Zoey smiled shallowly and stroked KK’s little head, “Don’t worry, it’s just a little cold, it’s gone now.”
“Oh.” The two children sighed in relief, “So when will Uncle come to play with us?”
Zoey smiled slightly, “Tomorrow, okay?”
“Yeah! Tomorrow!” The two little ones cheered excitedly.
Yami Hu’s complex eyes glanced at the two little things and then at Tian Qing, “Your father is in the study, go up and talk to him, he’s been waiting for you.”
“Oh.” Zoey responded softly and jitterily made her way up the stairs. Taking a deep breath before pushing open the door to the study and entering.
Inside the study, Sam Baker stood by the bookshelf flipping through a book. Seeing his daughter enter, he gave Zoey a slight sideways glance, “Back?”
“Dad already ate?” Zoey asked tentatively.
“Uh-huh.” Sam Baker responded, closing the book in his hand and walking over toward Zoey. His demeanor is so somber that Zoey can’t tell what emotions he’s feeling at the moment. “I heard from your mom that you’re taking the kids to identify with him.”
“He loved his children and they loved him. I don’t think I have the right to deprive him of his right to be a father, and there’s no way I can hide it from the children any longer. I’m afraid, in the future, they will resent me.”
Sam Baker looked at Zoey , “Have you thought this through? If he’s this attentive to you now, it’s only for the baby …”
“Dad, I want to trust him again.”
The firmness of her eyes, the righteousness of her eyes caused Sam Baker to quake slightly for a moment. After a long moment of silence, he opened his mouth and continued, his tone slightly heavy: “How long will he, how long will he live?”
The question was blunt and brutal.
Zoey bottom of her eyes floated out a trace of pain, “half a year …” to say these two words, as if it took all the strength of her body. This answer, like a sharp knife, in her chest to pull out a thin blood marks.
“What are your plans?” Sam Baker looked at his daughter, paused, and then added, “If those are your choices, there’s nothing your mom and I can do to stop you. But, you have to have the courage to take the consequences!”
Zoey nods, “I want … to take good care of him for the next six months. And also, I want, for him to spend time with the children. Maybe … that will help his condition.”
“Well, go on out then.” Sam Baker glanced at his daughter, seemed concerned again, and added, “Talk to the kids nicely, don’t scare them.”
“I know. I’ll be going out then.” Zoey nods in acknowledgement and walks out of the study.
Walking down the long hallway and bending my head to look down, I saw the children and their mother sprawled out on the puzzle. The three heads were together, and the lighting made the whole picture incredibly harmonious. She cocked her head and couldn’t help but imagine that if she added him …
What kind of a picture would that be?
Couldn’t help but curl his lips and let out a light laugh. Did not call the children up, but went into the room to change into a set of home clothes. In the back of his mind, he was all thinking, in a while, what should he say to the children?
It was a question that had been thought about over and over again, since eight months ago, and yet, when it came time to actually say it, it was surprising to feel this nervous. If he were to say it himself, it would only be harder to be at peace.
Zoey smiled, then remembered the gift Jerry Xiao had given her yesterday. Where did she throw it? Yesterday, she was dragged in and rushed around, and she didn’t even notice the gift.
Running out of the room, she headed downstairs, asking as she ran, “Mom, did you see the gift I got yesterday? It looks like I threw it on the couch.”
The two children raised their little faces. Nini was elfin and quirky, “Is that a gift from Uncle for Zoey?”
“Well, seeing as how Zoey was in such a hurry, I knew it had to be!” KK nodded with certainty.
The two of them sang in unison, making Zoey’s mouth twitch. Yami Hu got up from the puzzle, “You, you’re still as fussy as ever. Is it that delicate gift box? I put it away for you. Wait!”
“Thanks mom.” Zoey breathed a sigh of relief and watched as Yami Hu went upstairs. Zoey bowed her head and spoke to the two children, “Mommy is going to sleep with you tonight, I have a surprise for you.” .
“Surprise?” Nini cocked her little head in anticipation.
KK narrowed his eyes, “Sure it wasn’t a shock?”
Zoey shrugged, “I hope not.”
“Well, let’s look forward to it slightly!” KK spread his hands.
Zoey smiled and followed Yami Hu upstairs. Leaving Nini with a curious look on her face, “KK, what is Zoey going to surprise us with?”
KK held her chin and thought hard for a moment, looking sideways at Nini, “Do you remember me telling you about Uncle before?”
“What is it? KK and I have talked about Uncle many times! Where do I remember so much?”
“You’re stupid!” KK curled his fingers and flicked her on the side of the head, “Didn’t I tell you before that Uncle could be our daddy?”
“Huh? Oh!” Nini seemed to remember then, her eyes deftly twirling before crystalizing, “KK means Zoey’s going to give us a daddy tonight?!”
“And it’s very likely … that this daddy is still an uncle!” KK nodded squarely.
“Oh! Then I’ll stop playing and just go to bed now.” Nini simply dropped the puzzle in her hand and was about to leave. KK’s little mouth twitched and tugged at her, “Can’t you just calm down?”
“Gee whiz … people want daddy, not fade!” Nini said, domineeringly putting away the puzzle all in one bone and holding it in her arms. Ignoring KK’s protests, she ordered, “You’re not allowed to play with it either! Quickly, let’s go and get cleaned up. Just wash and hurry up to bed and sleep and sleep!”
“Got it …”
KK also got up from the ground. In fact, the heart has long been beating unbearably, but, do not dare to be too happy. I’m really afraid that the happier I get, the more I’ll lose!
What if Zoey says something other than that, or if some other daddy pops up, then what’s he going to do, Nini, she’s going to cry, right? He’ll just pretend he’s fainted!
Thinking so, KK always fades.
Opening the small brocade box, Zoey froze for a few moments when she saw the earrings lying there. She hadn’t expected them at all …
A gift from her brother, and one that had seen her through to him. Hadn’t it been lost by Nabi Yan? How come he has it now?
She smiled away, holding the two little things in her hands and looking at them again and again, her heart pounding. Before, it had seemed meaningful because it was a gift from her brother, and now, the meaning was obviously another layer deeper.
“How come it’s so similar to the gift your brother used to give you, so similar?” Yami Hu looked strangely at the pair of earrings and her daughter’s surprised and touched expression.
“Not similar, just the pair.” Zoey smiles shallowly and puts the earrings back in the box.
Yami Hu didn’t know the story and didn’t ask any more questions. Zoey put the brocade box in her pocket and looked at Yami Hu, “Mom, starting tomorrow, I want the kids to stay at his place.”
Yami Hu looked back at her in surprise, his brows furrowing.
“Of course, the children will be back often. If you miss them, I’ll bring them right back.” Zoey said hurriedly.
“What’s your decision here?”
Zoey shook her mother’s hand and looked a little heavy, “Mom, he’s not in good health, as you can see. The doctor said that in his current state …”
Speaking here, Zoey paused for a moment. His voice was a little choked, but he forced himself to suppress the tears in his eyes and squeezed out a farfetched smile before he finally found his voice to continue, “The doctor said that maybe … only half a year is left. This half a year … I want to let him and the children, have no regrets.”
Six months?
He’s only got six months to live?
This fact made even Yami Hu freeze for a moment. It was hard to imagine what it would be like to have a living, breathing person disappear completely after six months. It was too cruel for anyone to imagine. I’m afraid it’s even worse for Zoey. …
Yami Hu was heartbroken for her daughter and realized that she simply couldn’t find any more reasons to oppose her decision.
“There’s no excuse for what you did. Blame him for what he did, but it was a poor boy …”
Zoey didn’t say anything more, just lowered her red eyes.
Back in her room, Zoey’s heart was still full of worry. His chest was tight and his mind was full of traces of him. Wondering what he was doing now. When she left, he was too tired and had fallen asleep on the couch. I didn’t dare to wake him up, and I was afraid that he would think he had sneaked away again, so I deliberately left a note.
I wonder if he’s awake now …
Zoey took out her cell phone and wanted to dial it, but she was worried that he didn’t wake up and she made a noise, so she snapped and wanted to take the phone back. However, just at this moment, the cell phone unexpectedly rang at first. Her heart skipped a beat, and she took the phone out almost immediately, and when she scanned the number on the screen, she instantly smiled.
Without hesitation, the phone was immediately picked up.
“Why did you leave again without a word?” Jerry Xiao’s voice came from the other end, with the laziness of just waking up, sounding sexy and charming with a little bit of sadness.
He realized that waking up with the person he thought would always be in his arms, suddenly disappearing, was a really bad, bad feeling. Even when he saw the little note she left, he still couldn’t help but lose it. Hating that every minute of every moment of waking up, she could be beside him.
Just open your eyes and you can see. Just raise your hand and you can hold it. …
“I left you a little note, did you see it?”
“Yes.” His voice, muffled, was clearly a little upset. The note, how was that enough?
“Go to bed when you wake up, and don’t sleep on the couch, lest you wake up sore all over in the morning.” Zoey admonished him.
“I’m afraid, I won’t be able to sleep tonight.”
“Sleep even if you can’t, you need to get well.”
“Well … take the kids to barbecue tomorrow, the tools haven’t even been bought yet, I’ll go to the supermarket in a while and buy it well.” Anyway, it’s still early. But it’s only a little after 7 o’clock.
The nights without her were unbearably long. How can I sleep?
“No, I’ll just get it in the morning.” Zoey hated to take all of his business upon herself. As long as he was resting and everything.
Jerry Xiao was over there, sighing so helplessly, so hopelessly, “Zoey , I’m just a patient, not an invalid. Don’t be so nervous, okay?”
“But …,” Zoey tried to say something and said nothing after all, but could only compromise, “Well then, just buy it at the supermarket not far from your house.”
“Uh-huh. Mustn’t have gone far.” Jerry Xiao didn’t want her to worry too much either.
“I did see the gift you gave me.” Zoey said suddenly.
“Not really what I bought, the loaner flowers, but it does mean a lot for the little things.”
“I always thought they were lost by Nabi. Why do you have them?” Zoey asked.