    “Two years ago when he was fifteen, I have my case number from child protective services.”
    “That won’t be necessary.” The officer then turned to the harassing woman, “You can go ahead and leave. You’re done harassing this young mother and her kids.”
    “B-but, she, no! Not until she is arrested!”

The officer sighed and then pulled out his cuffs, opening them up. Jin started to panic and hugged Night tightly, another round of tears filling his eyes all right before this saint of an officer slapped the cuffs on the other woman.
    “You’re under arrest for harassment and defamation of character.”
    “W-what? No!” She yelled angrily, the officer dragging her from the café all the while she was screaming and yelling. Night let out a sigh as she covered her exposed breast after her daughter finished feeding, burping her unphased.
    “Peace and quiet… Right honey?” She asked her son as he sat back in his chair, giving him a sweet smile. Jin let out a deep breath and smiled back, nodding.
    “Peace and quiet…” He repeated back, taking a drink of his smoothie happily. “Mama, you have the patience of a saint… How did you keep your cool like that…?”
    “I’m a server and a daycare teacher, I’ve dealt with those empty threats way too many times.” Night told him, playing his Serenity when she adjusted her in her arms. Jin laughed softly and ran a hand through his jet black hair, setting his glass down so it didn’t spill.
    “You’re so cool, I’m happy that you’re my mama…” He told her, his pale cheeks turning red. Night smiled as her cheeks burned a soft pink.
    “I’m happy to be your mama, hun.”

When they finished up their drinks, the mother and son ended up leaving afterward, deciding to get some ice cream as well. Oh boy did they have a story to tell Hartz, though~

NightBear15 signing off…