Leo found himself back 859Please respect copyright.PENANAxFu3LdvD3U
in the living room where he found the others freely talking amongst 859Please respect copyright.PENANAoIRWU4VR4W
themselves. He wondered for a moment how they could all be talking after859Please respect copyright.PENANA8tLUMgDklq
what had happened earlier. But then he realised that Kim wasn't even in859Please respect copyright.PENANAl00qQvCv0v
the room.859Please respect copyright.PENANAHrag8xKiXT
"Leo," said Amanda as she looked up at her grandson. "Are you calm now?"859Please respect copyright.PENANA26ilj8IQAA
Leo paused for a moment before he could answer. "Yes," he said. "Where is Kim?"859Please respect copyright.PENANAvfU2bg6L9i
Everyone in the living room turned to look at him, wondering whether he had hit his head or something.859Please respect copyright.PENANAFjfXL3GLSs
"Kim's at the patio with my mum," said Eric. "You aren't going to shout at her, are you?"859Please respect copyright.PENANAXREwC3Ix3a
Leo shook his head. "No. Actually, I'm going to apologise for the way I've been treating her lately."859Please respect copyright.PENANA6bHRtdqUaZ
Eric raised an eyebrow 859Please respect copyright.PENANAz5afu81Zwy
at his cousin. Amanda smiled. Carly had a scared look on her face. As 859Please respect copyright.PENANAhPoPXvW1c8
for Angel and Oliver, their faces showed that they didn't mind at all. 859Please respect copyright.PENANAcZb8zFy1xi
Oliver even went on eating his sandwich that he got from the kitchen.859Please respect copyright.PENANAiheRK4nVfB
"Wait, what?" Eric asked as she stood up from his seat. "You want to apologise to Kim all of the sudden?"859Please respect copyright.PENANA8rHMaFS6ve
"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."859Please respect copyright.PENANAMuOyWWUkd5
Leo didn't want to agree with Angel. She guessed right and that, annoyed him a little.859Please respect copyright.PENANAAqwHkMUbOO
"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?"859Please respect copyright.PENANAceH5HGm4Uk
"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."859Please respect copyright.PENANAox8G9iXAOQ
Leo soon turned around, 859Please respect copyright.PENANAuKlGtVJCnL
walked through the corridor and out in the patio where he found his aunt859Please respect copyright.PENANAnChFFZFvNb
Diana and Kim seated around the white garden table with a box of tissue859Please respect copyright.PENANAoju4ILicBD
on top of it.859Please respect copyright.PENANAZR7udpCQML
Kim had been crying. She859Please respect copyright.PENANAesrZUjmub2
was blowing her nose with her red teary eyes when Leo stepped in on the859Please respect copyright.PENANAxy6yeRgYuh
patio. When she noticed him, she tried to hide her face as she wiped 859Please respect copyright.PENANA5LZroAiCJC
her tears with another tissue.859Please respect copyright.PENANAk0bCXkTIy7
"Leo," said his aunt. "I think now isn't the right time for this."859Please respect copyright.PENANAcUkXUDDuHl
"I'm not going to say 859Please respect copyright.PENANA94EnGzEaTW
anything that's going to hurt her even further, aunt," said Leo. He 859Please respect copyright.PENANAjo0uPyY10c
paused before he could continue to say, "I actually came to apologise."859Please respect copyright.PENANAwhslxfCumS
Kim looked up at him while Diana was a little shocked at first, but her lips were soon raised into a smile.859Please respect copyright.PENANASTItINmW9s
"I'm sorry for the way I treated you, Kim," Leo continued. "You don't deserve it and for that, I truly am sorry."859Please respect copyright.PENANA88TAk2OR4T
Kim sniffed and tried to smile through her sad face. "Aren't you still mad at me for being a little clingy at times?"859Please respect copyright.PENANAJwSM3a4sx5
"Well, yes, but I realised that I've been treating you unfairly."859Please respect copyright.PENANAeUcM7EFvrm
"So, does that mean we're okay now?"859Please respect copyright.PENANALEoKK7uvaZ
Leo gave her a little smile which was pretty hard to put up but he had to just to make her feel better.859Please respect copyright.PENANAu6hbUUIbce
"Yes, we are."859Please respect copyright.PENANA29dsuJLLof
Kim smiled brightly as she wiped away the remaining tears in her eyes. "You don't know how much this means to me, Leo."859Please respect copyright.PENANAWDvka015UU
Leo nodded his head. "We better go inside. We delayed supper and I think my little cousin is really hungry."859Please respect copyright.PENANALWQeoN4n8m
"Oh, my little, Oliver," said Diana. "I hope he's okay."859Please respect copyright.PENANAwTvgc4yvcg
"I saw him eating a snack, so, I bet he's fine. Shall we go back inside?"859Please respect copyright.PENANAqIGqqdOzfG
The two ladies agreed 859Please respect copyright.PENANAjwUTPyqqMB
and went back inside with Leo as he held the door open for them to get 859Please respect copyright.PENANAyMe0brxZ4X
in the house. When the three found themselves in the living room, there 859Please respect copyright.PENANAhZdLEmPtq7
was Mrs McDonell who clapped her hands excitedly.859Please respect copyright.PENANANZZs8THsd9
"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."859Please respect copyright.PENANAnj0cqdn5EI
Most people in the 859Please respect copyright.PENANAHfOjQyODWD
living room wanted Mrs McDonell to stop talking her nonsense before Leo 859Please respect copyright.PENANAqdzMHPEE2A
could throw another outburst. Besides, she was the one who invited Kim 859Please respect copyright.PENANA978icij2To
over for dinner and made things worse from the beginning. She was 859Please respect copyright.PENANAomYy5bDWU5
blowing air to the remaining glowing splinters when it proved to be a 859Please respect copyright.PENANAK7wHRAYUhk
struggle to put out the first fire.859Please respect copyright.PENANAeIeczv75aa
Kim blushed while Leo tried to keep it cool that he held his neck for a little. His mother was far beyond irritating.859Please respect copyright.PENANAt5oNL3zOKv
"I would rather suggest 859Please respect copyright.PENANAL7cZqrWv3J
you don't say a word, dear," Mr McDonald whispered, who stood beside his859Please respect copyright.PENANAQL2vOHoCra
wife and noticed that Leo was feeling uncomfortable. "You have done 859Please respect copyright.PENANAmVPDLgM3UC
enough damage for one night, don't you think?"859Please respect copyright.PENANAyNEiAn3ItM
The smile on Mrs McDonell's face soon disappeared. Amanda who noticed the pair, couldn't help but smile to herself.859Please respect copyright.PENANA825J6eckZs
"Now, that everything's all settled, who's up for supper?" Diana asked.859Please respect copyright.PENANA4co60pbbqI
"We all are," said Oliver. "I'm starving."859Please respect copyright.PENANAXslCIh7Xqh
"Then let's all make our way to the dining room," said Mr McDonell. "Mum, I'll help you out."859Please respect copyright.PENANAla30GMQJ4w
"Thank you, sweetie," said Amanda as she smiled at her son.859Please respect copyright.PENANAqInfZMwqxX
"And I'll help Angel," said Eric.859Please respect copyright.PENANAKpE6NejYe0
"No, I'll help her," said Oliver who stood up quickly and found himself behind Angel's wheelchair.859Please respect copyright.PENANAdRpZOrVT5B
"Thanks, Oliver," said Angel giving a small laugh when she noticed the scowl on Eric's face.859Please respect copyright.PENANAd9f5m4ND41
Leo couldn't help but roll his eyes at Angel. "Even my little cousin has been captured by her charms," he thought to myself.859Please respect copyright.PENANARfvkVbfAxI
Everyone slowly left the859Please respect copyright.PENANAHvngJSUqyW
living room and went to the dining room. Mr and Mrs McDonell sat on 859Please respect copyright.PENANAsQCpFs8aRe
both opposite ends of the table. Amanda sat next to her son on the right859Please respect copyright.PENANAIULx2G8PZf
side of the table, alongside Angel, Diana, and Kim. On the other side 859Please respect copyright.PENANA2gdgXmsKYV
sat Oliver, Eric, Leo and Carly.859Please respect copyright.PENANA8uwX0BDzRN
"Now, that we are settled, mum, can you give us a prayer to bless the food, please?" Mr McDonell asked.859Please respect copyright.PENANAP2mtb8R7NO
"Of course," said Amanda. "Let us pray...."859Please respect copyright.PENANANHxxmkjkJE
After the loving prayer,859Please respect copyright.PENANABL6oRUJb7p
everyone started to dig into the meal. There was lovely Italian dressed859Please respect copyright.PENANAd2WSaGn7L9
chicken with baked potatoes, green salads and spiced rice.859Please respect copyright.PENANAD7d6dUQjKu
"How do you like the food, Kim?" Mrs McDonell asked.859Please respect copyright.PENANANah5gy8Cvy
"Oh, it's lovely," said Kim. "It's very tasty."859Please respect copyright.PENANAGi6S136AqN
"I know," said Oliver who couldn't get enough of the chicken. "The chicken is really delicious."859Please respect copyright.PENANAIc2I1Jd3tk
"You better slow down, Oliver," said Diana. "You're going to get too full, too quick."859Please respect copyright.PENANAF5QX74VkPa
"He really can't get 859Please respect copyright.PENANAi7uUobKDzx
enough of it," said Angel as she looked at Oliver who was chewing at the859Please respect copyright.PENANAA5tQpfQBxY
thigh of the chicken. Angel couldn't help but giggle and Eric couldn't 859Please respect copyright.PENANAI00nBPBKOb
help but smile at her. Leo noticed and he couldn't help but roll his 859Please respect copyright.PENANAf0sFHPjLRa
eyes in irritation.859Please respect copyright.PENANAHwbqCHJlez
"He's a young boy," said Amanda. "Let him enjoy all the food he can eat."859Please respect copyright.PENANASCpj7f5Nft
"But not too much," said Angel as she looked at Amanda.859Please respect copyright.PENANA4FHWTOwsY0
"Angel's right," said Diana. "I don't want my child looking obese."859Please respect copyright.PENANA3YiXL75hCx
"What's obsese?" Oliver asked after swallowing his food. Every grown up at the table looked at him then at themselves.859Please respect copyright.PENANAqwQ87YMuNI
"I would rather Angel tell him," said Eric.859Please respect copyright.PENANAw9t7GE4MHV
"Why me?" Angel asked.859Please respect copyright.PENANA87mCQYscOc
"I know you will explain859Please respect copyright.PENANAjKpBfTouz3
better. Besides, it looks like you will be helping him out with a lot 859Please respect copyright.PENANAFvQklZq62C
of things from now on if mum is busy."859Please respect copyright.PENANAQkUFROPLfi
"Like what?" Diana asked.859Please respect copyright.PENANABaRRic6t9D
"Almost an hour ago, she agreed to help him with homework on a Friday."859Please respect copyright.PENANAWCQaXLs1CE
"That's so nice of you, 859Please respect copyright.PENANAQEVwd6R37I
Angel," said Diana as she turned to look at Angel beside her. "You know,859Please respect copyright.PENANA2rLh1vUBvA
I've been trying to get him to do his homework early, but he doesn't 859Please respect copyright.PENANAtcBvyC8pe0
want to."859Please respect copyright.PENANAAF0X03aPIA
"Angel must have done something to Oliver," said Leo. "And I'm afraid, it isn't a good thing."859Please respect copyright.PENANAoLXa0yWRaf
Angel looked at him and 859Please respect copyright.PENANAIqO77fz8rq
tried her best not to show how annoyed she was. She knew Leo was being 859Please respect copyright.PENANAyLKMNRjVTq
mean though people on the table didn't seem to notice. There was a 859Please respect copyright.PENANAnzal8HxxHr
battle between the two which they would rather keep to themselves.859Please respect copyright.PENANAVEz7vNqpTV
"You're wrong, Leo," said Amanda. "She's done a good thing. She's an angel just like her name."859Please respect copyright.PENANANCdDul8N7M
Leo felt like he was 859Please respect copyright.PENANAvf5qv8PFag
going to puke. Angel was getting all the praise now. He felt like 859Please respect copyright.PENANALm3ENbke0a
leaving the table, but he did his best not to for it will seem rude.859Please respect copyright.PENANARGAjrYl07X
"I think so too, grandma," said Eric.859Please respect copyright.PENANAVONq1aUI5I
"Angel said, if I do my homework, we will go watch a movie together in the home theater," said Oliver.859Please respect copyright.PENANA9f8wjQBDaB
"I'm surprised you got him to agree on this, Angel," said Mr McDonell. "He's very stubborn."859Please respect copyright.PENANAsU0KuK7p8e
"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."859Please respect copyright.PENANAOxW7OzXnHj
"Smart," said Diana. "You two sisters really are something."859Please respect copyright.PENANAcQB67mBw5k
"I think so too," said Carly as she took a sip of her juice, looking at Kim who sat opposite her.859Please respect copyright.PENANABu8nxsKcyE
"Okay, enough family affairs," said Mrs McDonell. "How was work, Leo?"859Please respect copyright.PENANAaSUQ6lXprk
"It was fine, mum," said859Please respect copyright.PENANA34W2tgnC1P
Leo, glad that his mother changed the topic, yet uneasy with how the 859Please respect copyright.PENANALvBBhYIJQl
conversation was going to turn out.859Please respect copyright.PENANAhc7sjN9WwV
"That's nice. I hear you're working on a deal with the Chinese. When are we expecting them?"859Please respect copyright.PENANA8R5WfOAerY
"During the course of next week. Friday to be more precise."859Please respect copyright.PENANAOuqFTmGA0L
"I hope you have most of the paper work ready, Leo," said Mr McDonell. "We need the presentation and the deal to run smoothly."859Please respect copyright.PENANAsNM4nFw4AT
"Eric's been helping me out with it," said Leo.859Please respect copyright.PENANAWjqmirG5p1
"Alright," said Mrs 859Please respect copyright.PENANAcZDRBBp6WY
McDonell. "Things will go well, that I know. How about you, Kim?" Mrs 859Please respect copyright.PENANAGZArJPPnrm
McDonell turned to look at Kim on her left. "How has the modelling been 859Please respect copyright.PENANAccKrfLldCH
for you lately?"859Please respect copyright.PENANAsNxBy8hICA
Angel and Carly both 859Please respect copyright.PENANAL2du26vTPH
turned to look at Kim. They both realised now how Kim somehow looked 859Please respect copyright.PENANAs0VotEuqnz
like those models cut out straight from a magazine. It's because she 859Please respect copyright.PENANAQJmJVDwpz3
already was one herself.859Please respect copyright.PENANAEwp8LKzMU4
"Same as always," said Kim with a smile.859Please respect copyright.PENANAQVpP86ksBH
"And how about your father's law firm?" Mrs McDonell asked.859Please respect copyright.PENANAF4AhPzKP2m
"Running well as usual."859Please respect copyright.PENANA3BMaARrsNr
"I should really pay him859Please respect copyright.PENANAAQoS2pTUrG
a visit. It's been such a long time. You have a really loving family. 859Please respect copyright.PENANAGecOhbL6yA
It's just sad that things aren't the way they are supposed to be."859Please respect copyright.PENANAkAlZyLHZbN
"I wonder what you mean by that," said Amanda.859Please respect copyright.PENANAyaC2H0BCzt
"You know exactly what I mean," said Mrs McDonell as she raised her glass of orange juice to her lips.859Please respect copyright.PENANAN4oJIgyJuu
"I won't elaborate further." Amanda gave her daughter-in-law a wide smile.859Please respect copyright.PENANAVHqdArtVYu
Diana cleared her throat as she soon got her glass and drank her juice quickly.859Please respect copyright.PENANAZ9vV4fN02N
"Kim, darling, since it's so nice having you around, you should be coming to visit us more often. I miss having you here."859Please respect copyright.PENANAQFHXAcGocb
"That's very nice of you, Mrs McDonell. I'll be coming by more often."859Please respect copyright.PENANAmrQkg8zjFD
"That's nice, dear. Even after all that had happened, I still consider you to be family."859Please respect copyright.PENANAX8jDnBOtvf
Leo was already done with his meal and he realised he had had enough for one night.859Please respect copyright.PENANA93v2rOk7He
"May you please, excuse me," he said as he slowly stood up from his chair.859Please respect copyright.PENANAHE0FuBN1P8
"But where are you going, Leo?" his mother asked.859Please respect copyright.PENANAwP7le1QIkx
"I'm done eating, mum," said Leo. "I prefer I go to my room and rest before I start to finalise on some papers."859Please respect copyright.PENANAkQ9aYObEx7
"Well, I was really hoping you can stay around a bit and chat. There is no harm in doing so, is it?"859Please respect copyright.PENANAyCLt5BogpN
"I would really like to,859Please respect copyright.PENANAfkZKDpedgD
but I've had a long day. Kim," he turned to look at her. "I'm afraid 859Please respect copyright.PENANATE43O8UlUt
I'll have to leave you here at this point. I really have to go."859Please respect copyright.PENANAw9VjYylnBY
"Now, wait a minute, Leo," his mother's voice became a little intense. "It's wrong to leave your guest halfway through dinner."859Please respect copyright.PENANAxc2FNGTtcM
"Mum, most of us here 859Please respect copyright.PENANAYcWSQBwh1Z
are already done with our meal. And may I need remind you that as much 859Please respect copyright.PENANARyowC69tB6
as Kim and I have a history together, she's your guest tonight and not 859Please respect copyright.PENANAI5I6Cm40FM
mine."859Please respect copyright.PENANA2IGOQ8ypSy
Mrs McDonell grew pale. 859Please respect copyright.PENANAV4ajUAqlpM
She opened her mouth to say a word but not even a sound came out. Others859Please respect copyright.PENANAKl7hktVSwj
at the table were either looking at each other or staring at their 859Please respect copyright.PENANAX2eAf9eItE
almost empty plate, making sure not to stare at those talking at the 859Please respect copyright.PENANAxtVn23YX39
moment.859Please respect copyright.PENANA0Qt0PTd8AY
"Let Leo be, Bertha," said Amanda. "He has a lot of work to do, so, he better go and rest."859Please respect copyright.PENANABb5kFho7Mk
"I didn't ask for your opinion," said Mrs McDonell.859Please respect copyright.PENANA2VzOLiegnJ
"But she's right though," said Mr McDonell.859Please respect copyright.PENANANsS6CLcRsG
Before Mrs McDonell could say anything, Kim spoke up:859Please respect copyright.PENANAhLoORYzqQT
"It's fine, let it be. Leo must be very tired and has a lot of work to do."859Please respect copyright.PENANA2nPuVq9WNY
"Okay, dear," said Mrs McDonell, feeling a little disappointed. "You're free for now, Leo."859Please respect copyright.PENANAxM36LCnvUY
"For now or never?" Leo asked.859Please respect copyright.PENANA2sbsBfVFRs
"Don't start, son."859Please respect copyright.PENANAaydxwsEQCs
"May I remind you who started all this in the first place?"859Please respect copyright.PENANA3Jy1Lim8PZ
Before his mother could reply, Leo already drew away from the table and left the dining room as quickly as he could.859Please respect copyright.PENANAHryiaA8VP8
"Well, he has no shame," said Mrs McDonell.859Please respect copyright.PENANAzaWnIFdqnQ
"I think you've to adress that to someone else, don't you think?" Amanda asked.859Please respect copyright.PENANAkPAJm3gvlI
"Goodness, just what I needed," Mrs McDonell raised her hands in the air.859Please respect copyright.PENANALh4X3eMyL3
"I think I've had enough of this drama for one night," said Mr McDonell as he stood up from his seat.859Please respect copyright.PENANAbXSzXMFz2M
"Please take me with you, son," said Amanda. "Remember, we have a lot to discuss."859Please respect copyright.PENANAxJm8FBYODh
Mr McDonell left his seat and helped Amanda with dragging her wheelchair and they soon left the dining room.859Please respect copyright.PENANADcMXmgnJWc
"We better start working on your homework, little man," said Angel, as she addressed Oliver, sounding like all is normal.859Please respect copyright.PENANAtlhpg53Bhf
"Yes, let's go," said Oliver as he also stood up from the table.859Please respect copyright.PENANAvyxXrsrcdA
"I'll come and help," said Eric.859Please respect copyright.PENANAgK5RsgPecy
"Me too," said Carly.859Please respect copyright.PENANA61MbnwlRlO
Soon, Angel with the help of Eric, Oliver and Carly left the table, leaving Mrs McDonell, Diana and Kim at the table.
ns216.73.216.205da2