Ashton laughed at my warning. “You don’t understand. This is between men,” he said as he took off his coat.
I shrugged. “I truly can’t understand how a man can bully the young.”
“What’s happening here?” Cameron asked with concern. She thought we were arguing.
“It’s nothing. Just something about the kids.” Ashton ended the discussion before it could continue further.
I shook my head resignedly and rolled my eyes at him when I caught his gaze. His authoritarianism and chauvinism are obvious in his actions, yet he continues to deny them. Men!
Having experienced getting his full name called by Ashton, Gregory didn’t come out of his room for dinner. Instead, he locked himself in the study. Even Audrey couldn’t get him out.
After several futile attempts by the maid, Ashton got up from his seat and strode toward the stairs.
I recognized that look. He was about to use force.
“Wait,” I called urgently, following behind him. “I’ll call him down. You stay right behind me.”
When I first met Gregory, I thought Ashton was stressing him out too much. That kind of absolute obedience and expectation to execute every order without fail is too inappropriate for a six-year-old child.
I can understand Ashton’s hope for Gregory to shoulder all his burdens. However, I hope Gregory can understand he has another parent he can relax with.
I soon arrived at the study with Ashton.
Knock! Knock!
“Gregory, can I come in?” I asked after knocking on the door twice.
A child’s opinion should always be respected.
However, there was no response from within.
Shortly after, I heard footsteps approaching the other side of the door. “Mommy, don’t worry about me. You can eat first. I should be punished for disrespecting Daddy earlier.”
He was merely joking and agreeing with my opinion. How did it escalate to this?
Ashton was too cautious and strict on matters related to Gregory.
“Gregory, I want to come in and talk to you. Can you let me in?”
Another silence followed.
I spun around, narrowing my eyes at Ashton as though telling him that I was the one in charge of educating the children.
Just as I was about to give up, the door opened from inside.
Gregory gave me a glance, then noticed Ashton behind me. He looked down immediately and walked out of his room with his head down.
I bent down so that I was at his eye level and grabbed his arms. “Are you not hungry? Your sister is not eating because you’re not there. You don’t want her to starve herself now, do you?” I said with a gentle smile.
Gregory shook his head and muttered, “I don’t want that. But it was my fault, so I need to be punished.”
I pondered briefly, then said in a somber tone, “Yes. You were in the wrong.”
Gregory lowered his head even further.
“And do you know what you did wrong?” I asked.
“I shouldn’t have disrespected Daddy.” Gregory pressed his lips into a thin line. “I can’t say Daddy is wrong.”
“Hmm… Then does that mean you think your daddy was right and Mommy was wrong?”
“No.” Gregory raised his head. “That’s not what I meant. I…”
In the end, the rims of his eyes reddened.
My heart melted at his expression. I quickly pulled him into my arms and comforted him, “Don’t be upset, Gregory. You’re not in trouble here. You should insist on your opinions and express them if you’re confident that you’re right. We, as parents, are not always in the right. We can be wrong at times and make mistakes. Always remember to improve and become a better version of yourself. You made a judgment today and expressed your opinion to support me, so you deserve a compliment. Okay?”
Gregory sniffled, suppressing the tears welling up. He lifted his head from my chest and asked, “Really? Then is Daddy wrong?”
