Leo found himself back 864Please respect copyright.PENANAvxqyN2Qrbt
in the living room where he found the others freely talking amongst 864Please respect copyright.PENANA61RP4vtap5
themselves. He wondered for a moment how they could all be talking after864Please respect copyright.PENANAr9KEgNRQYP
what had happened earlier. But then he realised that Kim wasn't even in864Please respect copyright.PENANAfPdDKlbFsE
the room.864Please respect copyright.PENANA3pY3fTzAxq
"Leo," said Amanda as she looked up at her grandson. "Are you calm now?"864Please respect copyright.PENANA4elzjjq68T
Leo paused for a moment before he could answer. "Yes," he said. "Where is Kim?"864Please respect copyright.PENANAGLuie64JlY
Everyone in the living room turned to look at him, wondering whether he had hit his head or something.864Please respect copyright.PENANA4VLN0UmaXG
"Kim's at the patio with my mum," said Eric. "You aren't going to shout at her, are you?"864Please respect copyright.PENANA8NuGChbksE
Leo shook his head. "No. Actually, I'm going to apologise for the way I've been treating her lately."864Please respect copyright.PENANARGjr3DjJIX
Eric raised an eyebrow 864Please respect copyright.PENANAJawSFAR4zH
at his cousin. Amanda smiled. Carly had a scared look on her face. As 864Please respect copyright.PENANAXFnHq6NWA6
for Angel and Oliver, their faces showed that they didn't mind at all. 864Please respect copyright.PENANAqJqv5Ag1zx
Oliver even went on eating his sandwich that he got from the kitchen.864Please respect copyright.PENANAkZE4WuFpJl
"Wait, what?" Eric asked as she stood up from his seat. "You want to apologise to Kim all of the sudden?"864Please respect copyright.PENANAxUcRgmlHGb
"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."864Please respect copyright.PENANAKEwOr9nNDz
Leo didn't want to agree with Angel. She guessed right and that, annoyed him a little.864Please respect copyright.PENANAqfEHb3wkSY
"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?"864Please respect copyright.PENANAVRgV9pzDvD
"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."864Please respect copyright.PENANA8W9iZfjVst
Leo soon turned around, 864Please respect copyright.PENANAOYpLOL3hwL
walked through the corridor and out in the patio where he found his aunt864Please respect copyright.PENANA6N27CuWWDU
Diana and Kim seated around the white garden table with a box of tissue864Please respect copyright.PENANAdvvFSpz9sM
on top of it.864Please respect copyright.PENANAeYdZ3n2a8s
Kim had been crying. She864Please respect copyright.PENANA6Ew0ei4x4V
was blowing her nose with her red teary eyes when Leo stepped in on the864Please respect copyright.PENANAEOw1YKgB3c
patio. When she noticed him, she tried to hide her face as she wiped 864Please respect copyright.PENANAkahTpvpDsn
her tears with another tissue.864Please respect copyright.PENANAR2p8YYPKLd
"Leo," said his aunt. "I think now isn't the right time for this."864Please respect copyright.PENANAhp2VwoGSO0
"I'm not going to say 864Please respect copyright.PENANAHvmiNNhJmI
anything that's going to hurt her even further, aunt," said Leo. He 864Please respect copyright.PENANAEO8rooMPkz
paused before he could continue to say, "I actually came to apologise."864Please respect copyright.PENANA7GLt9dXDOx
Kim looked up at him while Diana was a little shocked at first, but her lips were soon raised into a smile.864Please respect copyright.PENANAE690jDSmo3
"I'm sorry for the way I treated you, Kim," Leo continued. "You don't deserve it and for that, I truly am sorry."864Please respect copyright.PENANANlxcF2beja
Kim sniffed and tried to smile through her sad face. "Aren't you still mad at me for being a little clingy at times?"864Please respect copyright.PENANAgfrPrxWroM
"Well, yes, but I realised that I've been treating you unfairly."864Please respect copyright.PENANAYs8C8FKH4y
"So, does that mean we're okay now?"864Please respect copyright.PENANAaUw1JlC3IL
Leo gave her a little smile which was pretty hard to put up but he had to just to make her feel better.864Please respect copyright.PENANAEJ5Ilf5XCp
"Yes, we are."864Please respect copyright.PENANA10qxWdLnEU
Kim smiled brightly as she wiped away the remaining tears in her eyes. "You don't know how much this means to me, Leo."864Please respect copyright.PENANAbsLUYCoJOD
Leo nodded his head. "We better go inside. We delayed supper and I think my little cousin is really hungry."864Please respect copyright.PENANA3ZcDPJxBpk
"Oh, my little, Oliver," said Diana. "I hope he's okay."864Please respect copyright.PENANABWSrtfbcm7
"I saw him eating a snack, so, I bet he's fine. Shall we go back inside?"864Please respect copyright.PENANA4Gry0xrATU
The two ladies agreed 864Please respect copyright.PENANAF6gAwIHb3y
and went back inside with Leo as he held the door open for them to get 864Please respect copyright.PENANAOBVra9ugTK
in the house. When the three found themselves in the living room, there 864Please respect copyright.PENANAmoTpDs0sHu
was Mrs McDonell who clapped her hands excitedly.864Please respect copyright.PENANAYeozQa4z82
"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."864Please respect copyright.PENANAE7mW8KqBjr
Most people in the 864Please respect copyright.PENANASs4VW9haug
living room wanted Mrs McDonell to stop talking her nonsense before Leo 864Please respect copyright.PENANAdFOaK67LIX
could throw another outburst. Besides, she was the one who invited Kim 864Please respect copyright.PENANAxtic7Y62ew
over for dinner and made things worse from the beginning. She was 864Please respect copyright.PENANAIg40ttqj1r
blowing air to the remaining glowing splinters when it proved to be a 864Please respect copyright.PENANAbxFb8kth7O
struggle to put out the first fire.864Please respect copyright.PENANAo0cs3InQMG
Kim blushed while Leo tried to keep it cool that he held his neck for a little. His mother was far beyond irritating.864Please respect copyright.PENANAuvDvpe9bZT
"I would rather suggest 864Please respect copyright.PENANATaZnUZAg3b
you don't say a word, dear," Mr McDonald whispered, who stood beside his864Please respect copyright.PENANAFnd5a0dWlu
wife and noticed that Leo was feeling uncomfortable. "You have done 864Please respect copyright.PENANASMiiNCZick
enough damage for one night, don't you think?"864Please respect copyright.PENANAOMQ81Srqru
The smile on Mrs McDonell's face soon disappeared. Amanda who noticed the pair, couldn't help but smile to herself.864Please respect copyright.PENANAAS7TkEVMdc
"Now, that everything's all settled, who's up for supper?" Diana asked.864Please respect copyright.PENANAN1uvUsSHVv
"We all are," said Oliver. "I'm starving."864Please respect copyright.PENANASEu2xdInW0
"Then let's all make our way to the dining room," said Mr McDonell. "Mum, I'll help you out."864Please respect copyright.PENANAUZejT2aI7d
"Thank you, sweetie," said Amanda as she smiled at her son.864Please respect copyright.PENANACTSgKC6NSd
"And I'll help Angel," said Eric.864Please respect copyright.PENANAdsFiYAZKt9
"No, I'll help her," said Oliver who stood up quickly and found himself behind Angel's wheelchair.864Please respect copyright.PENANAyBSK0FwQpe
"Thanks, Oliver," said Angel giving a small laugh when she noticed the scowl on Eric's face.864Please respect copyright.PENANADU67jaqeXx
Leo couldn't help but roll his eyes at Angel. "Even my little cousin has been captured by her charms," he thought to myself.864Please respect copyright.PENANASapL0ZmMEq
Everyone slowly left the864Please respect copyright.PENANA05YnjOBXxP
living room and went to the dining room. Mr and Mrs McDonell sat on 864Please respect copyright.PENANAsSAoiRveTG
both opposite ends of the table. Amanda sat next to her son on the right864Please respect copyright.PENANAUXZYACG78V
side of the table, alongside Angel, Diana, and Kim. On the other side 864Please respect copyright.PENANAKvjvzyWy8G
sat Oliver, Eric, Leo and Carly.864Please respect copyright.PENANA7oFVZ4BMI4
"Now, that we are settled, mum, can you give us a prayer to bless the food, please?" Mr McDonell asked.864Please respect copyright.PENANANnXhNNWghi
"Of course," said Amanda. "Let us pray...."864Please respect copyright.PENANAvzNESAMvrA
After the loving prayer,864Please respect copyright.PENANAKNOgTJ7IWN
everyone started to dig into the meal. There was lovely Italian dressed864Please respect copyright.PENANA7HAQGZiqTr
chicken with baked potatoes, green salads and spiced rice.864Please respect copyright.PENANAZMOtoTji1U
"How do you like the food, Kim?" Mrs McDonell asked.864Please respect copyright.PENANA0x9gr9WcLc
"Oh, it's lovely," said Kim. "It's very tasty."864Please respect copyright.PENANAohRXdAx4M7
"I know," said Oliver who couldn't get enough of the chicken. "The chicken is really delicious."864Please respect copyright.PENANAh79OoRzlI9
"You better slow down, Oliver," said Diana. "You're going to get too full, too quick."864Please respect copyright.PENANA4X6GrryoIH
"He really can't get 864Please respect copyright.PENANA8BNfc5fuUC
enough of it," said Angel as she looked at Oliver who was chewing at the864Please respect copyright.PENANA2ZqVECZNId
thigh of the chicken. Angel couldn't help but giggle and Eric couldn't 864Please respect copyright.PENANAMTSSkEZnBl
help but smile at her. Leo noticed and he couldn't help but roll his 864Please respect copyright.PENANAClAZKJY0iG
eyes in irritation.864Please respect copyright.PENANAo9P66viTVM
"He's a young boy," said Amanda. "Let him enjoy all the food he can eat."864Please respect copyright.PENANAszazxZ5xsl
"But not too much," said Angel as she looked at Amanda.864Please respect copyright.PENANAnlg8HjFyqx
"Angel's right," said Diana. "I don't want my child looking obese."864Please respect copyright.PENANAiQf0BJRjBt
"What's obsese?" Oliver asked after swallowing his food. Every grown up at the table looked at him then at themselves.864Please respect copyright.PENANA07nYZPlzGf
"I would rather Angel tell him," said Eric.864Please respect copyright.PENANAqplftPP5wE
"Why me?" Angel asked.864Please respect copyright.PENANAi1UJ8Shw5m
"I know you will explain864Please respect copyright.PENANAhTqRjjPp7P
better. Besides, it looks like you will be helping him out with a lot 864Please respect copyright.PENANAkb5HUwOaj7
of things from now on if mum is busy."864Please respect copyright.PENANA8tltmng0rW
"Like what?" Diana asked.864Please respect copyright.PENANALYmR4ETJw0
"Almost an hour ago, she agreed to help him with homework on a Friday."864Please respect copyright.PENANAEHjGumUdFT
"That's so nice of you, 864Please respect copyright.PENANAYZFgvrdyjE
Angel," said Diana as she turned to look at Angel beside her. "You know,864Please respect copyright.PENANAKLL2NNUyvl
I've been trying to get him to do his homework early, but he doesn't 864Please respect copyright.PENANA6WFbHwzKaC
want to."864Please respect copyright.PENANAHhKi1GZ4lb
"Angel must have done something to Oliver," said Leo. "And I'm afraid, it isn't a good thing."864Please respect copyright.PENANAa8fGQJg9O9
Angel looked at him and 864Please respect copyright.PENANAu1liCdeFg5
tried her best not to show how annoyed she was. She knew Leo was being 864Please respect copyright.PENANAn1YsXFqOI4
mean though people on the table didn't seem to notice. There was a 864Please respect copyright.PENANAgNlBs5MUeJ
battle between the two which they would rather keep to themselves.864Please respect copyright.PENANAdQNTsuvCCw
"You're wrong, Leo," said Amanda. "She's done a good thing. She's an angel just like her name."864Please respect copyright.PENANASWLZLTKQYb
Leo felt like he was 864Please respect copyright.PENANAdb7KQ7xOEM
going to puke. Angel was getting all the praise now. He felt like 864Please respect copyright.PENANAyKwqcTzxJO
leaving the table, but he did his best not to for it will seem rude.864Please respect copyright.PENANAU0RAqFrk2j
"I think so too, grandma," said Eric.864Please respect copyright.PENANAj93jPEOvkB
"Angel said, if I do my homework, we will go watch a movie together in the home theater," said Oliver.864Please respect copyright.PENANA5fMMEwxjjb
"I'm surprised you got him to agree on this, Angel," said Mr McDonell. "He's very stubborn."864Please respect copyright.PENANAkxxl5p0bds
"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."864Please respect copyright.PENANAcdrnKIJpNc
"Smart," said Diana. "You two sisters really are something."864Please respect copyright.PENANA3jaTeISOBy
"I think so too," said Carly as she took a sip of her juice, looking at Kim who sat opposite her.864Please respect copyright.PENANAas0uCJjDx8
"Okay, enough family affairs," said Mrs McDonell. "How was work, Leo?"864Please respect copyright.PENANA15rb4ynvdH
"It was fine, mum," said864Please respect copyright.PENANA7jGRyqV4RS
Leo, glad that his mother changed the topic, yet uneasy with how the 864Please respect copyright.PENANAX34enPvI2D
conversation was going to turn out.864Please respect copyright.PENANAQhEfBWWXhd
"That's nice. I hear you're working on a deal with the Chinese. When are we expecting them?"864Please respect copyright.PENANASHpqrl3w3O
"During the course of next week. Friday to be more precise."864Please respect copyright.PENANA455bIHoFKg
"I hope you have most of the paper work ready, Leo," said Mr McDonell. "We need the presentation and the deal to run smoothly."864Please respect copyright.PENANAqeyQkP7vAG
"Eric's been helping me out with it," said Leo.864Please respect copyright.PENANAzF1w4wRWhi
"Alright," said Mrs 864Please respect copyright.PENANAXWwaIADARz
McDonell. "Things will go well, that I know. How about you, Kim?" Mrs 864Please respect copyright.PENANABkXs7xC6BT
McDonell turned to look at Kim on her left. "How has the modelling been 864Please respect copyright.PENANAB0oC3ELZVC
for you lately?"864Please respect copyright.PENANAMRDFldBxNt
Angel and Carly both 864Please respect copyright.PENANANBpxC4oTie
turned to look at Kim. They both realised now how Kim somehow looked 864Please respect copyright.PENANADSaijBrHke
like those models cut out straight from a magazine. It's because she 864Please respect copyright.PENANAZAcC3euiKJ
already was one herself.864Please respect copyright.PENANArMXfMFo6wD
"Same as always," said Kim with a smile.864Please respect copyright.PENANA36SnzTfDUg
"And how about your father's law firm?" Mrs McDonell asked.864Please respect copyright.PENANAQFzspipAup
"Running well as usual."864Please respect copyright.PENANAkwvG5JQ1sn
"I should really pay him864Please respect copyright.PENANAk4irSIMSob
a visit. It's been such a long time. You have a really loving family. 864Please respect copyright.PENANARx3EYw4ALd
It's just sad that things aren't the way they are supposed to be."864Please respect copyright.PENANA1fsq4jCO9z
"I wonder what you mean by that," said Amanda.864Please respect copyright.PENANAUEmY4dfYQf
"You know exactly what I mean," said Mrs McDonell as she raised her glass of orange juice to her lips.864Please respect copyright.PENANAGimxG7lUFV
"I won't elaborate further." Amanda gave her daughter-in-law a wide smile.864Please respect copyright.PENANA1BTaDDOKAW
Diana cleared her throat as she soon got her glass and drank her juice quickly.864Please respect copyright.PENANAVNfyISkqjF
"Kim, darling, since it's so nice having you around, you should be coming to visit us more often. I miss having you here."864Please respect copyright.PENANAvGKbYY7Hxa
"That's very nice of you, Mrs McDonell. I'll be coming by more often."864Please respect copyright.PENANAcCG8uKDAvE
"That's nice, dear. Even after all that had happened, I still consider you to be family."864Please respect copyright.PENANAt5LXY097xL
Leo was already done with his meal and he realised he had had enough for one night.864Please respect copyright.PENANAAK2WXpNlWd
"May you please, excuse me," he said as he slowly stood up from his chair.864Please respect copyright.PENANArG3ZcsUxNx
"But where are you going, Leo?" his mother asked.864Please respect copyright.PENANAmBSBgO3l0L
"I'm done eating, mum," said Leo. "I prefer I go to my room and rest before I start to finalise on some papers."864Please respect copyright.PENANA99PBj8yXRW
"Well, I was really hoping you can stay around a bit and chat. There is no harm in doing so, is it?"864Please respect copyright.PENANAzDmujgEqRW
"I would really like to,864Please respect copyright.PENANA8Rg5FUkQjH
but I've had a long day. Kim," he turned to look at her. "I'm afraid 864Please respect copyright.PENANANsP3VmyxC5
I'll have to leave you here at this point. I really have to go."864Please respect copyright.PENANALAWscs7XH0
"Now, wait a minute, Leo," his mother's voice became a little intense. "It's wrong to leave your guest halfway through dinner."864Please respect copyright.PENANAhGwK6FIsP2
"Mum, most of us here 864Please respect copyright.PENANAnt1j74QUkB
are already done with our meal. And may I need remind you that as much 864Please respect copyright.PENANAclgpo5DSVM
as Kim and I have a history together, she's your guest tonight and not 864Please respect copyright.PENANAkJdaQtT5vn
mine."864Please respect copyright.PENANAQjiORQNlGK
Mrs McDonell grew pale. 864Please respect copyright.PENANAWWbJeWSgBF
She opened her mouth to say a word but not even a sound came out. Others864Please respect copyright.PENANAG2g1MVRmvO
at the table were either looking at each other or staring at their 864Please respect copyright.PENANA7KiYpumjW4
almost empty plate, making sure not to stare at those talking at the 864Please respect copyright.PENANAhH4QrYXtJF
moment.864Please respect copyright.PENANAtXNApGomPI
"Let Leo be, Bertha," said Amanda. "He has a lot of work to do, so, he better go and rest."864Please respect copyright.PENANAwfMdgtC72L
"I didn't ask for your opinion," said Mrs McDonell.864Please respect copyright.PENANALsdcbLQwP6
"But she's right though," said Mr McDonell.864Please respect copyright.PENANA5CeoyaJJZO
Before Mrs McDonell could say anything, Kim spoke up:864Please respect copyright.PENANAv5mZEDg8fm
"It's fine, let it be. Leo must be very tired and has a lot of work to do."864Please respect copyright.PENANA79zyJBFJBq
"Okay, dear," said Mrs McDonell, feeling a little disappointed. "You're free for now, Leo."864Please respect copyright.PENANAuYBJyaQgqf
"For now or never?" Leo asked.864Please respect copyright.PENANAYr5VRbE22z
"Don't start, son."864Please respect copyright.PENANA2l2ey8fL8i
"May I remind you who started all this in the first place?"864Please respect copyright.PENANAybMduBB8rI
Before his mother could reply, Leo already drew away from the table and left the dining room as quickly as he could.864Please respect copyright.PENANAZ1NY513Rwq
"Well, he has no shame," said Mrs McDonell.864Please respect copyright.PENANAsMrq0kfhML
"I think you've to adress that to someone else, don't you think?" Amanda asked.864Please respect copyright.PENANAZyMeD7ypAA
"Goodness, just what I needed," Mrs McDonell raised her hands in the air.864Please respect copyright.PENANAMehD2VgykR
"I think I've had enough of this drama for one night," said Mr McDonell as he stood up from his seat.864Please respect copyright.PENANAd4nH94SEKp
"Please take me with you, son," said Amanda. "Remember, we have a lot to discuss."864Please respect copyright.PENANAkdoDir9Qb7
Mr McDonell left his seat and helped Amanda with dragging her wheelchair and they soon left the dining room.864Please respect copyright.PENANAC9Ul30iwHq
"We better start working on your homework, little man," said Angel, as she addressed Oliver, sounding like all is normal.864Please respect copyright.PENANAt0lCSbJzm9
"Yes, let's go," said Oliver as he also stood up from the table.864Please respect copyright.PENANA9dI0PCt70X
"I'll come and help," said Eric.864Please respect copyright.PENANAcepD1hPdk2
"Me too," said Carly.864Please respect copyright.PENANA8hNoQzxUs9
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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