Mr. Weston frowned, “But you can go visit him.”
Franco fell silent, looking slightly ashamed for some reason.
After a while, he only started to speak, “I actually did this to make Cody hate me less. And… I’m also trying to warn other people.”
“So you faked an explosion?” Mr. Weston laughed. “Don’t worry, and your great-grandson will definitely forgive you after knowing you did that to break the ice.”
Franco sighed heavily.
He guessed the boy had seen through his tricks because he didn’t even call. Sometimes, he wished his great-grandson was not that smart.
Cody was reclining on the couch, feeling bored. Thinking about what happened to Franco recently. How could Pop’s cars have encountered that explosion so easily? If someone really managed to sneak into Pop’s place and did something to his car, Jack would have been fired right now.
“Cody, do you know? Pop almost got into the hospital this time!” Candace ran over, sounding concerned. Cody didn’t even bother to look in her direction, “Candace, Mom bought you new dolls. You should at least take a look.”
But Candace didn’t appear to be listening, “What should we do, Cody? It’s so dangerous. What if those people really planned to hurt Pop?”
Candace was so naive. She couldn’t even tell that this had all been planned out intentionally.
“Candace, stop worrying about it. Pop’s fine.”
“But the news… I saw the car on TV. It was burning.”
“Who told you to watch the news?”
“Mom,” Candace didn’t hesitate to answer, “She said it was quite dangerous for Pop to live by himself.”
Cody couldn’t understand his Mom sometimes. Pop almost sent her out of this country. Didn’t she hate him after what he had done to her?
“Candace, I told you that it would be okay. If you worry about him that much, you can ask Mom to bring you to see him. I’m not going.” Cody directed his eyes onto the TV screen again.
Candace pouted for a while and went upstairs silently. She couldn’t get why Cody was so stubborn. Pop loved them. She was dejected.
***
Franco waited for another two days, but Cody still didn’t call.
He was both anxious and sad. “Linford, does Cody even know what happened to my car?” Pop tried to hold back, but he still called Linford in the end.
“Yes… I think he does,” Linford answered.
“Then why didn’t they come to see me? Why hadn’t even Candace visited me? They don’t miss me at all?” Pop sounded sour.
Linford sighed, “Candace missed you so much. But you know my little girl, once she promised she would obey it. Her brother has too much influence over her. She thus chose Cody’s side again. Cody even said you’re too old for tricks like this.”
Franco’s mouth dropped open, “Cody really said that?”
“Yep.”
****
Franco really went to the hospital after the call. He missed his great-grandchildren so much, and he felt the whole world had abandoned him.
He barely ate anything.
“Franco, this is starting to get stupid. The babies are too small to know better. But you can’t do this to yourself. You need to cheer up,” Mr. Weston came over to take care of him.
Franco mumbled something and turned around to face the wall. He didn’t want to hear any words, especially wise ones. He only wanted to see Cody and Candace.
Mr. Weston smiled and shook his head.
The knock on the door brought the old man to jump on his bed. Franco looked pretty disappointed as he saw that it was Linford.
“Feeling any better now, Pop?” Linford asked, smiling.
Franco huffed and turned away again.
He acted like a child.
Mr. Weston cleared his throat, “Linford, you know the old man is frail. You surely can at least bring Cody here to visit. This is all that your Pop wants.”
“I know… I also wished the boy would come, but he refused when I asked him.” Linford sounded pretty calm.
He could have brought Cody here if he had tried. But he clearly didn’t put in much effort.
Franco covered his head with his blanket, refusing to talk to Linford.
“The boy felt emotionally hurt. I need to respect his choice. Besides, I don’t even have any idea how to make him feel better. That boy was just built differently. You can’t treat him like any other five-year-old.
Franco was even more pissed off. Linford knew how his words worked on the old man. He was stifling a laugh when someone suddenly knocked on the door.
Franco spun around and saw Cristelle standing by the door with the babies. His eyes lit up.
Franco sat up from his bed with a big smile on his face. He waved at Cody and Candace, “Why are you guys still waiting there? Come over!”
Cody looked up quietly without any comment. He grabbed Cristelle’s hand instantly. Candace quickly hid behind her Mom, wide-eyed, checking out the two old men.
Cristelle smiled, “Are you feeling any better, Pop?”
Franco felt so relieved as he noticed how at ease Cristelle was around him.
The old man cleared his throat, “Cristelle, I’m so sorry for what happened… I”
Cristelle didn’t want to hear any drama. Franco had rightful reasons not to choose her side. He had done nothing wrong for her. Cristelle’s feelings were hurt, but she knew Franco only made the right choice for the benefit of his family.
“It’s okay, Pop. Things have all passed. Candace, go talk to Pop.”
Candace walked over, still slightly confused, as she held the old man’s veined hand, “Pop, are you feeling better now?”
The little girl’s sweet voice almost melted Franco’s heart. He hurried to say, “I feel so much better now. How are you lately, Candace?”
Candace nodded, “I’ve been doing great. I’m with Mom every day now.”
Franco felt a bit guilty as he heard that. He ruffled the girl’s head silently, “This is good. This is very nice.”
“Pop, you won’t separate us and force Dad to marry another woman again, right?” Candace was scared. So she directly asked the old man.
Franco and Mr. Weston both looked a bit awkward.
“I won’t do that ever again, Candace,” Franco quickly promised, “I was just being an old fool.”