Escape from Mr. Whitman (Emma and Theodore) novel Chapter 361

"Mom!" Layne came running up the hillside path.

Nita hastily wiped the tears from her eyes before crouching down to hug her son. "Layne, what are you doing here?"

"I came to help, Mom. I can work too." Layne's little hands gently brushed away the trace of tears on her cheeks. "Don't cry, Mom. I'll grow up soon, I promise."

His words, so thoughtful for someone so young, sent a fresh wave of aching tenderness through Nita's heart. She forced herself to swallow the lump in her throat and mustered a smile, determined not to let her son see her sadness. "Mommy's not crying, sweetheart. I just got something in my eye, that's all."

"Let me blow on it for you, Mom," Layne insisted, cupping her face in his tiny hands and pursing his lips.

His warm breath brushed her eyelids, making her eyes prickle with even more heat.

No, she wouldn't let this break her. She would go through with the divorce, and life—her life—would only get better from here.

She owed Cathie a debt of gratitude for introducing her to this job at the tea estate.

She'd known nothing about growing or processing tea before, but she was willing to learn. The pay wasn't much, but she genuinely liked the work.

The air here was crisp and clean, the landscape beautiful, and the people uncomplicated—everything she needed right now.

She'd even taken Mr. Marshall, Cathie's uncle, as her mentor to learn the art of tea making.

Mr. Marshall was a good man—straightforward and generous, just like his niece. He was patient with her, never minding her mistakes.

As for Layne, this place was a wonderland. The rolling hills gave him all the space in the world to run wild and free.

Usually, she and Layne stayed in a small brick cottage provided by the estate. It was just one open room—nothing like the big house Jared had bought—but it was tidy and cozy, a place where she could collapse into bed after a long day's work and sleep peacefully, no longer worrying about where Jared was or who he was with.

Nita smiled. "We're friends—Cathie's friends, too." Then she turned to Emma. "This is Cathie's uncle's tea estate."

"Oh, thank you so much. Please, don't let us interrupt," Emma replied.

Mr. Marshall, deeply passionate about tea but never much for small talk, excused himself after a few words. "I'll just go fetch you some samples," he said, and headed off to the storeroom.

Nita invited Emma and Larson to sit at the wooden table in the garden. Before she could join them, Layne's laughter bubbled up behind her. She turned to see Layne riding on the shoulders of Ackerly Marshall, Mr. Marshall's son, as they strolled across the lawn.

"Layne! Get down right now! You can't do that!" Nita scolded.

But Ackerly just grinned. "It's fine, kids are supposed to have fun." He greeted Emma and Larson with an easy wave. "Sorry about the mess—let me wash up and I'll be right over."

Ackerly himself had just come in from the fields, mud streaked up to his ankles.