Chapter 94 Again
He noticed Madeline’s polite behavior, and the others had too. Michael felt a bit crestfallen, but he knew that Madeline’s attitude was expected. They had never raised her for even a day in her life, and ever since she came to their house, she never enjoyed a moment of peace. He failed to give her the warmth of a family and a father’s love, so he had no right to ask her to treat them as family. But we have time. Now that she’s back, we can get along and eventually have her open up to us if we open up to her. We’ll be a real family eventually.
The boys woke up when they were halfway through breakfast. Joel asked to see Madeline the moment he woke up, and Simon quickly called Madeline.
She rose to her feet and told Michael, “Dad, the boys are awake. I’m going to see them.”
“Go,” he said. “And wash them up. They should be hungry now, so take them here. The chefs made a lot of food for them.”
Madeline nodded. “Okay, Dad.”
Sebastian put his cutlery down and got up too. “I’ll go too.”
“No. You don’t have to,” she responded. “I can handle this myself.”
“I know,” he replied. “I just miss the boys.”
She figured, Well, as long as you’re happy.
They went upstairs.
Joel was rolling around on the bed with his pillow in his hands. “I want Mom. I want Mom. I want Mom.”
This boy is really…
She went and knocked him on his head. “Buddy, you and your antics again!”
He pounced at her. “Mom!”
Madeline shook her head. I wonder where he got this from. I’ve never acted this way, so… She looked at Sebastian. Not impossible, really. He might be a prankster who loves practical jokes, though I can’t imagine him acting like a spoiled kid.
Sebastian noticed the weird look she was giving him and he cocked his eyebrow. “What is it?”
After she shook her head, she replied, “I-It’s nothing.” She patted Joel’s back. “Where’s Aldo?”
As Joel was clinging to her like a koala to a tree, he said, “He went to take a shower.”
Madeline sighed. “Can you be a little like Aldo?”
“I’m great too, Mom!” He puffed his cheeks. “I’m cute, and I know that!”
Oh my God. She did not know what to say.
Sebastian laughed in amusement as he carried Joel and kissed him. “You’re right. You’re the cutest boy in the world.”
“Dad!” Joel hugged him and wiggled around in his embrace.
Sebastian’s heart melted as he held Joel and asked Madeline, “Is our son always this cute after he wakes up?”
Our son? That sounds so awkward. She wanted to say that Joel was her son, but it would sound too forced if she kept emphasizing that. As she patted Joel’s back, she explained while glancing at Sebastian, “He always does this after he wakes up. I wonder who he takes after.”
“Don’t look at me. It’s not me. I wasn’t this cute when I was a kid.”
Oh fine. As long as you’re happy.
Quincy came out of the bathroom, his hair wet. When he saw Sebastian and Madeline, he greeted them. “Dad, Mom.”
“Good boy.” Sebastian looked at Joel, then at Quincy, who just came out of the shower looking all clean. He thought he had made it in life at that moment.
Sebastian handed Buddy to Madeline and rummaged through the drawer for a hair dryer. “Come, Aldo.” He waved at Aldo. “I’ll dry your hair.”
Quincy went over and sat beside him.
Sebastian turned the hair dryer on and dried Quincy’s hair. He carefully controlled the temperature in case it was too cold or too hot for the child. He looked serious, careful, and meticulous while doing it.
Madeline smiled and carried Joel. “‘ll take him to the bathroom.” She took him to the bathroom and bathed him where she dried his hair and changed him into new clothes before coming back out.
Quincy had changed as well.
They were wearing matching outfits as usual. Quincy was wearing blue pants and a white shirt, while Joel was wearing white pants and a blue shirt. The style was the same, though the color wasn’t. As both boys resembled each other, anyone would know they were brothers.
Joel looked delighted as he held Quincy’s hand and kept calling his name, telling him all the interesting things he saw. Anyone would think what Joel said was boring, but Joel wouldn’t stop talking about it. Quincy wasn’t annoyed either as he allowed his brother to talk. He would call Joel an idiot from time to time, but Joel wasn’t angry. He kept smiling and talking to Quincy.
They went ahead while their parents followed. In the end, they finally came down to the living room.
Michael’s eyes shone when he saw the boys. “Aldo, Buddy! Come! Come to Grandpa!”
The boys looked at their parents and Madeline nodded at them. The kids went over to Michael and greeted, “Grandpa.”
“Good boys!” Michael loved the kids and he held them in his arms, helping them with their food.
They went to the living room after they had breakfast, and after some small talk, the butler came to announce the arrival of Michael’s brother.
The one who came first was the middle child—Benjamin. Benjamin came with his wife and two sons. Finding out that their stepmother was their mother’s murderer was a big deal and everyone had the right to know the truth.
Morgan came not long after Benjamin did. He also came with his wife and sons, and just like Benjamin, he had two sons.
Michael introduced Madeline to his brothers and vice versa. It was just like that, after Madeline was reunited with her parents and brothers, she now met two uncles, two aunties, and four cousins.
When Michael was introducing them to her, she was reminded of the first time she read ‘The Story of the Stone’. Her first thought then was, Wow, there sure are a lot of people in here, and the relationships are super complex. I need to pay a lot of attention if I want to understand them. She thought it would be hard to remember all her uncles, aunties, and cousins at first, but when she was reminded of The Story of the Stone, it calmed her down. Hey, it’s just two uncles, four cousins, and four brothers. If I can remember and sort out all the relationships in The Story of the Stone, this won’t be a big deal.
