Chapter536SettlingAllMattersFromThePast
Carolwassomewhattakenaback.“Rightnow?Butwehaven’tevennotifiedRiveronCorporationyet.”
“Forgetaboutthat.Justsendit.”
“Allright.”
Afterhangingupthephone,JosiahwasmetwithasuspiciousncefromMaverick.“Whatareyouschemingnow?”heasked.
“Therearenotricksinvolved.It’ssimplyamatterofdealingwithallpastissues.”
Maverickhummedinresponse,thenturnedbackwithafrowntolookatLysander.“Why aren’tyoudressedyet?Hurryupandputmycoaton,”hesaid.
Lysanderhadnochoice buttodrapeherfather’sovercoatonherselffirst.
OnlythendidMaverick’sexpressionsoftenabit.“Doyoustillfeelcold?”
Lysandershookherhead.“I’mnotcoldanymore.Yourcoatisreally
warm.”
True,thatwasthecase,butafterbeingexposedtothewindforawhile,Lysander’slipshadturnedsomewhatpale.
Intheend,Maverickgavein.“Mr.Guerra,whereisthatcaféyouwerejusttalkingabout?”
Immediately,Josiahsaid,“Sirs,pleasefollowme.”
ThecaféthatJosiahspokeofwasconvenientlylocatedjustoppositethehospital,ashortwalkaway.Hehadvisitedthisceafewtimesbeforeandcouldbeconsideredaregr.Withouthesitation,heapproachedthewaiterandrequestedaprivateroomupstairs.
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<b>As</b><b>soon</b>asthedoorclosed,itcreatedasecludedlittlespace<b>,</b>sereneanfortable.Itwastheperfectsettingfordiscussingsecretivematters.
Thefourofthemtooktheirseats,yetnoonewasthefirsttobreakthesilence.
MaverickguidedLysandertositontheinside,purposefully cingherawayfromJosiah.Hisvigncewassostrongthatitwasinlyvisibleon
hisface.
JosiahorderedapotofEarlGrey.Theteawascrystalclear,anditsaromawasrefreshinglycrisp.Italsohadacalmingeffect.Servedwithcdonteaware,everyaspect,frometiquettetostandard,waswlesslymet.
Believinghimselftobetheyoungergeneration,Josiahstoodupandpickeduptheteapot.“Mr.Maverick,thistea<b>is</b>quitegood.Letmepouryousome.Giveitatry.”
Maverickpushedthecupinfrontofhimawaywithoutasecondthought,showingnoregardforcourtesy.”
Seeingthedelicatenatureoftheirrtionship,HowardsmoothlytooktheteapotfromJosiah’shand,saying,“Allowme.”
“Okay.”Josiahreluctantlysatbackdown.
HesneakedanceatLysander,butshewasfeelinguneasy.Whenshenoticedhisgaze,shecouldonlyletoutasmallsigh,thenpromptlylooked
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away.
HowardandMaverickwereofasimrage,yetduetoproperself–careinthepast,Howardappearedslightlyyounger.Atthismoment,hestoodup,teapotinhand,andcourteouslyrecedtheteacupMaverickhadpreviouslymovedbacktoitsoriginalposition.Pouringthetea,Howardrespectfullysaid,“Mr.Maverick,thiscupisforyou.”
The teawasintentionallypoureduntilitwasseventypercentfull.
Maverick<b>cast</b>anceattheteashowingnointentionofnickingitun
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Instead,hesaidinanannoyedtone,“I’mjustanordinarycitizen,notlikeyoubigbosses.Thisfeaiswastedonme,solet’sforgetit.”
TheteawasorderedbyJosiah.Hetooktheinitiativetosay,“Ifyoudon’tliketea,Mr.Maverick,Icangetyousomethingelse.”
MaverickmanagedtokeephisirritationwithHowardatbay,offeringonlyafewsarcasticremarks.However,Maverickdidn’tholdbackwhenitcametoJosiah,eximing,“<b>I</b>justcan’tstandyournonsensicalrituals!WhenI’mathomedrinkingtea,asimpleteacupdoesthetrick.Whydoyouhavetomakeitsplicated?Allthisrinsingoftealeavesandpouringbackandforthisjustsoannoying.”
Josiahlistenedquietly,choosingnottointerjectanyfurther,andremainedsilent.
TherewasafeasetinMaverick’shouse.LysanderhadmentioneditbeforeandsaidMaverickwasknowledgeableabouttea.Hisattitudethatdaywasoff,primarilybecauseofJosiah.
Insituationslike<i>these</i><i>,</i><i>the</i><i>more</i><i>one</i><i>says</i>,<i>the</i><i>more</i><i>mistakes</i><i>they</i><i>make</i><i>.</i>Josiahtouchedhisnose,obedientlyeptingthescolding.
HowardlookedattheweatheredexpressichedbetweenMaverick’sbrows.RecallingwhatJosiahhadmentionedabouttheirfamilysituation,hesoftenedhistoneandsaid,“Mr.Maverick,Iactually-”
“Don’tbotheraddressingmethatway.”Maverickwaveddismissively.
Howarddidn’tofferanyrebuttals.He simplysaid,“Allright.Sinceyoudon’tlikethatformofaddress,I’llchangeit.Iheardyouusedtobeatechnicianatthefactory.CanIcallyoubyyourfirstname?”
Knowingthatitwouldberudetospurnafriendlyandhumbleperson,Mavericksimplymuttered,“Doasyouplease.”
LysandernoticedMaverick’sfurrowedbrows,awarethathewasfeelingdistressed.Shequicklytuggedonhissleeveandasked,“Dad,whatkindofteawouldyoulike?Justtellme,andI’llpouracunforyou.Howabout
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jasmea?I’venoticedthattheEarlGreyathomehasbeenfullforawhile,butthejasmeaseemstobeconsumedquitequickly.”
Immediately,Josiahbeckonedawaiterover.“Switchtojasmea,andmakeitquick.”
Thewaiterhurriedofftomakeafreshpotoftea.
WhenMaverickwastalkingtoLysander,hisdemeanorsoftened.Inagentlefortingtone,hereassuredher,“Icandrinkanything,ornothingatall.Youjustsittight.”
Acrossfromthem,Howardwatchedthesceneunfold,awaveofheartachesurgingwithinhim.Atlonst,hehadheardhisbiologicaldaughtercalloutthatformofaddress,butthemanshewasaddressingwasn’thim.
Notlongafter,thewaiterbroughtin afreshpotofjasmea.
Thesubtle,delicatefragranceimmediatelywaftedthroughtheair.RêAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only
Howardwavedthewaiteraway,personallypouringacupofteaandofferingittoMaverickwithbothhands.Sincerely,he‘said,,“Maverick,ifyou’renotustomedtotheteafromtheotherpot,pleasetrythisone.Consideritasmalltokenfromme.IoweanapologytoLysaformypast.actions,andyourdissatisfactionwithusisjustified.”
Maverickstaredathimforamoment,finallypickingupthecuptotakeasipofthejasmea.HesetitdownandlookedupatHoward.Hishand,whichwaspressedagainstthecup,hadturnedredfromtheheat,yetheseemepletelyunaware.
LysanderwasthefirsttonoticethepeculiarityonMaverick’shand.Shequicklypushedthecupforward,anxiouslysaying,“Dad,whathappenedtoyou?Itmustbeveryufortableifyou’veburnedyourself.”
Awakeningasiffromadream,Maverickmutteredinadaze,“I’mfine.”
Hishandswerecoveredincalluses,atestamenttohishigher–than–averagetolerancefor<b>heat</b>Yetitwashispreupationsthattrulylefthimfeeling
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dazed.
Overtheyears,thelivelihoodoftheentirefamilyhadrestedsolelyonhimandLaura.Yet,whenLysander’sbiologicalfamilycamelookingforthem,therewasnosenseofrelieftobefound.
MaverickmetLysander’sconcernedgaze,forcedhimselftohidehisdestion,andsaid,“I’mfine,Lysa.Actually,it’sagoodthingyoufoundyourbiologicalparents.Theirfamilyiswell–off,andthey’re…”
Hespokeuptothatpointandcouldn’tcontinuefurther.”
Uponhearingthosewords,Howardfeltadeepsenseofdifortinhisheart.Hisgazetowardthemwasfilledwithguilt.
LysanderquicklygrabbedMaverick’shand,noticingthat asidefromaslightburn,thereseemedtobenootherissues.Onlythendidshefebitofrelief.
“Dad,regardlessofwhatotherssayorwhatyoumightthink,inmyheart,youaremyfather.Iwilwaysbeyourdaughter,Mom’sdaughter,andMich’ssister!”Lysanderwasdeterminedandunwaveringinherdecision.
Howardwasalsofeelinguneasy,buthestillchimedin,“Maverick,restassured,I’mnotheretostealyourdaughter.Ijustfeelthatsincethematterhasalreadysurfaced,hidingitanylongerwouldonlyhurtboth.sides.AllwewantisforLysatohaveagoodfuture.Onthispoint,wearpletelyinagreement.”
Maverickdidn’texpresshisopinion.Instead,hegravelyaskedHoward,“Iheardyourfamilyiswell–off.HowdidLysagetlostinthefirstce?Howcouldsuchasmallchildfallintothewater,especiallyinthedeadofwinter?Evenifshedidn’tdrown,shecouldhavefrozentodeath.Wereyoureallytakinggoodcareofher?”
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