Chapter607HumanHeartsAreInherentlyBiased
Finished
Howardsubconsciouslywantedtospeakupfor<b>Josiah</b>,butrecallingthehardshipsLysanderhadfacedinthepast,heimmediatelyswallowedhiswords.
Humanheartswereinherentlybiased.
AlthoughhehadwatchedJosiahgrowupandhadbeenagreathelp inhipany,hestillheldadeeperaffectionforhisbiologicaldaughter.
MollywholeheartedlyagreedwithMaverick’spointofview.“Maverick’sgotitright.OurlittleLysadoesn’thaveanyexperienceinlove,shecouldeasilyfallpreytoabadboy.”
Susanletoutadry chuckle.“Iwouldn’tsayshe<b>has</b>absolutelynoexperienceinlove,shehasbeenthroughsomethings,afterall.”
Uponhearingthis,Michelle<b>was</b>takenaback.“MadamSusan,youknowaboutZacharytoo?”
Susanwasstunned.“WhoisZachary…?”
Lauraexined,“He’smyclosefriend’sson.I’veknownhimsincehewaslittle,andwe’vealwaysbeenveryclose.Ithinkhighlyofhim–he’sdependableandforward–thinking,but…”
Susan’sfacepaledslightly.Shencedatherownson,onlytoseeJosiahbusilypouringdrinksforMaverickandHoward,notshowinganyparticremotion.
Uponhearingthis,Maverickquicklyinterjected,“Let’snotbringupthepast.”
Lauranoddedinagreement.“True,Lysa’sbackgroundhaschangedsignificantlynow.ThegapbetweenherandZacharyisjusttoowide.”
Molly,ontheother<b>hand</b>,seemedquiteintrigued.“Honestly,iftheboyisgenuinelygood,<b>there’s</b>noneedtofussoverhisfamilybackground.We’renotsomeold–fashionedhouseholdafterall.AslongashetreatsourlittleLysawell,that’sallthatmatters,right,Laura?”
LaurawasjustabouttospeakupwhenMaverickimmediatelyfurrowedhis<b>brows</b>andinterjected.“Ithasnothingtodowithfamilybackground,it’simpossibleforhimandEysatobetogether.”
MollyturnedtoLysanderand<b>asked</b>,“Lysa,whatdoyouthink?”
Lysander’smindwasfilledwithimagesofsmall<b>inds</b>inthe<b>Pascal</b>Ocean.Shechuckledlightlyandresponded,“Idon’tlikehim<b>.</b><b>”</b>
Itwasn’t<b>just</b><b>a</b><bck</b>ofromanticfeelingsshe<b>had</b>forhim,whatshe detestedevenmorewasthecharacterofZacharyhimself.
Afterhearingthesewords,Mollycouldonlyrelent.“You’reright.Thenexttimeyoulookforaboyfriend.youmustfindsomeonewhotrulyappealstoyou,someonewhomeetsyourheart’sdesires.Youcan’trushintomarriagelikeyoudidthsttime.”
<b>“</b>Yes,”
Throughouttheentireconversation,Susanwasattheside,listening.ShealsounderstoodthehiddenimplicationsinMolly’swords.
1/3
Chapter607HumanHeartsAreinherentlyBased
71%
Finished
Onone hand,shewasthoroughlyinterrogatingotherboys,andontheotherhand,shewassubtlybringingupherpreviousfailedmarriage.Itseemedthatshewasopposedtotheideaofhersonbingason–in-
<b>But</b>shewasright.
TheyknewwellenoughhowJosiahtreatedLysannesinceyoung.
Now<b>that</b>theirbiologicaldaughterhadreturned,asparents,theyfeltsomewhatufortableaboutit.
Susansighed,shakingher<b>head</b>inresignation.
She<b>was</b>closetolosingallhopeatthemoment.
“Mom,wouldyoulikesomegrapejuice?”askedJosiah.
Susancasuallywavedherhand.“I’lljust<b>have</b>water,”
“Allright,”JosiahturnedtoMichelle.“Mich<b>,</b>passmeyourcup,I’llpouryousomejuice.”
Michellewashesitant,notdaringtomove.
Hersisterhadjustlecturedher,itwasbestforhertylowfornow.
-I’ll
drinkwatertoo.”
Josiahwastakenabackforamoment,hissmilesomewhatawkward.“Allright<b>.</b>”
“Havesomejuice,haven’tyoubeenaskingforiteveryday?”MaverickpointedtothecupinfrontofMichelle.“Hurryupandpassthecup,don’tkeephimwaiting.”
MichellecarefullyhandedhercupovertoJosiah.“Thankyou,J–Josiah.”
<b>Josiah</b>chuckled,handingthecupbacktoher.“You’rewee.”
Suddenly.Mollyspokeup.“Ohright,Ijustremembered,isn’ttheJohanssonfamily’syoungestsonserving<b>in</b>themilitary?Hashebeendischarged?”
Howardsaid,“It’sbeenoverayearsincehegotback,butthingshasbeenprettyroughthisyear.Previously,theJohanssonfamilyevensentmeaninvitationtotheiryoungestson’sbirthdaybanquet.Butyouwereill,soIdeclined.”
“Birthday?IfIrecallcorrectly,theyoungestsonoftheJohanssonfamilyisaboutthesameageasLysa,justthreemonthsolder!”
“Correct,he’sonlyolderbythreemonths.WhenyouwerepregnantwithLysa,weevenattendedhishundreddayspartytogether.”
“DoyoustillhavePeter’snumber?Canyouaskhiterifhissonismarried?It’salwaysbetterwhentoknowhiminsideout!”
HowardncedatJosiah,rubbinghisnose.“<b>…</b>Thisreallyisn’tourbusiness.Weshouldrespectourchildren’sviews.WeknowArcherwell,butLysanevermethim.He’spracticallyastrangertoher.”
Mollyseemeda<b>bit</b>disheartened.“You’reright.s,wemissedoutonLysa’sgrowth,wedon’tevenknow
2/3
08:32Mon,24Jun
Chapter607HumanHeartsAreInherentlyBiased
Finished
ifthereareanysuitableboysaroundherageinhercircle.Maverick,Laura,wemighthavetorelyonyou
for<b>this</b>matter….
“Itdoesn’tnecessarilyhavetobesomeonewe,aselders,knowinsideandout,”Susansaidwithasmile.“Intheend,italesdowntowhetherthetwoofthemcangetalong.Iftherewerefeelingsfrompreviousinteractions,theymightnotnecessarilybeinferiortothenewones.”“
Everyonecouldtell<b>what</b>shemeantbythosewords.
Mollychuckledsoftly,choosingnottorespond.Seeinghiswife’sdemeanor,Howardcouldonlysighinwardly.
Laurawas<b>,</b>afterall,protectiveofherdaughter.“It’sabitunfair.Afteronesetback,it’slikeshe’slostyerofskin<b>.</b><b>Any</b>parentwouldbeheartbrokenfortheirchild.Butthroughhardshieswisdom<b>.</b>”
Josiahfoundhimselfistedandunsupported,afeelingakintohavingathornonhisback.Withgreatdifficulty,hespokeup.“Mdm.Laura,I’mnotthesamepersonIusedtobe.Ifyou’reconsideringarrangingablinddateforLysander…perhapsyoucouldconsiderme.”
Thesilencebythediningtablewasstillsoprofound,itwasalmostintimidating.
Maverickworeaseriousexpression,appearingtobedeepinthoughtoversomethingofgreatimportance.
“RegardingLysa’sromanticdilemma,Iactuallyhaveasuggestion.”
Michellencedatherfather,then<b>at</b>herformerbrother–inw,beforeleaningintowhispertoLysander.“Lysander,hasDadalreadychosensomeone?Whoisit?DoIknowhim?”
“Youdo<b>.</b>
Susanwasinastate<b>of</b>panic,yetshemanagedtobrushitoffandbeckonedeveryoeat.“Thekidsarestillyoung,it’stheirtimetobuildtheircareers.Besides,there’snouserushingthesethings.Comeon,everyone,digin.Thesoup’sgettingcold.”
Iftheconversationweretocontinue,itwasn’tcertain<b>that</b>Josiahwouldletgoofhisthoughts.Instead,hemightbeevenmorefixated.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.
Howardalsosteppedintosmooththingsover.“You’reright,let’seatfirstanddropthismatter.”
However,Maverickdidnottaketheeasywayout.Instead,heliftedhishead,lookingatJosiahwithutmostseriousness,andasked,“Tellme,areyourfeelingsforLysandergenuine?”
“Ofcourse.”Josiah’svoicewasfilledwithregret,histhroattight.“Infact,IrealizedtotethatIgenuinelycarefor<b>her</b>.”
Apieceof<b>asparagus</b>Lysanderhadscoopedupfellontothetable.
Shepulledoutanapkin,carefullywrappedtheasparagus,andcedthemonthebonedish.Then,she<b>took</b>anothernapkinandleisurelywipedthesauceoffthetable.
1.4K