That night, Tom and Agnes remained restrained and did not cross any boundaries. His responsible love for her touched Agnes deeply.
The next morning, after breakfast, Tom came out of the hallway carrying two suitcases, with Agnes following beside him. Jeffery, upon seeing them, quickly stepped forward to take the suitcases from Tom. “Let me take those.”
“Okay.”
“Good morning, Jeffery,” Agnes greeted him with a smile.
“Good morning.” Jeffery took the suitcases to the car, placing them in the open trunk. Once the luggage was loaded, Tom and Agnes got into the car. The trunk closed automatically, and Jeffery returned to the driver’s seat. “The weather is nice today.”
“Yes, it is.”
All three were in good spirits as the car started and headed to the airport. They were going back to Arkpool City. Agnes had managed to get Tom out of the laboratory successfully.
Sitting in the back seat with their fingers intertwined, Agnes leaned gently on Tom’s shoulder. She had actually managed to take Professor Fritz away, something she never thought possible. Her grandmother had never been able to keep him; had she now contributed to the Fritz family?
Just thinking about how happy her grandmother would be made Agnes feel quite pleased. “Have you noticed how beautiful the clouds are today?” Agnes said happily, leaning on his shoulder and pointing out the window at the sky.
Tom looked in the direction she pointed and saw that the sky was indeed very blue. “That’s because the person admiring them has a beautiful mood,” he said with a charming smile.
Agnes felt blissful; being with him made everything seem sweet. Jeffery occasionally glanced at them through the rearview mirror, a genuine smile on his face. He was happy for Tom finally finding someone.
At the airport, a young man was waiting for them. When their car stopped, he helped with their luggage and greeted them.
Tom said to him, “Drive safely back. Thank you for your help.”
“It’s no trouble at all.”
Jeffery carried another suitcase; he was going back to Arkpool City with Tom and Agnes. The young man wished them a safe journey before getting into the car.
Agnes held onto Tom’s arm as they followed Jeffery into the terminal along with the crowd.
About an hour later, a plane bound for Arkpool City taxied onto the runway and then soared into the sky.
They all sat in economy class, with Agnes by the window, Tom next to her, and Jeffery beside him.
In a villa in Arkpool City, during dinner:
Mrs. Campbell wondered aloud, “What has Agnes been up to lately? I haven’t seen her around.”
“She went abroad,” Summer answered truthfully. “To visit a friend.”
“Abroad? How long has she been gone?” Mrs. Campbell asked worriedly. “When is she coming back? Isn’t she working? Why did she go visit a friend?”
“She’ll be back in a couple of days; don’t worry too much,” Summer said with a smile.
Mrs. Campbell ate some vegetables she had grown herself and muttered, “Ansel hasn’t been around for a while either. I wonder what’s going on between him and Agnes.”
“Mom, you shouldn’t interfere in matters of love,” Summer advised gently before any conflict could arise. “She’s grown up now and has her own thoughts; she’s not going to listen to you about this.”
Mrs. Campbell sensed something and looked at her daughter suspiciously. “Is she seeing someone else?”
“I’m not sure about that, but I can assure you she has no interest in Ansel,” Summer said confidently. “That much I can guarantee.”