"What?" Ava turned around with her face still wrinkled. However, when she saw her mother, she gasped. "Mom?" Ava walked stiffly towards the bed. With teary eyes, she grabbed Mrs. Connor's fingers. "You’re awake?" Mrs. Connor blinked. Her fingers moved slightly. Seeing that response, Ava's laughter spread into the air. "Oh my God! The miracle I've been waiting for has finally come." Ava hugged her mother and shed tears. "Oh, thanks God. Thanks." She kissed her mother repeatedly. Her hand gripped the weak fingers as if she was reluctant to let go. "Thanks for waking up, Mom. Thanks for sticking around for a few months. You're amazing." After wiping her eyes, she looked at her mother closely. "Do you need anything? Do you want something to drink? Are you thirsty?" Mrs. Connor opened her mouth with difficulty. Her jaw was stiff. She hadn't used it for too long. At that moment, Ava gasped. "Wait. This isn't right. I can't immediately offer you a drink. Doctor has to examine you fir
"What you heard was like singing, right?" Mrs. Connor nodded faintly. Smiling, Ava glanced at Jeremy. "On New Year's Eve, they sang a song to entertain my mother." Ava shifted her gaze back to her mother. "At that moment, your finger started moving. I didn't think you really heard it. Do you want to meet them?" Mrs. Connor closed her eyes for a longer time when she blinked. "They led me. I ... followed their voices." Ava widened her smile. "They are truly extraordinary children." "I can tell them that your mother wakes up. They will definitely come here straight away." Jeremy spoke casually. Ava smiled, appreciating his attempt at their friendship. "Not now. They've been through a lot today. Let them go home and rest." Jeremy raised an eyebrow. He just found out that Ava was that understanding. "Then I'll ask Frank to tell them the good news before they go to bed." Ava nodded. "That must be fine. For now, just let them gather with their families." *** "Daddy, do you think Un
"Were you the ones singing at that time?" Mrs. Connor asked in inaudible voice.The twins fell silent. With frozen smiles, they blinked to guess it. "What did she just say?" Louis glanced at his younger sister. Emily shrugged her shoulders vaguely, afraid to offend the woman. "I don't know." Smiling, Ava got up from her chair. "You won't be able to hear my mother from there. Come here." She reached out her hand. The twins' faces lit up again. Happily, they let Ava sit them on her lap. "Were you the ones singing at that time?" The twins' mouths rounded. "Oh, that's it," Louis muttered before nodding. "Yes, we were the ones singing that time. Did you like our singing?" Mrs. Connor whispered, "Very sweet." Emily laughed while covering her mouth. "You don't need to lie to please Louis, Mrs. Connor. It's okay. We realized that our voices were a bit off at the time, especially Louis'." Louis elbowed his sister's arm. His lips were pursed, his brows furrowed. "I told you it's vibr
"Then this," Eva handed her another smaller bag. "You didn't think I forgot your birthday, did you?" Eva widened her smile then hugged Ava. "Happy birthday, Sister. Sorry I'm a day late." Hearing that, Louis' neck stretched. "It was Ava's birthday yesterday? Why didn't she tell us?" "And why is Uncle Jeremy keeping it a secret too?" Emily frowned. Guilt suddenly haunted Jeremy. He had missed Ava's special day and even dragged her to the brink of death. "Sorry, I don't know about that either." "Ah, Uncle sucks," Louis grumbled, inviting a small rebuke from Kara. Jeremy fell silent. Not because he was disturbed by Louis, but by Mrs. Connor. When Ava told her yesterday's date, why didn't she say congratulations? Was it because she was in a coma that she forgot her daughter's birthday? Meanwhile, Eva had loosened her embrace. "I hope next year you will celebrate your birthday. A party once a year is not too much, Sister. I will definitely come." A second later, Eva turned to face
Jeremy raised his eyebrows. "Even though what Eva said is true—about you like to save money and don't like parties—you don't need to be embarrassed. That's a normal attitude. I used to be like that too." "Then, is it because of the things she brought?" Ava glanced at the shopping bags on the chair. "Are you embarrassed if you accept pre-loved clothes in front of people?" Jeremy shook his head. "When I was at the orphanage, I also often received such clothes. If the model was good, I made it my pride. I even dared to wear it to parties. So, it was a natural thing." Ava folded her arms, leaning against the wall. She was actually curious about Jeremy's background. Why was he raised in an orphanage? However, she couldn't possibly ask that. "Then what would make you embarrassed if you were in my position?" "The fact that you have a stupid younger sister. She doesn't realize that by demeaning you, she is degrading her own family, ruining her own good name." The curve of Ava's lips cha
Eva's eyes sparkled when she saw the menu served on the dining table. She often went to restaurants with the men she dated. However, the dishes they ordered had never been so luxurious. "Wow, I'm really honored. I just came to visit my mother. I didn't expect you to welcome me with this special dinner." The people around her exchanged glances. Even the twins' eyes widened to the maximum. Only Ava didn't dare to raise her head. She just focused on preparing food for her mother who was sitting next to her. "This dinner is not to welcome you, Eva," Louis said unexpectedly. "This is to welcome Mrs. Connor." Several people could not help but smile. They thought Eva deserved those words. If Barbara had been there, she would have laughed and whispered with Philip. "Louis, why did you talk like that?" Kara rebuked gently. "Eva is Mrs. Connor's daughter. If we welcome her mother, that means we welcome her too." "But Louis is right, Mommy. We're here to celebrate Mrs. Connor's recovery, n
They approached Ava one by one, giving her congratulations and prayers—starting from the twins, Kara, Vivian. None of them were seen bringing gifts. However, jealousy still raged in Eva's heart. "Happy birthday, Ava. Wish you all the best." Jeremy was the last person to greet Ava. His gesture was stiff, his smile awkward. Still, Ava appreciated it. "Thank you ..., Mr. Jeremy." Her lips curved shyly. After Jeremy stepped back, Eva stepped forward. She hugged her sister, wearing a cheerful expression. "Even though I already said it earlier, I don't think there's any harm in repeating it. Happy birthday, Sister. You are very lucky to know this family. Without them, you definitely wouldn't be celebrating your birthday." Ava blinked with no expression. Her sister’s words no longer had any effect on her. "Thank you, Eva." "You're very welcome." Eva kept her smile until she returned to her seat. "So, what's next? Cut the cake?" The twins shook their heads with pursed lips. "Before tha
"Wow ...." Ava gasped involuntarily. Even though her voice was very thin, Jeremy's ears caught it. The corners of his lips rose slightly. "Do you like it?" Ava raised her gaze, full of emotion. "Yes, it's very beautiful. Thank you, Jeremy. Mister Jeremy," she corrected swiftly. Jeremy did his best to suppress a smile and nodded. "Ava," Emily's sweet voice sounded, "can you show us the dress? I'm curious about the model Uncle chose. It must look very beautiful." "Yes, Ava. Show us!" Louis nodded with round eyes. Ava put the box on the chair. After a while, a lilac evening dress was spread out. The model was simple, but looked elegant. When the gold thread on it reflected the light, everyone forgot to blink. "Uncle, isn't that a limited edition dress? It was alongside the dress I designed in the most anticipated fashion of the new year!" Louis blinked, turning to his sister. "Is that dress you mentioned before?" "Yes, the ornaments are made from real gold thread! The price is
Philip rushed in and grabbed Barbara's hand. Before he could say anything, Barbara was pushing again. After Briony came out, Barbara breathed a sigh of relief. “Philip .... Our child has been born.”Even though his head was nodding, Philip blinked in confusion. His mouth was agape, not knowing how to respond. "Yes ...," he sighed after a few moments. Briony's cries helped him regain his senses. "Wow," Philip blinked. He bent down, stroking his wife's hair with mixed feelings. "You're so great, Babe. You can give birth that fast." Barbara smiled proudly. "Our efforts weren't in vain, Phil. I was actually scared earlier. Briony's urge was very strong. But Louis and Emily forbade me to push. I tried to hold it in until finally, I gave in." Philip sighed in amazement and disbelief. Still looking stiff, he kissed Barbara's temple. "You're amazing, Babe. I'm glad you didn't encounter any major difficulties." Philip wiped the tears from her face. "I'm happy too. But where were you? I to
"Louis, Auntie is about to give birth!" Emily rose with a high arch of her eyebrows. "You’re right! We have to take her to the hospital!" Wasting no time, Louis grabbed Barbara's hand, pulling her to turn around. "Come on, Auntie. Let's go back to the car." However, Barbara shook her head. Her face was pale, her body tense. Her feet seemed to be glued to the earth. "What's wrong, Auntie?" "Call Philip," she muttered softly. "What?" "Call Philip!" The twins flinched. After one nod, they ran towards Philip. "Uncle Philip! Uncle Philip!" "Hey, where are you guys going?" Barbara exclaimed again. The twins braked. When they looked back, Barbara was waving. "Why did you leave me here alone?" Her voice was shrill. "You told us to call Uncle Philip!" Louis shook his head, not understanding. "Yeah, but don't leave me here." While limping, she inched closer to Louis and Emily. "One person calls him. One more person, hold me!" The twins blinked. Not because they didn't understand, b
"Hello, Orion," Emily whispered as the tiny baby in the box opened his eyes. Her hand reached out, trying to reach his chubby cheek. From the other side of the box, Louis also looked inside. "Hello, Oscar." "Louis?" Emily scolded with round eyes. "Why do you call him Oscar? This is our first meeting with him. Don't make a bad impression." Louis pursed his lips. "Okay, sorry. I'm used to it. Let me repeat." After clearing his throat, he looked down again. "Hello, Orion. It's me, Louis. I'm your cousin." Emily smiled slightly and nodded. "That's just right." After giving Louis thumbs up, she waved her hand downwards. "And I'm Emily. Nice to meet you, Orion." For a few moments, the two toddlers were busy observing Orion. Philip and Barbara were amused by their comments. "It turns out that Uncle Philip was right. Orion looks like both of his parents. His eyes are like Auntie's, while his nose and mouth are like Uncle's." "His chin also looks like Uncle’s, but his hair looks like
A nurse tried to calm Ava. However, the woman still shook her head, rejecting all the words directed at her. She was very weak. The pain seemed to knock out all the bones in her body. Her brain could no longer function normally. "No. I have no strength anymore. I can't continue." After taking a heavy breath, Jeremy bowed. The nurse had shifted. Jeremy had more freedom to stroke Ava's hair which was wet with sweat and her face which was flooded with tears. "Ava, can you hear me? Ava?" Their gazes finally met. Jeremy could see the desperation in those brown eyes. "I can't take it anymore, Jeremy. I can't. Let the doctor take it out. I can't take it anymore." Jeremy's chest felt like it had been torn apart. He almost choked with pain. Stroking Ava's shoulder, he shook his head. "No, I know you. You're not someone who never gives up, Ava. You can do it." "But I don't have the energy anymore, Jeremy." "There is. There definitely is." Jeremy grabbed Ava's shaking fingers. "This is f
"Look at this, Brandon." Louis placed a stack of photo paper on the table. Then, he showed them one by one to his friend. "This is a picture of Russell crying. This is a picture of him laughing. And this is a picture of Russell being angry." "Can babies get angry? Isn't he still too young to understand anything?" Brandon shook his head faintly. Louis shrugged. "I don't know about that. But when Russell sees something he doesn't like, his hands keep flapping and his mouth makes sounds ...." Louis imitated a baby's moan which made the librarian glance. "Russell also has sharp eyes, Brandon. If he feels annoyed by us, he will glare while furrowing his eyebrows." Emily touched the base of her eyebrows, checking to see if they were the same shape as Russell's eyebrows in the picture. Brandon smiled at Emily's expression. "I think he must be really cute when he's angry." "Yes!" Emily nodded quickly. "He's always cute, all the time. Louis, show him a picture of Russell in the shower."
"Oh, look at Russell, Louis. Isn't he very handsome? He's clean and smells good." Emily put her nose closer to Russell's face. When she managed to kiss that very soft cheek, she giggled holding back her laughter. She didn't want to disturb Kara who was sleeping in Frank's arms. "Yes, he is very handsome. He looks like me. Isn't that right, Grandma?" Louis raised his gaze towards the woman holding Russell. Susan smiled amusedly. "Yes, he looks like you. Only his nose is a little sharper." Louis' lips immediately pursed. His forefinger pointed at his own nose. "How sharp do you want Russell's nose to be? My nose is already very sharp." Susan chuckled at Louis' answer. "I’m just joking, Louis. It doesn't matter whose nose is sharper. What's important is that you're both healthy." Louis nodded in agreement. His hands then rose to touch the baby's feet. "Grandma, is Russell heavy?" Susan raised her eyebrows. "Do you want to carry him?" Louis glanced at Emily. "How about you try fir
"Hello, Good Boy," Kara held Russell carefully, as if the little creature was a very fragile pearl. Tears could not stop running down her face. After kissing the baby who was covered in a towel, Kara whispered again, "This is Mommy, Russell. I'm happy that I can finally hug you like this." While biting his lips, Frank also bowed. He stroked the tiny back then kissed his head. "And this is Daddy, Russell. Daddy is also happy that you are finally here." Still with a wide smile and red eyes, Frank looked at Kara gently. Before the pool of emotion dripped again, he quickly kissed her forehead. Kara closed her eyes accepting the warmth. "Thank you for giving birth to our son, Queen Bee," Frank whispered hoarsely. Kara smiled wider and nodded faintly. "Thank you for accompanying me here." "That's what I should have done a long time ago." Frank stroked her cheek before kissing her again. "Daddy, we want to see Russell too! Can we come closer?" Emily asked, jumping a little on the chai
Kara was sitting on the bed. Her head rested on the broad shoulder next to her. Closing her eyes, she tried to catch her breath."Is there any news from the Twins?" she asked quietly. Frank shook his head. His hands kept to massage Kara's fingers. "You don't need to worry about them, Queen Bee. They are independent and intelligent children. They will understand that you have to give birth soon. Let's celebrate their birthday after Russell is born, hmm?" After a short nod, Kara turned her head further. "Are you crying?" Frank's eyebrows pulled together. Moving his head away so that it would be easier to see her, he shook his head. "Why do you think I'm crying?" "Your voice is shaky, Frank." Pursing his lips, Frank took a deep breath. "I'm not crying." "Then why are your eyes red and watery?" Frank blinked firmly. "I'm not crying," he repeated with more emphasis. Still out of breath, Kara let out a laugh. Her head tilted slightly, waiting for his tears to fall. "Are you sure?"
"Hello, Brandon. Welcome to our event," Louis shook his classmate's hand. "Hello, Louis. Happy birthday. I hope you live a long and healthy life," the blonde boy said, occasionally glancing at Emily. "Thank you, Brandon. Did you come alone?" Brandon nodded. "Yes, my parents had to attend another event. So, only the driver took me here." After one blink, Brandon offered his hand to Emily. "Happy birthday too, Emily. You're so beautiful tonight." Emily shook Brandon's hand with a sweet smile. "Thanks, Brandon. You also look cool tonight. The jacket suits you." Brandon blushed. His lips twitched to suppress the excitement in his chest. "Thank you, Emily. I deliberately asked my mother to look for the best outfit. I want to look cool at this event." "Your mom has a good sense of fashion," Emily nodded before glancing to the side. "Louis, I think you should try a regular tie like Brandon. You're five years old. It's time for you to leave that bow tie behind. You should try somethin