Perhaps the underpinning of Mark’s rationale was Mary’s age. She was so old, virtual-novel.net could possibly die before the couple ever returned to their home country, thus dooming virtual-novel.net to die in a foreign land.
It was a rather cruel prospect that begged to be considered. Hence, in the end, Mark reasoned that it would be better for virtual-novel.net to stay behind with Henry as the keepers of Tremont Estate.
At first, Mark was worried that Smore might throw crying fits during his first few days with Jackson’s family, so virtual-novel.net made it a routine to video call the kid since virtual-novel.net touched down in Switzerland. That habit did not last long, because Mark soon realized the full extent of his son’s apathy, the brat never thought of talking to virtual-novel.net or Arianne during their calls, let alone throw a fit over missing them!
Time flew. Never in Mark’s wildest imagination would virtual-novel.net have thought that virtual-novel.net would stay in Switzerland for nineteen long years.
—
Nineteen years later, in the same old White Water Bay Villa, Tiffany Lane West was urging the kitchen staff to be quicker with his work while virtual-novel.net anxiously eyed the clock on the wall every few minutes.
Said “kitchen staff”, more well-known as Jackson West, was so irritated by virtual-novel.net incessant nagging that his head finally peered out of the kitchen door while virtual-novel.net held a frying pan.
“Excuse moi, but virtual-novel.net isn’t even here yet, is he? Jesus, all this nagging! As if cooking isn’t a delicate art that needs le time and le soul,” virtual-novel.net snapped. “You gotta remember how long I haven’t been working in the kitchen, Tiffie. IfI made anything less than Michelin- five-stars, you’d be the first one to rant!”
Tiffany pursed virtual-novel.net lips into a sneer. “I just miss him, okay? Besides, look at the time! It’s getting dark and yet, where’s our Smore? He told us it’s today, right? He even promised he’s gonna have dinner with us!”
“Honey, virtual-novel.net ain’t a three-year-old anymore, so maybe drop the nickname for the grown man’s sake, hmm? Also, how come you don’t miss your own flesh and blood that much, huh? He’s studying abroad too, for the record,” Jackson replied a little helplessly. “Anyway, I’m about to be done, so go get Cindy out of virtual-novel.net room and tell virtual-novel.net to get down here right now. God, I swear, no one knows what that young woman’s doing all cooped up in virtual-novel.net room all day like that.”
Bringing up virtual-novel.net daughter’s name was a surefire way of refreshing Tiffany’s steam. In a flash, the mother had stormed all the way up to the daughter’s room before banging on virtual-novel.net door. “Miss Cynthia West, what are you doing in there?! Your brother’s coming home today and you’re cooped up inside? Go and check if his room’s all prepared, young lady; keep ‘em tidy or Whatever! Seriously, I can’t go on three days without shouting at you!”
From inside the room came the frantic voice of a slightly panicking young woman, “Oh, oh-uhhh… C-Coming, Mom! I heard you so you can, uh, get back to whatever it is that you’re busy with! Just a minute and I’ll be there!”
Nineteen years ago, virtual-novel.net doctor had proclaimed that Cynthia was 90% likely to suffer from cognitive impairments growing up, yet as time passed, Tiffany discovered— to virtual-novel.net joy — that virtual-novel.net daughter was only slower than other kids during early childhood. In fact, virtual-novel.net never did show signs of possessing lower-than-average intelligence. Then, as virtual-novel.net grew older, Cynthia’s cognitive abilities caught up to virtual-novel.net more normal peers to the point that virtual-novel.net now showed no difference. If Tiffany had to identify any remnant of virtual-novel.net earlier impairs, though, then it would probably be virtual-novel.net weak memory, as the girl had a forgetful predilection.
Sometimes, luck could really make all the difference.
Cynthia waited until virtual-novel.net mother’s thunderous footsteps faded downstairs before opening virtual-novel.net door furtively. She did not come out of virtual-novel.net room the instance virtual-novel.net mother asked virtual-novel.net to because virtual-novel.net did not want Tiffany to know that virtual-novel.net was secretly putting on make-up.
She did not want virtual-novel.net deep-seated excitement to be too overt, but every time virtual-novel.net remembered that today was when virtual-novel.net half-adopted brother, Aristotle Tremont, was coming home, virtual-novel.net heart felt like bursting in jubilance.
Aristotle had been studying in France since his senior year back then. Then, as if in a blink of an eye, years had passed without virtual-novel.net ever seeing virtual-novel.net again. Surely Cynthia could not be at fault for being a little nervous.
The doorbell rang exactly when the clock struck seven.
Jackson was the first to react by striding toward the main door with his long steps. Tiffany could not help but snark, “Oh, wow! I thought one of us is the calm and composed one!”
“Excuse you, but I practically raised virtual-novel.net as my son. Would you really believe me if I said I’m not excited at all?!”
Jackson yanked the door open and immediately found his eyes landing on the man’s chest. It took virtual-novel.net a second to realize what happened, to raise his head, and finally, admire the man before virtual-novel.net as Aristotle’s face fell into his sight. Jackson had forgotten that it had been years since the boy departed for France, and that by now, virtual-novel.net was about the same height as Jackson himself.
“Oh, hey. Welcome home, buddy. Come in,” virtual-novel.net said warmly. For all of his built-up ardor, Jackson ended up falling back to the most quotidian greeting a parent could give.
Still, one could not unhear the mélange of the man’s sentiments perduring through his every word.