Leo found himself back 537Please respect copyright.PENANAxY4BkFP8gN
in the living room where he found the others freely talking amongst 537Please respect copyright.PENANAAgVXUnnebO
themselves. He wondered for a moment how they could all be talking after537Please respect copyright.PENANAVOAqfrloO6
what had happened earlier. But then he realised that Kim wasn't even in537Please respect copyright.PENANARncumgS0Za
the room.537Please respect copyright.PENANAfAP1DgsAO6
"Leo," said Amanda as she looked up at her grandson. "Are you calm now?"537Please respect copyright.PENANA9bmAY0gB7n
Leo paused for a moment before he could answer. "Yes," he said. "Where is Kim?"537Please respect copyright.PENANAATz1ERSrUy
Everyone in the living room turned to look at him, wondering whether he had hit his head or something.537Please respect copyright.PENANAOUlRG1xnBe
"Kim's at the patio with my mum," said Eric. "You aren't going to shout at her, are you?"537Please respect copyright.PENANA2Hdbr0NoFD
Leo shook his head. "No. Actually, I'm going to apologise for the way I've been treating her lately."537Please respect copyright.PENANA0fVO8GDLgQ
Eric raised an eyebrow 537Please respect copyright.PENANArA8d6bLXmI
at his cousin. Amanda smiled. Carly had a scared look on her face. As 537Please respect copyright.PENANAqwHIGnKmBB
for Angel and Oliver, their faces showed that they didn't mind at all. 537Please respect copyright.PENANASgOF2x1NyH
Oliver even went on eating his sandwich that he got from the kitchen.537Please respect copyright.PENANAbJ6C9Bu7AW
"Wait, what?" Eric asked as she stood up from his seat. "You want to apologise to Kim all of the sudden?"537Please respect copyright.PENANAXopymrFkmZ
"Let him do it," said Angel. "Mr McDonell must have told him that he went a little too overboard with the way he treated her."537Please respect copyright.PENANAjTJx3jUB9B
Leo didn't want to agree with Angel. She guessed right and that, annoyed him a little.537Please respect copyright.PENANAUCzB7qA1h4
"I think you're doing a good thing if you ask me," said Amanda. "You aren't supposed to treat a lady like that, you know?"537Please respect copyright.PENANAhfy6KKeYmE
"Yes, I know," said Leo. He was in no mood for a lecture, he had to talk to Kim. "I'm going to the patio."537Please respect copyright.PENANABNIp1TZOHL
Leo soon turned around, 537Please respect copyright.PENANApdTIPXI1jO
walked through the corridor and out in the patio where he found his aunt537Please respect copyright.PENANAP6gy4vbVbe
Diana and Kim seated around the white garden table with a box of tissue537Please respect copyright.PENANAJbawilqPQS
on top of it.537Please respect copyright.PENANADcvorZV17E
Kim had been crying. She537Please respect copyright.PENANANGDbF7bBKQ
was blowing her nose with her red teary eyes when Leo stepped in on the537Please respect copyright.PENANAL7aDpXhab6
patio. When she noticed him, she tried to hide her face as she wiped 537Please respect copyright.PENANABbC7jsNo3T
her tears with another tissue.537Please respect copyright.PENANABI0tjvDMMk
"Leo," said his aunt. "I think now isn't the right time for this."537Please respect copyright.PENANATVc8DslRIj
"I'm not going to say 537Please respect copyright.PENANAEl69cl9H29
anything that's going to hurt her even further, aunt," said Leo. He 537Please respect copyright.PENANADsHmanfdrZ
paused before he could continue to say, "I actually came to apologise."537Please respect copyright.PENANAldqGWRdHpv
Kim looked up at him while Diana was a little shocked at first, but her lips were soon raised into a smile.537Please respect copyright.PENANAUxgvUlpt6g
"I'm sorry for the way I treated you, Kim," Leo continued. "You don't deserve it and for that, I truly am sorry."537Please respect copyright.PENANA8pG6mEYCcq
Kim sniffed and tried to smile through her sad face. "Aren't you still mad at me for being a little clingy at times?"537Please respect copyright.PENANAIuvX4hZSTk
"Well, yes, but I realised that I've been treating you unfairly."537Please respect copyright.PENANAjUQh5sNskT
"So, does that mean we're okay now?"537Please respect copyright.PENANAb5xwZzdlOn
Leo gave her a little smile which was pretty hard to put up but he had to just to make her feel better.537Please respect copyright.PENANA9OArYbz1yt
"Yes, we are."537Please respect copyright.PENANA8Hst0RD4Z6
Kim smiled brightly as she wiped away the remaining tears in her eyes. "You don't know how much this means to me, Leo."537Please respect copyright.PENANAp88HX7k4O4
Leo nodded his head. "We better go inside. We delayed supper and I think my little cousin is really hungry."537Please respect copyright.PENANAVsjuD0clZ4
"Oh, my little, Oliver," said Diana. "I hope he's okay."537Please respect copyright.PENANA2sWuRaL1Kz
"I saw him eating a snack, so, I bet he's fine. Shall we go back inside?"537Please respect copyright.PENANAnP1Cb2QN8E
The two ladies agreed 537Please respect copyright.PENANAA7cvOnAsdv
and went back inside with Leo as he held the door open for them to get 537Please respect copyright.PENANAzGY0Ipk3yb
in the house. When the three found themselves in the living room, there 537Please respect copyright.PENANA1qBUJ3Bs9n
was Mrs McDonell who clapped her hands excitedly.537Please respect copyright.PENANAaXcNgJhiUz
"Oh, I'm so glad you decided to apologise to Kim, Leo," said Mrs McDonell. "Look at how your apology has made Kim so happy."537Please respect copyright.PENANARYTY5xooBC
Most people in the 537Please respect copyright.PENANAG4Swa6doj0
living room wanted Mrs McDonell to stop talking her nonsense before Leo 537Please respect copyright.PENANAKmowRIYTMe
could throw another outburst. Besides, she was the one who invited Kim 537Please respect copyright.PENANAJW6v2u8AvX
over for dinner and made things worse from the beginning. She was 537Please respect copyright.PENANAbyjSN2FvIC
blowing air to the remaining glowing splinters when it proved to be a 537Please respect copyright.PENANAztMQ7NxXO2
struggle to put out the first fire.537Please respect copyright.PENANAqQSsGrxhOK
Kim blushed while Leo tried to keep it cool that he held his neck for a little. His mother was far beyond irritating.537Please respect copyright.PENANAWnWivkAKRb
"I would rather suggest 537Please respect copyright.PENANAU8cxTlxUTy
you don't say a word, dear," Mr McDonald whispered, who stood beside his537Please respect copyright.PENANAtJsxry41eJ
wife and noticed that Leo was feeling uncomfortable. "You have done 537Please respect copyright.PENANAyZVg74b4Up
enough damage for one night, don't you think?"537Please respect copyright.PENANAbkgY474ouF
The smile on Mrs McDonell's face soon disappeared. Amanda who noticed the pair, couldn't help but smile to herself.537Please respect copyright.PENANA1wkD6RvJ0n
"Now, that everything's all settled, who's up for supper?" Diana asked.537Please respect copyright.PENANAcKghMNPtHA
"We all are," said Oliver. "I'm starving."537Please respect copyright.PENANAQZLTuMqnMM
"Then let's all make our way to the dining room," said Mr McDonell. "Mum, I'll help you out."537Please respect copyright.PENANAZIfPLPxT2z
"Thank you, sweetie," said Amanda as she smiled at her son.537Please respect copyright.PENANAfICdUt4Coi
"And I'll help Angel," said Eric.537Please respect copyright.PENANAz3l5C4Jat3
"No, I'll help her," said Oliver who stood up quickly and found himself behind Angel's wheelchair.537Please respect copyright.PENANAtFbLX0kjJq
"Thanks, Oliver," said Angel giving a small laugh when she noticed the scowl on Eric's face.537Please respect copyright.PENANA0U3MgPY4io
Leo couldn't help but roll his eyes at Angel. "Even my little cousin has been captured by her charms," he thought to myself.537Please respect copyright.PENANA19GeZNmfAo
Everyone slowly left the537Please respect copyright.PENANAG1U7ODvacS
living room and went to the dining room. Mr and Mrs McDonell sat on 537Please respect copyright.PENANAt3KQ2sXiG3
both opposite ends of the table. Amanda sat next to her son on the right537Please respect copyright.PENANATQXZrVNjUT
side of the table, alongside Angel, Diana, and Kim. On the other side 537Please respect copyright.PENANAbTJgkM0fBx
sat Oliver, Eric, Leo and Carly.537Please respect copyright.PENANAqsx5DLBPgT
"Now, that we are settled, mum, can you give us a prayer to bless the food, please?" Mr McDonell asked.537Please respect copyright.PENANAJlifOLduhb
"Of course," said Amanda. "Let us pray...."537Please respect copyright.PENANAAwR4yCETMf
After the loving prayer,537Please respect copyright.PENANAQhY3QaqJpF
everyone started to dig into the meal. There was lovely Italian dressed537Please respect copyright.PENANAlLXDVT5LLP
chicken with baked potatoes, green salads and spiced rice.537Please respect copyright.PENANAJBmzHGXqdY
"How do you like the food, Kim?" Mrs McDonell asked.537Please respect copyright.PENANAKQJB3z7lDG
"Oh, it's lovely," said Kim. "It's very tasty."537Please respect copyright.PENANASKxbhtkiC4
"I know," said Oliver who couldn't get enough of the chicken. "The chicken is really delicious."537Please respect copyright.PENANAUTlBKVGV4n
"You better slow down, Oliver," said Diana. "You're going to get too full, too quick."537Please respect copyright.PENANAin4QacJpWL
"He really can't get 537Please respect copyright.PENANAFtXNdjEjKg
enough of it," said Angel as she looked at Oliver who was chewing at the537Please respect copyright.PENANAb62LkX2I3L
thigh of the chicken. Angel couldn't help but giggle and Eric couldn't 537Please respect copyright.PENANAauAB6wmNBB
help but smile at her. Leo noticed and he couldn't help but roll his 537Please respect copyright.PENANAqtwYsMFWSO
eyes in irritation.537Please respect copyright.PENANAZh504RugW8
"He's a young boy," said Amanda. "Let him enjoy all the food he can eat."537Please respect copyright.PENANAdYlW6jSbJw
"But not too much," said Angel as she looked at Amanda.537Please respect copyright.PENANAz9W0iRYfle
"Angel's right," said Diana. "I don't want my child looking obese."537Please respect copyright.PENANAvH8uhKobJt
"What's obsese?" Oliver asked after swallowing his food. Every grown up at the table looked at him then at themselves.537Please respect copyright.PENANAI0iDQAAdVN
"I would rather Angel tell him," said Eric.537Please respect copyright.PENANAFR49HJpEcM
"Why me?" Angel asked.537Please respect copyright.PENANA6G0pJ7AavY
"I know you will explain537Please respect copyright.PENANA4uty1vQ6TZ
better. Besides, it looks like you will be helping him out with a lot 537Please respect copyright.PENANAmd1WyRnn28
of things from now on if mum is busy."537Please respect copyright.PENANAt56YeRgQMq
"Like what?" Diana asked.537Please respect copyright.PENANAyO7SdULz1W
"Almost an hour ago, she agreed to help him with homework on a Friday."537Please respect copyright.PENANAbKXGnEkqpa
"That's so nice of you, 537Please respect copyright.PENANApcLUE1cH0Z
Angel," said Diana as she turned to look at Angel beside her. "You know,537Please respect copyright.PENANA5i1BbKsGeR
I've been trying to get him to do his homework early, but he doesn't 537Please respect copyright.PENANApmVy2nMDKC
want to."537Please respect copyright.PENANA5oVSMZsAkb
"Angel must have done something to Oliver," said Leo. "And I'm afraid, it isn't a good thing."537Please respect copyright.PENANACewy2EQDIq
Angel looked at him and 537Please respect copyright.PENANAmFyoayOD53
tried her best not to show how annoyed she was. She knew Leo was being 537Please respect copyright.PENANAadaOfmS2GA
mean though people on the table didn't seem to notice. There was a 537Please respect copyright.PENANAmbQV7eNSE6
battle between the two which they would rather keep to themselves.537Please respect copyright.PENANAYYLIVimBVt
"You're wrong, Leo," said Amanda. "She's done a good thing. She's an angel just like her name."537Please respect copyright.PENANAVVZOYobhOC
Leo felt like he was 537Please respect copyright.PENANAVqfZox56y7
going to puke. Angel was getting all the praise now. He felt like 537Please respect copyright.PENANAjiyFTS4FYw
leaving the table, but he did his best not to for it will seem rude.537Please respect copyright.PENANAPwIc0sW1Qh
"I think so too, grandma," said Eric.537Please respect copyright.PENANALeuZh55JWM
"Angel said, if I do my homework, we will go watch a movie together in the home theater," said Oliver.537Please respect copyright.PENANAQ6FDQhNt6P
"I'm surprised you got him to agree on this, Angel," said Mr McDonell. "He's very stubborn."537Please respect copyright.PENANA8nep9XSOw9
"He asked if he wanted to watch a movie with Carly and I," said Angel. "So, I told him we can when he does his homework."537Please respect copyright.PENANAXdIR33X7MY
"Smart," said Diana. "You two sisters really are something."537Please respect copyright.PENANArw9lN5bEWb
"I think so too," said Carly as she took a sip of her juice, looking at Kim who sat opposite her.537Please respect copyright.PENANAHAeOx4oizu
"Okay, enough family affairs," said Mrs McDonell. "How was work, Leo?"537Please respect copyright.PENANASr3eJ8oPH7
"It was fine, mum," said537Please respect copyright.PENANANBm3ShCaGK
Leo, glad that his mother changed the topic, yet uneasy with how the 537Please respect copyright.PENANANlrZEkb6O6
conversation was going to turn out.537Please respect copyright.PENANAvWVMkRnpYZ
"That's nice. I hear you're working on a deal with the Chinese. When are we expecting them?"537Please respect copyright.PENANAnrtXUs0VrS
"During the course of next week. Friday to be more precise."537Please respect copyright.PENANAffxGNHMIi6
"I hope you have most of the paper work ready, Leo," said Mr McDonell. "We need the presentation and the deal to run smoothly."537Please respect copyright.PENANAw6Rlj4wjyI
"Eric's been helping me out with it," said Leo.537Please respect copyright.PENANAtcPdmA0K6O
"Alright," said Mrs 537Please respect copyright.PENANAeCSL6Mwje4
McDonell. "Things will go well, that I know. How about you, Kim?" Mrs 537Please respect copyright.PENANAb00Ovr1Yz6
McDonell turned to look at Kim on her left. "How has the modelling been 537Please respect copyright.PENANAFinnGdh6dx
for you lately?"537Please respect copyright.PENANARHenBm9T3L
Angel and Carly both 537Please respect copyright.PENANARZ0iLdmtP7
turned to look at Kim. They both realised now how Kim somehow looked 537Please respect copyright.PENANAZRKP6Jpj3P
like those models cut out straight from a magazine. It's because she 537Please respect copyright.PENANAt1lP2g3vn4
already was one herself.537Please respect copyright.PENANAB6n6FKH2vO
"Same as always," said Kim with a smile.537Please respect copyright.PENANAbqhaXtmikI
"And how about your father's law firm?" Mrs McDonell asked.537Please respect copyright.PENANAGTCdHcyILL
"Running well as usual."537Please respect copyright.PENANAW4qp62ELPC
"I should really pay him537Please respect copyright.PENANAJmKdbNSyA7
a visit. It's been such a long time. You have a really loving family. 537Please respect copyright.PENANAHYB6uRMh78
It's just sad that things aren't the way they are supposed to be."537Please respect copyright.PENANATyR09GYFm1
"I wonder what you mean by that," said Amanda.537Please respect copyright.PENANAvdv0YIrKbO
"You know exactly what I mean," said Mrs McDonell as she raised her glass of orange juice to her lips.537Please respect copyright.PENANAz7bahFfVF9
"I won't elaborate further." Amanda gave her daughter-in-law a wide smile.537Please respect copyright.PENANA13L5Y8ReY0
Diana cleared her throat as she soon got her glass and drank her juice quickly.537Please respect copyright.PENANAmv9uGekxyT
"Kim, darling, since it's so nice having you around, you should be coming to visit us more often. I miss having you here."537Please respect copyright.PENANASzUZ4TkaWF
"That's very nice of you, Mrs McDonell. I'll be coming by more often."537Please respect copyright.PENANAFnfvJnAbqE
"That's nice, dear. Even after all that had happened, I still consider you to be family."537Please respect copyright.PENANAmOXtLPnlWr
Leo was already done with his meal and he realised he had had enough for one night.537Please respect copyright.PENANAlrncYcr0wN
"May you please, excuse me," he said as he slowly stood up from his chair.537Please respect copyright.PENANAqtLgQepY3y
"But where are you going, Leo?" his mother asked.537Please respect copyright.PENANAOlrC8m31AJ
"I'm done eating, mum," said Leo. "I prefer I go to my room and rest before I start to finalise on some papers."537Please respect copyright.PENANA1joEKtnMrj
"Well, I was really hoping you can stay around a bit and chat. There is no harm in doing so, is it?"537Please respect copyright.PENANAgMv63q0HqX
"I would really like to,537Please respect copyright.PENANA3Pb5u0ru7x
but I've had a long day. Kim," he turned to look at her. "I'm afraid 537Please respect copyright.PENANAr1ia3R3F2Q
I'll have to leave you here at this point. I really have to go."537Please respect copyright.PENANAtfEdTZGfky
"Now, wait a minute, Leo," his mother's voice became a little intense. "It's wrong to leave your guest halfway through dinner."537Please respect copyright.PENANAHHNkZJmqPT
"Mum, most of us here 537Please respect copyright.PENANApd893dXxRV
are already done with our meal. And may I need remind you that as much 537Please respect copyright.PENANAsa4CYF2EbG
as Kim and I have a history together, she's your guest tonight and not 537Please respect copyright.PENANAYckRkZpBex
mine."537Please respect copyright.PENANAjRGnJxaK7Y
Mrs McDonell grew pale. 537Please respect copyright.PENANAnRws0eZR7S
She opened her mouth to say a word but not even a sound came out. Others537Please respect copyright.PENANA3IFrTB6Pvo
at the table were either looking at each other or staring at their 537Please respect copyright.PENANAHOyyGkhyKd
almost empty plate, making sure not to stare at those talking at the 537Please respect copyright.PENANAKWfNPCIbQg
moment.537Please respect copyright.PENANAN7f4p98zBm
"Let Leo be, Bertha," said Amanda. "He has a lot of work to do, so, he better go and rest."537Please respect copyright.PENANAClAqrfCBq6
"I didn't ask for your opinion," said Mrs McDonell.537Please respect copyright.PENANA5Zt3OSB5ik
"But she's right though," said Mr McDonell.537Please respect copyright.PENANAZO3XFHd6Pq
Before Mrs McDonell could say anything, Kim spoke up:537Please respect copyright.PENANALLwlXfQOrL
"It's fine, let it be. Leo must be very tired and has a lot of work to do."537Please respect copyright.PENANAsk1m0LZx04
"Okay, dear," said Mrs McDonell, feeling a little disappointed. "You're free for now, Leo."537Please respect copyright.PENANAZQSLnPYYi0
"For now or never?" Leo asked.537Please respect copyright.PENANAobH1zJKEui
"Don't start, son."537Please respect copyright.PENANAEuPSeTPQ49
"May I remind you who started all this in the first place?"537Please respect copyright.PENANAFdibD0EBgo
Before his mother could reply, Leo already drew away from the table and left the dining room as quickly as he could.537Please respect copyright.PENANAf3Kd2aRYak
"Well, he has no shame," said Mrs McDonell.537Please respect copyright.PENANAmwQE1Z3egB
"I think you've to adress that to someone else, don't you think?" Amanda asked.537Please respect copyright.PENANAyfrRh6AWiG
"Goodness, just what I needed," Mrs McDonell raised her hands in the air.537Please respect copyright.PENANAGsTDtrGTTo
"I think I've had enough of this drama for one night," said Mr McDonell as he stood up from his seat.537Please respect copyright.PENANAkGqmIjg1xn
"Please take me with you, son," said Amanda. "Remember, we have a lot to discuss."537Please respect copyright.PENANAGAqluW5Jlq
Mr McDonell left his seat and helped Amanda with dragging her wheelchair and they soon left the dining room.537Please respect copyright.PENANA3Cpp4rJXUU
"We better start working on your homework, little man," said Angel, as she addressed Oliver, sounding like all is normal.537Please respect copyright.PENANAS40TnYkzit
"Yes, let's go," said Oliver as he also stood up from the table.537Please respect copyright.PENANAkYo5dKu2fP
"I'll come and help," said Eric.537Please respect copyright.PENANA846m1oWuJM
"Me too," said Carly.537Please respect copyright.PENANAxqbSVKTkh2
Soon, Angel with the help of Eric, Oliver and Carly left the table, leaving Mrs McDonell, Diana and Kim at the table.
ns 15.158.61.21da2