He took her hand and interlocked their fingers. Their hearts were of one accord.
“When my sister’s diner opens in two days, I’m definitely going over to help. Let’s just stay at the manor for a night and come back first thing in the morning on the opening day.”
Serena had long learned that the Yorks were not living in Whitmore Mansion, the residence they stayed in during the New Year’s holidays. The Yorks had cleaned up the place and moved back in just to deceive her.
Lying was hard work!
Zack replied fondly, “Alright, I’ll listen to you. Anyway, it’s our home. We can go back whenever we want to and stay however long we wish.”
Serena was about to take the apron off him while saying, “I’ll go make dinner.”
“There’s no need. I only have two more dishes to cook, then I’m done. You should just sit here and appreciate the blooms while I finish up.”
Zack stopped her, not allowing her to enter the kitchen.
Serena then kissed him on the cheek.
Zack felt happiness blossom in his heart.
He returned to the kitchen to continue cooking with elation.
“Babe.”
Serena knew he liked to hear her call him “babe”. She would indulge him while they were at home. “You invited Josh and Mr. Lewis to the barbecue but I don’t think that’s enough people. Why don’t you invite Mr. Johnson too?”
“I’ll invite Jasmine and Elisa. I’ll ask Liberty if she wants to come along.”
Zack’s voice drifted out from the kitchen, “Okay. I’ll call Mr. Johnson in a bit and ask him to come to the barbecue tomorrow.”
Serena first called her sister.
After her sister picked up, she asked, “Liberty, have you eaten?”
“I’m eating right now. I’m still in the shop.”
“I just knew you would still go to the shop.”
When they got back from their hometown, it had only been four in the afternoon. Her sister was currently as busy as a bee and would naturally be unwilling to waste those few hours.
Liberty laughed and asked her sister, “Have you and Zack eaten?”
“He’s cooking right now. Liberty, we’re going to his family home tomorrow. He’s invited a few friends to come for a barbecue. Do you want to come with Sonny?”
Liberty immediately responded, “I still have a lot of things to do and I’m opening the day after tomorrow. Although everything is prepared, I still feel like there are a lot of loose ends for me to tie up. But, I’ve also never been to your in-laws’ home. I really want to visit.”
Tania had yet to contact Liberty and Mrs. Stone. Liberty was still internally a little worried that her sister’s in-laws were dissatisfied with her sister in some aspect.
Tania was still preparing the supplements to be gifted to Alice as well as gifts for Liberty. She intended to pick a good day to invite Liberty out for a meal for both families to meet officially and discuss the couple’s wedding.
As a result, she had not contacted Liberty yet.
“Zack will arrange for Mrs. Lane and Jim to go over and help out. If you have anything more you need to buy, make a list. Once they’re there, you can just hand it over to them to help you buy. Liberty, let’s go there together then.”
“Alright. I’ll bring Sonny with me.”
Liberty could not leave the store behind, but going to the Yorks’ home to meet the parents on behalf of her deceased parents was a little more important than what she had at hand.
Since her brother-in-law had all the bases covered, she would just hand it over to Mrs. Lane and Jim to handle the store while she would bring her son with her to the Yorks’ family home.
“Seren, Sonny wants to talk to you.”
When the little guy found out his aunt was on the line, he kept tugging at his mother’s sleeve, wanting to talk to her.
Liberty handed the phone to her son and he immediately took the phone and said sweetly, “Aunt Ser.”
“Sonny, are you having dinner? Are you full? What did Mommy cook for you?”
Sonny said happily, “It’s not Mom’s cooking. It’s the food Dad brought Sonny to buy. It’s delicious, but Mom didn’t eat it. Mom’s just eating vegetables.”
Liberty was still trying to lose weight. She would not eat meat during dinnertime and only a little bit of meat during lunch.
“Your dad came again?”
That Hank really was clingy and would not leave them alone.
What a family of oddballs.
“Dad brought Sonny to play in the park.”
Serena asked him, “Has Dad left already?”
“Dad’s gone back already. He said he’ll come again tomorrow to take me out to play. I wanna go to the zoo and Dad said he would bring me there. Aunt Ser, do you want to come with me to the zoo tomorrow?”
Hank took Sonny out to play for a while and the little guy was really happy. Now, he only had his father on his mind and kept talking about him.
Serena laughed and said, “Aunt Ser is going to a barbecue tomorrow. Your mom’s going too. Do you want to come, Sonny?”
Without any hesitation, Sonny replied, “I want to go! Then I’m not going to the zoo with Dad anymore.”
Both the aunt and nephew went back and forth with questions and answers, happily chatting away. Serena only ended the call after a long while, then proceeded to call Jasmine and Elisa, inviting them to go on a road trip to Wildridge Manor together the next day.
It was said that Wildridge Manor was captivating and was a scenic area, but of course, not just anyone could get invited to Wildridge Manor.
“Honey, it’s time to eat,” Zack called out toward the balcony as he brought the last two dishes out from the kitchen to place on the dining table.
Serena hurriedly ended her call to Elisa and got up as she responded to Zack, turning to walk back into the living area.
She walked to the dining table and saw that her favorite fresh prawns were on tonight’s menu. She reached out to pick one up and put it into her mouth.
“You peeled the prawns.”
“Uh-huh. It took a bit of effort.”
When she reached out once more to pick something else to eat, Zack lightly smacked her hand.” You’re already an adult but you’re still taking food with your hands.”
Serena giggled and picked another prawn up to put into her mouth. Only then did she enter the kitchen to grab the utensils and plates.
The couple was just about to sit down and eat when they heard the sound of the door opening.
Nana was back.
She smelled the aroma of the food as she entered the house and she asked as she walked over, “Are you eating dinner? Who cooked? It smells divine!”
The old lady naturally entered the kitchen and brought a set of utensils and tableware out with her as she said, “Guess I’m back right on time for some delicious food.”
“Nana.”
Serena pulled out a chair for the old lady before taking the bowl from her to serve her some soup.
Meanwhile, Zack helped serve Grandma May some couscous.
He would know the usual amount to scoop for his nana.
“You weren’t at home the whole day today. Where did you wander off to?”
Both Zack and Serena were attentive and filial, which made the old woman really happy. After hearing the question, she said, “Zack, can you not use the word ‘wander’? I was off doing some serious business.”
Zack grabbed a piece of salmon and thoughtfully checked for tiny bones before placing it onto Grandma May’s plate. “What serious business could you be up to? Aren’t you just devising ways to fool other families’ precious daughters into marrying your foolish grandsons?”
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.