“Ines, I get it.” Emma’s eyes held a hint of defeat. Her failed marriage with Aiden was largely due to the vehement disapproval of the Ramos family.
Ines patted Emma’s shoulder. “Alright, let’s leave it at that for now. You don’t necessarily have to choose between them. You might meet someone better in the future.”
Whether there was someone better or not, she didn’t know. All Emma knew was that she was now divorced, with a child, so no parents would easily accept such a woman as their daughter-in-law. But she truly didn’t care about any of that.
Emma laughed, “Exactly, once I’m successful, there might be a whole bunch of young guys chasing after me. My ex can go to hell, and I couldn’t care less about those parents who don’t welcome me.”
“Good, that’s the spirit. Have you eaten?”
Emma nodded. “I did. I just had lunch with Gentry.”
“Great, let’s order some drinks then.”
Emma smiled, signaling to Jasmine not too far away. “Honey, come here. I’ll get you your favorite yogurt.”
The little girl straightened up in Ethan’s arms and mumbled, “Mama.”
Ines looked at Jasmine incredulously, and then asked, “Jasmine can already say ‘Mama’?” Ethan handed Jasmine to Emma, who set the little girl on her lap. Her eyes were brightening. “Yes, she started calling me that last month. It was such a delightful surprise. You have no idea how wonderful it felt. She made me feel like everything I’ve done was worth it.” It was worth the effort to bring her into this world despite everything, as she was such a bright and clever girl.
“That’s odd. You don’t spend that much time with her, do you?”
“Yeah, it’s strange. I guess this is what they call a blood bond. By the way, Ines, have Ivy and Ollie started talking yet?”
Ines looked in the direction of her two children and sighed. Her voice was tinged with bitterness. “No, they can only say ‘Dada’.”
Emma held back a smile at Ines’ sour tone. “Don’t worry, Ines. It’s only a matter of time. A few days won’t make a difference.”
The waitress brought over a bottle of yogurt, which Jasmine enjoyed immensely. Ines asked with some concern, “Emma, isn’t Jasmine too young for yogurt?”
“Don’t worry. It’s okay. A little bit of yogurt is good for babies’ digestion. Besides, Jasmine has a strong stomach. She isn’t picky and enjoys everything.”
The sisters chatted for a while before they left. Emma had driven there herself with a child safety seat installed in her car. Ethan helped her strap Jasmine in. Jasmine gave Ethan a smile and waved at the others, as if saying goodbye.
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