A faint smile appeared on Linford’s chiseled lips, “That will be nice.”
The father and son finished the plate of cakes in silence.
Cody poured Linford a cup of water before he jumped off the chair and was ready to leave.
Linford cleared his throat, “Cody, you don’t wanna talk?”
Cody turned around, “What do you want to tell me?”
“Do you want to know things about your mother’s family?” Linford asked with expectation.
Cody thought for a while and walked back, sitting on the chair again, “What? You have more to tell me?”
Linford blinked, “I bet your Mom has told you most of the things already, huh?”
Cody nodded.
“Well, do you want to know how your Mom got pregnant with you and your sister then?” Linford looked a bit hesitant.
“I thought me and my sister were just an accident.” Cody frowned.
“God, who told you that?” Linford looked angry, “You and your sister weren’t in our plan, but you guys are the best thing that ever happened to your mother and me!”
Cody shrugged, “Chill. No one told me that. I just took a guess. That’s what happens when you don’t tell your kids the truth. They make guesses.”
The last sentence was dripping with sarcasm. Linford shook his head and smiled.
This boy was so freaking smart. “Actually, your Mom and I were framed.”
Cody wasn’t happy to hear about the miserable past of his mother, but he still decided to figure out the truth, “What happened?”
Linford continued, “I went to your mother’s hometown to investigate the truth of your uncle Clyde’s death. Mrs. Barnett was holding her birthday party back then. I didn’t know what had happened but ended up going to the party. Someone drugged me and locked me in a room with your mother. And then…”
Cody looked pissed off. But he soon managed to calm down and analyze, “So, someone tried to stop you from investigating your brother’s death. Combining those people’s views about the Friesley family, those people wanted to bring the Bradley family some trouble by sending Mom to you. Is that correct?”
“Correct,” Linford said calmly, “But Cody, you’re also a Bradley member.”
Cody didn’t seem to care, “Mrs. Barnett was the one who invited you, right? Could she be the one who planned all that?”
“The Barnett wouldn’t dare. They are only connivance at most,” Linford was quite sure.
“It must be a quite important man who did this to you and Mom then?” Cody arched an eyebrow, “Did your house have any powerful enemies back then?”
“A lot.” Linford sighed, “But that man managed to wipe out my memories. Not so many people could do that.”
“Why are you telling me this?” The boy asked suspiciously, “You and your brother can’t even find out that guy who did this to you. I don’t think I can ever help you.”
“I also don’t want your help and put you in danger, Cody,” Linford took a sip from his glass, “Just as you see, our house is in the middle of a crisis. The problems we are gonna face in the future can only be tougher and more dangerous. I’m telling you the truth because I don’t want you to misunderstand me anymore. Besides, if you have an idea about the general landscape, you will also make the right choices when you face any extreme situations in the future, right? I want you to stay sober. So we can protect Candace and Cristelle together.”
Cody’s brow raised when he heard the last sentence.
The boy had never liked Linford, but Linford’s honesty made him feel comfortable this time.
“You can trust me on that,” Cody nodded, “But you also need to tell me your perspective about that baby in Lana White’s belly.”
Linford fell silent. He looked like he was battling himself, but he soon answered the question, “Your Uncle Clyde was a reasonable person. He wouldn’t want that baby to be used as a tool against his family if he knew it earlier.” Linford’s stand was quite clear now.
Cody nodded, but he was also feeling bad for that baby.
Lana got herself pregnant for evil purposes. She had never wanted to bring a new life to this world so she could love it or take care of it.
She only plotted everything so she could get what she wanted. It was disgusting. “What about Pop?” Cody continued asking. “If he knew that Mom didn’t leave, would he compromise with the White family?”
“We’ve already got Clara. If Pop knew the truth, he would battle the White family until the very end. Don’t worry, Cody. Your Mom and auntie won’t go anywhere. They will stay with us,” Linford sounded so firm that his words brought a smile to Cody’s face.
The boy and the father continued chatting. They didn’t even notice that it was getting brighter outside.
****
Candace woke up early the next morning because she wanted to pee. She only realized that Mom was gone after coming out of the bathroom. The girl was so scared that she ran out of the bedroom immediately. She stopped as she ran past Linford’s room.
The door was ajar, and she could hear Cody’s voice from inside.
The girl pushed open the door and saw Cody sitting at Linford’s bedside.
She was so confused, “Cody? Dad? Cody, you aren’t mad at Daddy anymore?”
Cody went blushing instantly, “You’re being silly, Candace.”
With that, the boy jumped off the chair and walked out of the room.
Was Cody mad at her right now? Candace sniffed and walked to follow up, but Linford called her name.
“Candace, come over here.”
Candace walked over and was pulled into Linford’s side. The girl was wearing her grey bunny pajamas, and she looked extremely cute.
“Daddy, is Cody not mad at you anymore?” Bunny Candace asked carefully.
“Yeah,” Linford smiled as he left a kiss on Candace’s cheek.
Candace smiled, “You won’t let Mommy go anymore, right?”
Linford explained, “I’ve never tried to make Mommy go, sweetie.”
Candace thought for a while, “But you divorced Mommy, right? Are you still gonna marry the bad woman?”
Linford pecked her cheek, “No one will ever marry any bad woman. I’ve never divorced Mommy. We’re a family, and we will never separate.”
Candace looked excited, “We will never separate? You promise?”
Linford left a kiss on her cheek again, “I promise.”
“Great!” Candace jumped off the bed and ran downstairs, “I’m telling Mom!”