Natasha looked at him and nodded.
Just then, Kenneth walked toward her and asked, “Are you hungry? Let me get you something to eat.”
She swept her gaze across the food and nodded at him once again.
Without saying another word, Kenneth held her hand and turned around.
Natasha said nothing and allowed him to lead the way.
Meanwhile, downstairs, Anthony, Benjamin, and Dave were eating. When they saw what was happening, they grew curious.
“Why is it so calm?” asked Anthony. “This isn't normal!”
Benjamin glanced at his brother and said, “This is the calm before the storm.”
When Anthony heard that, his eyes darted from side to side before asking, “Shall we check out the storm?”
“That's not appropriate...” replied Benjamin as he flashed a look at his brother.
To that, Anthony responded, “We won't get another chance like this.”
Therefore, the two brothers got up from their seats and were about to walk away.
However, a force appeared behind them and pushed them back into their seats.
Anthony turned around to find that it was Dave. “Just eat your food, kids.”
“I want to check if Nat is all right,” uttered Anthony.
“With your daddy around, you don't have to worry.”
“Daddy has just woken up. I want to go and see him.” Anthony tried his luck again.
In response to that, Dave looked at him and said, “Don't you know absence makes the heart grow fonder?”
Anthony paused momentarily, staring at him, and asked tentatively, “Given Daddy's condition... I doubt anything will happen, right?”
Dave flicked his gaze upward. “As long as he's still alive, nothing is impossible.”
Both Anthony and Benjamin were speechless.
Should he be saying such things in front of us? We are children, after all.
The two boys exchanged glances before Anthony spoke up. “Mr. Dave, why did you say that? Does it stem from your understanding of Daddy, or does Daddy have some kind of interesting past?”
Dave lowered his eyes and peered at the nosy boy. He pondered for a while before saying, “Take a guess.”
How is it possible for us to guess?
“Mr. Dave, you are so close to Daddy. I'm sure you know a lot about him. Tell us!” begged Anthony.
“Are you sure you want to hear about them?” teased Dave as he raised his eyebrows.
Anthony immediately nodded his head.
“What you are about to hear may change the relationship between your daddy and Nat. Are you sure?” asked Dave.
“So, it's true!”
“Even if I have three days and nights, I won't be able to finish telling you all of your daddy's stories!” proclaimed Dave.
“Then, why don't you tell us a little anecdote? Something that we can accept!”
Dave chuckled at the boy.
“Why are you laughing?” queried Anthony.
“If you want to know, then you should go and ask him yourself.”
“If we could, we would have. We wouldn't be asking you.”
Dave shot Anthony a mocking look. “If I tell, that means I betray my buddy. I will do no such thing!”
Anthony frowned and spoke after much contemplation. “Mr. Dave, you're teasing me. I heard that when Daddy was leading a wandering life, he stayed away from women!”
“Oh? Who told you that?” inquired Dave.
“Uh...” Anthony was about to blurt out the name when he caught himself and stopped. He then looked at Dave and said, “That's not important. The most important thing is the truth.”
“And you will believe whatever I tell you?” asked Dave.
“Not really.” Anthony shook his head.
“Then why do you bother to ask?”
“I just want to hear the kind of stories you will come up with,” said Anthony with a smile.
Dave narrowed his eyes and studied the boy before reaching out to embrace him. “You little brat! How dare you tease me?”
“Mr. Dave, that's why you should never lie to children.”
“I'm glad you realize you are a child!”
Laughter ensued among the two of them amidst their banter.
Benjamin, who was eating, looked at them and shook his head haplessly.
Meanwhile, upstairs in the room, Kenneth sat Natasha down by the side of the bed.
He held up some food. “These are your favorites. Have some.”
Natasha just gazed at him.
“What? Do you want me to feed you?” asked Kenneth as he quirked his brows.
Natasha looked him straight in the eyes and asked in a hushed voice, “When did you wake up?”
“Last night after you went to bed,” replied Kenneth.
Natasha nodded.
Kenneth scooped a spoonful of oatmeal and tried to feed her. Returning to her senses, she reached out to take the food and said, “I'll help myself.”
All of a sudden, Kenneth moved aside as she reached out.
Natasha looked confused.
“Let me feed you,” he said.
After that, Natasha did not move anymore. Kenneth began to feed her spoonful by spoonful. He was so gentle in his movement that it felt as if she was the one who was injured.
After a few mouthfuls, Natasha asked when she saw him raising his arm, “Does your wound still hurt?”
Kenneth nodded. “Yes.”
The moment he answered her question, she spoke up. “Then why are you still feeding me?” As she said so, she reached out to take the food. “I can eat on my own.”
There was no response from Kenneth. He let her do as she wished and kept his gaze on her.
Natasha was deep in her thoughts as she ate. Somehow, she sensed Kenneth staring at her. She frowned and questioned him, “Is there something on my face?”
He shook his head.
“Then what are you staring at?”
“I... I'm a little hungry too.”
“Didn't you have anything to eat?”
“I didn't have the time.”
“Let me go down and get you something to eat then.” With that, Natasha was about to get up when Kenneth pushed her back down on the bed.
“You haven't finished your food yet, have you?” he asked.
“Me?” She took a look at her half-eaten food.
“Nat, feed me.” Kenneth then opened his mouth.
She eyed him with hesitation before scooping some oatmeal with the spoon.
Just as she was still contemplating, Kenneth rushed up to gulp down the spoonful of food.
Natasha looked at him, and her eyelashes quivered ever so slightly.
Kenneth, on the other hand, began to smile.
“I-I've already eaten this food. Let me get a new bowl for you!” said Natasha in a hurry.
“But, this is the one and only bowl,” uttered Kenneth as he gazed at her.
“Why?”
“Because there's only one of you,” replied Kenneth.
Natasha was at a loss for words as she looked at him.
He asked, “Aren't you going to feed me some more?”
Natasha glanced down at the oatmeal that was left in the bowl. She decided not to be unreasonable and proceeded to feed him.
Kenneth was seated next to her as he fixed a gaze filled with such tenderness on her.
Under his intense scrutiny, an inexplicable feeling rose within Natasha.
“Nat.”
“Hmm?”
“Do you remember that you used to feed me like this when we were young?”
Natasha paused in her feeding and looked at him in bewilderment.
Kenneth smiled and continued, “There was once I had a fever, and I refused to eat anything unless you were the one feeding me.”
Natasha became emotional. “I thought you—”
He cut her off. “I remember now.”
She did not know what to say to that.
Smiling, Kenneth added, “I remember everything now. All of it.”
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