4

The next morning, Kelsey woke up with a groan. "Wake up, Kelsey!" An annoying voice yelled as the bed continued to bounce up and down. "Wakey, wakes!"

"5 more minutes!" She said burying her head on her pillow and threw the covers back on herself. Unfortunately, someone took the covers off and the cold wind blew meeting her pale skin.

"C'mon, mom already left and you promise we are going to look after Kyle." He said as he sat on the bed and hung his head low. When Kelsey felt the stillness on the bed and quietness of her brother, she quickly sat up. She suddenly regretted ignoring him because the tears that were forming in his eyes melted her heart. She rushed to him and cuddled him between her arms.

"I'm sorry, I promise we'll go. C'mon, don't cry." She shushed him as she rocked them back and forth. Tears flooded his cheeks and guilt ate Kelsey as she heard him sob quietly. "No baby, please don't cry."

"Is he going to get better? When is he coming home?" He asked looking up with his tear-filled eyes. Kelsey didn't have the heart to tell him that Kyle might not be going home anytime soon. He still needed to do at least four more chemotherapies. Kelsey felt crushed staring at her brokenhearted brother. He might not be related to them by blood, but in their hearts, they love him equally like he belonged to the family.

"Of course he's going to get better. And I'm sure he'll come home soon. Just keep praying, okay?" Kelsey said softly as she played with the end of his blonde locks.

"Okay." He whispered nodding his head. Kelsey let go of him and hold on his shoulders. "Listen to me, pal, Kyle is a fighter. Remember that he's the brave soldier in this house. He will never stop fighting and I'm sure he wouldn't let anything get to him. I'm sure that he'll be fine." She said encouragingly.

Ace wiped his tears with the back of his hand and smiled at Kelsey but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yeah, he is brave and strong." He agreed.

"Exactly, I'm sure he'll fight this off too." Kelsey smiled back and kissed his temple. She started tickling him and giggles filled the air. They continued to tickle each other for almost five minutes until Kelsey's phone rang.

She quickly fixed herself up and gave Ace another sloppy kiss on the cheek. She got her phone from her bedside table and answered it.

"Hey, mom. How's everything so far?" She asked as she regarded Ace at the bed, who was exhausted and panting hard.

"Everything's fine, sweetheart. I just wanted to know if you and Ace are still coming."

"Of course we're coming, mom. We'll support Kyle all the way. Tell him I'll bring him some cookies from Mrs. Freeman."

"Oh, delightful! I'm sure he'll wait for you guys. Come early because his therapy starts at exactly eleven o'clock." She informed her.

"Got it. We'll be there in a jiffy." She said mimicking a British accent.

"Alright, tell Ace to eat a proper breakfast, okay? No more cookies in the morning."

"Yes, ma'am, I will most certainly tell him. Tell Kyle we'll be there soon."

"Alright, see you."

"Bye mom."

"Bye mom!" Ace shouted over the phone.

"Bye, you guys. Love you!" Her mother chuckled hearing Ace's enthusiastic voice over the phone.

"We love you too!" Kelsey said as she hung up the phone. Ace started to hop off the bed and his big grin was once again plastered on his face.

"Why don't you get ready and shower? I'll make us some breakfast as you do so." She suggested as she started to fix the bed.

"Can I have cookies instead?" He asked doing the puppy dog eyes and pouting his lips. Anyone would have caved in, but pouting didn't work on her.

"Sorry, pal, but I'm not mom. It's not gonna work." Kelsey smirked as the kid narrowed his eyes at her and brought his arms across his chest. He stood there like a stubborn child and Kelsey laughed at his childish remarks.

"Do you wanna go to Kyle or not? Because we could stay here all day." She said and she knew that he would give in and obey her.

"I'm going, I'm going!" He said running off to the bathroom.

Kelsey mentally patted her back for the amazing skills she have. She nodded her head an muttered to herself. "I thought so." And she chuckled.

~ * ~ * ~

"Mr. King, all the documents that you need is in this file. Do you need anything else, sir?" Nina, Mason's receptionist and secretary, asked as she placed the files gently on his table.

"Yes, actually, did you do what I asked you to do yesterday?" He asked as he continued to type on his computer.

"Yes, sir, I did and quite frankly, many people had sent their résumés. Mostly women to be specific." She added and Mason stopped typing and turned his eyes on her.

"Great, I want all the résumés on my desk in ten." He informed her as he went back to typing.

"Got it." Nina said as she started to make her way out, but before she could even reach the doorknob, the door opened revealing a gorgeous man.

Nina paused and admired the blonde headed guy with broad shoulders and tall figure by the door. "Hey, Nina." He greeted in a seductive way.

"H-hi." She stuttered staring at him in dazed.

"I see that you still look as fine as hell." He commented as red blush rushed through her cheeks.

"Ricky, stop flirting with my secretary!" Mason warned him and Ricky chuckled in response.

"Hey, a girl's gotta have her compliments." Ricky teased looking intently at Nina with a smirk playing on his lips.

"Rick, seriously, you're making her uncomfortable." Mason said as Nina squirmed and rocked back and forth in discomfort.

"Am I making you squirm, baby?" Ricky said seductively as Nina froze and blushed even more if it was even possible.

"Ugh! Ricky, my innocent ears!" Mason gagged as he plastered the most disgusted face he could master.

"Innocent ears, my ass!" Ricky said bursting in laughter. Nina stood awkwardly and she figured out it was her time to leave.

She creepily slid out of the office without the two men noticing her escape and closed the door gently. When Ricky was finally out of breath from laughing, he stopped and turned back to the door, only to notice that Nina wasn't there anymore.

"Where'd she go?" He asked with a furrowed eyebrows at Mason.

"Maybe she realized how obnoxious you really are." Mason said as he continued to type on his computer.

"Ha-ha, very funny." He said sarcastically, sitting on the reclining chair at the corner of the room. He threw his arms at the back of his head and decline the chair back.

"You know what's funny? It's funny how you think my office is your home."

"Says the guy who wasn't left his office for the last two days!" Ricky retorted narrowing his eyes at him.

"For your information, I'm trying to keep this company, which by the way, is sponsoring your diner. If I lose this company, you lose your business as well. Remember that, Rick." He said looking intently at him. Ricky knew he had a point. Without the King Corporation, his diner wouldn't be booming and popular.

"Alright, I get it. Dude, you really gotta get out more." He mumbled under his breath as he laid back on the chair.

"I did went out, Saturday night? Guess where that led me to?" Mason said with venom lacing though his voice.

"Well, it wasn't my fault that you didn't tell the girl to leave right after you banged her."

"We were too drunk!" Mason screamed in frustration. "I didn't even know what I was doing! And let me tell you this, it was a huge miracle I made it home in one piece." He said stating how drunk he truly were.

"So what's your plan?" Ricky asked changing the topic. "What are you gonna do with this 'grandma issues'?"

"Don't worry about it. I've got everything under control." Mason assured him letting a smirk slipped out of his lips.

"Should I be relieved or worried?" He questioned unsurely and Mason chuckled at him.

"Maybe a little bit of both." He shrugged bluntly as he went back to typing.

"You're honestly killing me here, bro! C'mon, tell me!" Ricky begged getting out of the comfortable chair and slouched his way to one of the chairs in front of Mason's table. "Mason Emerson King! I demand you to tell me this instance what your plan is!" He growled with a pleaded tone.

"Richard Jason Hellman, calm yourself down, okay?"

"Don't call me Richard!" He hissed.

"Then don't call me Emerson." He retorted a smirk playing across his lips. Ricky narrowed his eyes at him with intensity.

They had a stared down for a minute. Then, Ricky thought that what they were doing was stupid so he sighed and rolled his eyes. "Just tell me what the plan is, please!" He said with pleading tone.

"Easy." Mason shrugged nonchalantly. "I'll hire a bride." He admitted. Ricky stared at him like he had grown another head and his mouth agape.

"Hire a bride?" He asked incredulously. "Okay, it's official! You've officially turned nuts, crazy, insane! Are you high?!" Ricky practically screamed at him. It was a good thing that Mason's office was sound proof.

"Calm down, Rick. I told you, I don't want to settle down and I'm not gonna. Believe me, bro, this is the best plan I have. I know what I'm doing and I know what I'm getting myself into. So, do not worry about anything, I have everything under control." Mason answered with a smile playing along his lips. Ricky looked at him pointedly and shook his head in disagreement.

"Who's desperate enough to play the role of the wife of Mr. Mason King?"

"A lot of women, Rick, a lot of women. Just trust me, I know what I'm doing." Mason assured him as Ricky went back to the reclining chair.

"Whatever, but don't come to me one day and say you've fallen in love with this pretend wife of yours."

"I'm not, I'm never going to say those words ever." He stated firmly and began typing back. He knew his plan was good, it was better than nothing. He rather hire a woman who was desperate to be with him than lose the company he desired of owning and managing since he was a kid.