Leo found himself back 780Please respect copyright.PENANADJJRqV2NKr
in the living room where he found the others freely talking amongst 780Please respect copyright.PENANAXxNAsfXLj2
themselves. He wondered for a moment how they could all be talking after780Please respect copyright.PENANATdDLMCh6Ln
what had happened earlier. But then he realised that Kim wasn't even in780Please respect copyright.PENANAQKRl1eFQ2d
the room.780Please respect copyright.PENANA6ORYQ3Xclo
"Leo," said Amanda as she looked up at her grandson. "Are you calm now?"780Please respect copyright.PENANAhOtxH3hjaD
Leo paused for a moment before he could answer. "Yes," he said. "Where is Kim?"780Please respect copyright.PENANAxGwLpfwqfB
Everyone in the living room turned to look at him, wondering whether he had hit his head or something.780Please respect copyright.PENANAuF5ctPNJwq
"Kim's at the patio with my mum," said Eric. "You aren't going to shout at her, are you?"780Please respect copyright.PENANACUFf4CyRqi
Leo shook his head. "No. Actually, I'm going to apologise for the way I've been treating her lately."780Please respect copyright.PENANAwhO0Ffmers
Eric raised an eyebrow 780Please respect copyright.PENANAW2R9qEoclY
at his cousin. Amanda smiled. Carly had a scared look on her face. As 780Please respect copyright.PENANAKwwL2uZxXA
for Angel and Oliver, their faces showed that they didn't mind at all. 780Please respect copyright.PENANAhM2IQVtNOr
Oliver even went on eating his sandwich that he got from the kitchen.780Please respect copyright.PENANASs3phsCEEn
"Wait, what?" Eric asked as she stood up from his seat. "You want to apologise to Kim all of the sudden?"780Please respect copyright.PENANArltxYiWEIL
"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."780Please respect copyright.PENANA7X9VTLmXZl
Leo didn't want to agree with Angel. She guessed right and that, annoyed him a little.780Please respect copyright.PENANAylMTX8jL37
"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?"780Please respect copyright.PENANA67h8ktmH1q
"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."780Please respect copyright.PENANAzdvMuiu52C
Leo soon turned around, 780Please respect copyright.PENANAnn0GZJpVgR
walked through the corridor and out in the patio where he found his aunt780Please respect copyright.PENANAMlJCTV3yoa
Diana and Kim seated around the white garden table with a box of tissue780Please respect copyright.PENANAwdJiohQARV
on top of it.780Please respect copyright.PENANAXErb35dBxh
Kim had been crying. She780Please respect copyright.PENANAVNk9XjEDud
was blowing her nose with her red teary eyes when Leo stepped in on the780Please respect copyright.PENANAxD0tXPGVMn
patio. When she noticed him, she tried to hide her face as she wiped 780Please respect copyright.PENANAEIyvjstF2H
her tears with another tissue.780Please respect copyright.PENANA2qx7NtsgMI
"Leo," said his aunt. "I think now isn't the right time for this."780Please respect copyright.PENANAufaGEBLBRq
"I'm not going to say 780Please respect copyright.PENANAZJoDrrBM75
anything that's going to hurt her even further, aunt," said Leo. He 780Please respect copyright.PENANA5Cccvs88Ar
paused before he could continue to say, "I actually came to apologise."780Please respect copyright.PENANAorWQn9Ow4O
Kim looked up at him while Diana was a little shocked at first, but her lips were soon raised into a smile.780Please respect copyright.PENANAJhzuf7RAHU
"I'm sorry for the way I treated you, Kim," Leo continued. "You don't deserve it and for that, I truly am sorry."780Please respect copyright.PENANANL9LVyxxMW
Kim sniffed and tried to smile through her sad face. "Aren't you still mad at me for being a little clingy at times?"780Please respect copyright.PENANAl3sGX0RuB1
"Well, yes, but I realised that I've been treating you unfairly."780Please respect copyright.PENANAxqAicaD1Oi
"So, does that mean we're okay now?"780Please respect copyright.PENANAOzREW4Dy9q
Leo gave her a little smile which was pretty hard to put up but he had to just to make her feel better.780Please respect copyright.PENANASRMebIQECM
"Yes, we are."780Please respect copyright.PENANAL407T6UHRq
Kim smiled brightly as she wiped away the remaining tears in her eyes. "You don't know how much this means to me, Leo."780Please respect copyright.PENANAUqAkKtTmUV
Leo nodded his head. "We better go inside. We delayed supper and I think my little cousin is really hungry."780Please respect copyright.PENANALaEOkahtKx
"Oh, my little, Oliver," said Diana. "I hope he's okay."780Please respect copyright.PENANAM9jgydc1cU
"I saw him eating a snack, so, I bet he's fine. Shall we go back inside?"780Please respect copyright.PENANAEP9L5nDGoo
The two ladies agreed 780Please respect copyright.PENANAsuJkBaXeAW
and went back inside with Leo as he held the door open for them to get 780Please respect copyright.PENANAfdB0wpwhvA
in the house. When the three found themselves in the living room, there 780Please respect copyright.PENANAxvNvRXUsij
was Mrs McDonell who clapped her hands excitedly.780Please respect copyright.PENANAcY2Nq9Qb4w
"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."780Please respect copyright.PENANAHoksdVsu0O
Most people in the 780Please respect copyright.PENANAMkcV2ds99P
living room wanted Mrs McDonell to stop talking her nonsense before Leo 780Please respect copyright.PENANA5ByN7eaExJ
could throw another outburst. Besides, she was the one who invited Kim 780Please respect copyright.PENANAk9cB380GLt
over for dinner and made things worse from the beginning. She was 780Please respect copyright.PENANAUO5qMdezzO
blowing air to the remaining glowing splinters when it proved to be a 780Please respect copyright.PENANAl32B3Zs7n4
struggle to put out the first fire.780Please respect copyright.PENANAAYunwEGcXm
Kim blushed while Leo tried to keep it cool that he held his neck for a little. His mother was far beyond irritating.780Please respect copyright.PENANALKcswPXzQX
"I would rather suggest 780Please respect copyright.PENANAn3O47NtP5z
you don't say a word, dear," Mr McDonald whispered, who stood beside his780Please respect copyright.PENANAqNXHEgLo3m
wife and noticed that Leo was feeling uncomfortable. "You have done 780Please respect copyright.PENANA1JPIwixFAa
enough damage for one night, don't you think?"780Please respect copyright.PENANAMx7qVgXVLG
The smile on Mrs McDonell's face soon disappeared. Amanda who noticed the pair, couldn't help but smile to herself.780Please respect copyright.PENANAc6fUeqDYig
"Now, that everything's all settled, who's up for supper?" Diana asked.780Please respect copyright.PENANAW1Oc8h7xQj
"We all are," said Oliver. "I'm starving."780Please respect copyright.PENANAVa2nnRxIJq
"Then let's all make our way to the dining room," said Mr McDonell. "Mum, I'll help you out."780Please respect copyright.PENANAWXHnT669Sv
"Thank you, sweetie," said Amanda as she smiled at her son.780Please respect copyright.PENANAqDMHMjOZFF
"And I'll help Angel," said Eric.780Please respect copyright.PENANA0nz26YD62t
"No, I'll help her," said Oliver who stood up quickly and found himself behind Angel's wheelchair.780Please respect copyright.PENANAKzAzV7rnn9
"Thanks, Oliver," said Angel giving a small laugh when she noticed the scowl on Eric's face.780Please respect copyright.PENANAs8HaFiQfmH
Leo couldn't help but roll his eyes at Angel. "Even my little cousin has been captured by her charms," he thought to myself.780Please respect copyright.PENANAipmFG10L1C
Everyone slowly left the780Please respect copyright.PENANAP4nEam4I76
living room and went to the dining room. Mr and Mrs McDonell sat on 780Please respect copyright.PENANAbrmXc50Yqg
both opposite ends of the table. Amanda sat next to her son on the right780Please respect copyright.PENANAAEKL3eMlR1
side of the table, alongside Angel, Diana, and Kim. On the other side 780Please respect copyright.PENANACWdzd6X7Dg
sat Oliver, Eric, Leo and Carly.780Please respect copyright.PENANAzCBOdXdABk
"Now, that we are settled, mum, can you give us a prayer to bless the food, please?" Mr McDonell asked.780Please respect copyright.PENANAMmbjl79taA
"Of course," said Amanda. "Let us pray...."780Please respect copyright.PENANALocDBgQkeH
After the loving prayer,780Please respect copyright.PENANATzk6GsDbmd
everyone started to dig into the meal. There was lovely Italian dressed780Please respect copyright.PENANA5iGV4S1h3O
chicken with baked potatoes, green salads and spiced rice.780Please respect copyright.PENANApGX3fpb41N
"How do you like the food, Kim?" Mrs McDonell asked.780Please respect copyright.PENANAM9Ps1IKeVy
"Oh, it's lovely," said Kim. "It's very tasty."780Please respect copyright.PENANA6xQv54xyX4
"I know," said Oliver who couldn't get enough of the chicken. "The chicken is really delicious."780Please respect copyright.PENANAhnRUKafy53
"You better slow down, Oliver," said Diana. "You're going to get too full, too quick."780Please respect copyright.PENANA7BtdFMElZc
"He really can't get 780Please respect copyright.PENANABluDGRB1l4
enough of it," said Angel as she looked at Oliver who was chewing at the780Please respect copyright.PENANAGtWduFqlLn
thigh of the chicken. Angel couldn't help but giggle and Eric couldn't 780Please respect copyright.PENANAzXN2JGhpX4
help but smile at her. Leo noticed and he couldn't help but roll his 780Please respect copyright.PENANA7fkqlpjhcA
eyes in irritation.780Please respect copyright.PENANArs9cH6G6oA
"He's a young boy," said Amanda. "Let him enjoy all the food he can eat."780Please respect copyright.PENANAc7bAvpu3rU
"But not too much," said Angel as she looked at Amanda.780Please respect copyright.PENANANZx2NHvrjF
"Angel's right," said Diana. "I don't want my child looking obese."780Please respect copyright.PENANAvkLPuXapB0
"What's obsese?" Oliver asked after swallowing his food. Every grown up at the table looked at him then at themselves.780Please respect copyright.PENANAg8hY0Imufh
"I would rather Angel tell him," said Eric.780Please respect copyright.PENANAt0dz7UoNqE
"Why me?" Angel asked.780Please respect copyright.PENANARrHVLT2VoJ
"I know you will explain780Please respect copyright.PENANArqm2OG1KNA
better. Besides, it looks like you will be helping him out with a lot 780Please respect copyright.PENANAm4GcgRbQCC
of things from now on if mum is busy."780Please respect copyright.PENANARrawn4coOA
"Like what?" Diana asked.780Please respect copyright.PENANA7lNzp1Lbh2
"Almost an hour ago, she agreed to help him with homework on a Friday."780Please respect copyright.PENANAg9C7b1RX0l
"That's so nice of you, 780Please respect copyright.PENANA5YlqAYt2vH
Angel," said Diana as she turned to look at Angel beside her. "You know,780Please respect copyright.PENANAnIBWt4xTUT
I've been trying to get him to do his homework early, but he doesn't 780Please respect copyright.PENANAdPrH0zsGFr
want to."780Please respect copyright.PENANA2AA7nPEmgX
"Angel must have done something to Oliver," said Leo. "And I'm afraid, it isn't a good thing."780Please respect copyright.PENANACIJCw5pvjN
Angel looked at him and 780Please respect copyright.PENANARaFlvlzC8j
tried her best not to show how annoyed she was. She knew Leo was being 780Please respect copyright.PENANAPXtlsDAEM2
mean though people on the table didn't seem to notice. There was a 780Please respect copyright.PENANAltV3kIDPCw
battle between the two which they would rather keep to themselves.780Please respect copyright.PENANAhMDAQzGVNl
"You're wrong, Leo," said Amanda. "She's done a good thing. She's an angel just like her name."780Please respect copyright.PENANAjLrHxlWZYJ
Leo felt like he was 780Please respect copyright.PENANA8FYoIerXOp
going to puke. Angel was getting all the praise now. He felt like 780Please respect copyright.PENANA3iWSwKUM9g
leaving the table, but he did his best not to for it will seem rude.780Please respect copyright.PENANAAo5UaNQrGV
"I think so too, grandma," said Eric.780Please respect copyright.PENANAR9AaBnd8Rp
"Angel said, if I do my homework, we will go watch a movie together in the home theater," said Oliver.780Please respect copyright.PENANAsW0XqP4haY
"I'm surprised you got him to agree on this, Angel," said Mr McDonell. "He's very stubborn."780Please respect copyright.PENANAdNl23s044P
"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."780Please respect copyright.PENANA4LhDupawQy
"Smart," said Diana. "You two sisters really are something."780Please respect copyright.PENANAjVwtkYA3qn
"I think so too," said Carly as she took a sip of her juice, looking at Kim who sat opposite her.780Please respect copyright.PENANAneBwcxw4IN
"Okay, enough family affairs," said Mrs McDonell. "How was work, Leo?"780Please respect copyright.PENANA05wh41dd5k
"It was fine, mum," said780Please respect copyright.PENANA28gjjJkJJq
Leo, glad that his mother changed the topic, yet uneasy with how the 780Please respect copyright.PENANAQiqVg6Q0JC
conversation was going to turn out.780Please respect copyright.PENANAb0G8kxZQrH
"That's nice. I hear you're working on a deal with the Chinese. When are we expecting them?"780Please respect copyright.PENANAnpMHmlBUJz
"During the course of next week. Friday to be more precise."780Please respect copyright.PENANAyeZEXJTR6Y
"I hope you have most of the paper work ready, Leo," said Mr McDonell. "We need the presentation and the deal to run smoothly."780Please respect copyright.PENANASga2OZ8AOZ
"Eric's been helping me out with it," said Leo.780Please respect copyright.PENANAWPgvWlP8mU
"Alright," said Mrs 780Please respect copyright.PENANAOTqU1aoOaa
McDonell. "Things will go well, that I know. How about you, Kim?" Mrs 780Please respect copyright.PENANATI5AkN4kRQ
McDonell turned to look at Kim on her left. "How has the modelling been 780Please respect copyright.PENANAlc4v3Z3geS
for you lately?"780Please respect copyright.PENANAi4yNg0rgKV
Angel and Carly both 780Please respect copyright.PENANAyFvUoOAkvG
turned to look at Kim. They both realised now how Kim somehow looked 780Please respect copyright.PENANA1PYqQYiskW
like those models cut out straight from a magazine. It's because she 780Please respect copyright.PENANAzvft7CHwfB
already was one herself.780Please respect copyright.PENANAd8nhLevaiU
"Same as always," said Kim with a smile.780Please respect copyright.PENANAAXKaDQfC4j
"And how about your father's law firm?" Mrs McDonell asked.780Please respect copyright.PENANAupL3UQRGvN
"Running well as usual."780Please respect copyright.PENANAieS7dGoi2s
"I should really pay him780Please respect copyright.PENANAMwt2XCEBaG
a visit. It's been such a long time. You have a really loving family. 780Please respect copyright.PENANAw4mecp7PSf
It's just sad that things aren't the way they are supposed to be."780Please respect copyright.PENANADAuTJW93xW
"I wonder what you mean by that," said Amanda.780Please respect copyright.PENANAtP8rGgVRi6
"You know exactly what I mean," said Mrs McDonell as she raised her glass of orange juice to her lips.780Please respect copyright.PENANAp48XDAoDuG
"I won't elaborate further." Amanda gave her daughter-in-law a wide smile.780Please respect copyright.PENANAZZV65GcWOX
Diana cleared her throat as she soon got her glass and drank her juice quickly.780Please respect copyright.PENANAuVK6sE9aD3
"Kim, darling, since it's so nice having you around, you should be coming to visit us more often. I miss having you here."780Please respect copyright.PENANAHgemEtudxj
"That's very nice of you, Mrs McDonell. I'll be coming by more often."780Please respect copyright.PENANAyu4Rf7WvCn
"That's nice, dear. Even after all that had happened, I still consider you to be family."780Please respect copyright.PENANAxltaWONmti
Leo was already done with his meal and he realised he had had enough for one night.780Please respect copyright.PENANAkpzwXFvTIb
"May you please, excuse me," he said as he slowly stood up from his chair.780Please respect copyright.PENANA6p4o3eVSBo
"But where are you going, Leo?" his mother asked.780Please respect copyright.PENANAxg4oByc4AP
"I'm done eating, mum," said Leo. "I prefer I go to my room and rest before I start to finalise on some papers."780Please respect copyright.PENANAgbnOs9CTpS
"Well, I was really hoping you can stay around a bit and chat. There is no harm in doing so, is it?"780Please respect copyright.PENANAzVnYr172gQ
"I would really like to,780Please respect copyright.PENANAikwOO0g89X
but I've had a long day. Kim," he turned to look at her. "I'm afraid 780Please respect copyright.PENANAt0yfCdUakj
I'll have to leave you here at this point. I really have to go."780Please respect copyright.PENANAG08fallQRk
"Now, wait a minute, Leo," his mother's voice became a little intense. "It's wrong to leave your guest halfway through dinner."780Please respect copyright.PENANAQQd2xqIGVW
"Mum, most of us here 780Please respect copyright.PENANARQ1Nu7kJ01
are already done with our meal. And may I need remind you that as much 780Please respect copyright.PENANAszriieHnim
as Kim and I have a history together, she's your guest tonight and not 780Please respect copyright.PENANAGt0ukXNQei
mine."780Please respect copyright.PENANATy4X0r1rDo
Mrs McDonell grew pale. 780Please respect copyright.PENANA09PfPFhqJ9
She opened her mouth to say a word but not even a sound came out. Others780Please respect copyright.PENANAgLzVFk4UO9
at the table were either looking at each other or staring at their 780Please respect copyright.PENANA124Fki8c2q
almost empty plate, making sure not to stare at those talking at the 780Please respect copyright.PENANAgfRwle4fn5
moment.780Please respect copyright.PENANAHXUM9mVb6G
"Let Leo be, Bertha," said Amanda. "He has a lot of work to do, so, he better go and rest."780Please respect copyright.PENANAJn3ZGDRSyI
"I didn't ask for your opinion," said Mrs McDonell.780Please respect copyright.PENANAI8I4cTBS7i
"But she's right though," said Mr McDonell.780Please respect copyright.PENANAHUQVYbBf4N
Before Mrs McDonell could say anything, Kim spoke up:780Please respect copyright.PENANARcC3ITEE7B
"It's fine, let it be. Leo must be very tired and has a lot of work to do."780Please respect copyright.PENANAkFQUSzP9QR
"Okay, dear," said Mrs McDonell, feeling a little disappointed. "You're free for now, Leo."780Please respect copyright.PENANAx5KS6HFeV3
"For now or never?" Leo asked.780Please respect copyright.PENANA2DDrWPWQRe
"Don't start, son."780Please respect copyright.PENANAPH2UsWz1LI
"May I remind you who started all this in the first place?"780Please respect copyright.PENANAzxgUBwsPCK
Before his mother could reply, Leo already drew away from the table and left the dining room as quickly as he could.780Please respect copyright.PENANAIGk50Gu8mN
"Well, he has no shame," said Mrs McDonell.780Please respect copyright.PENANAkOirsOOqbt
"I think you've to adress that to someone else, don't you think?" Amanda asked.780Please respect copyright.PENANAfNurgWGKNB
"Goodness, just what I needed," Mrs McDonell raised her hands in the air.780Please respect copyright.PENANA4bk6ehjxoJ
"I think I've had enough of this drama for one night," said Mr McDonell as he stood up from his seat.780Please respect copyright.PENANAzB2FsPMqUJ
"Please take me with you, son," said Amanda. "Remember, we have a lot to discuss."780Please respect copyright.PENANAGVXRUmZgdG
Mr McDonell left his seat and helped Amanda with dragging her wheelchair and they soon left the dining room.780Please respect copyright.PENANAtn4mmonLbl
"We better start working on your homework, little man," said Angel, as she addressed Oliver, sounding like all is normal.780Please respect copyright.PENANAopYWS2SuNT
"Yes, let's go," said Oliver as he also stood up from the table.780Please respect copyright.PENANAf2XAIurYMs
"I'll come and help," said Eric.780Please respect copyright.PENANAMZwhku1WRJ
"Me too," said Carly.780Please respect copyright.PENANAbsdstbfPxE
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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