Leonardo leaned back in the chair. “Don’t bother about me. Enjoy yourself,” he said casually.
“But you look angry…” Rosie mercilessly exposed him as she picked up the pork rib, which Summer had served it to her, from her plate and put it into her mouth. Using chopsticks for the job was too cumbersome, so she might as well used her hand and started to gnaw the rib until juice and oil ran down her lips.
When Leonardo saw that, he reached to roll her sleeves up. While he was doing it, Rosie held the pork rib that she had half-eaten in front of him, looking reluctant. “The meat is super good,” she said.
Leonardo said nothing, turning his head away as a sign of silent rejection.
Rosie pulled back her hand and mumbled, “Let Pretty Lady give you one.”
“It’s ‘Aunt’,” Leonardo corrected her.
“Pretty Aunt.”
When Summer noticed how the father and daughter interacted, the corners of her lips curled up in a smile. Leonardo might not win any award in terms of thoughtfulness, but he took care of Rosie with his heart. On the other hand, Rosie looked at things more superficially; she was using the term ‘pretty’ on Summer no matter what.
After Rosie finished the pork rub in her hand, she looked at Summer as she licked her finger. “Pretty Aunt, would you serve Daddy some met?”
There was an awkwardness in the air. Summer did not think Leonardo would readily accept that gesture from any Tom, Dick, and Harry. Probably because of the status differences, she felt comfortable to dine with Leonardo at the same table. Let alone serving dishes to him.
“Your dad will pick whatever dishes he likes by himself. You—”
“Rosie, I want that pork rib.”
While Summer was trying to diffuse the awkward atmosphere, Leonardo suddenly spoke, interrupting her. It might look like he was speaking to Rosie, but Summer had the feeling that he was talking to her. The air only became even more awkward.
Rosie looked helplessly at her oily hands. “Dirty.”
Just then, Stanley suddenly spoke. “I can see that you and your daughter are really close, Mr. Emerson. You must be loving your daughter’s mother very much.”
Leonardo’s face looked gloomy as he sneered, “I can see that Ms. Jarrett isn’t that close to you, Mr. Bates.”
However, Stanley did not turn a hair, and he had no intention of backing down. “I didn’t know that you were such a nosy guy, Mr. Emerson.”
Leonardo looked at him. “Maybe not as nosy as you, Mr. Bates.”
Stanley took a deep breath. He was so angry that he started laughing. “Yeah, maybe, Mr. Emerson.”
Leonardo ignored Stanley and turned to look at Rosie. His facial expression never changed, but his voice apparently softened.
“Are you done, Rosie?”
As if Rosie had sensed the weird atmosphere, she nodded at him with her eyes wide open. “I’m done.”
“Then shall we go home now? Come on.” Leonardo lifted her up in his arms, then turned to look at Stanley and Summer. “Thank you for your hospitality.”
After Leonardo left, Summer looked over at Stanley and asked puzzledly, “What’s going on between you and Mr. Emerson? Do both of you have grudges against each other?”
When Leonardo first came in, the two men still looked normal. Things went sour when she came out of the kitchen. What had happened? And she had never seen Stanley behaving so hostile toward others. Apparently, he was pissed off.
“Nothing. Let’s finish our dinner.” He smiled.
Summer knew Stanley did not want to talk about it. But the more he tried to evade the topic, the more suspicious Summer was. She suspected that Stanley and Leonardo might have known each other long before this. Or maybe they had a feud between them. Since he did not want to talk about it, she would not ask further.
Her eyes landed on Rosie’s plate, on which lay the remains of a pork rib that Rosie had eaten. Leonardo had said before they had not had dinner, and he surely did not know how to cook. She had been in his house and not seen any maids there to cook for them. Rosie must not go hungry tonight. Should she send something over for them? Maybe not. Stanley might not be happy with it if she did that. Even if he did not show it on his face, he would surely feel so deep inside. She should have been on his side at this time.
“Why aren’t you eating?”
Stanley’s voice jolted Summer out of her thoughts.
“I need to go to the washroom.”
She got up, picked up her mobile phone from the table, and put it in her pocket. Stanley noticed that but said nothing. She went into the washroom, locked the door, then opened up a food delivery app. She supposed a person like Leonardo must have not used a food delivery app. Probably he did not even know what food delivery was.
She chose what might look like a more upscale restaurant, ordered a kid and adult set menu, and filled in Leonardo’s apartment unit address before taking a long breath. Finally, Rosie did not have to go to bed hungry.
…
Leonardo brought Rosie back to their apartment unit. Rosie solicitously took out her and Leonardo’s slippers the moment they stepped inside, mumbling, “This is for Leonardo, and this is for Rosie…”
She pulled at Leonardo’s pants and said excitedly, Daddy, Pretty Lady is Jarrett, you are Emerson, I’m Jarrett, she is also Jarrett… We all are Jarrett.”
Leonardo was struck dumb. Bending down, he lifted her up with one hand and sat her on the shoe cabinet, then looked at her solemnly. “Do you hate that Uncle Li?”
She did not know why her dad looked so solemn. Putting her hands behind her back, she shook her head. “Uncle Li said I’ve done well.”
“Not everyone who flatters you is a good person.” His face darkened.
Rosie looked at him curiously. “What is a good person?”
The father and daughter looked at each other for a while. At last, Rosie yawned big time, and the eye-to-eye session ended.
“Never mind.” Leonardo said, feeling frustrated. After bathing Rosie, changing her into a new set of clothes and placing her on the bed, he sat alone in the living room and his mind wandered off.
He was sure he had only met Stanley for the first time. But why did he despise this person so much? It was especially an eyesore when he saw Stanley and Summer sitting together. He thought Stanley was despicable, but Rosie thought otherwise. He trusted a child’s instinct.
The doorbell rang suddenly. Leonardo checked the clock. It was some time past ten at night. Who could it be at this hour? Ever since he started taking care of Rosie, any time over ten at night was late.
He opened the door, and a food delivery guy handed him a bag of food.
“Mr. Emerson, this is the food you have ordered.”
Leonardo frowned. “I didn’t order any of this.”
“But isn’t the address correct? Perhaps your friend ordered it on your behalf?”