Leo found himself back 779Please respect copyright.PENANA5X00HTSjuH
in the living room where he found the others freely talking amongst 779Please respect copyright.PENANA2rh5gqLii3
themselves. He wondered for a moment how they could all be talking after779Please respect copyright.PENANAEn27dTcQQb
what had happened earlier. But then he realised that Kim wasn't even in779Please respect copyright.PENANA8XL5ewSJqy
the room.779Please respect copyright.PENANAD7kf9ADDZE
"Leo," said Amanda as she looked up at her grandson. "Are you calm now?"779Please respect copyright.PENANAbscp7IVbW6
Leo paused for a moment before he could answer. "Yes," he said. "Where is Kim?"779Please respect copyright.PENANAL8Yn2nmrDX
Everyone in the living room turned to look at him, wondering whether he had hit his head or something.779Please respect copyright.PENANA63a9kiRw9X
"Kim's at the patio with my mum," said Eric. "You aren't going to shout at her, are you?"779Please respect copyright.PENANALIwu7rO9AJ
Leo shook his head. "No. Actually, I'm going to apologise for the way I've been treating her lately."779Please respect copyright.PENANAVa3IEsNFXD
Eric raised an eyebrow 779Please respect copyright.PENANAe0cZUd9AiM
at his cousin. Amanda smiled. Carly had a scared look on her face. As 779Please respect copyright.PENANACPEkLxfsXe
for Angel and Oliver, their faces showed that they didn't mind at all. 779Please respect copyright.PENANACuCVQrE08z
Oliver even went on eating his sandwich that he got from the kitchen.779Please respect copyright.PENANAPOCYJb0vQz
"Wait, what?" Eric asked as she stood up from his seat. "You want to apologise to Kim all of the sudden?"779Please respect copyright.PENANAYUl4jBWQwG
"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."779Please respect copyright.PENANAafKioQiGfj
Leo didn't want to agree with Angel. She guessed right and that, annoyed him a little.779Please respect copyright.PENANA2kXH3S8tG6
"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?"779Please respect copyright.PENANAPhkQKBYsvm
"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."779Please respect copyright.PENANAHgyFsF9XP2
Leo soon turned around, 779Please respect copyright.PENANAxZsoNiPp5W
walked through the corridor and out in the patio where he found his aunt779Please respect copyright.PENANAfkRjPvFlij
Diana and Kim seated around the white garden table with a box of tissue779Please respect copyright.PENANA3VIYWaEF2b
on top of it.779Please respect copyright.PENANA3mMVdV84OA
Kim had been crying. She779Please respect copyright.PENANAwxURuk47uS
was blowing her nose with her red teary eyes when Leo stepped in on the779Please respect copyright.PENANA4KECBenYNT
patio. When she noticed him, she tried to hide her face as she wiped 779Please respect copyright.PENANA7E0rYM0sGF
her tears with another tissue.779Please respect copyright.PENANA89wZXPF9iG
"Leo," said his aunt. "I think now isn't the right time for this."779Please respect copyright.PENANA0MQxz3YybI
"I'm not going to say 779Please respect copyright.PENANAlCHcKR1Me8
anything that's going to hurt her even further, aunt," said Leo. He 779Please respect copyright.PENANAwwcH0O4Swa
paused before he could continue to say, "I actually came to apologise."779Please respect copyright.PENANA8IlGgOyRdf
Kim looked up at him while Diana was a little shocked at first, but her lips were soon raised into a smile.779Please respect copyright.PENANAfy7MMgZ7pr
"I'm sorry for the way I treated you, Kim," Leo continued. "You don't deserve it and for that, I truly am sorry."779Please respect copyright.PENANAwk3fkA0tLh
Kim sniffed and tried to smile through her sad face. "Aren't you still mad at me for being a little clingy at times?"779Please respect copyright.PENANAeoU7G8kBSc
"Well, yes, but I realised that I've been treating you unfairly."779Please respect copyright.PENANAYLF90ab7SS
"So, does that mean we're okay now?"779Please respect copyright.PENANAvhXtTaWqhS
Leo gave her a little smile which was pretty hard to put up but he had to just to make her feel better.779Please respect copyright.PENANAhhAAGYC3Lq
"Yes, we are."779Please respect copyright.PENANAx9ibJmPA9O
Kim smiled brightly as she wiped away the remaining tears in her eyes. "You don't know how much this means to me, Leo."779Please respect copyright.PENANA4qzm632oHe
Leo nodded his head. "We better go inside. We delayed supper and I think my little cousin is really hungry."779Please respect copyright.PENANAT15aQTeFdr
"Oh, my little, Oliver," said Diana. "I hope he's okay."779Please respect copyright.PENANAD1Nle7OYHs
"I saw him eating a snack, so, I bet he's fine. Shall we go back inside?"779Please respect copyright.PENANAla5o0dyGqZ
The two ladies agreed 779Please respect copyright.PENANARxS7gUWqKp
and went back inside with Leo as he held the door open for them to get 779Please respect copyright.PENANAHxGHdfaiB9
in the house. When the three found themselves in the living room, there 779Please respect copyright.PENANAfQn61r8QKt
was Mrs McDonell who clapped her hands excitedly.779Please respect copyright.PENANAfe6DQQDOcP
"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."779Please respect copyright.PENANAHhPXQGLNrp
Most people in the 779Please respect copyright.PENANA7szcNblI82
living room wanted Mrs McDonell to stop talking her nonsense before Leo 779Please respect copyright.PENANAjuogAlmtHa
could throw another outburst. Besides, she was the one who invited Kim 779Please respect copyright.PENANAunov1DMtdS
over for dinner and made things worse from the beginning. She was 779Please respect copyright.PENANA4eni8jxKTL
blowing air to the remaining glowing splinters when it proved to be a 779Please respect copyright.PENANA5odEqwoXxl
struggle to put out the first fire.779Please respect copyright.PENANAqbRHiRGnsc
Kim blushed while Leo tried to keep it cool that he held his neck for a little. His mother was far beyond irritating.779Please respect copyright.PENANA1W1kgcxYsE
"I would rather suggest 779Please respect copyright.PENANA3daSHnA9tN
you don't say a word, dear," Mr McDonald whispered, who stood beside his779Please respect copyright.PENANAie6Xd7JyMk
wife and noticed that Leo was feeling uncomfortable. "You have done 779Please respect copyright.PENANAx2vT73Ek0W
enough damage for one night, don't you think?"779Please respect copyright.PENANA3E9dL0AyoL
The smile on Mrs McDonell's face soon disappeared. Amanda who noticed the pair, couldn't help but smile to herself.779Please respect copyright.PENANAMdJuI2PSeT
"Now, that everything's all settled, who's up for supper?" Diana asked.779Please respect copyright.PENANApmZtiYuvtU
"We all are," said Oliver. "I'm starving."779Please respect copyright.PENANAw7SbEykULJ
"Then let's all make our way to the dining room," said Mr McDonell. "Mum, I'll help you out."779Please respect copyright.PENANA0TFdrGZBDb
"Thank you, sweetie," said Amanda as she smiled at her son.779Please respect copyright.PENANAv48h5oeExQ
"And I'll help Angel," said Eric.779Please respect copyright.PENANAnv2oXTtNMV
"No, I'll help her," said Oliver who stood up quickly and found himself behind Angel's wheelchair.779Please respect copyright.PENANALOQeTP6Jd6
"Thanks, Oliver," said Angel giving a small laugh when she noticed the scowl on Eric's face.779Please respect copyright.PENANAaOPJQlilOE
Leo couldn't help but roll his eyes at Angel. "Even my little cousin has been captured by her charms," he thought to myself.779Please respect copyright.PENANAtGFdEgXGLI
Everyone slowly left the779Please respect copyright.PENANAq1S4P6HrUU
living room and went to the dining room. Mr and Mrs McDonell sat on 779Please respect copyright.PENANAagIDkmQoU2
both opposite ends of the table. Amanda sat next to her son on the right779Please respect copyright.PENANAJiaZf5yH9z
side of the table, alongside Angel, Diana, and Kim. On the other side 779Please respect copyright.PENANAnnfGBu8qt6
sat Oliver, Eric, Leo and Carly.779Please respect copyright.PENANAaQkV9B7Mx0
"Now, that we are settled, mum, can you give us a prayer to bless the food, please?" Mr McDonell asked.779Please respect copyright.PENANA9BMDCf1UMD
"Of course," said Amanda. "Let us pray...."779Please respect copyright.PENANAibe1g5SICv
After the loving prayer,779Please respect copyright.PENANAwJCtmG85aK
everyone started to dig into the meal. There was lovely Italian dressed779Please respect copyright.PENANApqYnbNLK3C
chicken with baked potatoes, green salads and spiced rice.779Please respect copyright.PENANAfHOOSBB2eD
"How do you like the food, Kim?" Mrs McDonell asked.779Please respect copyright.PENANAMlxBa93aBP
"Oh, it's lovely," said Kim. "It's very tasty."779Please respect copyright.PENANASC4zaiw1TK
"I know," said Oliver who couldn't get enough of the chicken. "The chicken is really delicious."779Please respect copyright.PENANA2wKGdZoDX7
"You better slow down, Oliver," said Diana. "You're going to get too full, too quick."779Please respect copyright.PENANAUMhJtUlhCk
"He really can't get 779Please respect copyright.PENANAPmtEvAWzcp
enough of it," said Angel as she looked at Oliver who was chewing at the779Please respect copyright.PENANAk5cd6zAPe8
thigh of the chicken. Angel couldn't help but giggle and Eric couldn't 779Please respect copyright.PENANAWBr8Do4SWn
help but smile at her. Leo noticed and he couldn't help but roll his 779Please respect copyright.PENANApTXK9DnJqi
eyes in irritation.779Please respect copyright.PENANAfQYZwrw5A9
"He's a young boy," said Amanda. "Let him enjoy all the food he can eat."779Please respect copyright.PENANAsOOC1LUT7p
"But not too much," said Angel as she looked at Amanda.779Please respect copyright.PENANAfJnknaAXRt
"Angel's right," said Diana. "I don't want my child looking obese."779Please respect copyright.PENANA4LMb8Vqcxm
"What's obsese?" Oliver asked after swallowing his food. Every grown up at the table looked at him then at themselves.779Please respect copyright.PENANAxfA5uOvTRT
"I would rather Angel tell him," said Eric.779Please respect copyright.PENANAiiVnnAf5wD
"Why me?" Angel asked.779Please respect copyright.PENANAQfcAKVLuje
"I know you will explain779Please respect copyright.PENANAJu21cqiWxe
better. Besides, it looks like you will be helping him out with a lot 779Please respect copyright.PENANA73eGq7CyxW
of things from now on if mum is busy."779Please respect copyright.PENANARqs1dWGXIa
"Like what?" Diana asked.779Please respect copyright.PENANAQrh7i9JP5v
"Almost an hour ago, she agreed to help him with homework on a Friday."779Please respect copyright.PENANAgYTab5VXRf
"That's so nice of you, 779Please respect copyright.PENANAEAuhPO8o4m
Angel," said Diana as she turned to look at Angel beside her. "You know,779Please respect copyright.PENANAlzMC7qMJPf
I've been trying to get him to do his homework early, but he doesn't 779Please respect copyright.PENANAfHXQ7XXvvX
want to."779Please respect copyright.PENANA20sURR2L6N
"Angel must have done something to Oliver," said Leo. "And I'm afraid, it isn't a good thing."779Please respect copyright.PENANAGs41wNELEH
Angel looked at him and 779Please respect copyright.PENANAk8OGXrSfGE
tried her best not to show how annoyed she was. She knew Leo was being 779Please respect copyright.PENANAKSKDgKVLwG
mean though people on the table didn't seem to notice. There was a 779Please respect copyright.PENANArU99LljA6i
battle between the two which they would rather keep to themselves.779Please respect copyright.PENANAwbcauNDfja
"You're wrong, Leo," said Amanda. "She's done a good thing. She's an angel just like her name."779Please respect copyright.PENANAAKviurReTS
Leo felt like he was 779Please respect copyright.PENANAThStbcEAzE
going to puke. Angel was getting all the praise now. He felt like 779Please respect copyright.PENANASJMDKR11EN
leaving the table, but he did his best not to for it will seem rude.779Please respect copyright.PENANAFVSmUA7KFi
"I think so too, grandma," said Eric.779Please respect copyright.PENANAIWrlUg63T1
"Angel said, if I do my homework, we will go watch a movie together in the home theater," said Oliver.779Please respect copyright.PENANAMCGNrqOILY
"I'm surprised you got him to agree on this, Angel," said Mr McDonell. "He's very stubborn."779Please respect copyright.PENANAkJ7WfcN3VW
"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."779Please respect copyright.PENANAwPWpjSWHp6
"Smart," said Diana. "You two sisters really are something."779Please respect copyright.PENANAIC96YFZTBC
"I think so too," said Carly as she took a sip of her juice, looking at Kim who sat opposite her.779Please respect copyright.PENANACOKhGYjpDZ
"Okay, enough family affairs," said Mrs McDonell. "How was work, Leo?"779Please respect copyright.PENANAZkJayuHZzp
"It was fine, mum," said779Please respect copyright.PENANAOr1FLbQa39
Leo, glad that his mother changed the topic, yet uneasy with how the 779Please respect copyright.PENANAuPyliaprtf
conversation was going to turn out.779Please respect copyright.PENANAHKseO1ECsY
"That's nice. I hear you're working on a deal with the Chinese. When are we expecting them?"779Please respect copyright.PENANA2WbgvF9AAn
"During the course of next week. Friday to be more precise."779Please respect copyright.PENANAKPHLRzuWAK
"I hope you have most of the paper work ready, Leo," said Mr McDonell. "We need the presentation and the deal to run smoothly."779Please respect copyright.PENANAg2dKnmU0yK
"Eric's been helping me out with it," said Leo.779Please respect copyright.PENANAvU4KtbinjE
"Alright," said Mrs 779Please respect copyright.PENANAElZGlOw7K0
McDonell. "Things will go well, that I know. How about you, Kim?" Mrs 779Please respect copyright.PENANA4YTrwkAA1I
McDonell turned to look at Kim on her left. "How has the modelling been 779Please respect copyright.PENANAcjWrZL4YDy
for you lately?"779Please respect copyright.PENANA6NbdJGtA1W
Angel and Carly both 779Please respect copyright.PENANAZPtUEhKNqa
turned to look at Kim. They both realised now how Kim somehow looked 779Please respect copyright.PENANAzqIsgcXNUX
like those models cut out straight from a magazine. It's because she 779Please respect copyright.PENANAGqQKeZtySP
already was one herself.779Please respect copyright.PENANAsDeB80osui
"Same as always," said Kim with a smile.779Please respect copyright.PENANArZpHWDR12G
"And how about your father's law firm?" Mrs McDonell asked.779Please respect copyright.PENANAOTsfMYnKFF
"Running well as usual."779Please respect copyright.PENANAl5Zu6gq1zH
"I should really pay him779Please respect copyright.PENANAI3UpCBd8MC
a visit. It's been such a long time. You have a really loving family. 779Please respect copyright.PENANAWWsnV5BhQJ
It's just sad that things aren't the way they are supposed to be."779Please respect copyright.PENANAPeJAp1V94I
"I wonder what you mean by that," said Amanda.779Please respect copyright.PENANArXC2QoTTc5
"You know exactly what I mean," said Mrs McDonell as she raised her glass of orange juice to her lips.779Please respect copyright.PENANA5MVBycUnKq
"I won't elaborate further." Amanda gave her daughter-in-law a wide smile.779Please respect copyright.PENANAOIyNMHdjfe
Diana cleared her throat as she soon got her glass and drank her juice quickly.779Please respect copyright.PENANAt1a0pVpkG7
"Kim, darling, since it's so nice having you around, you should be coming to visit us more often. I miss having you here."779Please respect copyright.PENANAXFzGLFyb20
"That's very nice of you, Mrs McDonell. I'll be coming by more often."779Please respect copyright.PENANAS5qtdc8tnk
"That's nice, dear. Even after all that had happened, I still consider you to be family."779Please respect copyright.PENANAxgKZgbTDAQ
Leo was already done with his meal and he realised he had had enough for one night.779Please respect copyright.PENANA5X7QDWO6ws
"May you please, excuse me," he said as he slowly stood up from his chair.779Please respect copyright.PENANAW816OvUkPs
"But where are you going, Leo?" his mother asked.779Please respect copyright.PENANAQohglhbHNb
"I'm done eating, mum," said Leo. "I prefer I go to my room and rest before I start to finalise on some papers."779Please respect copyright.PENANAo4IeTVmZ50
"Well, I was really hoping you can stay around a bit and chat. There is no harm in doing so, is it?"779Please respect copyright.PENANASpX1F2ZaN4
"I would really like to,779Please respect copyright.PENANAdu9O90xAcB
but I've had a long day. Kim," he turned to look at her. "I'm afraid 779Please respect copyright.PENANAwpVhAnA15O
I'll have to leave you here at this point. I really have to go."779Please respect copyright.PENANAn9YxvUwoY2
"Now, wait a minute, Leo," his mother's voice became a little intense. "It's wrong to leave your guest halfway through dinner."779Please respect copyright.PENANAKq46rMc4iJ
"Mum, most of us here 779Please respect copyright.PENANA23xAExncEW
are already done with our meal. And may I need remind you that as much 779Please respect copyright.PENANAi439hRliKm
as Kim and I have a history together, she's your guest tonight and not 779Please respect copyright.PENANAUhNECtWlln
mine."779Please respect copyright.PENANArg7pN4H3tF
Mrs McDonell grew pale. 779Please respect copyright.PENANALrPr2uVOyK
She opened her mouth to say a word but not even a sound came out. Others779Please respect copyright.PENANAIHP4nydp8d
at the table were either looking at each other or staring at their 779Please respect copyright.PENANAxCLO1MmGGH
almost empty plate, making sure not to stare at those talking at the 779Please respect copyright.PENANAvYyvFd9WhT
moment.779Please respect copyright.PENANAAXiR4wNbws
"Let Leo be, Bertha," said Amanda. "He has a lot of work to do, so, he better go and rest."779Please respect copyright.PENANABYoJ6Aqmp0
"I didn't ask for your opinion," said Mrs McDonell.779Please respect copyright.PENANABbyixdKAMy
"But she's right though," said Mr McDonell.779Please respect copyright.PENANA4W0UxvkWFQ
Before Mrs McDonell could say anything, Kim spoke up:779Please respect copyright.PENANA9U4Khw3xKu
"It's fine, let it be. Leo must be very tired and has a lot of work to do."779Please respect copyright.PENANAhY0tYTy7Ss
"Okay, dear," said Mrs McDonell, feeling a little disappointed. "You're free for now, Leo."779Please respect copyright.PENANAjNQQRu52ql
"For now or never?" Leo asked.779Please respect copyright.PENANAi3LDK4xUax
"Don't start, son."779Please respect copyright.PENANAwbDg1SIJmc
"May I remind you who started all this in the first place?"779Please respect copyright.PENANA8D5KU3A766
Before his mother could reply, Leo already drew away from the table and left the dining room as quickly as he could.779Please respect copyright.PENANAgF23ZdHv6w
"Well, he has no shame," said Mrs McDonell.779Please respect copyright.PENANA49DCeQw9qr
"I think you've to adress that to someone else, don't you think?" Amanda asked.779Please respect copyright.PENANAfPRlsCFDCl
"Goodness, just what I needed," Mrs McDonell raised her hands in the air.779Please respect copyright.PENANAaafFNHo4So
"I think I've had enough of this drama for one night," said Mr McDonell as he stood up from his seat.779Please respect copyright.PENANAXgwcQXAiNH
"Please take me with you, son," said Amanda. "Remember, we have a lot to discuss."779Please respect copyright.PENANAn6cymI2HMu
Mr McDonell left his seat and helped Amanda with dragging her wheelchair and they soon left the dining room.779Please respect copyright.PENANAJjZbUUqf1t
"We better start working on your homework, little man," said Angel, as she addressed Oliver, sounding like all is normal.779Please respect copyright.PENANAsRq3fxPDAz
"Yes, let's go," said Oliver as he also stood up from the table.779Please respect copyright.PENANAWEto4GyvSI
"I'll come and help," said Eric.779Please respect copyright.PENANA9w7Y3i5emC
"Me too," said Carly.779Please respect copyright.PENANAOScqgJMCMW
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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