After getting dressed, I put on some make-up and blow-dried my hair. It had been a long time since I glammed up, and my hair had grown to reach my waist. Sitting at my dressing table, I simpered as I was quite pleased with my hairdo.
Frankly speaking, I didn’t remember losing any hair. It was still as dark and thick as ever. My skin and smile looked brighter, and in fact, I appeared more relaxed than before.
I had heard from some elderly people that when a couple became more charming, it was a sign that they were getting more compatible, and things would only get better.
Now that I thought about it, it did have some truth in it. Anthony and I had been together for years. Hence, we’d seen it all and also endured multiple hardships. Yet, things seemed to have just begun falling into place, and everything was just blissful.
Not only that, but we were also seemingly becoming better versions of ourselves. When I reminisced about the past, there were only sweet memories.
By the time I got downstairs, Anthony had prepared some fist for breakfast. He waved at me excitedly while reaching out for the utensils. “Come over and try this!” Everything seemed so natural.
However, I felt a little surreal when our stories unfolded so well. Although Anthony and I had just started our relationship not too long ago, I felt that we had been through multiple cycles of ups and downs.
As I was staring into space blankly, he smiled at me and asked, “What are you thinking about? Come over.”
His words interrupted my thoughts. I took a seat at the dining table and then looked at him in disbelief. “When did you learn how to make fish soup? It looks delicious.”
He scooped a bowl of soup for me. “I tried it once by chance in A City and liked it. So, I wanted to make some and share it with you.”
Accepting the bowl from him, I took a sip and complimented him, “Congratulations, Mr. Featherstone, your cooking skills have improved!”
He served me some eggs. “Bon appétit.” Is that a bashful smile?
With a gleeful grin, I lowered my head. Everyone acts differently when they’re in love. Take Anthony and me for example, we’re a couple who enjoys simplicity. Yet, it’s all these trivial things that help us build solid memories.
After breakfast, Anthony drove us out of the villa. Sitting on the passenger seat, I looked out at the landscape through the car window. The gloomy horizon in K City had finally cleared up, revealing a bright sky that was scintillatingly blue.
“It’s so rare to see a sunny day when it’s almost the end of the month. Oh yeah, Christmas is just around the corner. I wonder if it will snow by then.” It usually snowed in K City. I’m sure it’ll make the joyous seasons even merrier.
As I thought further, I started making plans for Christmas. We’d never really celebrated Christmas over the years.
Meanwhile, Anthony continued driving, his eyes fixed serenely on the road. “Do you have any Christmas present in mind?”
Pursing my lips, I looked at him sideways. “Mr. Featherstone, have you noticed what has become of us? Our lives are too mundane and dull, just like a couple who have lived together for decades. There’s no longer any excitement.”
Furrowing his brows, he pulled over. His deep eyes stared at me. “So, you’re trying to tell me that we should seek pleasure?”
Seeing that he had pulled over suddenly, I could not help but ask, “Why did you stop the car out of the blue? Aren’t we heading to Aunt Sally’s?”
He leaned over and quipped, “Let’s delve deeper into this business.”
“What business?”
“Pleasure-seeking business!”
I was stupefied and then broke out into laughter. “That’s not what I meant. I just wanted to tell you that we’re doing good. You…”
“Which part is good?” He looked me in the eyes and teased openly. I was taken aback for a moment and glared at him in the next minute. “Can you stop, Anthony?”
He was surprised at my sudden roar. “I’m just saying. Don’t overthink things. Aren’t we on our way to see Aunt Sally? What if there’s bad traffic ahead? With you pulling over now, when will we be able to arrive at her house?”
He was still in a daze. Thus, I pushed him back to his seat and continued, “Focus on the road and stop dreaming!”
Heeding my call, he ignited the engine again. As the car was revved to life, he turned to me with knitted brows. “When did you learn the trick of changing a topic so fast?”
Pretending to be ignorant, I tried to divert his attention, “What about? Did I? I was just reminding you to stay focused on a task and not to run wild with your imagination, okay?”
As I spoke, I gently moved his face to the front, gesturing him to concentrate on his driving. Then, I said sternly, “Anyway, it was just a passing comment. Don’t take it to heart. If you continue behaving like this, it’s hard for me to chat with you about anything under the sky.”
“Okay!” he replied attentively, like a fool.
Sally had since moved back to K City. Thankfully, the journey was quite smooth as the distance was short.
She bought a condominium in a residential area located in the city center. When we arrived, we were greeted by Sally and Jim. They had been waiting for us downstairs. With a faint smile, Sally asked, “Were you stuck in traffic? We’ve been waiting for you for such a long time. Come, let’s go upstairs!”
Holding my hand, Anthony and I greeted Jim with a nod and followed them to their house.
It was a three-bedroom unit. Though not very large in size, it was very cozy. There was a vase of vibrant flowers on the television cabinet. I could not tell if they were real or fake, but the bright colors seemed too good to be true.
“Those are handmade flowers by your Aunt Sally. She gathered some twigs from the neighborhood and then made the flowers out of tissue paper, dyed them in colors, and voila, she turned them into a unique decoration piece,” Jim took the time to share with me.
I was very impressed and approached it for a closer look. From afar, they looked just like real flowers.
Anthony followed suit and smiled lightly. “It’s hard to tell that these are fake if you don’t examine it carefully.”
Sally joined us after serving the dishes. “Jim blended the colors excellently. That’s how they can look identical to the real ones. C’mon, let’s dig in. I have some more of those flowers in my bedroom. I’ll let you bring some home later.”
At the table, Sally gazed at us while serving us. “I see that Featherstone Corporation has expanded very well. It’s operating at a large scale now and has a very solid foundation. You two should start focusing on building your own little family. I mean, you need to spice things up. Don’t just leave Summer with the Moores. You need to keep her by your side more, educate, and develop her as she grows up. Don’t be lazy.”
Feeling ashamed of myself, I nodded profusely. “Noted, Aunt Sally.”
We should have kept Summer with us more. There’re too many things going on earlier, but I guess it’s time to bring her home now.
While I was still thinking about this, Sally ran to the bathroom all of a sudden, leaving Anthony and me perplexed. Jim calmly followed her in, and they took a while before returning to the table.
I blurted, “Did you eat something bad and have a tummy upset, Aunt Sally?”
Smiling, Sally explained, “I’m all right. This is just a temporary symptom. Things will get better after a month or two.” She took her seat.
Jim served her some dishes and took care of all her needs.
Anthony stayed silent at the side. Meanwhile, I frowned at him. He’s such a log, not knowing how to care for his aunt.
After lunch, Jim and Anthony enjoyed a good cuppa while Sally and I watched television after doing the dishes. Suddenly, Sally pulled me aside and asked, “Letty, age is catching up with the both of you. Do you plan to have children?”
I was momentarily stunned by her abrupt question.
Upon hesitating, I answered, “Aunt Sally, I can’t conceive.”
Gasping, her smile stiffened as she said helplessly, “What a pity! Life must be tough on you two.”
I pressed my lips together tightly, unsure of how to reply. Let bygones be bygones.
After some time, Sally appeared to be unwell again. I asked again, “What’s wrong, Aunt Sally? How are you feeling?”
She shook her head slightly. “I’m okay. I’m too old for this, that’s why… Letty, have you thought about having a child through alternative means?”
I was completely baffled and tried to clarify, “Aunt Sally, we talked about this and…”
She interrupted me, “Test-tube baby, honey! Now that technology is so advanced, giving birth yourself isn’t the only way to have a baby. You can consider getting pregnant via in vitro fertilization since the walls of your ovaries are thin.”
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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