Part 18

They cleaned up the dishes and went back into the house. It was almost ninth in the evening when they put the laundry into the sink. Without prompting, Abigail and Flavia washed the dirty dishes.

"Already, just leave all the laundry let Abigail wash it later. Your poor father, he seems to be bored already."

"If Flavia's father is bored, you keep her company." Abigail said, more like an order. "Let Flavia help me, it's called shared responsibility." Flavia nodded in agreement. "Please forgive my aunt's impoliteness. She's not used to receiving guests in her house." Abigail whispered which could still be heard by Claire.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you could have offered Flavia's father some coffee or something out of courtesy." Abigail continued which made Claire raise one eyebrow because she felt that she had been dictated to by her own niece. But the girl still followed Abigail's instructions.

"Sir, what would you like to drink?" She offered to the man who was sitting in her living room with his eyes focused on his cell phone.

"No, thank you." The man refused, momentarily lifting his head before returning to his phone screen. But Claire served him black coffee.

"The sugar is over there." She pointed at the sugar bowl. " I'll go to my room first.." She said and went into the room.

Claire sat in front of the dressing table and unfolded her small towel as her hair had started to dry. She combed it lightly before applying hair vitamin all over it. Hoping that by the time she was done, her guests would be ready to leave. But when she left the room, she overheard a heated conversation between her niece and her best friend's father.

"Well, you can treat us this weekend. We want to go to the movie and you pay for the tickets, the food, the popcorn and drinks." Abigail babbled shamelessly. Claire who understood the direction of Abigail's conversation could only frown and promised to reprimand her niece later.

"Okay, no problem." Antony's voice said yes. And Claire guessed that the widower had already begun his approach to the princess without waiting for Claire's final answer.

Instead of walking towards the living room, Claire chose to sit at the bar table and have a warm drink for herself while her ears were still listening.

"You, besides going to the movies, where else do you want to go?" The man is now heard asking her daughter.

"Bookstore?" Flavia replied hesitantly.

"Okay. I'll take you anywhere." He replied, which received an enthusiastic nod from the princess.

Looking back, Abigail who saw her aunt immediately shouted loudly. "Aunty, Uncle Antony said he would treat us on Saturday night."

Claire turned her chair around and faced directly towards the living room. She deliberately shrugged her shoulders in a dramatic fashion before answering. "Not a bad idea. At least I won't have to drain my wallet. Since you guys always ask for this and that when you go to the mall." She quipped to her niece.

Flavia chuckled at Claire's remark. Meanwhile, Abigail spluttered.

"Can't you just say what's good about me? Don't just demonize me?" Abigail asked with an annoyed expression.

"I'd rather tell you your ugliness but be honest than tell you your goodness but it's all lies." Claire replied indifferently.

Abigail gave her aunt a reprimanding look. "Occasional praise, even if it's a lie, is motivation. Uncle said, As long as it can make people better, do it."

Hearing the word 'Uncle' mentioned again clearly made Antony frown. Who exactly was this 'Uncle'? Is he Claire's lover? He asked himself.

Claire seemed to roll her eyes. "It's useless. Praising you will only make you arrogant." Claire mocked. Abigail responded with a sneer while shrugging her shoulders.

It was getting late, but it seemed Abigail still wouldn't let her best friend leave. Instead, she offered to brew Flavia some warm milk. Flavia, who also seemed reluctant to go home, said yes. Without realizing it, the two adults there felt awkward and uncomfortable.

"Papa, I'll finish my homework here first, okay?" Flavia shyly asked.

Antony realizes that his presence makes Claire uncomfortable just as he realizes that Flavia is just making excuses to stay. Fulfilling his own wishes as well as Flavia's, Antony finally nodded his head.

"You just relax. Make yourself at home." Abigail said like a homeowner.

Claire who was still sitting on the barstool just looked at her with an incredulous look. Abigail, that child was indeed shameless and had a character that was very much different from her parents.

Claire was curious, when she was pregnant with Abigail, what did her brother or sister-in-law dream about?

The two teenagers then entered Abigail's room and closed it as if deliberately leaving the two adults there staring at each other in confusion.

"Sorry, sir." Claire said as she had nothing else to say. "Do you like snacks? My mom is a great baker." Claire opened the cupboard under the bar counter and took out two jars of different cookies. Antony chose to move closer and sat on the bar stool in front of Claire. "These are oatmeal chocoochips and these are ginger cookies. Are you allergic to anything?"

"Nothing."." Antony replied and took the chocoochips. "These are really good." Her praise was sincere.

"I'll tell my mom. Want me to refill it?" she offered, looking at Antony's glass.

Antony shook his head. "No, this is enough." He said. Claire nodded and sat back down.

"So, you've started courting Flavia?" She asked as she took a cookie for herself.

The man nodded. "Thanks to Abigail, she helped me make progress." Antony's praise was sincere.

"One of the most effective approaches is to approach her friend, don't you think?" Claire said, which was answered by Antony's nod. "If you've decided to accompany the girls this weekend, I can relax and take care of my work." Claire muttered again.

"But I still need your help." Antony replied stiffly.

Claire frowned. "I don't think that's necessary. I'm sure Abigail's presence will be very helpful." Claire replied briefly.

Antony shook his head slowly. "It will be awkward for me if we go in threes. When the kids start speaking their language, I'll be at a loss as to what to do."

"You can bring your girl friends."

Antony frowned. "What do you mean?" He asked confused.

"Yes, a girl friend. A lover. I still remember the woman you were with in the elevator the other day." Claire reminded.

"You mean, Anastasia?" Antony asked.

"Yes, isn't she our company's brand ambassador?" Asked Claire which was answered by Antony's nod.

"But what does that have to do with her?"

"You guys are dating, right?" Asked Claire without the slightest hint of sarcasm. "I mean, you know her. With her being at the event this weekend, I'm sure you won't feel awkward with the kids. There's someone you can talk to when the two girls have started living in their own world." Claire explained what she meant.

But Claire's words were taken by Antony as an insinuation that meant jealousy. Instantly, a feeling of excitement filled his chest.

But regarding Anastasia, Antony never even remembered that name after his meeting with Claire at the headquarters the other day. And she never appeared in front of him either as she was busy with her modeling job out of town.

More than that, Antony and Anastasia didn't have a personal relationship, although that's probably how people perceived their relationship.

"This is an opportunity for you to bring the two of them closer together." Claire said which brought Antony back to his senses. "That's more efficient. Not only can you bring you closer to Flavia, you can also bring Flavia directly to your lover." Claire suggested.

Flavia's words inevitably made Antony wince. Claire's advice is precisely what Antony wants to use to approach the girl himself, not to approach other women.

Antony then shook his head at Claire's words.

"Abigail's presence will allow you to get closer." She continued and casually picked up the biscuit she had served Antony. "You'd be surprised at my niece's dexterity. I suspect that in the future she'll open a matchmaking agency because she's doing quite well at the moment." Claire's chuckle was amused.

Antony nodded in agreement with that last statement, but not at Claire's suggestion to bring Anastasia closer to Flavia even though he didn't feel the need to reveal the truth to Claire.

The next half hour passed talking about general things they knew. Work matters and also business prospects that are currently busy. Until finally the two teenagers emerged with beaming faces.

"We've done the homework." Flavia approached her father's seat. "Aunty, can I have some biscuits?" She pointed to the cookie jar in front of her.

Claire took the box of food from the nightstand and gave it to Flavia, indirectly giving the girl permission to pack it home. Flavia smiled and started putting the cookies into the box.

The two of them excused themselves shortly afterward. Afterward, Abigail and Claire locked the door and closed all the curtains.