Judging from Dr. Wale's face and his silence, Pearl could guess that he was miffed. After weighing it for a while, she changed her opinion and words, "How about giving me some time until the end of this month? Dr. Morgan, if you still need me by then, I will be glad to accept the job."
"That's perfect." Nathan was overjoyed, "I'll go back to arrange this right now."
Dr. Wale's expression improved. It was clear as day that he was glad at heart for this. But before he left, he still added, "You know you won't leave easily if you really accept this job. You still have a month to think about it."
After watching Dr. Wale and Nathan leave the place, Pearl shook her head and sighed. "Alex, don't you agree as Dr. Wale grew older, he tends be more childish? He loves to argue with people and says more sarcasms."
"He only does that to you." Alex's laugh came from next to her. "Everyone knows Dr. Wale think highly of you most. I bet he will be the happiest one if you really become a teacher here. Even his future researches will left to you."
"Come on. Stop saying that. Let's go now."
They walked side by side to the back stage.
As they were walking, Alex was curious to ask, "Did you accept Dr. Morgan's offer for you don't want to upset Dr. Wale?"
"Yes. What else could I do?" Pearl said helplessly, "Didn't you notice how gloomy his face was? Had I said no, I bet he would no longer acknowledge me as his student!"
Looking at Pearl's side face, Alex's eyes softened unknowingly.
The world was changing; so were people. But time seemed to have stopped for Pearl. Her confidence, pride, as well as kindness had never changed after these years.
He would like to keep accompany with her until the end, even if he may get nothing at last.
Alex and Pearl just reached the back stage. Noises from an ongoing ruckus came to their ears.
"Everyone, keep looking. How could they just disappear?" said someone with an anxious voice.
"We've looked everywhere, including the lounge. But they weren't there."
"Are they in the restroom?"
The ruckus confused Pearl and Alex. The students were all bustling in front of them. Alex noticed Oliver, the junior who was asked to look after Pearl's children. So he waved a hand at him and asked, "Oliver, what's going on here?"
Oliver rushed towards Alex and Pearl immediately. "Pearl! Alex! Did Bonny and Brandon go looking for you two just now?"
"No, I have not seen them" Alex was startled.
Oliver's face became as white as a sheet as he said, "They are missing!"
"What?" Alex face also paled.
Oliver was so scared that he almost cried. "I was watching for them when Mrs Miller asked me to move some equipment for her. She assured me of taking care of the kids. But when I came back, the kids were all gone ."
After Jeanette graduated, she became an English teacher in this university. Because Alexander, her husband, was a teacher at this medical faculty. Jeanette would always instruct his medical students to run errands for her.
Alex asked nervously, "Where is Jeanette now?"
"She said she didn't see the kids. And she left just now, saying she had something urgent to attend to." Oliver's eyes turned red as he apologized hurriedly to them, "I'm so so sorry! Ms Yonng. I have already asked others to help me go and look for them everywhere! I am going to go check the security cameras now!"
Oliver was just a young naive student. He had been terrified out of his wits.
Pearl was still very calm and said, "It's okay. Calm down first. Brandon has a cell phone on him. I'll try to call him. And even his phone can't get through, we can also track them through the GPS."
It's surely a big issue for other children to go missing. But according to her own experience, if Bonny and Brandon went missing, she would worried more about the kidnappers instead.
Pearl soon went through to Brandon. "Mommy."
Pearl breathed a long sigh of relief as she heard Brandon's voice. She then put the call on speakerphone to reassure the others.
"Where are you and Bonny now? Why are you running around again?" asked Pearl.
Soon, people swarmed to the stall to buy melons.
A student then asked, "Little girl, how about the mangosteen? Taste good?"
Bonny shook her head as she took another good bite at her melon. She replied honestly, "I have not eaten it, so I don't know."
Hearing Bonny's remark, the chubby stall owner immediately peeled open a ripe mangosteen to Bonny, "Here you go! My dear, have a try!"
Bonny's mouth was then stuffed with the mangosteen. After having a taste, she claimed with a full mouth, "Sweet! Buy now!"
"Okay. I will take some mangosteens, please."
"Me too."
In the blink of an eye, a basket of mangosteen was sold out.
The stall owner was overjoyed. As she urged her husband to collect the money, she smiled at the two kids in front of her with narrowed eyes. Whose kids were they? So adorable! They had helped her sell so many fruits in such a short time. If she could ask them to stay at her shop for hours everyday, she would definitely made a lot of money.
Seeing so many students were buying fruits, she immediately served Bonny with a plate filled with different fruits, "Sweetie, try this pineapple!"
"I'm full." Bonny rubbed her tummy under the pink dress.
Although she said so, she still reached a hand to grab the largest piece of pineapple.
Everyone burst into laugh at this sight.
"Bonny." Brandon pulled her by her dress. He was afraid Bonny would have eaten too much.
Bonny looked up and her eyes lit up instantly. She shouted to the man behind Brandon, "Daddy!"
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Mysterious Mr.Richard