That question threw Noe for a loop, and it made Palmer beside her sweat bullets!
Helen furrowed her brows at Noe, her gaze sharp. "It''s just an engagement, not set in stone. If
you''re having second thoughts, just call it off."
Palmer frowned. "Grandma!"
He knew it was a mistake to let Helen meet Noe!
Helen mmed her hand on the table, her eyebrows knitting tighter as she red at Palmer.
"Shut it. Did I ask you to speak? No respect! Off with you!"
She clearly didn''t care much about the engagement. She knew her grandson all too well.
After a moment of thought, Noe honestly replied, "I don''t n on marrying him, or anyone for that
matter, at the moment. I don''t dislike Palmer. Let''s just say we''re friends."
Palmer heaved a sigh of relief. As long as Noe didn''t dislike him, there was still a chance!
"Not too foolish. If you were rushing into marriage at such a young age, I''d have no respect for you.
Your grandma in heaven would be so mad, she''d rise from her grave just to knock some sense into
you."
Helen, while applying hand lotion, critiqued her grandson with her sharp words.
"Palmer''s got a better temperament than his dad and stronger than his granddad - not foolish or
spineless. But if he wants a wife, he''s gotta learn the hard way. Men never value whates easy."
In her eyes, Noe was still too young. Thinking of marrying Palmer at not even twenty seemed like
foolishness to her.
"You knew my grandma?"
"Harriet Lambert? Back in her day, she was the heartthrob of Sexton. Since your grandma didn’t
even give a second nce to a Pock, if you fall for Palmer so easily, I''d think less of you."
Helen squinted, her wrinkles folding together, her thin lips curling in a peculiar smirk.
"Back then, whether it was Sexton or your granddad, and even Garrick, they were just flies buzzing
around your grandma, swatted dead in no time."
Noe didn''t quite understand what had happened with her grandma back then, nor could she
comment on Helen''s choice of words.
Jacob looked at the fried chicken and c on the table, frowning, "Mom, this is what you ate for
breakfast?"
Helen shot him a cold nce. "How old are you?"
"Me? I''m fifty."
"I''m seventy-six. You could eat healthy and still might not live as long as me. Mind your business,
and you might live longer."
Jacob''s mouth twitched, unable to utter a word!
ra, trying not tough, gave her a thumbs up. "Grandma, you''re awesome!"
Helen smiled, handing something to ra. "I''m off to fish. Carry my stuff."
The Pock family owned a resort, just a half-hour drive from Serene Haven.
An octogenariandy going fishing at a resort sounded outrageous, but with Helen, it somewhat
seemed normal.
As they helped Helen into the car, Noe checked her pulse.
Helen, sharp as ever, looked at Noe''s serious side profile, her stunning eyes captivating.
"What, I''ve got health issues?"
"Grandma Helen, how did you know I was checking your pulse?"
Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.
"I''m not dead yet, dear. I''d know if someone was checking my pulse."
Noe got a taste of Helen''s biting but not unkind manner.
"Grandma Helen, have you been having trouble sleepingtely? You seem to stay upte."
"Sleeping fine, dear. I just look at male models on my phone before bed. Sleep like a baby, though a
bitte."
Noe was at a loss for words.
“Grandma Helen, do you get frequent headaches?"
"Only when I see the Pock family calling. Gives me a headache every time, but I can''t not answer.
They might think I''ve kicked the bucket in some nursing home."
"Grandma Helen, are you feeling short of breath, having difficulty breathing?”
“Oh, that’s just me getting older and putting on weight. Can’t fit into my younger days’ dresses
anymore, they’re too tight."
No matter what Noe said, Helen had an excuse ready.
Noe smiled lightly, understanding that the olddy was just making excuses so Palmer wouldn''t
worry about her.
"She''s in good health," Noe concluded.
Helen smiled, pleased.
ra gaped. "Noe, you can diagnose? I thought you and Grandpa were just ying when you
checked his pulse, like some doctor-patient game!"
Noe smiled helplessly. "I''m neen, ra."
Pretending to be a patient and doctor was not something she''d be doing, especially since Marcel
wouldn''t y along!
"But I remember Ulrich studied clinical medicine, not pulse reading. Who taught you?"
Helen nced over. "Her grandma, Harriet, I''d wager. Loved all that holistic stuff, always ranting
about the virtues of traditional medicine, always dabbling in the mystical."
Seeing Helen starting to rest, ra didn''t push further.
Life had been tough for her little sister!
ra''s mind conjured images of a young, frail Noe sitting with Harriet Lambert, picking herbs to
sell for a living. Feeling a twinge of emotion, she grabbed her phone and sent Noe some money.
Noe, puzzled, stared at the unexpected notification of a money transfer on her phone.
Why on earth was she sending her money out of the blue?
ra''s note read: [For all your hard work! Here''s some spending money for the month!]
No sooner had she picked up her phone again than she received another transfer, this time from
Palmer.
Palmer''s memo was straightforward: [For your consultation fees, thanks, fiancée.]
...
Upon arriving at the resort, Helen grabbed a fishing rod. "Go have fun, I''ve got ns. Don''t bother
me."
With that, she motioned for Jacob to carry the fishing gear towards theke. There was already an
old man sitting by theke, seemingly the one Helen had arranged to meet.
ra frowned. "Isn''t that Garrick? He''s the one Grandma arranged to meet?"
Noe shook her head. "Not sure, but Grandma Helen definitely knows Garrick."
Palmer''s gaze fell on Noe. "Is Grandma doing okay?"
"Just the usual ailments, sleep disorders, mood swings, breathing difficulties. I''ve prescribed some
medication for Grandma Helen to help manage them."
Palmer finally rxed.
Helen was known for her entric behavior, often withholding the truth from her doctors.
With arms crossed and a haughty stride, Helen approached Garrick, seated by theke.
ra''s eyes widened in shock!
Without a word, Helen kicked Garrick right into theke!