Amirah gave Nylah a pull at her hand, “He’s a bad guy, don’t praise him.”
Nylah blinked her eyes, inclining forward to Amirah and whispering in her ear, ” but it is really great.”
“Just so so. I don’t like it.”
“Then, what would you like to listen to?” Kingsley forgot that he was in a squabble with the girls one minute ago, and became curious about Amirah’s thoughts.
“Nobody In The World Is Better Than Mom,” Amirah grabbed Ronan’s shirt by the edge, “I want you to play this song, not this one.”
Abruptly, Ronan stopped his play. Looking at these kid, once again, he smiled. He laid his eyes at Amirah and said, “but first, you need to tell me who you are. Amirah or Nylah?”
“I’m Amirah, she’s Nylah.” her finger pointing at Nylah, Amirah seemed to have got used to answering questions like this. The two of them look so alike that it’s always difficult for others to distinguish one from the other.
“You are the elder sister, aren’t you?” with the violin being grabbed in his hand, Ronan squatted down in front of Amirah. He somehow just found her so adorable.
“yep, I didn’t know that you are quiet smart.”
Ronan was amused, “how come that would be smart?”
“Of course that is, it’s not like I have “I am the elder sister” written in my face. Just tell me, are you going to play Nobody In The World Is Better Than Mom for us or not？”
“Alright. But, from now on, you call me uncle Ronan, not Uncle Evil. You promise that and then I’ll play.”
“No! You are Uncle Evil!” Amirah was going to refute him but was anticipated by Nylah.
“Why? Come on, do I look evil?”
“You bullied mommy, you are a bad guy.”
Ronan laughed, and that made he looked so attractive. As if there were sunlight shedding onto his face. He didn’t respond her immediately, instead, he turned his face to the side so that Nylah could see the handprint that their mother left on his face. Pointing at the handprint, he asked Nylah, “look at this and tell me, who was bullied?”
“Uh…”now, the two girls were at a loss for words.
“Amirah, Nylah, come here, don’t be naughty.” Halle got a weird feeling hearing her girls calling Ronan uncle. But it seemed like that Ronan didn’t hate her babies. Suddenly, a thought just popped up in her head, “will he accept Amirah and Nylah if he knows that they’re his children?”
The thought of her daughters being called “bastards” by other kids always brought tears to her eyes.
“But mom, I want to listen to Nobody In The World Is Better Than Mom, I like that song.”
Amirah said, and her facial expression is suggesting that she’s determined to ask Ronan to play the song.
“Then, call him uncle.”
“no,” the girls were still reluctant to say that.
“well…”Ronan mused. He seemed to be disappointed by Nylah’s reaction. But shortly, he went,” How about this. Call me Godfather as you call Jaiden Hill”
“Well, but, one can only have one Godfather. Won’t that be a problem?” Amirah fell for his trap and didn’t even realize that he was trying to trick her.
Halle sighed. Now, no explanation could retrieve the situation. The secret that she had been keeping was now disclosed. Whatever, it is what it is now, she’s really tired of this. “Girls,” she beckoned at them, “strawberry ice-cream is on, you want to have it now, or let mom eat all of it?”
Right now, she really wanted to have their mouths gagged.
The girls hopped their way back to the table and hitched onto the chairs. They reached the ice-cream and moved it an inch close to them. Look at the ice-cream, it’s so inviting. Ronan, however, had been observing Halle. Noticing that she didn’t say anything about Jaiden being the girl’s Godfather, he knew clearly that the girls are not Jaiden’s children.
“Have as much ice-cream as you want, it’s on Godfather.”
“Ronan, you…”she rolled her eyes at him. All of a sudden, he just became somebody else. And his out-of-character behavior kind of discomfort her.
“Thank you, Godfather.”
“Thank you, Godfather.”
Amirah and Nylah were exhilarated. Ice-cream had always been their favorite. They even wanted a recording of what Ronan had just said. They’re going to indulge themselves in ice-cream.
Following Ronan’s words, the tune began, going through the hall peacefully.
Amirah and Nylah started to sing along with the tune, and sonn Kingsley joined with them. The entire hall was resonated with the sound of violin and kids singing. The scence was harmonious and Halle got trapped in it. If he accept the girl as his children, they would be happy. That moment, she had a sudden impulse to be a part of his life. If so, at least her girls wouldn’t be called bastards anymore.
Does that means agreeing being his woman will bring the kids happiness?
She did waver for a moment.
Not for herself, but for the girls.
Watching Ronan looking at Amirah and Nylah just kept making her heart beat faster and faster, “Amirah, Nylah, finish your ice-cream and we’ll go home.”
Her deep sullen voice quenched the girls’ passion, “A’ight, mommy. But you said we are about to move. When will we move?
“Yeah, in the next two or three days.” she really didn’t want to bring this up with Ronan here, however, the girls did.
“Halle, where are you moving to?”
“haven’t decided yet, but soon.”
He gave her a smile and didn’t push her for details. Instead, he told Kingsley, “Kingsley, apologize to Amirah and Nylah. Don’t you ever say anything like that to them anymore, not to other kids, either.”
Kingsley was reluctant to apologize, but he had no choice with Ronan staring at him in a unquestionable manner. He looked at Amirah and Nylah, whispered, “I’m sorry, I apologize, I will never call you bastards anymore.”
“Kingsley,” Ronan’s siad with a dead serious tone, as if he is about to spank Kingsley in the butt, “I don’t want to hear that word from you anymore.” that scared Kingsley, he kept nodding, “you won’t, you won’t.” actually, it was Amirah and Nylah who got to say that word, he haven’t seem his father for quite a long time.
The girl forgave him, kids are simple. They never harbor grudge against anybody, they might have a squabble sometime, but it will soon be squashed. Halle felt sorry everytime she looked at Kingsley. She took it for granted that Kingsley was Ronan’s child for so long , but the truth was contrary to her assumption. Swallowing in a spoonful of ice-cream, she asked Ronan, “I thought there were only you and grandpa in your family. But now, a sister?”
Ronan put the ice-cream down. Slightly, he lowered his head, acting kind of abnormally,”she’s my half-sister. My father passed away young and my mother remarried another man. So me and grandpa had been relying on each other since I was a child.”
No wonder he never told her about his parents before.
His experience resonated with her, reminding her of her mother, who hardly once acted as a mother. Since Agnes married Issac, she and Halle hardly talked to each other. Issac didn’t like her, more so did she felt towards the Hill Family. “so… how is your mother?”
“She’s in the U Country, she’ll be back a few days later though. Violet’s child is going to have an operation, she’ll need a hand.”
“King… sley…”Halle’s eyes widened in surprise. Kingsley looked healthy, how come he’s sick?
“Not him, it’s his brother, Clayton. He’s born with inherent heart disease. He fell off from stairs several days ago, oh yeah, the day I was in your store. He fractured his leg, and he’ll need an operation on his heart sooner or later.”
“Their father…”Halle was going to ask why it was him, the uncle, who took care of the kids but not the father. But remembering that Kingsley was still here with them, she restrained herself. Everyone has their own secret. Halle too, she didn’t want anyone know that Amirah and Nylah were Ronan’s kids.
She dreaded that he would take her baby away from her. Now, she’d be nothing without them.
Glancing at Kingsley having fun with the girl, Ronan gave Halle a nod as reply and did not continue with the conversation. Obviously, there’s something about Kingsley’s father that they could not let the kids know.
Now the kids had finishing their second cone of ice-cream, remembering what Ronan had said, Nylah said,” I want more, Godfather.”
“Nylah, you have already eaten tow cones.”
“Mommy, this is the last one, please. Mom’s the best, please, mom.” Nylah grinned, her teeth white and shiny. So adorable.
Ronan beckoned at the waiter to come, and then order for each kid one more cone of ice-cream. Amirah slid off her chair smoothly, then then ran to Ronan. Raising her head, she gave Ronan a kiss on his cheek, “Godfather, you are so nice.”
Halle got really mad, she wouldn’t have expected Ronan and the girls to be this close. And she could do nothing but watch all this go on in front of her. Finally, the kids finish their ice-cream. “Let’s go home,” Halle said to the girls.
“Auntie Halle, could we play in the Joy Castle for a little bit longer?” Amirah and Nylah’s fondness for Joy Castle infected him, now he wanted to play too.