Chapter35
Lilyproppedherheadagainstthecarwindowwithone<b>hand</b>andnonchntlyrespondedwiththeother:“Doyoudarete?”
Afterreceivingnoresponseforalongtime,Lilyputherphoneaway.Shethenclosedhereyesandleanedagainstthewindow.
PerhapsitwasDaniel’ssmoothdriving<b>that</b>allowedLily,whousuallyhadtroublesleeping,toactuallydriftoffto sleep
Shewas sodeeplyasleepthatLoidhadtowakeherup.Lookingup,sherealizedtheyhadarrivedatMartinezResidenceLilylookedatLoidwithahintofsurprise.
Agentlesmileyedonhislipsashesaid<b>,</b><b>“</b>I’mheretohandlesomebusiness”
Lilydidn’treply.Justthen,herphonebuzzedwithanotification.Shetook<b>it</b><b>out</b>andsawamessagefromDuncan:“Nope!Idon’tdarete.”
Shedidn’trespondtothemessageandsimplyputherphonebackinherpocket.
Assoonastheygotoutofthe<b>car</b>,LoidnaturallytookLily’shand.Lilydidn’tresist,perhapsoutofhabit,ormaybesheenjoyedthewarmthofhispalm.
Danielrangthedoorbell.TheMartinezeshousekeeper,Jenny,openedthedoor.Shewasmomentarilytakenabackbythecrowdonthedoorstep<b>,</b>includingShannonandLily.Ms.Martinez,whyareyouback?”she<b>asked</b>.
Hereyesthentell<b>on</b>ShaunbehindShannon.“Mr.Knight,you’rehere<b>too</b>?”
Shehadn’tseenLoid’strueappearance,soshedidn’tgreethim
With juaingtothehouseeverydaytodiscusssendingLilyback,JennyautomaticallyignoredLilyLily<b>didn’t</b>mind<b>Jenny’s</b>Indifference.
“Ms.Lopez,wherearemyparents?”Shannon’sexpressionwasgloomy.
“They’rehome.Ms.Goldberg<b>and</b>Mr.Martinezarealsohere-
JennyhadonlysaidhalfofhersentencewhenSusanInterruptedheruponwalkingover.“Jenny,whoisin?”
Susan’seyeswidenedindisbeliefwhen<b>she</b>sawthemanstandingatthe<b>door</b>.“Loid?Whatbringsyouhere?quick,pleasein.”
HerfeaturesstiffenedassheturnedtoJennyandsnapped,“<b>Mr.</b>Laurierishere!Whyhaven’tyouinvitedhimin?Whyareyoustandingheredoingnothing?”
AsLoidandhipanionsenteredthehouse,awaveofbtedrealizationwashedoverJenny.Herfaceturnedpale<b>,</b><b>and</b>shelookedvisiblyshocked.Sherealized thatthepersonshehaddismissedwasactuallythelegendaryLoldLaurier.Shefeltextremelyconcernedaboutwhattodonext.
ThemomenttheMartinezfamilybeardLoidhadarrived,theyscrambledtotheirfeet.Eachofthemwasstunnedbythesightofhim.
Susanhadn’ttoldthemthatLoid’sfacewasn’tdisfigured,<b>so</b>whentheysawhim,theywereallspeechless.Juliawasthefirsttoreact,invitingLoidtositdown
Snappingoutoftheirsurprise,therestoftheMartinezfamilymembersalsobegantofawnoverLoidinvariousways,
Loidsatonthecouchwithhislegs<b>crossed</b>,ncingattheMartinezfamilymembers.Hiscoldlipspartedslightlyashesaidinanonchnttone,“Don’tbother.I’mnothereas aguest”
TheMartinezfamilymembersweretakenabackbyhisbluntnessandquicklysatdown.
Juliasatinthemiddlewithastrainedsmileonherface.“Loid,whatbroughtyouhereste?All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.
HersmilefalteredwhenshesawShannonandLilyreturntogether.Abadfeelinggnawedat<b>her</b><b>.</b>IthadtobesomethingShannondidthatoffendedLoid.Thiswas<b>because</b>onlyShannonhadbrought backherlippagewhileLilyhadnone.
Despitethetension,sheforcedasmile
“Earliertoday,SusancuttieswithLilyatthehospital.SincetheMartinezfamily<b>has</b>nothingtodowithmyfiancéeanymore<b>,</b><b>I</b>personallysentyourdaughterback,”Loldsaidcalmlyashecedone<b>hand</b>onhislegandtappeditslowly
Hiswordswerecalm,buttherewasachillinessinhistone.Loidrarelyspokemuch,buttoday, hewasmakinganexception.
However<b>,</b>hiswordssentshiversdownthespinesofeveryoneintheMartinezfamily.
WhenLilyenteredtheresidence,shewasstillharyfromherrecentcarnap.AftertakingaseatbesideLoid,hereyelidsstarteddroopingwithdrowsiness.AjoltofsurpriseranthroughherwhensheheardLoid’swords.
ShawnandDanielsatquietlybesidethem.Neitherofthem daredtointerfere
“TheLaunerfamilyhasnoobligationtoraisesomeone’sdaughterwhohasnortiontous,”daughteroftheMartinezfamily,pleaseraiseheryourselves.”
“<b>Loid</b>stated,hisgazesweepingoverthe<b>Martinez</b><b>family</b>.“SinceShannonisthe
Uponhearingthis<b>,</b>Juliaimmediatelybecameanxious“Lold,theremustbesomemisunderstanding,LilyistheMartinezfamily’sadopteddaughter.Howcouldwe<b>possibly</b>cut<b>ties</b>withher?That’sabsolutelyimpossible!
“Besides<b>,</b>youtwoarealreadyengaged.Wouldn’titbeinappropriatetobreakofftheengagement?
Susanhurriedlyexined,“That’sright.Loid, Iadmitthatmyattitudeearlierwasn’tgreat,butIwouldnevercuttieswithLily.Afterall<b>,</b><b>she’s</b>mydaughter<b>.</b>”