“You can go back to the hotel annex…” Callie said stubbornly, not caring about Nelson at all, as she held Grape and walked straight to the villa.
Soft – heartedness is a malady that must be overcome!
Nelson faced setbacks, yet he was far from ready to throw in the towel. Over the past two years, he had endured the pangs of a life devoid of her. During this time, his once-numb nerves had been roused, quietly but surely.
“It’s too far to go back now, it’s not convenient.” Nelson didn’t give Callie a chance to refuse, quickly stepping ahead of her and reminding her at the steps, “Watch your step…”
“This is my home.” She was intimately familiar with every brick and tile.
“I know.”
Callie stopped and saw that he had no intention of leaving. Helpless, she opened the door. Everywhere she looked, there were Grape’s toys, filling the place with warmth.
The next second, Nelson noticed the multiplication table hanging on the wall, which seemed to trigger some memory in him.
“I could recite this when I was very young,” he said confidently.
Callie raised an eyebrow and looked at Grape in her arms. It seemed the little one had inherited a sensitivity to math.
“Let me hold the child.” Nelson’s eyes were on the girl. From their afternoon together, he had clearly felt that Grape no longer resisted him as before.
Callie put Grape down. The little one’s bright eyes looked at Nelson with evident expectation.
“She has a lot of toys and doesn’t need much attention. You just need to keep her company,” Callie said, then turned to the kitchen. After a while, she came back with a bottle.
“Does she still drink milk?”
“Yes… generally, children drink milk until they are three.”
Nelson had no experience with children. He knew almost nothing about it, so he took out his phone and bought a bunch of parenting books online.
Nelson played with Grape. Despite their age difference, they had a natural rapport. Some things are beyond explanation; Grape had an inexplicable dependence on Nelson.
In the end, Grape fell asleep in Nelson’s arms.
Callie watched this scene, her eyes warm and slightly moist. She tiptoed over and whispered, “Let me take the child…”
Nelson was reluctant. The soft girl in his arms had already touched every nerve in him.
“I want to hold her a bit longer.”
Callie couldn’t argue with Nelson and let him be.
Whether it was the exhaustion from staying up all night or finding a place for his restless heart, Nelson relaxed completely. After placing Grape in her crib, he leaned against the headboard and fell into a deep sleep.
The next day, when Nelson woke up, the thin blanket slipped from his shoulders. He held the still-warm blanket, feeling a warmth in his heart. Looking closely, he saw that Grape was no longer in her crib.
Nelson panicked and got up quickly. “Grape-”
He left the nursery.
Scanning the room, he didn’t see Callie or Grape anywhere. A bad thought entered his mind-had they slipped away from him again?
No-
Nelson rushed downstairs, his disordered steps revealing his inner turmoil.
“Callie, Grape-”
Nelson called out their names anxiously while pulling out his phone. Just as he was about to dial, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.