Reaching out to touch Zack’s face, Serena said to herself, “You’re an unlucky one. I wanted to pack two big chicken thighs and bring them home for you to eat, but I just couldn’t grab them.”
Leaning down to give a peck on his handsome face, she then got up to prepare breakfast.
Today, they were going to Whitmore Mansion.
Recalling her dream in which she could not manage to pack up the chicken thighs for Zack, Serena immediately went out to buy chicken thighs and reward Zack for breakfast.
It was raining outside and the wind was blowing, which made it especially chilly.
Carrying an umbrella, Serena ran to her car and hurriedly got into it after unlocking it. After she started the car, she turned on the heater and slowly warmed up.,
Luckily, the supermarket would only close its doors in the afternoon of Christmas Eve.
Serena went to the supermarket and bought two big chicken thighs. She liked to eat chicken wings, so she bought two pieces for herself and some other things before returning home.
Zack was still asleep even after she reached home.
As Serena prepared breakfast in the kitchen, she muttered, “Last night, he went to God–knows–where to do God–knows–what, and now still hasn’t woken up.”
Zack still had not come out when Serena finished preparing breakfast.
She entered the room and looked at the man lying on the bed for a long moment before reaching out to put her hand under his nostrils to check if he was breathing. She then felt his forehead. He was still alive and didn’t have a fever either.
“He didn’t just come back this morning, did he? Why is he sleeping so much?”
Serena mumbled but did not shake Zack awake. Instead, she began to pack their clothes. Once he woke up and had breakfast, they could leave.
Ring, ring, ring…
Liberty was calling.
“Hey, Liberty.”
“Have you and Zack left yet?”
“Not yet. He’s still sleeping. We’ll leave once he wakes up and has his breakfast. What’s up?”
Liberty said, “Then wait for me at home. I’ll go over there right now. I prepared some gifts for you two but I forgot to pass them to you.”
“Liberty, there’s no need. It’s raining outside and the wind is blowing hard. It’s freezing out there and you don’t have a car! Mrs. Lane’s not around either. If you bring Sonny out with you, Sonny will get frostbite. If you really want to give us something, when Zack and I call you on New Year’s Day, you can just send us some Apple cash. It’s the thought that counts.”
Wiltspoon’s tradition of gift–giving was all about well–intentions; how much the gift cost did not matter. Normally, gifts would cost about ten to twenty dollars. Even the closest relative gave gifts in the range of two hundred dollars. This was not exclusive to Wiltspoon and applied to just about the whole province. The area was famous in the country for giving the cheapest gifts.
Liberty thought about it for a moment before saying, “That’s fine by me too.”
“Liberty, are you really not coming with us?”
“No, it’s enough for me to spend the holidays with just Sonny. Now that I don’t have to cook for the whole family and serve them constantly, I’ll take advantage of this time when my breakfast cafe hasn’t opened yet to bring Sonny for proper sightseeing out and about Wiltspoon.”
All the while she was married to Hank, she had not been out to sightsee.
Every day, her life revolved around her husband and son. Every holiday she would follow her husband back to his old family home and even have to take care of their whole family’s three meals a day.
Especially in the past few winter holidays, when they spent it at Hank’s old family home and his relatives and friends came to visit, the house would be filled with people but she alone would be bustling in the kitchen. Sometimes, when Sonny cried and had a tantrum, she even had to cook for everyone while carrying Sonny on her back.
Moreover, after she was done busying about the kitchen, the others would not wait for her to join them before digging in because she still had to feed Sonny first after finishing up in the kitchen. Once she was done doing that, there would only be a little bit of food left for her on the table.
Thinking back on the slightly more than three years of married life, even Liberty herself did not know how she had managed to endure it.
After getting divorced, Liberty felt that her past self was incredibly foolish. She gave her all because she loved Hank, but all her efforts were wasted.
“That’s fine by me too, but it has been raining lately. The temperature keeps dropping, so when you take Sonny out, make sure to bundle up a little more. I’ll leave the car for you to use. When we depart later, I’ll send the car keys over to you.”
Liberty did not reject her sister.
She continued to advise Serena on a few more things before hanging up.
“Seren, who were you talking to?” Zack woke up slowly, happened to see Serena shove her phone into the pocket of her jacket, and asked.
Serena turned her head to glance at him. “You’re awake. Where did you sneak off last night? You probably only came back when the sun rose, didn’t you? You slept so soundly. Usually, you would have long gone to work at this hour. Anyway, my sister called just now. She said she’d prepared some gifts, forgot to pass them to us, and wanted to send them over.
“It’s raining and it’s cold outside, so I asked her not to come over.”
The husband and wife did not lack money, but they simply had some habits that remained.
The husband and wife were not lacking money but simply honoring the customary seasonal gifting.
“I didn’t go anywhere last night. I met Morpheus with you. Maybe it’s because the weather is cold and it’s so warm under the covers. Plus, it’s the holidays. My whole being is so relaxed I couldn’t resist sleeping in.”
Zack got off the bed and walked to Serena, hugging her from behind. “Are the things all packed? I don’t need to bring any clothes with me. It is my home, after all- there are clothes there I can change into. You should bring a few more sets yourself.”
“Oh, that’s true. I even helped you pack quite a few sets of clothes. It took up too much space.”
Serena immediately removed his clothes from the suitcase.
“Go and freshen up. Breakfast is ready. Once you’re done washing up and we’ve had breakfast, we can depart. You said it’s quite far, so we should leave a little earlier.”
“Give me a kiss.”
“Why should I give you a kiss? Can’t you give me a kiss?”
Zack laughed and turned her around, leaning down to kiss her red lips.
Her pale hand, however, covered his lips.
“Kiss me only after you’ve brushed your teeth,” Serena said as she pushed him away, turning to zip up the luggage.
Zack was speechless.
He had just been repelled by his wife.
“While you’re at it, remember to shave your scruff off so you don’t poke people with it.”
Serena pulled the luggage with her as she left the room.
Then, she watered the flowers and fed her three pets.
The three pets would also have to be sent over to her sister’s to be taken care of for a while.
“I’m coming, Honey.”
After Zack had brushed his teeth, shaved his face clean, and came out from the room, he called for his beloved wife, “Hurry and let me kiss you.”
Serena came out of the kitchen while carrying the breakfast she had already finished preparing.
Zack approached her and she passed the plate with the two big chicken thighs on it to him. He accepted it and pecked her quickly before following her to the table, satisfied.
“Why are there two chicken thighs today?”
Serena smiled as she sat down. “Last night, I dreamt someone treated me to a meal and the food was super delicious. I ate for a whole night until there were two big chicken thighs left, which I hadn’t eaten. I wanted to pack them up to bring home for you, but no matter what i did, I couldn’t grab ahold of them.
“I only realized it was a dream once I woke up, but I still wanted to give you two chicken thighs to eat.”
Zack was at a loss for words.
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.