Page 17 of The Secret Heir Next Door

“You ready to go, Spidey?”

“Yes! Bye, Mama!”

She blows her mom a kiss, and I hear the twins start to stir as we leave.

Dee looks drained. I need to step up more than I have. It’s not all on me, though. My family should be helping out, too. I’ll mention something to my mother.

As we drive, Abby chatters nonstop. By the time we reach the store, she’s practically vibrating with anticipation.

"Uncle Logy, are we there yet?" she asks for the fifth time in ten minutes.

"Almost, Abby," I reply, glancing at her in the rearview mirror.

Her eyes are open wide with curiosity, and her feet swing back and forth impatiently.

When we finally get out in front of Serena's candy store, Abby gasps. The storefront is a riot of colors, with bright pink and purple decorations that make it look like a candy-coated nightmare.

"Wow! It's like a dream!" Abby’s eyes go wide, her earlier crankiness forgotten in an instant.

She practically drags me towards the entrance, her small hand gripping mine tightly. We step inside, and there's a display table in the center covered with treats.

"Welcome to Sweet Treats," Serena says, greeting us with a warm smile.

She's arranged a table with various treats for me to try, and I notice she’s smartly limited the amount Abby can sample.

"Hi, Serena," I say, returning her smile. "What’s all this?”

"I wanted to create something special. Hi there. Are you Abby? Or are you Spiderman?"

"Hi! Both!" Abby chirps, her eyes sparkling as she sees the 3D-printed cakes and the decorations that look like a herd of unicorns just stormed through.

Serena kneels down to Abby's level, her smile genuine. "Do you like unicorns, Abby? Or do you prefer Superheroes?"

"I love them both!" Abby exclaims. "They're my favorite!"

"Well, you're in luck," Serena says, pointing to the table. "I have some unicorn-themed treats just for you. Would you like to try one?"

Abby nods eagerly, and Serena carefully hands her a small, pastel-colored cupcake. Abby takes a bite, her face lighting up with pure delight.

"This is the best cupcake ever!" she declares, her earlier difficulties completely forgotten.

"I'm glad you like it," Serena says. "I have more surprises for you. How about we look at some decorations together?"

"Okay!" Abby agrees, following Serena to another table where a variety of imaginative decorations are laid out.

“But don’t you worry, I took into account that you may love superheroes too. Do you want to know a secret?”

“Yes!”

“I used to love superheroes too! I always thought I was Superwoman.”

Abby’s eyes are wide as she grins back at Serena. It’s like, in a matter of seconds, the two of them have bonded.

As I watch them, I'm struck by how quickly Serena builds a rapport with Abby. She talks to her with such ease, making her feel special and important. It's a stark contrast to how I struggle with my own niece sometimes.

"Abby, do you think these decorations would look good at your party?" Serena asks, holding up a string of sparkly unicorn garlands.

"Yes! They're so pretty!" Abby jumps and pumps her fists with excitement.

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