Leo found himself back 536Please respect copyright.PENANAMKjEpwHg9e
in the living room where he found the others freely talking amongst 536Please respect copyright.PENANA2CYkqiYs1O
themselves. He wondered for a moment how they could all be talking after536Please respect copyright.PENANAidWVxTDPla
what had happened earlier. But then he realised that Kim wasn't even in536Please respect copyright.PENANA5dJDGKO6Rt
the room.536Please respect copyright.PENANAdTJgU5sovr
"Leo," said Amanda as she looked up at her grandson. "Are you calm now?"536Please respect copyright.PENANApfmfoSYxwo
Leo paused for a moment before he could answer. "Yes," he said. "Where is Kim?"536Please respect copyright.PENANAlabd31lI3F
Everyone in the living room turned to look at him, wondering whether he had hit his head or something.536Please respect copyright.PENANAWEmwtFQ5JC
"Kim's at the patio with my mum," said Eric. "You aren't going to shout at her, are you?"536Please respect copyright.PENANAJsNgCzLgQg
Leo shook his head. "No. Actually, I'm going to apologise for the way I've been treating her lately."536Please respect copyright.PENANAQJHexqmXN7
Eric raised an eyebrow 536Please respect copyright.PENANAkKl83JR1dc
at his cousin. Amanda smiled. Carly had a scared look on her face. As 536Please respect copyright.PENANAIP4IQgyWI2
for Angel and Oliver, their faces showed that they didn't mind at all. 536Please respect copyright.PENANAkt6mpxngJu
Oliver even went on eating his sandwich that he got from the kitchen.536Please respect copyright.PENANAAuOHETkP2H
"Wait, what?" Eric asked as she stood up from his seat. "You want to apologise to Kim all of the sudden?"536Please respect copyright.PENANA2Mphyj0imV
"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."536Please respect copyright.PENANA9GGpwedUZJ
Leo didn't want to agree with Angel. She guessed right and that, annoyed him a little.536Please respect copyright.PENANAxTH8xo6vru
"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?"536Please respect copyright.PENANAZATTbOoVzq
"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."536Please respect copyright.PENANA4fDNRL2vRW
Leo soon turned around, 536Please respect copyright.PENANAezWCkX382M
walked through the corridor and out in the patio where he found his aunt536Please respect copyright.PENANA0PC9j5REhj
Diana and Kim seated around the white garden table with a box of tissue536Please respect copyright.PENANALsvj43f1R2
on top of it.536Please respect copyright.PENANA7Ms5jSsBYY
Kim had been crying. She536Please respect copyright.PENANAZiOTOgBh7p
was blowing her nose with her red teary eyes when Leo stepped in on the536Please respect copyright.PENANA4TMamUn7cd
patio. When she noticed him, she tried to hide her face as she wiped 536Please respect copyright.PENANA1etvtftKqp
her tears with another tissue.536Please respect copyright.PENANADdlgnxYKlk
"Leo," said his aunt. "I think now isn't the right time for this."536Please respect copyright.PENANAiFxau80wrs
"I'm not going to say 536Please respect copyright.PENANA0TcuOpjSG9
anything that's going to hurt her even further, aunt," said Leo. He 536Please respect copyright.PENANAD2AWIcYunR
paused before he could continue to say, "I actually came to apologise."536Please respect copyright.PENANAK6jjXbOgVQ
Kim looked up at him while Diana was a little shocked at first, but her lips were soon raised into a smile.536Please respect copyright.PENANAmpZbbc34Kn
"I'm sorry for the way I treated you, Kim," Leo continued. "You don't deserve it and for that, I truly am sorry."536Please respect copyright.PENANAWTKy422fbW
Kim sniffed and tried to smile through her sad face. "Aren't you still mad at me for being a little clingy at times?"536Please respect copyright.PENANA6CYMHiAkaj
"Well, yes, but I realised that I've been treating you unfairly."536Please respect copyright.PENANAkrtCWrBdSE
"So, does that mean we're okay now?"536Please respect copyright.PENANA7SJcQFgllw
Leo gave her a little smile which was pretty hard to put up but he had to just to make her feel better.536Please respect copyright.PENANAswHqeN4Si2
"Yes, we are."536Please respect copyright.PENANAG8y4tfQgMG
Kim smiled brightly as she wiped away the remaining tears in her eyes. "You don't know how much this means to me, Leo."536Please respect copyright.PENANAzs2MkkeWWe
Leo nodded his head. "We better go inside. We delayed supper and I think my little cousin is really hungry."536Please respect copyright.PENANA35xdi7xQF8
"Oh, my little, Oliver," said Diana. "I hope he's okay."536Please respect copyright.PENANARtJqSsZcCZ
"I saw him eating a snack, so, I bet he's fine. Shall we go back inside?"536Please respect copyright.PENANAMaZkbduqRf
The two ladies agreed 536Please respect copyright.PENANA3Y9YEkAZvW
and went back inside with Leo as he held the door open for them to get 536Please respect copyright.PENANALSsGx08WHh
in the house. When the three found themselves in the living room, there 536Please respect copyright.PENANAOvB46GzENF
was Mrs McDonell who clapped her hands excitedly.536Please respect copyright.PENANAYoR3hG3FMY
"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."536Please respect copyright.PENANAD0QH2Sv95M
Most people in the 536Please respect copyright.PENANA71brbgDWCJ
living room wanted Mrs McDonell to stop talking her nonsense before Leo 536Please respect copyright.PENANAlnnKIyENAb
could throw another outburst. Besides, she was the one who invited Kim 536Please respect copyright.PENANAnyFtLawc5N
over for dinner and made things worse from the beginning. She was 536Please respect copyright.PENANApuLbziYdvH
blowing air to the remaining glowing splinters when it proved to be a 536Please respect copyright.PENANANN0SUWZ2jy
struggle to put out the first fire.536Please respect copyright.PENANAYjKrYlXmoO
Kim blushed while Leo tried to keep it cool that he held his neck for a little. His mother was far beyond irritating.536Please respect copyright.PENANA3zX3SfPSIP
"I would rather suggest 536Please respect copyright.PENANA4U4De4aD0H
you don't say a word, dear," Mr McDonald whispered, who stood beside his536Please respect copyright.PENANA10lmuM7BDE
wife and noticed that Leo was feeling uncomfortable. "You have done 536Please respect copyright.PENANAWiFrY3NPMq
enough damage for one night, don't you think?"536Please respect copyright.PENANAdfAF1pKu8I
The smile on Mrs McDonell's face soon disappeared. Amanda who noticed the pair, couldn't help but smile to herself.536Please respect copyright.PENANAKt1W7Lija2
"Now, that everything's all settled, who's up for supper?" Diana asked.536Please respect copyright.PENANAOEXSnPJRzB
"We all are," said Oliver. "I'm starving."536Please respect copyright.PENANAthifvPnj95
"Then let's all make our way to the dining room," said Mr McDonell. "Mum, I'll help you out."536Please respect copyright.PENANATAM5SZEi67
"Thank you, sweetie," said Amanda as she smiled at her son.536Please respect copyright.PENANAYzvb8e3IX0
"And I'll help Angel," said Eric.536Please respect copyright.PENANAoENPa5jJEr
"No, I'll help her," said Oliver who stood up quickly and found himself behind Angel's wheelchair.536Please respect copyright.PENANAwGEpYYmuLI
"Thanks, Oliver," said Angel giving a small laugh when she noticed the scowl on Eric's face.536Please respect copyright.PENANASqPRkKsg42
Leo couldn't help but roll his eyes at Angel. "Even my little cousin has been captured by her charms," he thought to myself.536Please respect copyright.PENANAFDc0Vg5sbM
Everyone slowly left the536Please respect copyright.PENANAchUUq2qrXW
living room and went to the dining room. Mr and Mrs McDonell sat on 536Please respect copyright.PENANApJBYP53jyU
both opposite ends of the table. Amanda sat next to her son on the right536Please respect copyright.PENANAXDsxWrZKXk
side of the table, alongside Angel, Diana, and Kim. On the other side 536Please respect copyright.PENANAcRRXHfu49m
sat Oliver, Eric, Leo and Carly.536Please respect copyright.PENANAPU9km0vpAP
"Now, that we are settled, mum, can you give us a prayer to bless the food, please?" Mr McDonell asked.536Please respect copyright.PENANAnLj6ej0F3c
"Of course," said Amanda. "Let us pray...."536Please respect copyright.PENANA6H0BX0TAG7
After the loving prayer,536Please respect copyright.PENANAZZWBOxiEkP
everyone started to dig into the meal. There was lovely Italian dressed536Please respect copyright.PENANAajY2CbbQc0
chicken with baked potatoes, green salads and spiced rice.536Please respect copyright.PENANAb9uIbZvlPh
"How do you like the food, Kim?" Mrs McDonell asked.536Please respect copyright.PENANA1uCGkbpdNV
"Oh, it's lovely," said Kim. "It's very tasty."536Please respect copyright.PENANAtlXOW4RODX
"I know," said Oliver who couldn't get enough of the chicken. "The chicken is really delicious."536Please respect copyright.PENANAdCyQYTJltq
"You better slow down, Oliver," said Diana. "You're going to get too full, too quick."536Please respect copyright.PENANAnBjsucTBGW
"He really can't get 536Please respect copyright.PENANA8bApyzmYBZ
enough of it," said Angel as she looked at Oliver who was chewing at the536Please respect copyright.PENANAoNoJqKJ2Yt
thigh of the chicken. Angel couldn't help but giggle and Eric couldn't 536Please respect copyright.PENANAMNkMJnF1yu
help but smile at her. Leo noticed and he couldn't help but roll his 536Please respect copyright.PENANACOidu1kWlM
eyes in irritation.536Please respect copyright.PENANAbEe86fsNLR
"He's a young boy," said Amanda. "Let him enjoy all the food he can eat."536Please respect copyright.PENANA29o7MOK0BZ
"But not too much," said Angel as she looked at Amanda.536Please respect copyright.PENANAa9Axd1n0QN
"Angel's right," said Diana. "I don't want my child looking obese."536Please respect copyright.PENANAWuTkWMw0vr
"What's obsese?" Oliver asked after swallowing his food. Every grown up at the table looked at him then at themselves.536Please respect copyright.PENANALNuiLAxNkO
"I would rather Angel tell him," said Eric.536Please respect copyright.PENANAO78BUU7bX2
"Why me?" Angel asked.536Please respect copyright.PENANAAJVqPdVLjx
"I know you will explain536Please respect copyright.PENANAA4tzJdVt8N
better. Besides, it looks like you will be helping him out with a lot 536Please respect copyright.PENANA1ePdXKzoYt
of things from now on if mum is busy."536Please respect copyright.PENANABIfi9eLQSe
"Like what?" Diana asked.536Please respect copyright.PENANAwHAX8b3qC4
"Almost an hour ago, she agreed to help him with homework on a Friday."536Please respect copyright.PENANAiwvWjRYXYb
"That's so nice of you, 536Please respect copyright.PENANAeFwE4eEMfX
Angel," said Diana as she turned to look at Angel beside her. "You know,536Please respect copyright.PENANAZk0bYP3Tjs
I've been trying to get him to do his homework early, but he doesn't 536Please respect copyright.PENANAzDBZNA8WST
want to."536Please respect copyright.PENANAXTyxjPYS0r
"Angel must have done something to Oliver," said Leo. "And I'm afraid, it isn't a good thing."536Please respect copyright.PENANAiDb38jOfmf
Angel looked at him and 536Please respect copyright.PENANA7qKKyqON3x
tried her best not to show how annoyed she was. She knew Leo was being 536Please respect copyright.PENANAKEE1igU62g
mean though people on the table didn't seem to notice. There was a 536Please respect copyright.PENANA2xoAC1DeJv
battle between the two which they would rather keep to themselves.536Please respect copyright.PENANABI5JOoAZPO
"You're wrong, Leo," said Amanda. "She's done a good thing. She's an angel just like her name."536Please respect copyright.PENANAJLJ3tStsc1
Leo felt like he was 536Please respect copyright.PENANAfTxR8P6cx5
going to puke. Angel was getting all the praise now. He felt like 536Please respect copyright.PENANAGs0lAWtASr
leaving the table, but he did his best not to for it will seem rude.536Please respect copyright.PENANAghq4Z3WiFx
"I think so too, grandma," said Eric.536Please respect copyright.PENANA0uo8FK5g14
"Angel said, if I do my homework, we will go watch a movie together in the home theater," said Oliver.536Please respect copyright.PENANAXkB9OwMVaz
"I'm surprised you got him to agree on this, Angel," said Mr McDonell. "He's very stubborn."536Please respect copyright.PENANAlfA3dQe1a6
"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."536Please respect copyright.PENANAYaNs2UHdfK
"Smart," said Diana. "You two sisters really are something."536Please respect copyright.PENANA8NEkJaHhtp
"I think so too," said Carly as she took a sip of her juice, looking at Kim who sat opposite her.536Please respect copyright.PENANAeeCKw9jdb3
"Okay, enough family affairs," said Mrs McDonell. "How was work, Leo?"536Please respect copyright.PENANASCWZh9j5fk
"It was fine, mum," said536Please respect copyright.PENANAlcQmklqzh6
Leo, glad that his mother changed the topic, yet uneasy with how the 536Please respect copyright.PENANAZzzVi2VLHm
conversation was going to turn out.536Please respect copyright.PENANAKnas7UGIwC
"That's nice. I hear you're working on a deal with the Chinese. When are we expecting them?"536Please respect copyright.PENANAaVBheVaA5r
"During the course of next week. Friday to be more precise."536Please respect copyright.PENANApGdkc7gDTw
"I hope you have most of the paper work ready, Leo," said Mr McDonell. "We need the presentation and the deal to run smoothly."536Please respect copyright.PENANAn3AwFKHu5h
"Eric's been helping me out with it," said Leo.536Please respect copyright.PENANA78urTPmia2
"Alright," said Mrs 536Please respect copyright.PENANAskQYUYlpOB
McDonell. "Things will go well, that I know. How about you, Kim?" Mrs 536Please respect copyright.PENANAt3OIE857ih
McDonell turned to look at Kim on her left. "How has the modelling been 536Please respect copyright.PENANA8Z0tSFbGB0
for you lately?"536Please respect copyright.PENANA3TnZhQ5w5F
Angel and Carly both 536Please respect copyright.PENANAgyPTCR26DH
turned to look at Kim. They both realised now how Kim somehow looked 536Please respect copyright.PENANAHRVidbHSlp
like those models cut out straight from a magazine. It's because she 536Please respect copyright.PENANA7p6kjdoSWh
already was one herself.536Please respect copyright.PENANAclSgEAXi5t
"Same as always," said Kim with a smile.536Please respect copyright.PENANAsxpDHfRXlP
"And how about your father's law firm?" Mrs McDonell asked.536Please respect copyright.PENANAJKiyqDc67o
"Running well as usual."536Please respect copyright.PENANAct8Dj19gwn
"I should really pay him536Please respect copyright.PENANAbjGxlJRJya
a visit. It's been such a long time. You have a really loving family. 536Please respect copyright.PENANA8t9dbxFT6d
It's just sad that things aren't the way they are supposed to be."536Please respect copyright.PENANA1rMIlNu1so
"I wonder what you mean by that," said Amanda.536Please respect copyright.PENANA3Z155g7PrQ
"You know exactly what I mean," said Mrs McDonell as she raised her glass of orange juice to her lips.536Please respect copyright.PENANAE0V9QhetNG
"I won't elaborate further." Amanda gave her daughter-in-law a wide smile.536Please respect copyright.PENANAXuwAwYCKw2
Diana cleared her throat as she soon got her glass and drank her juice quickly.536Please respect copyright.PENANAohMtkw8EPj
"Kim, darling, since it's so nice having you around, you should be coming to visit us more often. I miss having you here."536Please respect copyright.PENANAhjlrnHVYo3
"That's very nice of you, Mrs McDonell. I'll be coming by more often."536Please respect copyright.PENANAyupUlEz1aA
"That's nice, dear. Even after all that had happened, I still consider you to be family."536Please respect copyright.PENANADDWJvPW8V0
Leo was already done with his meal and he realised he had had enough for one night.536Please respect copyright.PENANAM69cH56C8E
"May you please, excuse me," he said as he slowly stood up from his chair.536Please respect copyright.PENANA8J5ykV2BKL
"But where are you going, Leo?" his mother asked.536Please respect copyright.PENANAYqkg6gp0Op
"I'm done eating, mum," said Leo. "I prefer I go to my room and rest before I start to finalise on some papers."536Please respect copyright.PENANAT2x1OaN2oO
"Well, I was really hoping you can stay around a bit and chat. There is no harm in doing so, is it?"536Please respect copyright.PENANA3C3FWqYFrF
"I would really like to,536Please respect copyright.PENANA8pogCYMAOm
but I've had a long day. Kim," he turned to look at her. "I'm afraid 536Please respect copyright.PENANAi7qla3lRzM
I'll have to leave you here at this point. I really have to go."536Please respect copyright.PENANA7w7iqnJXVT
"Now, wait a minute, Leo," his mother's voice became a little intense. "It's wrong to leave your guest halfway through dinner."536Please respect copyright.PENANAmPn1JXORqf
"Mum, most of us here 536Please respect copyright.PENANAbiIweNOtas
are already done with our meal. And may I need remind you that as much 536Please respect copyright.PENANAVSsCOt0pzg
as Kim and I have a history together, she's your guest tonight and not 536Please respect copyright.PENANAlNETJ9gnWG
mine."536Please respect copyright.PENANA32R8I4LEnQ
Mrs McDonell grew pale. 536Please respect copyright.PENANAHscM2PugfA
She opened her mouth to say a word but not even a sound came out. Others536Please respect copyright.PENANAzRluCFr3p4
at the table were either looking at each other or staring at their 536Please respect copyright.PENANARpNuf1on3S
almost empty plate, making sure not to stare at those talking at the 536Please respect copyright.PENANAM8idVBJ5AA
moment.536Please respect copyright.PENANAEoiQ9ZT2Wi
"Let Leo be, Bertha," said Amanda. "He has a lot of work to do, so, he better go and rest."536Please respect copyright.PENANAqv5DsFz95v
"I didn't ask for your opinion," said Mrs McDonell.536Please respect copyright.PENANATFmDuazpkF
"But she's right though," said Mr McDonell.536Please respect copyright.PENANAXK1tPioVT2
Before Mrs McDonell could say anything, Kim spoke up:536Please respect copyright.PENANAOOZ4vGJfPC
"It's fine, let it be. Leo must be very tired and has a lot of work to do."536Please respect copyright.PENANAe9dZflSzqW
"Okay, dear," said Mrs McDonell, feeling a little disappointed. "You're free for now, Leo."536Please respect copyright.PENANAeDbPbDpgDP
"For now or never?" Leo asked.536Please respect copyright.PENANAEreMxhzWcN
"Don't start, son."536Please respect copyright.PENANAW1lI30vAwS
"May I remind you who started all this in the first place?"536Please respect copyright.PENANAEMdyUOPI4R
Before his mother could reply, Leo already drew away from the table and left the dining room as quickly as he could.536Please respect copyright.PENANAmlxaDPOCFT
"Well, he has no shame," said Mrs McDonell.536Please respect copyright.PENANA0CIX8xQq9W
"I think you've to adress that to someone else, don't you think?" Amanda asked.536Please respect copyright.PENANASLF3z2unko
"Goodness, just what I needed," Mrs McDonell raised her hands in the air.536Please respect copyright.PENANAQVVk5zly4M
"I think I've had enough of this drama for one night," said Mr McDonell as he stood up from his seat.536Please respect copyright.PENANAtQwQyf4hZX
"Please take me with you, son," said Amanda. "Remember, we have a lot to discuss."536Please respect copyright.PENANAAfhJb6rxSI
Mr McDonell left his seat and helped Amanda with dragging her wheelchair and they soon left the dining room.536Please respect copyright.PENANA53jT572X1C
"We better start working on your homework, little man," said Angel, as she addressed Oliver, sounding like all is normal.536Please respect copyright.PENANAKKxBkFbuvm
"Yes, let's go," said Oliver as he also stood up from the table.536Please respect copyright.PENANAiV0BMKI2bl
"I'll come and help," said Eric.536Please respect copyright.PENANAC2Z0SS75EK
"Me too," said Carly.536Please respect copyright.PENANAzIzxUOc2hz
Soon, Angel with the help of Eric, Oliver and Carly left the table, leaving Mrs McDonell, Diana and Kim at the table.
ns 15.158.61.12da2