I nodded and allowed her to come in and go into the bathroom.
She was the one taking care of and in charge of the laundry, so I let her do whatever she needed to. Tying my hair up, I went into the bathroom to freshen up.
As the woman was taking out the clothes Anthony had worn yesterday, her body suddenly went stiff.
Instinctively, I turned to look at her and saw her holding a white shirt. There was a glaring, red lipstick stain on the collar.
“Mrs. Featherstone, maybe Mr. Featherstone…” Flora was at a loss for words. The atmosphere was awkward at that moment.
I flashed her an assuring smile. “It’s okay. Perhaps it was rubbed on the shirt accidentally. Go ahead and send it for cleaning.”
Lowering my head, I continued brushing my teeth and washing my face. To be honest, I was unfazed. After years of being together, I knew full well what kind of a man Anthony was.
When it came to loyalty and relationship, I had faith in him, and I wouldn’t doubt him only because of a small matter like this.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Flora left the room with the laundry.
After walking away for a short while, she retraced her steps and stood at the doorway. “Mrs. Featherstone, Mr. Featherstone isn’t that kind of man. Please don’t think too much.”
“We’ve known one another for eight years, so I know his character very well. I trust him,” I replied with a confident smile.
Then, she seemed relieved and walked out of the bedroom.
After having breakfast, I asked Flora to take care of Summer and headed to Hannah’s place.
It’s been almost half a year since I last saw her. On my way, I went to a shopping mall and bought some baby clothes as a gift for her child.
When I arrived, the baby, who was less than one year old, was crying unceasingly while Hannah held him in her arms to comfort him.
The woman saw me, and she couldn’t help but freeze for a second. Handing the baby to the caregiver, she strode over to me. “Why didn’t you tell me you’re coming? I could’ve picked you up. Have you eaten?”
“I ate before leaving my house,” I answered with a smile. My gaze landed on the baby. “Is he hungry?”
Hannah signed and complained, “He just can’t stop crying, whining about every little thing. This boy is even more attention-seeking than a girl.”
Staring at her blissful face, I was overcome with envy. “He’s still a baby. I believe he’ll be fine once he grows older.”
I held back my urge to carry him and gave Hannah the gifts instead.
Holding my hand, the woman babbled on while taking me into the living room and updated me about her current life.
After leaving Hannah’s place, I didn’t know where to go, wandering on the street. Then, I saw an old man selling sausages in an alley. The scene made me hark back to my past.
Walking over, I asked for a few sausages, and the old man said, “Miss, we have tacos and potato wedges. Do you want to buy them too?”
Looking at his tanned and kind face, I couldn’t resist nodding my head. “Okay.”
As I was about to pay, I found that my bag had no purse, but only a phone and a few bank cards. It’s been years since I stopped bringing cash with me when I go out. My face turned red with embarrassment.
The old man seemed to have noticed my situation and said with a grin. “It’s alright. I’m here every day. You can pay me whenever you pass by again.”
I looked down at the food in my hands, which cost about ten bucks. Afterward, I handed the food back to him. “I’m sorry, I have no cash with me now.”
However, he refused to take it back. “Miss, just take it, it’s on me. If you like it, you can come often.”
I’m never the one who could bring myself to reject others’ kindness, so I nodded my head and took the bag of food. My cheeks heated up again.
After thanking him, I took a seat in the alley and started eating the sausages and taco leisurely.
Staring at the golden potato wedges, I was too full to eat anymore, but it brought back my childhood memories.
The land in R Province was cultivable. Every year during spring, Grandma planted two acres of maize. From soil preparation to sowing to manuring to irrigation, I had to be there to give her a hand. On our way back, we dug up some potatoes to make potato wedges.
Sometimes, we roasted them over the fire. When they were cooked, the dark, burnt skin was peeled and the golden potatoes smelled appetizing. With Grandma’s homemade sauce, they were the most delicious food I had ever eaten.
At that time, she often wiped the ashes on the tip of my nose and laughed. “When Letty gets married, I’ll help you take care of your baby and feed the little one roasted potato as well.”
My eyes misted over in reminiscence. A passer-by saw tears trickle down my cheeks. He handed me a packet of tissue and consoled me out of sympathy.
“Hey, I don’t know what you’re going through. But you’re still young and have plenty of time ahead of you. No matter what problem you’re facing, hang on and don’t give up. Eventually, it’ll pass. Cry it out, then start again.”
Taking the tissue from him, I nodded gratefully. With a faint smile, I gave him the potatoes wedges in return. “Thank you.”
After pulling myself together, I ambled along the street instead of hailing a cab.
Suddenly, my phone rang with a call from Anthony. “Shall we eat lunch together?”
Glancing up at the sky, I actually felt that the weather in K City was getting warmer. Lifting my hand to shield my eyes from the dazzling sunlight, I stared at the leaves on a tree blankly.
“I’m going to visit Aunt Sally.”
Pausing briefly, he said, “Flora told me that you didn’t drive when you left the house. Be careful as you move about.”
“Okay,” I replied while nodding my head before hanging up.
It was past noon. I hailed a cab and headed South.
Sally’s house wasn’t too far away. When I walked into the yard, she was about to have her lunch.
The woman was surprised when she saw me. “Lucky you! You’re here just in time for lunch.”
With that said, she stood up and took another set of utensils for me.
“Let’s eat together,” she looked at me and said.
I grinned at her and sat at the table. “Mmm… It looks yummy.”
After lunch, Sally wanted to take a walk, so she took me and strolled around the house.
There were many people in her neighborhood. A young lady was holding her baby under the sun. She was grinning from ear to ear while playing with the baby.
A moment later, the young lady went away. Holding my hand, Sally said expectantly, “Anthony and you need to buck up and have another baby. I’m not working now, so I can’t wait to look after your baby.”
She paused for a second and glanced at me in contemplation. “Both Anthony and you are good-looking. I’m sure your baby will be beautiful and even more adorable than Anthony when he was young.”
She chuckled while letting her imagination run wild.
I plastered on a smile, but my heart felt heavy.
After we went back to her house, Sally took some clothes to the backyard, and I trailed behind her.
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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