Zachary sighed emotionally. “People do change.”
Diarmuid did not answer, having turned toward Abigail in the distance.
She seemed to be plucking something, but she was too far for him to see.
When he got to his feet, however, Zachary promptly stopped him, “Where are you going? Can’t you let her leave for a moment?
You’re too clingy for a husband!”
Diarmuid shot him a look. “And you’re too talkative.”
“You have happiness now, so you’re not letting me talk?!” Zachary snorted in annoyance, but he got up too. “Wait. I’m coming too-let’s see what Abigail’s up to. It’s boring being alone, you know!”
He suddenly broke into a run toward Abigail, even yelling,” What are you plucking there, Abigail?”
Abigail turned and said, “Raspberries.”
Zachary pursed his lips. “Did you identify them right? They could be poison berries.”
“Did you ever attend med school?” Abigail asked him in return. “Can’t you identify that much?”
Zachary walked up and got lucky, but it really was raspberries.
He then picked up one from Abigail and put it in his mouth-it really was sweet.
“There is more growing over here.”
The red raspberries dangling on the soft branches were especially conspicuous, and Tommy was tugging on Abigail’s sleeve, asking for one.
Abigail did not give it to him, since it was not washed.
Diarmuid walked up to her just then and scooped Baby up in his arms.
Zachary in turn asked Diarmuid, “You’ve never seen this, have you?”
Zachary was pointing at the strawberries, looking punchable with that smug look of his, though Diarmuid simply ignored him.
Diarmuid’s phone suddenly started ringing, so he whipped out his phone with one hand while holding Baby with the other.
He frowned-it was James.
Why was James calling him on the first day of his marriage?! Still, he answered, and James asked from the other end, ’ Where are you, Mr. Althoff? Your house is empty…”
Diarmuid frowned slightly as he replied, “We’re outside.”
“Where?” James pressed-there was no helping it, since Erin was complaining about being bored when they were supposed to spend the day together.
She then suggested visiting Abigail and taking Tommy outside to play, only to arrive at their lodgings to find it empty.
Diarmuid asked in return, “You have a lot of free time today, huh?”
James was a little speechless-he should indeed be spending time together with his new bride.
He could not help sighed feebly as he glanced at Erin as she drove beside him, since she really preferred it lively.
“Pretty much,” he chuckled.
Diarmuid gave him the address. “Come over. I happen to have something to tell you.”
“Okay,” James replied cheerfully.
As soon as he lowered his phone, Erin asked impatiently, “Where did they go? They should stay at home…”
James turned toward her. “What, are they supposed to wait there for you?”
Erin smiled-it was just bad phrasing.
Still, James told her where they went, after which she frowned and grumbled “What are they doing there out in the wild? I mean,
I’ve been there myself, but there’s just a lake and nothing else. And they even brought the kids there…”
While she was left perplexed, James told her, “Don’t get distracted. Eyes on the road.”
Erin pouted. “I’m riding shotgun once you’re better.”
“Fine,” James chuckled.
With that, they drove steadily on and alighted as they arrived, when they smelled the scent of food even before they saw anyone.
“Why is there a smoky smell?” Erin asked, a little confused, though James had a hunch.
That was when Erin saw people behind the words and started to hurry when she remembered that James could not walk that well yet.
She stopped and turned to wrap a hand around his arm, and he patted it.” I’m fine. You don’t have to hold me up like this-if anyone did not know better, they would think that I’m too old to move.”
“You’re not old. I’m just worried you’d aggravate your leg and cause a permanent disability,” Erin said.
“Are you going to leave me if that happens?” James asked.
“Maybe,” Erin joked.
James pretended to be disappointed. “Well, I guess women are all pragmatic.”
Erin smacked his wounded leg in turn. ‘You’d better recover soon, so that I wont have to dump you.”
And with that, she let him go and strode off.
She was beside herself with joy when she saw the grill set and the food, complaining, “Tommy, how could you not invite me when you came?”
Tommy liked her too and promptly handed her a huge skewer of freshly grilled meat. “Here, Aunt Erin.”
Erin quickly took it, just as Abigail and the others returned and handed her some of the freshly plucked raspberries. “Try some.”
Erin did not hold back at all, picking up a raspberry and stuffing it in her mouth before she finished her meat.
It was hardly an orthodox way to eat it, but it simply tasted different like that.
She smiled. “The raspberries are quite good.”
Abigail pretended to make a face and asked, “Can you actually taste it?”
Erin simply smiled. “Why didn’t you call me when you’re all enjoying yourselves here?”
Abigail glanced at James nearby. “You have a lot of free time today, huh?”
That was exactly what Diarmuid said.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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