Chapter<b>28</b>
Lucasfrownedandhungupthephone,thenwalkedout.
Inthegarden,SophiahadalreadyapproachedBarbara.Sheheldoutacottoncandyshapedlikeakitten.“MadamBarbara,lookatthiscutelittlekitten.”
Barbara’seyeslitupwhenshesawthecottoncandy,butshedidn’ttake<b>it</b>.Instead,shetuggedonAveline’shand.
“Granddaughter–inw,yougetmecottoncandy.Idon’tlikekittens;Ilikebunnies.”
FromthemomentSophiaappeared,Avelinehadinstinctivelytensedup.ButwhensheheardBarbara’svoice,shesuddenlyrxed.Anindescribablefeelingwelledupinsideher,makingherfebitsadandclosetotears.
“Okay,I’llgetyouone,”Avelinesaid.
Barbarasmiledbrightly.“Mygranddaughter–inwisthebest.”
Sophia,stillholdingthecottoncandy,frozeawkwardly.SheslowlywithdrewherhandandlookedatAveline.“MadamBarbaralikesyouverymuch.”
Avelinerepliedcalmly,“Shejusthappenstofindmepleasing.”
Sophiasmiledslightly,loweringhereyeswithahintof
displeasureshinginthem.
‘Whatdidshemeanbythat?
‘WassheimplyingthatIdidn’tpleaseBarbara?‘
“Grandma,”Lucassaidashewalkedover,“areyoutired?Doyou
wanttorest?”
+15BONUS
BarbaraclutchedAveline’shand.“Iwantmygranddaughter–inwtewithme.”
Avelinesaid,“Alright.”
ShesupportedBarbaraandstartedtowalkbacktothesmallbuilding.
Afterafewsteps,BarbaranoticedthatLucaswasn’tfollowing.Sheimmediatelywavedhimover.“Grandsonehere!”
Avelinecouldn’thelpbutfemused.
Thetoneshehadusedtocallhimsoundedabitinsulting,didn’tit?
LucaswalkedoverandsupportedBarbara.“Let’sgo,Grandma.”
Barbarawasdelighted.“Grandson,youneedtocherishyouwife,orshe’llrunaway,andyou’llregretit.It’llbetotebythen!”
SheleanedinclosertoLucas.“Letme tellyou,regretisavery,verybitterfeeling.Youwon’tbeabletohandleit!”
Heneededtounderstandthatoncesomethingisdone,itcouldn’tbeundone.
Lucasjustlistened,sayingnothing.
Avelinencedathim,hercleareyesshimmeringslightly.
Regret?Howcouldhepossiblyregretit?
Theywerealreadyatthwyer’soffice.Ifitweren’tforBarbaracausingascene<b>,</b>theywouldhavefiledforadivorcebynow.
Awaveofbitternessspreadwithinher,andsheforcedherselfnottothinktoomuch.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.
Sophiastoodbehind,watchingthegroup,feelingliketheywereahappyfamilywhileshewasjustanoutsider.
Herotherhandsuddenlysqueezedthecottoncandy.Thefluffytreatwasinstantlycrushed,eventuallyformingalumpthatshetossedintothetrash.
AvelineandLucashelpedBarbarabacktoherroomwhenLucas’s
phonebuzzed.HelookedatAveline.“Pleasetakecareof
Grandmaforamoment.”
Lucasimmediatelytook<b>his</b>phoneandsteppedout.
“Whereishegoing?”Barbaraasked,puzzled.
Avelinereplied,“Yourgrandsonisvery busywithwork.He’sdealingwithsomethingforhisjob.”
“Oh,”Barbarasaid,notseemingtomindhisabsence.
AvelookoutastorybookandbeganreadingtoBarbara.
Afterabouttenminutes,Barbarafesleep.
Aveluckedherinandquietlylefttheroom.
Asshewalkedtothegarden,shesawtwopeoplestandingtogether.Thesunlightpouredoverthem,withLucas’sbackfacingher,andinfrontofhim,Sophiawaslookingupathim,hereyesfilledwithaffection.
Avelineintendedtolookaway,butthenextsecond,shesawLucasreachoutandhugSophia.
Herbreathcaught,feelingasifaknifehadbeenplungedintoherheart,thepaincausinghertoswayslightly.