Leo found himself back 896Please respect copyright.PENANAB1vb8ffDXl
in the living room where he found the others freely talking amongst 896Please respect copyright.PENANAm91aPp3gmb
themselves. He wondered for a moment how they could all be talking after896Please respect copyright.PENANAzaTj3bzVmC
what had happened earlier. But then he realised that Kim wasn't even in896Please respect copyright.PENANApkTAaxyZm3
the room.896Please respect copyright.PENANABJiawGk716
"Leo," said Amanda as she looked up at her grandson. "Are you calm now?"896Please respect copyright.PENANApYGr3GJT4s
Leo paused for a moment before he could answer. "Yes," he said. "Where is Kim?"896Please respect copyright.PENANAazrKLJV6Dg
Everyone in the living room turned to look at him, wondering whether he had hit his head or something.896Please respect copyright.PENANALyowA3E2Gi
"Kim's at the patio with my mum," said Eric. "You aren't going to shout at her, are you?"896Please respect copyright.PENANAb3lmui1NoZ
Leo shook his head. "No. Actually, I'm going to apologise for the way I've been treating her lately."896Please respect copyright.PENANAcU7usUDF7C
Eric raised an eyebrow 896Please respect copyright.PENANA0zRQuvy6cK
at his cousin. Amanda smiled. Carly had a scared look on her face. As 896Please respect copyright.PENANAIfC2yCup2V
for Angel and Oliver, their faces showed that they didn't mind at all. 896Please respect copyright.PENANAA6iuBVYGzt
Oliver even went on eating his sandwich that he got from the kitchen.896Please respect copyright.PENANAoNCMldziKg
"Wait, what?" Eric asked as she stood up from his seat. "You want to apologise to Kim all of the sudden?"896Please respect copyright.PENANAneYGGoOsmM
"Let him do it," said Angel. "Mr McDonell must have told him that he went a little too overboard with the way he treated her."896Please respect copyright.PENANAKfmmffNbpa
Leo didn't want to agree with Angel. She guessed right and that, annoyed him a little.896Please respect copyright.PENANAeLmmVxUecS
"I think you're doing a good thing if you ask me," said Amanda. "You aren't supposed to treat a lady like that, you know?"896Please respect copyright.PENANAFCusEP88dY
"Yes, I know," said Leo. He was in no mood for a lecture, he had to talk to Kim. "I'm going to the patio."896Please respect copyright.PENANAAaF3YsAxRP
Leo soon turned around, 896Please respect copyright.PENANAnjbxSrqneQ
walked through the corridor and out in the patio where he found his aunt896Please respect copyright.PENANA1l31t2UWEd
Diana and Kim seated around the white garden table with a box of tissue896Please respect copyright.PENANAfYZPTCYmBD
on top of it.896Please respect copyright.PENANA829pkE9ZAg
Kim had been crying. She896Please respect copyright.PENANAOdfg6eBmcE
was blowing her nose with her red teary eyes when Leo stepped in on the896Please respect copyright.PENANAQi0pEWdG2b
patio. When she noticed him, she tried to hide her face as she wiped 896Please respect copyright.PENANAWHYMZfnHAi
her tears with another tissue.896Please respect copyright.PENANAXJLmEgBTGR
"Leo," said his aunt. "I think now isn't the right time for this."896Please respect copyright.PENANAUGiy7I6wAH
"I'm not going to say 896Please respect copyright.PENANAUF3GM8l4bN
anything that's going to hurt her even further, aunt," said Leo. He 896Please respect copyright.PENANAyzVxv48GeB
paused before he could continue to say, "I actually came to apologise."896Please respect copyright.PENANAhrl4DERSs7
Kim looked up at him while Diana was a little shocked at first, but her lips were soon raised into a smile.896Please respect copyright.PENANAkJyLAIK3iG
"I'm sorry for the way I treated you, Kim," Leo continued. "You don't deserve it and for that, I truly am sorry."896Please respect copyright.PENANALtAcF535UO
Kim sniffed and tried to smile through her sad face. "Aren't you still mad at me for being a little clingy at times?"896Please respect copyright.PENANAYMobHlfAFo
"Well, yes, but I realised that I've been treating you unfairly."896Please respect copyright.PENANAA40TQErind
"So, does that mean we're okay now?"896Please respect copyright.PENANAhfxvUvJyC6
Leo gave her a little smile which was pretty hard to put up but he had to just to make her feel better.896Please respect copyright.PENANAkAJrocMWR3
"Yes, we are."896Please respect copyright.PENANAGcF7jgV18E
Kim smiled brightly as she wiped away the remaining tears in her eyes. "You don't know how much this means to me, Leo."896Please respect copyright.PENANAHqXuPk9W7V
Leo nodded his head. "We better go inside. We delayed supper and I think my little cousin is really hungry."896Please respect copyright.PENANAzVtmhck1Ag
"Oh, my little, Oliver," said Diana. "I hope he's okay."896Please respect copyright.PENANAqDzvdxWcOG
"I saw him eating a snack, so, I bet he's fine. Shall we go back inside?"896Please respect copyright.PENANAspNZYOD85G
The two ladies agreed 896Please respect copyright.PENANA8WcVQVzeCC
and went back inside with Leo as he held the door open for them to get 896Please respect copyright.PENANA9QGEhiYbhd
in the house. When the three found themselves in the living room, there 896Please respect copyright.PENANA9LFC0T80YJ
was Mrs McDonell who clapped her hands excitedly.896Please respect copyright.PENANAMDIWwaTm6V
"Oh, I'm so glad you decided to apologise to Kim, Leo," said Mrs McDonell. "Look at how your apology has made Kim so happy."896Please respect copyright.PENANAmavoTPI4aO
Most people in the 896Please respect copyright.PENANALoZrFfiY5g
living room wanted Mrs McDonell to stop talking her nonsense before Leo 896Please respect copyright.PENANAJGNltP6w3U
could throw another outburst. Besides, she was the one who invited Kim 896Please respect copyright.PENANAIG3sbNuZyw
over for dinner and made things worse from the beginning. She was 896Please respect copyright.PENANAsY8f8mmlOr
blowing air to the remaining glowing splinters when it proved to be a 896Please respect copyright.PENANARWkrZx9np6
struggle to put out the first fire.896Please respect copyright.PENANAvZH96snm7G
Kim blushed while Leo tried to keep it cool that he held his neck for a little. His mother was far beyond irritating.896Please respect copyright.PENANADsIokySDN9
"I would rather suggest 896Please respect copyright.PENANAhZqogThg4V
you don't say a word, dear," Mr McDonald whispered, who stood beside his896Please respect copyright.PENANAE6JjmTW6LV
wife and noticed that Leo was feeling uncomfortable. "You have done 896Please respect copyright.PENANAQcaS71bHLN
enough damage for one night, don't you think?"896Please respect copyright.PENANAzQd3LaHbPq
The smile on Mrs McDonell's face soon disappeared. Amanda who noticed the pair, couldn't help but smile to herself.896Please respect copyright.PENANAJlKVwABssW
"Now, that everything's all settled, who's up for supper?" Diana asked.896Please respect copyright.PENANANKio8MQUPK
"We all are," said Oliver. "I'm starving."896Please respect copyright.PENANAh2CGf1hu40
"Then let's all make our way to the dining room," said Mr McDonell. "Mum, I'll help you out."896Please respect copyright.PENANAoYXVuJBv0w
"Thank you, sweetie," said Amanda as she smiled at her son.896Please respect copyright.PENANARbwvYeKjcj
"And I'll help Angel," said Eric.896Please respect copyright.PENANAaNmy7o4lm7
"No, I'll help her," said Oliver who stood up quickly and found himself behind Angel's wheelchair.896Please respect copyright.PENANAYCQA7G0mhe
"Thanks, Oliver," said Angel giving a small laugh when she noticed the scowl on Eric's face.896Please respect copyright.PENANAbh0GeQ5OXA
Leo couldn't help but roll his eyes at Angel. "Even my little cousin has been captured by her charms," he thought to myself.896Please respect copyright.PENANAlF6ERbV9ey
Everyone slowly left the896Please respect copyright.PENANA7SQ7woZOwl
living room and went to the dining room. Mr and Mrs McDonell sat on 896Please respect copyright.PENANAqKbuBbI6E5
both opposite ends of the table. Amanda sat next to her son on the right896Please respect copyright.PENANAZflGm9eq4V
side of the table, alongside Angel, Diana, and Kim. On the other side 896Please respect copyright.PENANApmQJ4aNEL5
sat Oliver, Eric, Leo and Carly.896Please respect copyright.PENANARuOtp25tcm
"Now, that we are settled, mum, can you give us a prayer to bless the food, please?" Mr McDonell asked.896Please respect copyright.PENANAsDHFlvylKq
"Of course," said Amanda. "Let us pray...."896Please respect copyright.PENANAke2kD6oXPH
After the loving prayer,896Please respect copyright.PENANAXj3aTHfYkS
everyone started to dig into the meal. There was lovely Italian dressed896Please respect copyright.PENANA7o52GOobbJ
chicken with baked potatoes, green salads and spiced rice.896Please respect copyright.PENANAA7dziUDYYE
"How do you like the food, Kim?" Mrs McDonell asked.896Please respect copyright.PENANAhKvJlQh6ar
"Oh, it's lovely," said Kim. "It's very tasty."896Please respect copyright.PENANAboARnZpTsE
"I know," said Oliver who couldn't get enough of the chicken. "The chicken is really delicious."896Please respect copyright.PENANALEcQHntfqH
"You better slow down, Oliver," said Diana. "You're going to get too full, too quick."896Please respect copyright.PENANAqLhxlGmQyw
"He really can't get 896Please respect copyright.PENANAOPjmQRlG8D
enough of it," said Angel as she looked at Oliver who was chewing at the896Please respect copyright.PENANAmRDP3bwwWv
thigh of the chicken. Angel couldn't help but giggle and Eric couldn't 896Please respect copyright.PENANAgVo2k41Ey8
help but smile at her. Leo noticed and he couldn't help but roll his 896Please respect copyright.PENANATcrWFidY2M
eyes in irritation.896Please respect copyright.PENANAMq2CgJxsJL
"He's a young boy," said Amanda. "Let him enjoy all the food he can eat."896Please respect copyright.PENANAIxp6qo2rzQ
"But not too much," said Angel as she looked at Amanda.896Please respect copyright.PENANAz2obfr8dlZ
"Angel's right," said Diana. "I don't want my child looking obese."896Please respect copyright.PENANAfl0bGKJUeL
"What's obsese?" Oliver asked after swallowing his food. Every grown up at the table looked at him then at themselves.896Please respect copyright.PENANAn6Rl50eehT
"I would rather Angel tell him," said Eric.896Please respect copyright.PENANAaPejDON6sr
"Why me?" Angel asked.896Please respect copyright.PENANAinMY5Og0vU
"I know you will explain896Please respect copyright.PENANAfVY6wZ89IV
better. Besides, it looks like you will be helping him out with a lot 896Please respect copyright.PENANA8SZBnIAB7V
of things from now on if mum is busy."896Please respect copyright.PENANAQcQiCRsHyk
"Like what?" Diana asked.896Please respect copyright.PENANA4CgvjwdBB8
"Almost an hour ago, she agreed to help him with homework on a Friday."896Please respect copyright.PENANAI7WiiPaQmQ
"That's so nice of you, 896Please respect copyright.PENANA9vD3kvV4zo
Angel," said Diana as she turned to look at Angel beside her. "You know,896Please respect copyright.PENANApJy05akRsf
I've been trying to get him to do his homework early, but he doesn't 896Please respect copyright.PENANA3FOHnRdWf4
want to."896Please respect copyright.PENANASoZ6pUtQY1
"Angel must have done something to Oliver," said Leo. "And I'm afraid, it isn't a good thing."896Please respect copyright.PENANAJD2YO7Ci9l
Angel looked at him and 896Please respect copyright.PENANASyIt4es0sN
tried her best not to show how annoyed she was. She knew Leo was being 896Please respect copyright.PENANAUciYkdoW4N
mean though people on the table didn't seem to notice. There was a 896Please respect copyright.PENANAzrD5SIM6c4
battle between the two which they would rather keep to themselves.896Please respect copyright.PENANAS7gn7Qcmsl
"You're wrong, Leo," said Amanda. "She's done a good thing. She's an angel just like her name."896Please respect copyright.PENANATngDC5N3Ub
Leo felt like he was 896Please respect copyright.PENANAJNnqjpeWzC
going to puke. Angel was getting all the praise now. He felt like 896Please respect copyright.PENANAIQA25Bakw4
leaving the table, but he did his best not to for it will seem rude.896Please respect copyright.PENANAUzKFXSpKTU
"I think so too, grandma," said Eric.896Please respect copyright.PENANApIRlQUE4jw
"Angel said, if I do my homework, we will go watch a movie together in the home theater," said Oliver.896Please respect copyright.PENANApGX0huvZKP
"I'm surprised you got him to agree on this, Angel," said Mr McDonell. "He's very stubborn."896Please respect copyright.PENANAMqYgtFXgn5
"He asked if he wanted to watch a movie with Carly and I," said Angel. "So, I told him we can when he does his homework."896Please respect copyright.PENANAVQaRi9IsYQ
"Smart," said Diana. "You two sisters really are something."896Please respect copyright.PENANAhm5Kx0dVtb
"I think so too," said Carly as she took a sip of her juice, looking at Kim who sat opposite her.896Please respect copyright.PENANACal2thmwpS
"Okay, enough family affairs," said Mrs McDonell. "How was work, Leo?"896Please respect copyright.PENANA1RoehAGdMp
"It was fine, mum," said896Please respect copyright.PENANAOkatawfzMl
Leo, glad that his mother changed the topic, yet uneasy with how the 896Please respect copyright.PENANAfUplZkSaWn
conversation was going to turn out.896Please respect copyright.PENANALhxoU4fizY
"That's nice. I hear you're working on a deal with the Chinese. When are we expecting them?"896Please respect copyright.PENANAYcGynsL9Jh
"During the course of next week. Friday to be more precise."896Please respect copyright.PENANAKRq7oehKDC
"I hope you have most of the paper work ready, Leo," said Mr McDonell. "We need the presentation and the deal to run smoothly."896Please respect copyright.PENANAyKOvJ5anTI
"Eric's been helping me out with it," said Leo.896Please respect copyright.PENANAmx7cuOkv6Z
"Alright," said Mrs 896Please respect copyright.PENANA4y5bs56ujq
McDonell. "Things will go well, that I know. How about you, Kim?" Mrs 896Please respect copyright.PENANAjoXJFClbEg
McDonell turned to look at Kim on her left. "How has the modelling been 896Please respect copyright.PENANAq8wxuJ095w
for you lately?"896Please respect copyright.PENANABW7wgVFpgn
Angel and Carly both 896Please respect copyright.PENANA5u2E56FXE6
turned to look at Kim. They both realised now how Kim somehow looked 896Please respect copyright.PENANAxFqhf9hxYu
like those models cut out straight from a magazine. It's because she 896Please respect copyright.PENANA8yUk6MidTj
already was one herself.896Please respect copyright.PENANAfm0NW3XaDy
"Same as always," said Kim with a smile.896Please respect copyright.PENANA368TgUlT9Y
"And how about your father's law firm?" Mrs McDonell asked.896Please respect copyright.PENANAETMpXRee0w
"Running well as usual."896Please respect copyright.PENANAIusWEdwuze
"I should really pay him896Please respect copyright.PENANAyzHhLzDxd0
a visit. It's been such a long time. You have a really loving family. 896Please respect copyright.PENANA8FslyMHlPN
It's just sad that things aren't the way they are supposed to be."896Please respect copyright.PENANAAXxeRrQiOj
"I wonder what you mean by that," said Amanda.896Please respect copyright.PENANAxztXw453X9
"You know exactly what I mean," said Mrs McDonell as she raised her glass of orange juice to her lips.896Please respect copyright.PENANAY77jDpXHRQ
"I won't elaborate further." Amanda gave her daughter-in-law a wide smile.896Please respect copyright.PENANAljtnNvyYEL
Diana cleared her throat as she soon got her glass and drank her juice quickly.896Please respect copyright.PENANARuAXU1WViZ
"Kim, darling, since it's so nice having you around, you should be coming to visit us more often. I miss having you here."896Please respect copyright.PENANAkfyDtpLXlF
"That's very nice of you, Mrs McDonell. I'll be coming by more often."896Please respect copyright.PENANA4zLVoPiL2C
"That's nice, dear. Even after all that had happened, I still consider you to be family."896Please respect copyright.PENANA1X2qoc2flE
Leo was already done with his meal and he realised he had had enough for one night.896Please respect copyright.PENANAVLHNWo8JG5
"May you please, excuse me," he said as he slowly stood up from his chair.896Please respect copyright.PENANAkVVS9V6YUl
"But where are you going, Leo?" his mother asked.896Please respect copyright.PENANAawVfxIURoX
"I'm done eating, mum," said Leo. "I prefer I go to my room and rest before I start to finalise on some papers."896Please respect copyright.PENANAgtQMvpYSXc
"Well, I was really hoping you can stay around a bit and chat. There is no harm in doing so, is it?"896Please respect copyright.PENANAePfGwJy5pw
"I would really like to,896Please respect copyright.PENANAfHggkcbw3o
but I've had a long day. Kim," he turned to look at her. "I'm afraid 896Please respect copyright.PENANA8pNaL3o8pw
I'll have to leave you here at this point. I really have to go."896Please respect copyright.PENANAiRx9UAWB14
"Now, wait a minute, Leo," his mother's voice became a little intense. "It's wrong to leave your guest halfway through dinner."896Please respect copyright.PENANAIAdfbI1oEe
"Mum, most of us here 896Please respect copyright.PENANAglUgOt6Sjb
are already done with our meal. And may I need remind you that as much 896Please respect copyright.PENANA7IiljWY5Bj
as Kim and I have a history together, she's your guest tonight and not 896Please respect copyright.PENANAZYA3U57LrS
mine."896Please respect copyright.PENANAcFIG4m1K0z
Mrs McDonell grew pale. 896Please respect copyright.PENANAjLHGTrJpDy
She opened her mouth to say a word but not even a sound came out. Others896Please respect copyright.PENANAUm5NDXtmAX
at the table were either looking at each other or staring at their 896Please respect copyright.PENANAGXywbu67xi
almost empty plate, making sure not to stare at those talking at the 896Please respect copyright.PENANAWnsirGzVPb
moment.896Please respect copyright.PENANA1GZUyvSK05
"Let Leo be, Bertha," said Amanda. "He has a lot of work to do, so, he better go and rest."896Please respect copyright.PENANA1yNctUkaXN
"I didn't ask for your opinion," said Mrs McDonell.896Please respect copyright.PENANAsuxgF1IH9I
"But she's right though," said Mr McDonell.896Please respect copyright.PENANAlBCNPRvoN0
Before Mrs McDonell could say anything, Kim spoke up:896Please respect copyright.PENANA2zIuCjIhst
"It's fine, let it be. Leo must be very tired and has a lot of work to do."896Please respect copyright.PENANAiWqUnXse7Y
"Okay, dear," said Mrs McDonell, feeling a little disappointed. "You're free for now, Leo."896Please respect copyright.PENANANaX4oRvnXy
"For now or never?" Leo asked.896Please respect copyright.PENANADlcd2kZNbb
"Don't start, son."896Please respect copyright.PENANAMEpmC9ugvX
"May I remind you who started all this in the first place?"896Please respect copyright.PENANAWK7TCx4Yhu
Before his mother could reply, Leo already drew away from the table and left the dining room as quickly as he could.896Please respect copyright.PENANAtjRG7Ra8nW
"Well, he has no shame," said Mrs McDonell.896Please respect copyright.PENANA5JTuhp2LsF
"I think you've to adress that to someone else, don't you think?" Amanda asked.896Please respect copyright.PENANAVm3nHtG80z
"Goodness, just what I needed," Mrs McDonell raised her hands in the air.896Please respect copyright.PENANAHjB0pyJSmM
"I think I've had enough of this drama for one night," said Mr McDonell as he stood up from his seat.896Please respect copyright.PENANAZ26wDn6BDR
"Please take me with you, son," said Amanda. "Remember, we have a lot to discuss."896Please respect copyright.PENANANcqCQhkm3o
Mr McDonell left his seat and helped Amanda with dragging her wheelchair and they soon left the dining room.896Please respect copyright.PENANA8yILYh27tR
"We better start working on your homework, little man," said Angel, as she addressed Oliver, sounding like all is normal.896Please respect copyright.PENANAtBN6BBBL87
"Yes, let's go," said Oliver as he also stood up from the table.896Please respect copyright.PENANAkqXDFCfRqk
"I'll come and help," said Eric.896Please respect copyright.PENANAfmCGU83Gi8
"Me too," said Carly.896Please respect copyright.PENANA8DSg7b9GbV
Soon, Angel with the help of Eric, Oliver and Carly left the table, leaving Mrs McDonell, Diana and Kim at the table.
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