“She has to learn the hard way what not to mess with.” He said casually.
He glanced briefly into the kitchen and, seeing that Prima had prepared the meal, got up, picked Clarie up and led me into the dining room.
…
Over the weekend.
We booked our flight back to City P and got up early. Clarie didn’t wake up and fell asleep in Dennis’s arms.
Clarie woke up just before we got on the plane. Kids could be attracted to kids. The woman next to us in the terminal was holding a baby in her arms, maybe seven or eight months old.
The little boy was active and kept bouncing around in his mother’s arms. When he saw the doughnut in Clarie’s hand, he kept reaching for it.
Clarie looked at her favorite doughnut. She didn’t seem to want to share, but the little friend seemed to want it.
She sighed, took a few steps closer to the mother and said, “Hi, may I give him this?”
The woman was stunned, smiled and nodded, agreeing.
After sending the doughnut away, Clarie looked at the baby, then at her beloved doughnut.
She came running back to Dennis and me and looked at me and said, “Mom, are you going to give me another brother someday?”
She was too young to see the error in the words. Dennis pulled her over and said with a smile, “If Mommy’s going to have a baby, it’s for me!”
I was laughing at how serious this guy was.
Clarie pursed her lips and looked up at him earnestly. “So, is Uncle George going to marry Mama?”
“Of course!” Dennis said, his eyes on me, mixed with tenderness.
Clarie nodded, a little pleased, and looked at me. “Mom, when you and Uncle George get married, am I going to have a dad? And can I have a brother?”
I smiled. Seeing time was up, I stood up and said, “Come on, we’re boarding.”
When she didn’t get an answer, Clarie frowned, a little upset. But the child’s emotions came and went quickly.
Dennis got into first class and sat down. Clarie was asleep. He grabbed me and smiled. “How about we get married in October?”
It was September now. If we were to get married in October, wouldn’t it be next month?
I scowled and paused before saying, “Dennis, let’s just go with the flow!”
Anyway, the wedding didn’t seem so important anymore. I was going back to City P because I wanted Clarie to have a good future.
As for the rest, I hadn’t thought about it.
When I refused, he didn’t get angry. He smiled and nodded. “Okay, we’ll get married when you’re ready.”
It took us four hours to get to City P from Newton Town.
Toby set up a pickup for Clarie ahead of time. Dennis got a phone call when he just got off the plane.
From the way he sounded, it should be about the company. As the chairman of a listed company, he should be busy.
After hanging up the phone, he looked down at the wristwatch on his wrist and said, “The driver will take you back to your villa and wait for me to have lunch!”
I nodded. “What time will you be back?” It was not a rush, but a casual mention, so that I would know.
“Half past twelve!” He kissed me on the forehead and told the driver to drive me and Clarie to the villa.
Forty minutes later, Dennis dropped me and Clarie off in front of the house. Dennis seemed to have been living in the same place for four years, with a different nanny.
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