Chatper 142


    Chapter 142


    “If only every morning could start with brushing my teeth together with Natalie side by side.” Nate


    thought.


    Natalie rinsed her mouth. Right on cue, Nate set down his toothbrush cup and pouted his cherubic face


    towards her, waiting for his morning face cleaning.


    As she dabbed his rosy cheeks, Natalie was reminded of the first time she met Nate. He could barely


    string a full sentence together without stumbling over his words.


    “You’re getting so smart, Nate,” she said with a warm, encouraging smile.


    Sadie, who was bringing in a basket ofundry, overheard from the next room and chimed in, “Nate is


    indeed getting more talkative. Kids just soak upnguage like sponges.”


    Nate, taking the conversation seriously, responded without hesitation. “I don’t like talking to them, and


    they don’t like talking to me.”


    Was ‘them‘ a reference to the people of the Howard family?


    Natalie recalled a line from a psychology book that a child who grew up in a love–deprived environment


    often had dyed expressive abilities, which could lead to severe cases of autism or, in milder


    situations, to speakingte.


    It seemed Natalie fit this description. Moreover, Madelyn neither wanted him nor showed him affection.


    Buttely, Nate’s mood had improved. He was speaking more fluidly and bing quite the


    chatterbox around her.


    Natalie understood what Nate was trying to express.


    She halted momentarily, then continued cleaning his face with a gentle smile, saying, “Soon, no one at


    preschool will be calling our little Nate a silly goose.”


    “Yeah, even Mr. Howard, when he gets impatient, would say Nate is slow like a little mute. But Nate is


    just ate talker. In every other way, he’s exceptionally clever…” Sadie added from the next room,


    though her voice trailed off.


    The room fell silent. Sadie felt awkward as she stood by the door, while Natalie finished helping Nate


    with his morning routine and dressed him for the day.


    “It’s alright,” Natalie reassured her with a smile as they walked out together.


    Sometimes Sadie, and even Brian himself, wouldpare Nate to Natalie as a child. Although Nate


    was the spitting image of Brian, his personality seemed to take after Natalie more.


    Gics were powerful. Nate was raised by Brian and Sadie, yet he should have had a temperament


    more like Brian’s.


    Sometimes, without even mentioning Natalie, just by observing Nate’s every move and word,


    Chapter 142


    they were constantly reminded of who brought him into this world.


    asionally, Sadie would catch Brian staring at Nate for hours on end. She believed that what people


    saw on the surface wasn’t always what their eyes beheld.


    In her heart, Sadie felt that when Brian gazed at Nate, he was actually seeing Natalie.


    But Natalie was unaware of Sadie’s thoughts. Sadie assumed the concern was due to the mention of


    the word “mute“, fearing it might have caused offense.


    “Mr. Howard should be home for dinner tonight. Reid mentioned yesterday that they had a short. flight


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    to a neighboring country for a meeting. It shouldn’t take long.” Sadie quickly shifted the subject to


    alleviate her embarrassment.


    “Perfect timing. Since Nate doesn’t have school today and we missed the birthday partyst time, why


    not have a little celebration tonight right here at home? What do you think, miss?” Sadie asked


    cautiously.


    Natalie exchanged a nce with Sadie, then looked down at Nate in her arms and asked, “What do


    you think, Nate?”


    Nate nodded earnestly and replied with the utmost sincerity. “I want a vani buttercream cake.”