<b>Chapter</b><b>295</b>
Hangingoutwiththemfeltlikeabreathoffreshair
Afteragoodchat,IpulledameasuringtapefrommybagtotakeAdah’smeasurements.
Gregorydirected.“Ms.Webstercould<b>you</b>alsomeasureRamonawhileyou’reatit?”
Iagreedwithoutasecondthought,“Sure.”
Havingmorepeoplemeantgettingtoworkonmoredesigns.Iwasoverthemoonaboutthat
Ramonawavedher<b>hand</b>.“Idon’tneedit”
“RamonalGregoryinterrupted,convincingher,“Ifyourefuse,wouldn’titseemlikeI’myingfavorites?”
“Okay,yougotit.”Ramonaconcededwithugh.
AsIfinishedmeasuring,thebutlercametoannouncedinnerwasready.However,Gregory<b>had</b><b>to</b>leaveduetoanurgentphonecall.Beforeleaving,hehandedmearoomkey.
Ifeltitwasalsotimeformetoleave.“Ishouldprobablyheadoutwithyou”
“Jane,”Adahsaidwarmly,insisting,“Don’tworryabouthim.Stayandhavedinner.Afterweeat,Irrangeforadrivertotakeyoutothehotel.”
“Yousee,mygrandmaisveryapproachable,butsherarelyinvitespeopleoverfor dinner.”
Gregorygrinnedsheepishly.“CanIaskforthisfavor?”
Ihadnochoicebuttoagree
Thetablewadenwithvishspread,halfmadeupofeasilydigestiblefoodsuitablefortheelderldiesandtheotherhalfconsistingofbeefmb,andseafood.
Adahtookthelead:“Jane,makeyourselfathome.Helpyourself.”
<b>“</b>Sure”Ismiledobediently
Maybeitwasalongingforfamilialwarmth.Inthepresenceofsuchkindelders,Inaturallybehavedmyself.Neartheendofthemeal,theservants broughtoutindividualdesserts.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.
Itook<b>a</b>bitewithoutthinking,onlytorealizesomethingwasoff. Idiscreetlyspatitoutintoanapkin.
Ramonacaughtthemoment.Shealwaysseemedgentle,<b>but</b>unlikeAdah’seasiness,shewassomewhatdistant withstrangers.
Hereyesflickeredwithinterest,speakingtomedirectlyforthefirsttime,“Ms.Webster,doyounotlikepeanuts?”
“It’snot that.”Ismiledawkwardly,exining.Timallergictopeanuts.”
Ramona’sgriponherspoontightened<b>as</b>sheasked,“Haveyoubeenallergicsincechildhood?”
“Yes,”Irepliedhonestly.
Ramona’sgazesoftenedtowardme,sighing.“Mygranddaughterisalsoallergictopeanuts.”
Linstinctivelyfollowedup.“Dorothy?”
“No,therightfulheiressoftheMyersfamily”AdahhandedRamonaatissue,cuttingtothechase.“Lily’sbeengoneforagesnow,andyou’retheonlyoneintheMyersfamilywhostillkeepsherclosetoyourheart.”
“Ido!”Ramonadabbedathereyes.“She’smygranddaughterdeliveredbymyownhands.Bomprematurelybytwomonths,sotiny,Ifearedshewouldn’tmakeit
ThatwaswhenIlearnedRamonawasanobstetrician.
Adahseemedmoved,too,her<b>eyes</b>reddening.“It’s<b>a</b>shame,suchafateforagirlbomintoafamilyliketheMyers,yetenjoyedanyofit
“True.”Ramonasigheddeeply,amixofaffectionandhelplessness,“Theoneswhoshouldbeenjoyinglifearen’t,andtshouldn’tbeare.”
Asanoutsider,itfeltsomewhatawkwardtointerrupt.Butsomehow,seeingRamonalikethat,Ifeltapangofempathy<b>and</b>offered.“Ramona,theysayfortuneanddisasteraretwosidesofthesamecoin.MaybeMs.Myersisalsolivingagoodlifenow.”
“Ah,let’shopeyourwordetrue.Ramonaspedherhands.“Alltheseyears,I’vebeendoingcharitywork,hopingitwouldsomehowmakeupfor everythingandbringLilysomeprotectionfromabove<b>.</b>”
Cheater296