I smiled, “I am not a chef in your favorite Michelin restaurants! So, go easy on me with your critiques!”
Uncle Link frowned, “Come on, kiddo. You are my god-daughter, I will love your cooking for sure.”
I smiled and brought Uncle Link home.
I had asked Nathan to pick up Clarie Bear for me in advance, so when Link and I arrived at the yard, they were already there.
Clarie Bear looked at Link Kennedy as if she knew something - She looked up at him and said, “Sir, I remembered seeing you from Mommy’s phone.”
I was stunned for a moment, and so was Link. He asks with confusion, “Oh, sweetie. So you know me?”
Clarie nodded, “Yes, you are here to catch the bad guys.”
I realized suddenly - Clarie must have seen the news and remembered! Sometimes when I watched the evening news, I would pay attention to the events going on in City P, and from time to time there would be news reports about Link Kennedy.
Clarie Bear had a great memory, so it was normal for her to recognize Link at first sight.
Pulling Clarie, I said, “Sweetie, don’t be rude. This is your grandpa.”
She raised her head to look at Link, and said lively, “Will grandpa help me catch the bad guys?”
Link bent down slightly, looked at her, and said warmly, “Who would you like Grandpa to catch for you, sweetheart?”
After thinking for a second, Clarie said, “The mean lady working at Uncle Nathan’s hotel. She always says mean things to mommy, and she calls me a wild kid.”
The child was pure-hearted. A while before I had brought Clarie with me when I was on cleaning duties at the hotel because I would worry sick about her if I had left her home all by herself. And occasionally, we would run into Antonia Gilbert. The woman was not kind and always spoke ill of me and Clarie Bear in our face.
I thought Clarie would have forgotten about this, and that she had spoken out today was surprising.
I grabbed her and said with a light smile, “Sweetie, grandpa came to join us for dinner today. Can we talk about catching the bad buys later? Mommy is giving you an easy task now - Can you and Joey take grandpa to the backyard? Ask grandpa what he would like to eat for tonight and pick some fresh ingredients for him, okay?”
Clarie nodded, “Sure, mama!”
After a pause, it seemed like she had remembered something, she grabbed Uncle Link’s hand and said, “Grandpa, let’s go! The grapes that mommy planted near the fence are ripe now, let’s go pick some!”
The little guy’s emotions came and went quickly. She was pulling Link to the backyard.
Nathan looked at me with a strange expression, “Are you Link Kennedy’s daughter?”
How should I explain this to him properly?
I pondered for a second, and I said, “Four years ago, he recognized me as his goddaughter, so technically he’s my godfather.”
It has nothing to do with my father. You can torture me all you want. But please leave my father out of this, he’s innocent.”
Hearing her words, I figured out what had happened. Link Kennedy had always been quick and accurate with his work, and his style of doing things was in a high position of power that had never been predictable.
I pursed my lips, pushed her hands away, took two steps back, and distanced myself from her, “Ms. Antonia, you came to the
wrong person. I can’t save you or your father from any of your wrongdoings.”
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