Just when Kenneth and Natasha were about to leave, Denise came out of her room.
It just so happened that she caught sight of them.
“Daddy! Nat!” she cried out before flying down the stairs at lightning speed.
Stopping before them, she tilted her head up and asked, “Daddy, Nat, are you both going out?”
“Yes.” Kenneth nodded in response.
“Can I tag along, then?” Denise implored, blinking.
Kenneth hesitated.
Seeing that, Denise tugged on the hem of his shirt and whined, “Daddy, I've been here several days, but you've only taken me out for a meal. I've never been anywhere. I can't just stay here all the time, no? Bring me along, please? I promise I'll be good. I won't give you any trouble.” She raised her hand in a gesture of swearing an oath.
Well, that's true.
Kenneth felt guilty toward them, yet he couldn't tell them the truth. Lifting his eyes, he turned his gaze to Natasha, seemingly seeking her approval.
In a flash, Denise understood who held the power there.
Thus, she promptly swung her gaze to Natasha. “Nat...”
Natasha regarded her intently. “Remember your promise that you won't give us any trouble.”
Denise bobbed her head fervently.
Finally, Natasha relented, “Let's go, then.”
“You're the best, Nat!” Denise cheered in delight.
At that exact moment, Dave looked up at the brothers upstairs. “What about the two boys?”
The others followed his gaze, only to be greeted by the sight of Anthony and Benjamin standing on the stairs, staring at them while gripping the railing with both hands.
“Would you two like to tag along as well?” Natasha inquired.
Anthony and Benjamin immediately shook their heads.
“Nope!”
“So, what are you two doing there?”
“Bye!” Anthony swiftly waved.
A smile curved Natasha's lips at their reactions. “In that case, stay home and take good care of Thalia, okay?”
“Okay!” Anthony and Benjamin replied.
“Let's go!” Natasha urged.
Following that, they headed out. As Denise left with them, she deliberately shot the two boys a provocative look, gloating over the fact that they were staying home while she went out with their parents.
However, the two boys merely flashed her a half-smile in return.
In the car, Dave drove. Kenneth sat in the passenger seat while Natasha and Denise sat at the back.
Denise clung to Natasha like a lazy koala, whereas Natasha put an arm around her daughter. The two of them appeared exceedingly cozy.
The car traveled along the road for a long time, so Denise grew drowsy and drifted off.
An indeterminate time passed before the car came to a stop at long last.
Denise was still all groggy when she saw them alighting from the car.
“Nat.”
“Let's go,” Natasha stated.
Without asking any questions, Denise climbed out of the car as well.
Right then, Kenneth and Dave both held a bouquet of flowers in hand.
It wasn't until after getting out of the car that Denise realized they were at the cemetery and promptly sobered up considerably.
She said nothing, trailing behind Natasha quietly. After walking for a few minutes, they stopped before a tombstone.
Dave walked over and placed a bouquet of flowers in front of Zavier's photo. “I'm here to visit you, Zavier. But this time, I'm not alone!” While saying that, he glanced at Kenneth, who was standing at the side.
Standing before the tombstone, Kenneth stared at the photo affixed to it. As usual, Zavier wore his signature bright smile, looking handsome and innocent.
Kenneth slowly stepped forward and placed the bouquet of flowers before the tombstone, muttering, “You still look as you did at twenty years old, but we've all grown old.”
Upon hearing that, Dave lowered his eyes.
“I'm sorry I only came to visit you after such a long time. You won't hold it against me, will you? Well, even if you do, what can you do about it?” Kenneth murmured as he gazed at the photo.
A long while later, his voice turned significantly more solemn as emotions surged in his deep, dark gaze. “Zavier... thank you. Thank you for the letter you left me, granting me freedom from the guilt that had been haunting me. Let's be friends again in the next lifetime!”
Subsequently, Natasha turned to Denise. “Come.”
With that, the two of them bowed before the tombstone.
Then, Natasha looked at Dave and Kenneth. “We'll wait for you both in the car.”
Turning to her, Dave nodded slightly.
Natasha then walked back to the car with Denise, hand in hand.
“Who was that person on the tombstone, Nat?” Denise ventured.
“He was your daddy's best friend,” Natasha answered.
“I see.” Denise bobbed her head sensibly.
The two of them got back into the car and directed their gazes in Dave and Kenneth's direction.
Studying Kenneth, Dave strolled over to him and patted him on the shoulder.
“Zavier will probably be able to rest easy if he sees this scene today,” he remarked.
Looking at his friend, Kenneth flashed him a smile.
“Okay, let's go!” Dave suggested.
Kenneth retracted his gaze before leaving with him.
As they walked back, Dave glanced at him. “What letter were you talking about?”
Without a word, Kenneth took out the letter left by Zavier and handed it to the other man.
Opening it, Dave perused the contents. “How did this come about?”
“Zavier kept it in a pen. We only found it yesterday when Nat accidentally dropped the pen on the floor,” Kenneth explained.
Hearing that, Dave nodded. “I see.”
“Let's go!” Kenneth urged.
The two of them then got into the car together.
No sooner had they done so than Denise clambered over. “Here, Daddy, Mr. Dave. Have something sweet, and you'll feel much better!”
At the sight of the lollipops she was holding out to them, the two men exchanged a look. Dave didn't decline but took one, exclaiming, “Thank you, Denise!”
Kenneth did the same. Despite his aversion toward sweets, he couldn't bring himself to rebuff a child's innocent kindness at that moment.
As such, he unwrapped the lollipop and popped it into his mouth.
Seeing that, Dave handed his lollipop to him. “Unwrap mine as well, please!”
At once, Kenneth frowned. “Don't you have hands?”
“I'm driving!” Dave enunciated.
Only then did Kenneth take the lollipop and unwrap it for the man. Just when Dave was about to reach out to retrieve it, Kenneth stuffed it into his mouth directly.
Their antics were childish beyond words.
Denise was so amused that she went into a laughing fit.
Natasha took everything in before she cast her gaze out the car window. The overcast sky earlier had cleared, gradually revealing the blue sky.
A smile bloomed on Natasha's face.
What great weather!
After leaving the cemetery, they drove straight to the city.
When the car came to a stop at the designated place, Natasha made to alight from the vehicle.
Kenneth followed suit, regarding her with a worried expression on his face. “Nat—”
“I know what you want to say, but don't worry. I'll be fine. And I'll be back in a jiffy,” Natasha assured.
“Can't I go with you?” Kenneth queried.
Natasha pondered for a moment before she concluded, “It's not quite appropriate for you to go with me.”
“Why?”
Again, Natasha mulled it over briefly. “I'll explain it to you when I come back. Anyway, everything will be fine as long as you remain out of sight,” Natasha asserted.
Puzzlement inundated Kenneth, but he didn't say anything further, considering her insistence. Instead, he nodded. “Okay, got it.”
“Wait for me here!” After saying that, Natasha slipped the hood of her jacket over her head and walked toward the city center.
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