Leo found himself back 879Please respect copyright.PENANAa9IIqGLGW5
in the living room where he found the others freely talking amongst 879Please respect copyright.PENANA5wLqSa4oxh
themselves. He wondered for a moment how they could all be talking after879Please respect copyright.PENANAonLcDYc0Eh
what had happened earlier. But then he realised that Kim wasn't even in879Please respect copyright.PENANAkm4csjRof4
the room.879Please respect copyright.PENANA5tgG6gu4wX
"Leo," said Amanda as she looked up at her grandson. "Are you calm now?"879Please respect copyright.PENANAMDpCzSFTEH
Leo paused for a moment before he could answer. "Yes," he said. "Where is Kim?"879Please respect copyright.PENANA0UMMIKdJUO
Everyone in the living room turned to look at him, wondering whether he had hit his head or something.879Please respect copyright.PENANA2ObJnzT1xA
"Kim's at the patio with my mum," said Eric. "You aren't going to shout at her, are you?"879Please respect copyright.PENANAf7SHOpCWzl
Leo shook his head. "No. Actually, I'm going to apologise for the way I've been treating her lately."879Please respect copyright.PENANAmqDidFaswk
Eric raised an eyebrow 879Please respect copyright.PENANAQ7omKHJLVu
at his cousin. Amanda smiled. Carly had a scared look on her face. As 879Please respect copyright.PENANAoWr0yxY9P2
for Angel and Oliver, their faces showed that they didn't mind at all. 879Please respect copyright.PENANAdMS7Yd7w0X
Oliver even went on eating his sandwich that he got from the kitchen.879Please respect copyright.PENANAJlPVO2ylBv
"Wait, what?" Eric asked as she stood up from his seat. "You want to apologise to Kim all of the sudden?"879Please respect copyright.PENANAZq8dPjU92g
"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."879Please respect copyright.PENANAzQ10ZkCV1X
Leo didn't want to agree with Angel. She guessed right and that, annoyed him a little.879Please respect copyright.PENANABHEuvZcYHa
"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?"879Please respect copyright.PENANAd2FKocUR1v
"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."879Please respect copyright.PENANA4cLVZbgQQn
Leo soon turned around, 879Please respect copyright.PENANAwR6GVRpJ5v
walked through the corridor and out in the patio where he found his aunt879Please respect copyright.PENANAGyVYMli3yd
Diana and Kim seated around the white garden table with a box of tissue879Please respect copyright.PENANAHssrMSH31d
on top of it.879Please respect copyright.PENANANndSkx8CDa
Kim had been crying. She879Please respect copyright.PENANAKFxj31Jo11
was blowing her nose with her red teary eyes when Leo stepped in on the879Please respect copyright.PENANAfQctwC1ZYv
patio. When she noticed him, she tried to hide her face as she wiped 879Please respect copyright.PENANAfC1YnutXE9
her tears with another tissue.879Please respect copyright.PENANA4OUyGUeQ0n
"Leo," said his aunt. "I think now isn't the right time for this."879Please respect copyright.PENANAvq7ErZMln6
"I'm not going to say 879Please respect copyright.PENANAe2UEmMqqm0
anything that's going to hurt her even further, aunt," said Leo. He 879Please respect copyright.PENANAAjG2mYEFYo
paused before he could continue to say, "I actually came to apologise."879Please respect copyright.PENANAM9YQnovpSb
Kim looked up at him while Diana was a little shocked at first, but her lips were soon raised into a smile.879Please respect copyright.PENANAgDhOfPtfuI
"I'm sorry for the way I treated you, Kim," Leo continued. "You don't deserve it and for that, I truly am sorry."879Please respect copyright.PENANAvqRVdBhwX8
Kim sniffed and tried to smile through her sad face. "Aren't you still mad at me for being a little clingy at times?"879Please respect copyright.PENANApUoVMoYvsn
"Well, yes, but I realised that I've been treating you unfairly."879Please respect copyright.PENANAP1QVkR1KA5
"So, does that mean we're okay now?"879Please respect copyright.PENANAhT3i7MhZ3a
Leo gave her a little smile which was pretty hard to put up but he had to just to make her feel better.879Please respect copyright.PENANAHT7tXl1NJc
"Yes, we are."879Please respect copyright.PENANAHbyzYlKB3Y
Kim smiled brightly as she wiped away the remaining tears in her eyes. "You don't know how much this means to me, Leo."879Please respect copyright.PENANAHTaIxlRHZY
Leo nodded his head. "We better go inside. We delayed supper and I think my little cousin is really hungry."879Please respect copyright.PENANA7yacBlM6L6
"Oh, my little, Oliver," said Diana. "I hope he's okay."879Please respect copyright.PENANA0TGlXoPDN2
"I saw him eating a snack, so, I bet he's fine. Shall we go back inside?"879Please respect copyright.PENANAoMmua4jGQ9
The two ladies agreed 879Please respect copyright.PENANAlhHwyJniIl
and went back inside with Leo as he held the door open for them to get 879Please respect copyright.PENANAWfpGXQCzJL
in the house. When the three found themselves in the living room, there 879Please respect copyright.PENANA1pbzPZjRAK
was Mrs McDonell who clapped her hands excitedly.879Please respect copyright.PENANASGbK8iiiH5
"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."879Please respect copyright.PENANAkFxMk0kXIo
Most people in the 879Please respect copyright.PENANAK4qD7MW3YM
living room wanted Mrs McDonell to stop talking her nonsense before Leo 879Please respect copyright.PENANA6YNsxBIupx
could throw another outburst. Besides, she was the one who invited Kim 879Please respect copyright.PENANAUbEouJoAQe
over for dinner and made things worse from the beginning. She was 879Please respect copyright.PENANAZ1R1jgpn3i
blowing air to the remaining glowing splinters when it proved to be a 879Please respect copyright.PENANAhIy4amzAqZ
struggle to put out the first fire.879Please respect copyright.PENANAA6HC3XVrZU
Kim blushed while Leo tried to keep it cool that he held his neck for a little. His mother was far beyond irritating.879Please respect copyright.PENANAFAQa9aUHBZ
"I would rather suggest 879Please respect copyright.PENANAwxbCNP7u3V
you don't say a word, dear," Mr McDonald whispered, who stood beside his879Please respect copyright.PENANAb3qXZifCdG
wife and noticed that Leo was feeling uncomfortable. "You have done 879Please respect copyright.PENANA3P95rfN2d9
enough damage for one night, don't you think?"879Please respect copyright.PENANAwo1sgqsYNO
The smile on Mrs McDonell's face soon disappeared. Amanda who noticed the pair, couldn't help but smile to herself.879Please respect copyright.PENANAl4EWG6WryB
"Now, that everything's all settled, who's up for supper?" Diana asked.879Please respect copyright.PENANAXQGrXdR0Xz
"We all are," said Oliver. "I'm starving."879Please respect copyright.PENANAd89mD33Dgr
"Then let's all make our way to the dining room," said Mr McDonell. "Mum, I'll help you out."879Please respect copyright.PENANAZxufCZL7aw
"Thank you, sweetie," said Amanda as she smiled at her son.879Please respect copyright.PENANAWnB22fJtN6
"And I'll help Angel," said Eric.879Please respect copyright.PENANAGvfpBv9HIY
"No, I'll help her," said Oliver who stood up quickly and found himself behind Angel's wheelchair.879Please respect copyright.PENANAeLmo3fKpOA
"Thanks, Oliver," said Angel giving a small laugh when she noticed the scowl on Eric's face.879Please respect copyright.PENANA2JAYhM0V8V
Leo couldn't help but roll his eyes at Angel. "Even my little cousin has been captured by her charms," he thought to myself.879Please respect copyright.PENANALRAHIb8WJ6
Everyone slowly left the879Please respect copyright.PENANATftP2LS2sG
living room and went to the dining room. Mr and Mrs McDonell sat on 879Please respect copyright.PENANAuFWytsqnWH
both opposite ends of the table. Amanda sat next to her son on the right879Please respect copyright.PENANAQUaHWwCDZl
side of the table, alongside Angel, Diana, and Kim. On the other side 879Please respect copyright.PENANAfmjVkyV2sT
sat Oliver, Eric, Leo and Carly.879Please respect copyright.PENANAAHIMroAnzb
"Now, that we are settled, mum, can you give us a prayer to bless the food, please?" Mr McDonell asked.879Please respect copyright.PENANAhi5XKt5bzZ
"Of course," said Amanda. "Let us pray...."879Please respect copyright.PENANAAzPfLmpVwG
After the loving prayer,879Please respect copyright.PENANA5UqoEPPSyM
everyone started to dig into the meal. There was lovely Italian dressed879Please respect copyright.PENANAvLvfV6Z8jP
chicken with baked potatoes, green salads and spiced rice.879Please respect copyright.PENANAan3Am3zv81
"How do you like the food, Kim?" Mrs McDonell asked.879Please respect copyright.PENANA05bJWM69RV
"Oh, it's lovely," said Kim. "It's very tasty."879Please respect copyright.PENANAzopZ8UTQYH
"I know," said Oliver who couldn't get enough of the chicken. "The chicken is really delicious."879Please respect copyright.PENANALo7m8Lccix
"You better slow down, Oliver," said Diana. "You're going to get too full, too quick."879Please respect copyright.PENANA8YK2TRqvdn
"He really can't get 879Please respect copyright.PENANAr4CSm71twm
enough of it," said Angel as she looked at Oliver who was chewing at the879Please respect copyright.PENANAojRmSonwzn
thigh of the chicken. Angel couldn't help but giggle and Eric couldn't 879Please respect copyright.PENANAkkjQGZFKzW
help but smile at her. Leo noticed and he couldn't help but roll his 879Please respect copyright.PENANAPu3DkqYPEw
eyes in irritation.879Please respect copyright.PENANAU2gZiujyYg
"He's a young boy," said Amanda. "Let him enjoy all the food he can eat."879Please respect copyright.PENANAnWiEDEwsqM
"But not too much," said Angel as she looked at Amanda.879Please respect copyright.PENANAOGiKIznPSa
"Angel's right," said Diana. "I don't want my child looking obese."879Please respect copyright.PENANAmOVAnrIDbC
"What's obsese?" Oliver asked after swallowing his food. Every grown up at the table looked at him then at themselves.879Please respect copyright.PENANAXI59yvT03Q
"I would rather Angel tell him," said Eric.879Please respect copyright.PENANAMhUnk17wsK
"Why me?" Angel asked.879Please respect copyright.PENANAaiHp9xQwgh
"I know you will explain879Please respect copyright.PENANAvvqVw8Lku8
better. Besides, it looks like you will be helping him out with a lot 879Please respect copyright.PENANAGj1dbl8HJc
of things from now on if mum is busy."879Please respect copyright.PENANAtR47pzWGUh
"Like what?" Diana asked.879Please respect copyright.PENANAcanyzK29nc
"Almost an hour ago, she agreed to help him with homework on a Friday."879Please respect copyright.PENANADtVUbzHBgv
"That's so nice of you, 879Please respect copyright.PENANAgpe06OjKJm
Angel," said Diana as she turned to look at Angel beside her. "You know,879Please respect copyright.PENANAgwqWiX4gRB
I've been trying to get him to do his homework early, but he doesn't 879Please respect copyright.PENANAGW3uOYTd9D
want to."879Please respect copyright.PENANA673mPO7Qj4
"Angel must have done something to Oliver," said Leo. "And I'm afraid, it isn't a good thing."879Please respect copyright.PENANAiACmyOmGhS
Angel looked at him and 879Please respect copyright.PENANAz53sbZ6XNf
tried her best not to show how annoyed she was. She knew Leo was being 879Please respect copyright.PENANAFmywKVbvge
mean though people on the table didn't seem to notice. There was a 879Please respect copyright.PENANAxTRLhoqq6t
battle between the two which they would rather keep to themselves.879Please respect copyright.PENANAcpT2kZqWbC
"You're wrong, Leo," said Amanda. "She's done a good thing. She's an angel just like her name."879Please respect copyright.PENANAoJwyqMnR8S
Leo felt like he was 879Please respect copyright.PENANA4OUbvWMWLp
going to puke. Angel was getting all the praise now. He felt like 879Please respect copyright.PENANArRB7enWrpF
leaving the table, but he did his best not to for it will seem rude.879Please respect copyright.PENANABd3zn640IQ
"I think so too, grandma," said Eric.879Please respect copyright.PENANArljk1ypytC
"Angel said, if I do my homework, we will go watch a movie together in the home theater," said Oliver.879Please respect copyright.PENANApBKvaHXWjw
"I'm surprised you got him to agree on this, Angel," said Mr McDonell. "He's very stubborn."879Please respect copyright.PENANA9Juv2DDZ5E
"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."879Please respect copyright.PENANAsxbN2rya1G
"Smart," said Diana. "You two sisters really are something."879Please respect copyright.PENANAxJGu1TvyX7
"I think so too," said Carly as she took a sip of her juice, looking at Kim who sat opposite her.879Please respect copyright.PENANAFjhuY8DPDv
"Okay, enough family affairs," said Mrs McDonell. "How was work, Leo?"879Please respect copyright.PENANAqctEIha4BM
"It was fine, mum," said879Please respect copyright.PENANAXiL4TqD404
Leo, glad that his mother changed the topic, yet uneasy with how the 879Please respect copyright.PENANAumgNpoM1cx
conversation was going to turn out.879Please respect copyright.PENANA9mwolh2GDy
"That's nice. I hear you're working on a deal with the Chinese. When are we expecting them?"879Please respect copyright.PENANAywEpUBWxi8
"During the course of next week. Friday to be more precise."879Please respect copyright.PENANAXPiI74NDQz
"I hope you have most of the paper work ready, Leo," said Mr McDonell. "We need the presentation and the deal to run smoothly."879Please respect copyright.PENANA1spkG7QuK0
"Eric's been helping me out with it," said Leo.879Please respect copyright.PENANApa515bdpx1
"Alright," said Mrs 879Please respect copyright.PENANAfvghWeh1u5
McDonell. "Things will go well, that I know. How about you, Kim?" Mrs 879Please respect copyright.PENANA6m2nVtmhzT
McDonell turned to look at Kim on her left. "How has the modelling been 879Please respect copyright.PENANAUn93FjSa7G
for you lately?"879Please respect copyright.PENANAX5uUMCyofa
Angel and Carly both 879Please respect copyright.PENANAX4tZG5Ul3R
turned to look at Kim. They both realised now how Kim somehow looked 879Please respect copyright.PENANA78qcteQLpV
like those models cut out straight from a magazine. It's because she 879Please respect copyright.PENANA5NPmQVsMUq
already was one herself.879Please respect copyright.PENANAu5CzL0S5TK
"Same as always," said Kim with a smile.879Please respect copyright.PENANAs8Mu8lCwGi
"And how about your father's law firm?" Mrs McDonell asked.879Please respect copyright.PENANAi0tYKm0NKn
"Running well as usual."879Please respect copyright.PENANAPeKBkNJsXK
"I should really pay him879Please respect copyright.PENANAJtmCi2KU0D
a visit. It's been such a long time. You have a really loving family. 879Please respect copyright.PENANAQB5nn98eJq
It's just sad that things aren't the way they are supposed to be."879Please respect copyright.PENANAXnH4z2JMmv
"I wonder what you mean by that," said Amanda.879Please respect copyright.PENANASfymJZ2BCq
"You know exactly what I mean," said Mrs McDonell as she raised her glass of orange juice to her lips.879Please respect copyright.PENANA7gHn3a3Bx4
"I won't elaborate further." Amanda gave her daughter-in-law a wide smile.879Please respect copyright.PENANAaHfvkT5IMP
Diana cleared her throat as she soon got her glass and drank her juice quickly.879Please respect copyright.PENANAUNdf8aJ9cj
"Kim, darling, since it's so nice having you around, you should be coming to visit us more often. I miss having you here."879Please respect copyright.PENANAqWdqfvFwYI
"That's very nice of you, Mrs McDonell. I'll be coming by more often."879Please respect copyright.PENANAKRFYsJrPXJ
"That's nice, dear. Even after all that had happened, I still consider you to be family."879Please respect copyright.PENANAfQ70Wv3KsY
Leo was already done with his meal and he realised he had had enough for one night.879Please respect copyright.PENANAk0c2LH63sp
"May you please, excuse me," he said as he slowly stood up from his chair.879Please respect copyright.PENANAoFXpzWw05k
"But where are you going, Leo?" his mother asked.879Please respect copyright.PENANAv7agtQpEzb
"I'm done eating, mum," said Leo. "I prefer I go to my room and rest before I start to finalise on some papers."879Please respect copyright.PENANAmvPQuA6orh
"Well, I was really hoping you can stay around a bit and chat. There is no harm in doing so, is it?"879Please respect copyright.PENANAcgklYFZI5I
"I would really like to,879Please respect copyright.PENANAEK07EfQBnX
but I've had a long day. Kim," he turned to look at her. "I'm afraid 879Please respect copyright.PENANAK9qV0J4iUx
I'll have to leave you here at this point. I really have to go."879Please respect copyright.PENANAQ8lRAEoYVW
"Now, wait a minute, Leo," his mother's voice became a little intense. "It's wrong to leave your guest halfway through dinner."879Please respect copyright.PENANAZ6yJvV7Y1g
"Mum, most of us here 879Please respect copyright.PENANAG532z9BhBW
are already done with our meal. And may I need remind you that as much 879Please respect copyright.PENANAvVxoucyE5B
as Kim and I have a history together, she's your guest tonight and not 879Please respect copyright.PENANAIwlafieitO
mine."879Please respect copyright.PENANAs1Muul5Djb
Mrs McDonell grew pale. 879Please respect copyright.PENANAWS9Xfj7V3Z
She opened her mouth to say a word but not even a sound came out. Others879Please respect copyright.PENANAZTXOw9Zne3
at the table were either looking at each other or staring at their 879Please respect copyright.PENANAzEY8ccUa3x
almost empty plate, making sure not to stare at those talking at the 879Please respect copyright.PENANANK8J53zHRy
moment.879Please respect copyright.PENANAwJpLsXYgyE
"Let Leo be, Bertha," said Amanda. "He has a lot of work to do, so, he better go and rest."879Please respect copyright.PENANAyhriz6COWV
"I didn't ask for your opinion," said Mrs McDonell.879Please respect copyright.PENANA3ejhUySoo7
"But she's right though," said Mr McDonell.879Please respect copyright.PENANA0xXmqrZx0H
Before Mrs McDonell could say anything, Kim spoke up:879Please respect copyright.PENANAYEfa4fgeSs
"It's fine, let it be. Leo must be very tired and has a lot of work to do."879Please respect copyright.PENANAZdh6KdNLwR
"Okay, dear," said Mrs McDonell, feeling a little disappointed. "You're free for now, Leo."879Please respect copyright.PENANAzBoyS4ioTn
"For now or never?" Leo asked.879Please respect copyright.PENANA64U3NJcIDs
"Don't start, son."879Please respect copyright.PENANAjSJwNiaDOC
"May I remind you who started all this in the first place?"879Please respect copyright.PENANAVCiYHeQA5T
Before his mother could reply, Leo already drew away from the table and left the dining room as quickly as he could.879Please respect copyright.PENANAxmZKxZDNBq
"Well, he has no shame," said Mrs McDonell.879Please respect copyright.PENANAtPxvn6HhwQ
"I think you've to adress that to someone else, don't you think?" Amanda asked.879Please respect copyright.PENANApYFw0ruB2W
"Goodness, just what I needed," Mrs McDonell raised her hands in the air.879Please respect copyright.PENANAyixx4HR759
"I think I've had enough of this drama for one night," said Mr McDonell as he stood up from his seat.879Please respect copyright.PENANArHJ8Nx9ceQ
"Please take me with you, son," said Amanda. "Remember, we have a lot to discuss."879Please respect copyright.PENANAoFB6lOSGWf
Mr McDonell left his seat and helped Amanda with dragging her wheelchair and they soon left the dining room.879Please respect copyright.PENANAuIYnZVwhNG
"We better start working on your homework, little man," said Angel, as she addressed Oliver, sounding like all is normal.879Please respect copyright.PENANAsNVIzza5JH
"Yes, let's go," said Oliver as he also stood up from the table.879Please respect copyright.PENANAmKjOMXpZ1g
"I'll come and help," said Eric.879Please respect copyright.PENANAVY619aZnq1
"Me too," said Carly.879Please respect copyright.PENANAHXPP2MgWJv
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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