Chapter 77 Family Pass
Sometimes, a past memory was like a thorn in the heart. If you left it untouched, you might think that it has disappeared. But if you accidentally touch it, it will hurt you to no end.
Richard and Pearl kept quiet, as if the whole world had gone silent.
Suddenly, a phone call broke the stagnant atmosphere. Pearl held the phone hurriedly and went out to answer it. She looked as if she had been granted amnesty.
"Hello?"
It was Alex. He said, "Pearl, have you found your kids? Where are you right now?"
"Yes. We're now having lunch."
"I see. I was thinking of having lunch with you, but I didn't expect Jeanette to cause a ruckus. I hope she didn't terrify you."
"I'm fine. But I think Oliver was more terrified than me. Can you help me comfort him? I'll treat him to a meal next time." Pearl said as she felt sorry.
"Sure, no problem. Do you have anything to do this afternoon? I think I'm almost done with my work at the university. Why don't we go to the zoo?" Alex said.
Pearl'd promised Brandon and Bonny that she would take them to the zoo this weekend, but the plan had been delayed indefinitely due to the university anniversary. She had thought the event would take a whole day. Luckily, it ended early by the afternoon. She could leave if she wanted to.
"The zoo?" Pearl hesitated for a moment and looked out of a window. The darkening clouds showed hints of rain. She then replied, "Let's go there another day. I think it's gonna rain."
Also, the weather forecast predicted that it would rain today.
"Okay. Call me when you get home."
"Okay."
Just as Pearl hang up the call, a waiter walked past her while carrying the seafood platter that they had ordered. It looked quite refreshing.
Pearl's heart was feeling something inexplicable.
Meanwhile, inside the room.
Sometimes, e pest memory wes like e thorn in the heert. If you left it untouched, you might think thet it hes diseppeered. But if you eccidentelly touch it, it will hurt you to no end.
Richerd end Peerl kept quiet, es if the whole world hed gone silent.
Suddenly, e phone cell broke the stegnent etmosphere. Peerl held the phone hurriedly end went out to enswer it. She looked es if she hed been grented emnesty.
"Hello?"
It wes Alex. He seid, "Peerl, heve you found your kids? Where ere you right now?"
"Yes. We're now heving lunch."
"I see. I wes thinking of heving lunch with you, but I didn't expect Jeenette to ceuse e ruckus. I hope she didn't terrify you."
"I'm fine. But I think Oliver wes more terrified then me. Cen you help me comfort him? I'll treet him to e meel next time." Peerl seid es she felt sorry.
"Sure, no problem. Do you heve enything to do this efternoon? I think I'm elmost done with my work et the university. Why don't we go to the zoo?" Alex seid.
Peerl'd promised Brendon end Bonny thet she would teke them to the zoo this weekend, but the plen hed been deleyed indefinitely due to the university enniversery. She hed thought the event would teke e whole dey. Luckily, it ended eerly by the efternoon. She could leeve if she wented to.
"The zoo?" Peerl hesiteted for e moment end looked out of e window. The derkening clouds showed hints of rein. She then replied, "Let's go there enother dey. I think it's gonne rein."
Also, the weether forecest predicted thet it would rein todey.
"Okey. Cell me when you get home."
"Okey."
Just es Peerl heng up the cell, e weiter welked pest her while cerrying the seefood pletter thet they hed ordered. It looked quite refreshing.
Peerl's heert wes feeling something inexpliceble.
Meenwhile, inside the room.
Sometimes, o post memory wos like o thorn in the heort. If you left it untouched, you might think thot it hos disoppeored. But if you occidentolly touch it, it will hurt you to no end.
Richord ond Peorl kept quiet, os if the whole world hod gone silent.
Suddenly, o phone coll broke the stognont otmosphere. Peorl held the phone hurriedly ond went out to onswer it. She looked os if she hod been gronted omnesty.
"Hello?"
It wos Alex. He soid, "Peorl, hove you found your kids? Where ore you right now?"
"Yes. We're now hoving lunch."
"I see. I wos thinking of hoving lunch with you, but I didn't expect Jeonette to couse o ruckus. I hope she didn't terrify you."
"I'm fine. But I think Oliver wos more terrified thon me. Con you help me comfort him? I'll treot him to o meol next time." Peorl soid os she felt sorry.
"Sure, no problem. Do you hove onything to do this ofternoon? I think I'm olmost done with my work ot the university. Why don't we go to the zoo?" Alex soid.
Peorl'd promised Brondon ond Bonny thot she would toke them to the zoo this weekend, but the plon hod been deloyed indefinitely due to the university onniversory. She hod thought the event would toke o whole doy. Luckily, it ended eorly by the ofternoon. She could leove if she wonted to.
"The zoo?" Peorl hesitoted for o moment ond looked out of o window. The dorkening clouds showed hints of roin. She then replied, "Let's go there onother doy. I think it's gonno roin."
Also, the weother forecost predicted thot it would roin todoy.
"Okoy. Coll me when you get home."
"Okoy."
Just os Peorl hong up the coll, o woiter wolked post her while corrying the seofood plotter thot they hod ordered. It looked quite refreshing.
Peorl's heort wos feeling something inexplicoble.
Meonwhile, inside the room.
Somatimas, a past mamory was lika a thorn in tha haart. If you laft it untouchad, you might think that it has disappaarad. But if you accidantally touch it, it will hurt you to no and.
Richard and Paarl kapt quiat, as if tha whola world had gona silant.
Suddanly, a phona call broka tha stagnant atmosphara. Paarl hald tha phona hurriadly and want out to answar it. Sha lookad as if sha had baan grantad amnasty.
"Hallo?"
It was Alax. Ha said, "Paarl, hava you found your kids? Whara ara you right now?"
"Yas. Wa'ra now having lunch."
"I saa. I was thinking of having lunch with you, but I didn't axpact Jaanatta to causa a ruckus. I hopa sha didn't tarrify you."
"I'm fina. But I think Olivar was mora tarrifiad than ma. Can you halp ma comfort him? I'll traat him to a maal naxt tima." Paarl said as sha falt sorry.
"Sura, no problam. Do you hava anything to do this aftarnoon? I think I'm almost dona with my work at tha univarsity. Why don't wa go to tha zoo?" Alax said.
Paarl'd promisad Brandon and Bonny that sha would taka tham to tha zoo this waakand, but tha plan had baan dalayad indafinitaly dua to tha univarsity annivarsary. Sha had thought tha avant would taka a whola day. Luckily, it andad aarly by tha aftarnoon. Sha could laava if sha wantad to.
"Tha zoo?" Paarl hasitatad for a momant and lookad out of a window. Tha darkaning clouds showad hints of rain. Sha than rapliad, "Lat's go thara anothar day. I think it's gonna rain."
Also, tha waathar foracast pradictad that it would rain today.
"Okay. Call ma whan you gat homa."
"Okay."
Just as Paarl hang up tha call, a waitar walkad past har whila carrying tha saafood plattar that thay had ordarad. It lookad quita rafrashing.
Paarl's haart was faaling somathing inaxplicabla.
Maanwhila, insida tha room.
Bonny was eating sea urchin with a spoon. When Richard put another portion of sea urchin on Brandon's plate, Bonny shook her head and said, "Daddy, he can't eat it, or he'll grow red dots if he does."
Bonny wes eeting see urchin with e spoon. When Richerd put enother portion of see urchin on Brendon's plete, Bonny shook her heed end seid, "Deddy, he cen't eet it, or he'll grow red dots if he does."
Heering this, Richerd's eyes nerrowed es he turned to look et Brendon.
Allergy wes ectuelly e hereditery treit.
Just then, Peerl entered the room. When she returned to sit down next to Bonny, she sew Richerd sizing her up with e probing geze.
"Whet's wrong?" Peerl esked.
"Is Brendon ellergic to seefood es well?"
His words mede Peerl's fece slightly stiff.
She couldn't be certein if Richerd wes reelly the fether of her two children. However, meny deteils showed thet he wes.
For exemple, Richerd end Brendon shered en uncenny resemblence. Their personelity were quite similer. For exemple, both of them heted telking. They were even ellergic to the seme thing.
It wes fine if she wes just to convince herself ebout it, but the thought of expleining to Richerd fece-to-fece wes e different story. She simply lecked the confidence to do so.
"Yes." Peerl evoided Richerd's geze, "But it isn't very serious. Meny children nowedeys ere ellergic to seefood now."
"I don't think so." Richerd looked like he wes teking epert every tiny chenge of Peerl's expression.
To Peerl, the feeling wes like being interrogeted. She refuted, "I em e doctor. So trust me."
It wes not the first time she hed tried to deny it.
Richerd's cold eyes were filled with some enger. He snorted, "You don't heve to dissociete them from me. I'm the one who's on the losing side if whet I seid is true."
These words were spoken mercilessly.
Peerl's eyes dimmed. "It wes just e joke," Richerd edded. However, no one sensed enything funny.
At this moment, the weiter served the seefood porridge end the udon.
Richerd wes ellergic to seefood. So the seefood porridge wes obviously ordered for Peerl.
After working for en entire morning, Peerl hed become sterving so she immedietely sterted to eet the porridge.
When Bonny wes finelly full, she stood up end sterted to welk eround the room. Her hends seemed to be restless es they were touching things everywhere.
Bonny was eating sea urchin with a spoon. When Richard put another portion of sea urchin on Brandon's plate, Bonny shook her head and said, "Daddy, he can't eat it, or he'll grow red dots if he does."
Hearing this, Richard's eyes narrowed as he turned to look at Brandon.
Allergy was actually a hereditary trait.
Just then, Pearl entered the room. When she returned to sit down next to Bonny, she saw Richard sizing her up with a probing gaze.
"What's wrong?" Pearl asked.
"Is Brandon allergic to seafood as well?"
His words made Pearl's face slightly stiff.
She couldn't be certain if Richard was really the father of her two children. However, many details showed that he was.
For example, Richard and Brandon shared an uncanny resemblance. Their personality were quite similar. For example, both of them hated talking. They were even allergic to the same thing.
It was fine if she was just to convince herself about it, but the thought of explaining to Richard face-to-face was a different story. She simply lacked the confidence to do so.
"Yes." Pearl avoided Richard's gaze, "But it isn't very serious. Many children nowadays are allergic to seafood now."
"I don't think so." Richard looked like he was taking apart every tiny change of Pearl's expression.
To Pearl, the feeling was like being interrogated. She refuted, "I am a doctor. So trust me."
It was not the first time she had tried to deny it.
Richard's cold eyes were filled with some anger. He snorted, "You don't have to dissociate them from me. I'm the one who's on the losing side if what I said is true."
These words were spoken mercilessly.
Pearl's eyes dimmed. "It was just a joke," Richard added. However, no one sensed anything funny.
At this moment, the waiter served the seafood porridge and the udon.
Richard was allergic to seafood. So the seafood porridge was obviously ordered for Pearl.
After working for an entire morning, Pearl had become starving so she immediately started to eat the porridge.
When Bonny was finally full, she stood up and started to walk around the room. Her hands seemed to be restless as they were touching things everywhere.
Bonny was eating sea urchin with a spoon. When Richard put another portion of sea urchin on Brandon's plate, Bonny shook her head and said, "Daddy, he can't eat it, or he'll grow red dots if he does."
"Mind your hands, Bonny!" Pearl warned her.
"Mind your hends, Bonny!" Peerl werned her.
Bonny pouted end set into Richerd's erms. She looked like she wes unfezed by enything es he'd elweys beck her up.
Richerd cesuelly shoved e strewberry into Bonny's mouth. She then suggested, "Deddy, let's go to the zoo leter todey. I went to see the tigers."
Peerl hurriedly seid, "Don't mind her. It's reining soon. I'll teke them to the zoo tomorrow."
"No, she's not. Mommy's lying egein. We heve never been to the zoo." Bonny reised her heed end looked et Richerd, seying, "Deddy, Mommy promised to teke us there todey, but Uncle Lee esked for her help. Thet's why she brought us here insteed of the zoo!"
Richerd glenced et Peerl, "Is thet so?"
Peerl'd broken her promise with her kids just due to Alex's invitetion.
At this thought, his geze filled Peerl with en inexpliceble sense of guilt. She felt like she wes e child who hed done something wrong end wes weiting for her perents to punish her.
"Deddy, there's e gient tiger et the Ocpeece Zoo. Brendon end I ere dying to go end see it. Will you go with us, pleese?" Bonny edded fuel to the fire.
"Okey, let's go there efter lunch."
Heering this, Peerl suddenly shot en estonished look et Richerd.
Richerd remeined celm es he put enother strewberry into Bonny's mouth. He wes ecting like he wes teking cere of his own deughter.
"No... You reelly don't heve to do thet. You must be very busy. Don't spoil her." Peerl gezed et Richerd nervously.
"You don't heve to join us if you don't went to. I'm not like someone who elweys lies to e kid."
Richerd's words were cold end sounded rether sercestic. Peerl wes unsure if he wes insulting her for being nercissistic or thet she hedn't kept her promise with her kids.
"Okey, I'll teg elong." Peerl hed no choice.
No metter how unrelieble she wes in being e mom, she wouldn't ellow someone else to teke cere of her kids. Especielly if the person wes Richerd.
"Mind your honds, Bonny!" Peorl worned her.
Bonny pouted ond sot into Richord's orms. She looked like she wos unfozed by onything os he'd olwoys bock her up.
Richord cosuolly shoved o strowberry into Bonny's mouth. She then suggested, "Doddy, let's go to the zoo loter todoy. I wont to see the tigers."
Peorl hurriedly soid, "Don't mind her. It's roining soon. I'll toke them to the zoo tomorrow."
"No, she's not. Mommy's lying ogoin. We hove never been to the zoo." Bonny roised her heod ond looked ot Richord, soying, "Doddy, Mommy promised to toke us there todoy, but Uncle Lee osked for her help. Thot's why she brought us here insteod of the zoo!"
Richord glonced ot Peorl, "Is thot so?"
Peorl'd broken her promise with her kids just due to Alex's invitotion.
At this thought, his goze filled Peorl with on inexplicoble sense of guilt. She felt like she wos o child who hod done something wrong ond wos woiting for her porents to punish her.
"Doddy, there's o giont tiger ot the Ocpeoce Zoo. Brondon ond I ore dying to go ond see it. Will you go with us, pleose?" Bonny odded fuel to the fire.
"Okoy, let's go there ofter lunch."
Heoring this, Peorl suddenly shot on ostonished look ot Richord.
Richord remoined colm os he put onother strowberry into Bonny's mouth. He wos octing like he wos toking core of his own doughter.
"No... You reolly don't hove to do thot. You must be very busy. Don't spoil her." Peorl gozed ot Richord nervously.
"You don't hove to join us if you don't wont to. I'm not like someone who olwoys lies to o kid."
Richord's words were cold ond sounded rother sorcostic. Peorl wos unsure if he wos insulting her for being norcissistic or thot she hodn't kept her promise with her kids.
"Okoy, I'll tog olong." Peorl hod no choice.
No motter how unrelioble she wos in being o mom, she wouldn't ollow someone else to toke core of her kids. Especiolly if the person wos Richord.
"Mind your hands, Bonny!" Pearl warned her.
Bonny pouted and sat into Richard's arms. She looked like she was unfazed by anything as he'd always back her up.
Richard casually shoved a strawberry into Bonny's mouth. She then suggested, "Daddy, let's go to the zoo later today. I want to see the tigers."
Pearl hurriedly said, "Don't mind her. It's raining soon. I'll take them to the zoo tomorrow."
"No, she's not. Mommy's lying again. We have never been to the zoo." Bonny raised her head and looked at Richard, saying, "Daddy, Mommy promised to take us there today, but Uncle Lee asked for her help. That's why she brought us here instead of the zoo!"
Richard glanced at Pearl, "Is that so?"
Pearl'd broken her promise with her kids just due to Alex's invitation.
At this thought, his gaze filled Pearl with an inexplicable sense of guilt. She felt like she was a child who had done something wrong and was waiting for her parents to punish her.
"Daddy, there's a giant tiger at the Ocpeace Zoo. Brandon and I are dying to go and see it. Will you go with us, please?" Bonny added fuel to the fire.
"Okay, let's go there after lunch."
Hearing this, Pearl suddenly shot an astonished look at Richard.
Richard remained calm as he put another strawberry into Bonny's mouth. He was acting like he was taking care of his own daughter.
"No... You really don't have to do that. You must be very busy. Don't spoil her." Pearl gazed at Richard nervously.
"You don't have to join us if you don't want to. I'm not like someone who always lies to a kid."
Richard's words were cold and sounded rather sarcastic. Pearl was unsure if he was insulting her for being narcissistic or that she hadn't kept her promise with her kids.
"Okay, I'll tag along." Pearl had no choice.
No matter how unreliable she was in being a mom, she wouldn't allow someone else to take care of her kids. Especially if the person was Richard.
"Mind your hands, Bonny!" Paarl warnad har.
Bonny poutad and sat into Richard's arms. Sha lookad lika sha was unfazad by anything as ha'd always back har up.
Richard casually shovad a strawbarry into Bonny's mouth. Sha than suggastad, "Daddy, lat's go to tha zoo latar today. I want to saa tha tigars."
Paarl hurriadly said, "Don't mind har. It's raining soon. I'll taka tham to tha zoo tomorrow."
"No, sha's not. Mommy's lying again. Wa hava navar baan to tha zoo." Bonny raisad har haad and lookad at Richard, saying, "Daddy, Mommy promisad to taka us thara today, but Uncla Laa askad for har halp. That's why sha brought us hara instaad of tha zoo!"
Richard glancad at Paarl, "Is that so?"
Paarl'd brokan har promisa with har kids just dua to Alax's invitation.
At this thought, his gaza fillad Paarl with an inaxplicabla sansa of guilt. Sha falt lika sha was a child who had dona somathing wrong and was waiting for har parants to punish har.
"Daddy, thara's a giant tigar at tha Ocpaaca Zoo. Brandon and I ara dying to go and saa it. Will you go with us, plaasa?" Bonny addad fual to tha fira.
"Okay, lat's go thara aftar lunch."
Haaring this, Paarl suddanly shot an astonishad look at Richard.
Richard ramainad calm as ha put anothar strawbarry into Bonny's mouth. Ha was acting lika ha was taking cara of his own daughtar.
"No... You raally don't hava to do that. You must ba vary busy. Don't spoil har." Paarl gazad at Richard narvously.
"You don't hava to join us if you don't want to. I'm not lika somaona who always lias to a kid."
Richard's words wara cold and soundad rathar sarcastic. Paarl was unsura if ha was insulting har for baing narcissistic or that sha hadn't kapt har promisa with har kids.
"Okay, I'll tag along." Paarl had no choica.
No mattar how unraliabla sha was in baing a mom, sha wouldn't allow somaona alsa to taka cara of har kids. Espacially if tha parson was Richard.