After lunch, Carole and Nanson both got swept up in their afternoon tasks, leaving Anthea alone in the quiet of the house.
Anthea sat at her desk, head bowed over a drawing with a focused expression, the sunlight streaming in through the window and casting a soft glow
on her features.
Just then, the deorbell chimed, breaking the silence.
She casually picked up a book to weigh down her sketches and made her way to the door.
Swinging it open, she found no one there.
A slight frown creased her forehead.
Had she been so absorbed in her drawing that she''d imagined the sound?
"Hello? Anyone there?” Anthea called out, but no response came
As she was about to close the door, a figure popped out from around the corner, "Surprise!"
Anthea''s eyes widened in astonishment, "Mrs. Christensen?"
"Annie!" Karen dashed toward her, going in for a warm hug.
But as she neared, Karen''s foot slipped, and she nearly tumbled to the ground. Anthea''s quick reflexes saved her, "Careful!"
"Annie, you''re so agile!" Karen said, hugging Anthea as if nothing had happened.
Clearly, she had chosen the perfect granddaughter-inw!
Anthea, ever modest, touched her nose and quipped, "Oh, I''m just third best in the world.”
"Third best? Nonsense!” Karen retorted seriously. "You''re clearly number one! NO.1!"
Blushing at thepliment, Anthea ushered Karen into the living room.
"Mrs. Christensen, are you cold? How about I make you some hot cocoa?" Even though early spring had arrived, a sudden chill had swept through
recently.
"Annie, you know how to make hot cocoa?" Karen eximed, surprisedThis content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.
Anthea nodded.
"You''re amazing, Annie!”
With a whip-smart girl like her, she and Sherman are gonna have a kid who''s not just good-looking but also a total brainiac!
Their baby would be the talk of the town.
The more Karen thought about it, the more delighted she became. her eyes twinkling as if she could already see her adorable great-grandchild.
Anthea headed to the kitchen to whip up the cocoa as Karen followed.
They chatted andughed together, the kitchen atmosphere cozy and warm despite their age difference.
Soon, the rich aroma of chocte filled the room
Handing over a mug of the freshly made drink, Anthea cautioned, "Careful, it''s hot."
Karen bleyron it gently and took a ~~
Xu
careful Sip. The intense choct
vor enveloped her taste buds, with
hintsof milk and a touch of >
sweetness to round it off. “ ~~
It was absolutely delicious!
Being from an aristocratic background, Karen had tasted all sorts of beverages, but this was her first time savoring such a lovingly homemade cocoa.
The taste didn''t really matter. It was the thought behind it that was important.
Annie, so beautiful and talented. was quite a catch for her precious grandson!
After finishing the cocoa, Karen got down to business, "Annie. are you free tomorrow?"
With nothing pressing scheduled for Sunday, Anthea nodded, "I''m avable.”
Grabbing Anthea s hand, Karen
excitedly: said, "Thene over to
my ce! You cured my migraine
last time, and my daughter-inw
and-grandson want to thankyou I in
person!" ta”
-
Karen had been wanting to invite Anthea over for a while, but their schedules never aligned.
Anthea smiled, "Mrs. Christensen, you''ve thanked me plenty, andst time you brought so many gifts. There''s really no need for more."
Karen frowned slightly, "Annie, are you trying to avoid me?”
“Of course not!"
"So, you''lle over tomorrow for a
visit, right? it''s not just about = =
thanking you. I know your house like
the baek of my hand, but you''ve
never been to mine! We are friends,
aren''t we?"
-
Karen had more in mind than just expressing gratitude
She also wanted Sherman to meet Anthea.
With Anthea''s beauty, Karen was certain he''d be smitten
Given Karen''s persistence, Anthea didn''t have the heart to turn her down, "Okay then, I''lle. Where''s your ce? I''ll head over in the morning."
Karen''s face lit up with excitement—her n te bring her future granddaughter-inw home was moving forward atst.
“It''s a date then, Annie! And don''t you dare stand me up!"