Leo found himself back 689Please respect copyright.PENANAnLtfYZDMfB
in the living room where he found the others freely talking amongst 689Please respect copyright.PENANANCKHsLgFfg
themselves. He wondered for a moment how they could all be talking after689Please respect copyright.PENANAWJa8KuoaaP
what had happened earlier. But then he realised that Kim wasn't even in689Please respect copyright.PENANAZh46zS9S75
the room.689Please respect copyright.PENANArd9I8JmNou
"Leo," said Amanda as she looked up at her grandson. "Are you calm now?"689Please respect copyright.PENANARsfIKQto3Y
Leo paused for a moment before he could answer. "Yes," he said. "Where is Kim?"689Please respect copyright.PENANAkSWxcS4gk5
Everyone in the living room turned to look at him, wondering whether he had hit his head or something.689Please respect copyright.PENANAH34QTtSSu7
"Kim's at the patio with my mum," said Eric. "You aren't going to shout at her, are you?"689Please respect copyright.PENANAwIbtVidhIa
Leo shook his head. "No. Actually, I'm going to apologise for the way I've been treating her lately."689Please respect copyright.PENANAxyPJETNtwG
Eric raised an eyebrow 689Please respect copyright.PENANA1WPpGn4UZr
at his cousin. Amanda smiled. Carly had a scared look on her face. As 689Please respect copyright.PENANA2vTKv7mjyZ
for Angel and Oliver, their faces showed that they didn't mind at all. 689Please respect copyright.PENANA1vhhHCM7v2
Oliver even went on eating his sandwich that he got from the kitchen.689Please respect copyright.PENANA1sUZmBBegN
"Wait, what?" Eric asked as she stood up from his seat. "You want to apologise to Kim all of the sudden?"689Please respect copyright.PENANAUgTFWUGm99
"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."689Please respect copyright.PENANAUrvJuG77S5
Leo didn't want to agree with Angel. She guessed right and that, annoyed him a little.689Please respect copyright.PENANA0PHqm8FO7d
"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?"689Please respect copyright.PENANAKUEQ9Dv15n
"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."689Please respect copyright.PENANAA2QxxWlp1Z
Leo soon turned around, 689Please respect copyright.PENANAXz7jdpoEr6
walked through the corridor and out in the patio where he found his aunt689Please respect copyright.PENANAYjz6IST13A
Diana and Kim seated around the white garden table with a box of tissue689Please respect copyright.PENANAMPy2YOKKvg
on top of it.689Please respect copyright.PENANAK5edPNej8c
Kim had been crying. She689Please respect copyright.PENANAe5PEWo4qCP
was blowing her nose with her red teary eyes when Leo stepped in on the689Please respect copyright.PENANAWkXxLMYbTU
patio. When she noticed him, she tried to hide her face as she wiped 689Please respect copyright.PENANAuprzRK9kUi
her tears with another tissue.689Please respect copyright.PENANAWfTyD6H06u
"Leo," said his aunt. "I think now isn't the right time for this."689Please respect copyright.PENANA4xFP8f9Zol
"I'm not going to say 689Please respect copyright.PENANAWcwyjpNXBC
anything that's going to hurt her even further, aunt," said Leo. He 689Please respect copyright.PENANAdRJpegTkj1
paused before he could continue to say, "I actually came to apologise."689Please respect copyright.PENANARLAKPNxpvN
Kim looked up at him while Diana was a little shocked at first, but her lips were soon raised into a smile.689Please respect copyright.PENANA7EP3PTkWhb
"I'm sorry for the way I treated you, Kim," Leo continued. "You don't deserve it and for that, I truly am sorry."689Please respect copyright.PENANAAXYHrQk7a5
Kim sniffed and tried to smile through her sad face. "Aren't you still mad at me for being a little clingy at times?"689Please respect copyright.PENANAQvi7KWF1Gf
"Well, yes, but I realised that I've been treating you unfairly."689Please respect copyright.PENANA9QVMTZjN5R
"So, does that mean we're okay now?"689Please respect copyright.PENANAK5d6ehbu2x
Leo gave her a little smile which was pretty hard to put up but he had to just to make her feel better.689Please respect copyright.PENANAByLssjnrhC
"Yes, we are."689Please respect copyright.PENANAAdPEUDWyFH
Kim smiled brightly as she wiped away the remaining tears in her eyes. "You don't know how much this means to me, Leo."689Please respect copyright.PENANAyBgOBlNeXe
Leo nodded his head. "We better go inside. We delayed supper and I think my little cousin is really hungry."689Please respect copyright.PENANAxPFDUH0NL9
"Oh, my little, Oliver," said Diana. "I hope he's okay."689Please respect copyright.PENANAWJ7H2cDFNo
"I saw him eating a snack, so, I bet he's fine. Shall we go back inside?"689Please respect copyright.PENANA1SMjXuvKQV
The two ladies agreed 689Please respect copyright.PENANA9QKXRLugSk
and went back inside with Leo as he held the door open for them to get 689Please respect copyright.PENANA1LphXiBQIt
in the house. When the three found themselves in the living room, there 689Please respect copyright.PENANArJzYqNwaXe
was Mrs McDonell who clapped her hands excitedly.689Please respect copyright.PENANAQe3JUMEs1e
"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."689Please respect copyright.PENANA2sooqnzjId
Most people in the 689Please respect copyright.PENANAgxhxt9tFCJ
living room wanted Mrs McDonell to stop talking her nonsense before Leo 689Please respect copyright.PENANAkNRyPGZDBX
could throw another outburst. Besides, she was the one who invited Kim 689Please respect copyright.PENANAq6BkdjM8pM
over for dinner and made things worse from the beginning. She was 689Please respect copyright.PENANAwq5lhtNgXk
blowing air to the remaining glowing splinters when it proved to be a 689Please respect copyright.PENANARXnPqbpcmx
struggle to put out the first fire.689Please respect copyright.PENANAEBiDSYgfzC
Kim blushed while Leo tried to keep it cool that he held his neck for a little. His mother was far beyond irritating.689Please respect copyright.PENANAeE1g5dPDiM
"I would rather suggest 689Please respect copyright.PENANAigPoIVePG5
you don't say a word, dear," Mr McDonald whispered, who stood beside his689Please respect copyright.PENANA2emBDeFnbF
wife and noticed that Leo was feeling uncomfortable. "You have done 689Please respect copyright.PENANAIh3e9FwfDS
enough damage for one night, don't you think?"689Please respect copyright.PENANANSmUGZcKk2
The smile on Mrs McDonell's face soon disappeared. Amanda who noticed the pair, couldn't help but smile to herself.689Please respect copyright.PENANA1hkyujfD5n
"Now, that everything's all settled, who's up for supper?" Diana asked.689Please respect copyright.PENANAP6nd19z568
"We all are," said Oliver. "I'm starving."689Please respect copyright.PENANA3uUZclw2sM
"Then let's all make our way to the dining room," said Mr McDonell. "Mum, I'll help you out."689Please respect copyright.PENANAkRUVqJjb8D
"Thank you, sweetie," said Amanda as she smiled at her son.689Please respect copyright.PENANAGRZ4sSfU4d
"And I'll help Angel," said Eric.689Please respect copyright.PENANAnvWdeQWqJB
"No, I'll help her," said Oliver who stood up quickly and found himself behind Angel's wheelchair.689Please respect copyright.PENANAGcJKAKFbHb
"Thanks, Oliver," said Angel giving a small laugh when she noticed the scowl on Eric's face.689Please respect copyright.PENANA91LypABk32
Leo couldn't help but roll his eyes at Angel. "Even my little cousin has been captured by her charms," he thought to myself.689Please respect copyright.PENANAW62gvtEb5J
Everyone slowly left the689Please respect copyright.PENANAg5zTQIch62
living room and went to the dining room. Mr and Mrs McDonell sat on 689Please respect copyright.PENANA5xOsCpz6QU
both opposite ends of the table. Amanda sat next to her son on the right689Please respect copyright.PENANA38VJgUhITL
side of the table, alongside Angel, Diana, and Kim. On the other side 689Please respect copyright.PENANAVF58Dhjp5d
sat Oliver, Eric, Leo and Carly.689Please respect copyright.PENANAFoK72r4mg0
"Now, that we are settled, mum, can you give us a prayer to bless the food, please?" Mr McDonell asked.689Please respect copyright.PENANAonOzA69j0W
"Of course," said Amanda. "Let us pray...."689Please respect copyright.PENANA4I9Olif1qf
After the loving prayer,689Please respect copyright.PENANApIFIll76xC
everyone started to dig into the meal. There was lovely Italian dressed689Please respect copyright.PENANAQ1gfSP5NWG
chicken with baked potatoes, green salads and spiced rice.689Please respect copyright.PENANAzmX2lz6QZk
"How do you like the food, Kim?" Mrs McDonell asked.689Please respect copyright.PENANAE4fW6Uiru2
"Oh, it's lovely," said Kim. "It's very tasty."689Please respect copyright.PENANA5gRz4HNoqU
"I know," said Oliver who couldn't get enough of the chicken. "The chicken is really delicious."689Please respect copyright.PENANAit30agu136
"You better slow down, Oliver," said Diana. "You're going to get too full, too quick."689Please respect copyright.PENANABRmVFCYapl
"He really can't get 689Please respect copyright.PENANANY9svDgZko
enough of it," said Angel as she looked at Oliver who was chewing at the689Please respect copyright.PENANAXNTkgdnCtc
thigh of the chicken. Angel couldn't help but giggle and Eric couldn't 689Please respect copyright.PENANACpBhKdXv4C
help but smile at her. Leo noticed and he couldn't help but roll his 689Please respect copyright.PENANAa3nYMfYVg3
eyes in irritation.689Please respect copyright.PENANAIguHWahm52
"He's a young boy," said Amanda. "Let him enjoy all the food he can eat."689Please respect copyright.PENANAJLdwg4h4FL
"But not too much," said Angel as she looked at Amanda.689Please respect copyright.PENANAA07AIGiQ75
"Angel's right," said Diana. "I don't want my child looking obese."689Please respect copyright.PENANAeXLTPoElbV
"What's obsese?" Oliver asked after swallowing his food. Every grown up at the table looked at him then at themselves.689Please respect copyright.PENANAvobXyxaulr
"I would rather Angel tell him," said Eric.689Please respect copyright.PENANAQWZqz33aig
"Why me?" Angel asked.689Please respect copyright.PENANAa6M6lnZ5Gr
"I know you will explain689Please respect copyright.PENANAomc3AovUxl
better. Besides, it looks like you will be helping him out with a lot 689Please respect copyright.PENANALPbAJh67mT
of things from now on if mum is busy."689Please respect copyright.PENANASZWHPco7JV
"Like what?" Diana asked.689Please respect copyright.PENANA21tS9MeJwC
"Almost an hour ago, she agreed to help him with homework on a Friday."689Please respect copyright.PENANA8iB0khOSgT
"That's so nice of you, 689Please respect copyright.PENANA194blBAeWs
Angel," said Diana as she turned to look at Angel beside her. "You know,689Please respect copyright.PENANAv6RQbHhqPS
I've been trying to get him to do his homework early, but he doesn't 689Please respect copyright.PENANAms9cm1bOd5
want to."689Please respect copyright.PENANARO4NMt6J6x
"Angel must have done something to Oliver," said Leo. "And I'm afraid, it isn't a good thing."689Please respect copyright.PENANAsHcAUipnvy
Angel looked at him and 689Please respect copyright.PENANAgvbcOjBCFO
tried her best not to show how annoyed she was. She knew Leo was being 689Please respect copyright.PENANAZM4A0RnhYs
mean though people on the table didn't seem to notice. There was a 689Please respect copyright.PENANAOGHPpZCGwO
battle between the two which they would rather keep to themselves.689Please respect copyright.PENANAZlmlhoNREE
"You're wrong, Leo," said Amanda. "She's done a good thing. She's an angel just like her name."689Please respect copyright.PENANAazvtfJSHY2
Leo felt like he was 689Please respect copyright.PENANAPyhPIHXyTI
going to puke. Angel was getting all the praise now. He felt like 689Please respect copyright.PENANA4QOt4gf2SM
leaving the table, but he did his best not to for it will seem rude.689Please respect copyright.PENANAoGAMdYfE3q
"I think so too, grandma," said Eric.689Please respect copyright.PENANAD85tHFBtLh
"Angel said, if I do my homework, we will go watch a movie together in the home theater," said Oliver.689Please respect copyright.PENANAen8pMOFfMW
"I'm surprised you got him to agree on this, Angel," said Mr McDonell. "He's very stubborn."689Please respect copyright.PENANAQLbHpdHiT7
"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."689Please respect copyright.PENANAAgwOBNWedE
"Smart," said Diana. "You two sisters really are something."689Please respect copyright.PENANA21QbYZ09Bf
"I think so too," said Carly as she took a sip of her juice, looking at Kim who sat opposite her.689Please respect copyright.PENANAds8n9m92fP
"Okay, enough family affairs," said Mrs McDonell. "How was work, Leo?"689Please respect copyright.PENANARttuOE3Ggl
"It was fine, mum," said689Please respect copyright.PENANAtQo5uOLLVq
Leo, glad that his mother changed the topic, yet uneasy with how the 689Please respect copyright.PENANA7QbzFSHufT
conversation was going to turn out.689Please respect copyright.PENANARnqBQQE4s7
"That's nice. I hear you're working on a deal with the Chinese. When are we expecting them?"689Please respect copyright.PENANAe7jik4CKtK
"During the course of next week. Friday to be more precise."689Please respect copyright.PENANAOSoiR7JMlA
"I hope you have most of the paper work ready, Leo," said Mr McDonell. "We need the presentation and the deal to run smoothly."689Please respect copyright.PENANAbFahtECWxv
"Eric's been helping me out with it," said Leo.689Please respect copyright.PENANAG3jHbW9aNU
"Alright," said Mrs 689Please respect copyright.PENANAqBa0p6aZkP
McDonell. "Things will go well, that I know. How about you, Kim?" Mrs 689Please respect copyright.PENANAn5L1xX69Mr
McDonell turned to look at Kim on her left. "How has the modelling been 689Please respect copyright.PENANAIdsCP72swv
for you lately?"689Please respect copyright.PENANA0roEUyccpO
Angel and Carly both 689Please respect copyright.PENANAIUgydy2lyG
turned to look at Kim. They both realised now how Kim somehow looked 689Please respect copyright.PENANAeoeS0aJJve
like those models cut out straight from a magazine. It's because she 689Please respect copyright.PENANAyD1a2qDqPj
already was one herself.689Please respect copyright.PENANADoUmRhRkYW
"Same as always," said Kim with a smile.689Please respect copyright.PENANAdUqNGVj9QI
"And how about your father's law firm?" Mrs McDonell asked.689Please respect copyright.PENANApuhEieLId3
"Running well as usual."689Please respect copyright.PENANAXz7YBmyCWi
"I should really pay him689Please respect copyright.PENANA1ZJGgKyacg
a visit. It's been such a long time. You have a really loving family. 689Please respect copyright.PENANAl4WyLXywV8
It's just sad that things aren't the way they are supposed to be."689Please respect copyright.PENANAhcJYo5Gq7X
"I wonder what you mean by that," said Amanda.689Please respect copyright.PENANAldiC0zXjAn
"You know exactly what I mean," said Mrs McDonell as she raised her glass of orange juice to her lips.689Please respect copyright.PENANAtxKOPMDQT9
"I won't elaborate further." Amanda gave her daughter-in-law a wide smile.689Please respect copyright.PENANAmsiGTRru8Y
Diana cleared her throat as she soon got her glass and drank her juice quickly.689Please respect copyright.PENANAHVlAhLoHHO
"Kim, darling, since it's so nice having you around, you should be coming to visit us more often. I miss having you here."689Please respect copyright.PENANA1T9UG8sFUb
"That's very nice of you, Mrs McDonell. I'll be coming by more often."689Please respect copyright.PENANAgrCPV9yvw7
"That's nice, dear. Even after all that had happened, I still consider you to be family."689Please respect copyright.PENANAYn5aAKYxQi
Leo was already done with his meal and he realised he had had enough for one night.689Please respect copyright.PENANAXWMtfzWMPq
"May you please, excuse me," he said as he slowly stood up from his chair.689Please respect copyright.PENANABHKetWLElg
"But where are you going, Leo?" his mother asked.689Please respect copyright.PENANAkhre2oCuPQ
"I'm done eating, mum," said Leo. "I prefer I go to my room and rest before I start to finalise on some papers."689Please respect copyright.PENANAW9awqGXwW1
"Well, I was really hoping you can stay around a bit and chat. There is no harm in doing so, is it?"689Please respect copyright.PENANA9hxfDtvM5L
"I would really like to,689Please respect copyright.PENANA94qsbDr8NJ
but I've had a long day. Kim," he turned to look at her. "I'm afraid 689Please respect copyright.PENANAxHXYzeNXJD
I'll have to leave you here at this point. I really have to go."689Please respect copyright.PENANANBtSpWv3XL
"Now, wait a minute, Leo," his mother's voice became a little intense. "It's wrong to leave your guest halfway through dinner."689Please respect copyright.PENANA0yNr822QY9
"Mum, most of us here 689Please respect copyright.PENANAjWPHXRg13a
are already done with our meal. And may I need remind you that as much 689Please respect copyright.PENANATXHtEaxj0y
as Kim and I have a history together, she's your guest tonight and not 689Please respect copyright.PENANAM5dNL53hzG
mine."689Please respect copyright.PENANACbEPPL7eU3
Mrs McDonell grew pale. 689Please respect copyright.PENANA1drsjl459h
She opened her mouth to say a word but not even a sound came out. Others689Please respect copyright.PENANAhbeUK6UNKB
at the table were either looking at each other or staring at their 689Please respect copyright.PENANAsxkYeR2kx8
almost empty plate, making sure not to stare at those talking at the 689Please respect copyright.PENANAoUXBxMDmFj
moment.689Please respect copyright.PENANA51e8umEQ7W
"Let Leo be, Bertha," said Amanda. "He has a lot of work to do, so, he better go and rest."689Please respect copyright.PENANAbwJaP5hubv
"I didn't ask for your opinion," said Mrs McDonell.689Please respect copyright.PENANAQ6D0aE4hwW
"But she's right though," said Mr McDonell.689Please respect copyright.PENANAZr410zL8kq
Before Mrs McDonell could say anything, Kim spoke up:689Please respect copyright.PENANA94Imz8mcpm
"It's fine, let it be. Leo must be very tired and has a lot of work to do."689Please respect copyright.PENANAM8zTcyWS54
"Okay, dear," said Mrs McDonell, feeling a little disappointed. "You're free for now, Leo."689Please respect copyright.PENANA3EfqGlql2z
"For now or never?" Leo asked.689Please respect copyright.PENANAN5NIrBpX2k
"Don't start, son."689Please respect copyright.PENANAQ5m6JdCaoE
"May I remind you who started all this in the first place?"689Please respect copyright.PENANAatIE07aXJL
Before his mother could reply, Leo already drew away from the table and left the dining room as quickly as he could.689Please respect copyright.PENANAgU2O6WcTAS
"Well, he has no shame," said Mrs McDonell.689Please respect copyright.PENANAyHMMrABN4V
"I think you've to adress that to someone else, don't you think?" Amanda asked.689Please respect copyright.PENANA705ouFt2lt
"Goodness, just what I needed," Mrs McDonell raised her hands in the air.689Please respect copyright.PENANAKfU9R70cYi
"I think I've had enough of this drama for one night," said Mr McDonell as he stood up from his seat.689Please respect copyright.PENANARMGlBdLBEG
"Please take me with you, son," said Amanda. "Remember, we have a lot to discuss."689Please respect copyright.PENANAenuuO6tcay
Mr McDonell left his seat and helped Amanda with dragging her wheelchair and they soon left the dining room.689Please respect copyright.PENANAi6L7EFyOOK
"We better start working on your homework, little man," said Angel, as she addressed Oliver, sounding like all is normal.689Please respect copyright.PENANA2n2Tlqb5vN
"Yes, let's go," said Oliver as he also stood up from the table.689Please respect copyright.PENANAUTLgibawST
"I'll come and help," said Eric.689Please respect copyright.PENANAf2cKSI8g3u
"Me too," said Carly.689Please respect copyright.PENANAuIox72jzFW
Soon, Angel with the help of Eric, Oliver and Carly left the table, leaving Mrs McDonell, Diana and Kim at the table.
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