Zachary was left baffled by the question for a long while.
Staring at Irene in confusion, he asked, "Why would you suddenly ask that?"
The timing could not have been poorer, and he was left weirded out!
Still, before Irene could answer, he gave her a serious look and said, "Of course I love children, Irene, but do you really think I still have the chance?"
"What chance?" Irene asked.
"To be a dad," Zachary replied, really keen on rolling his eyes just then.
Did she just forget what she asked?
"Just remember to cherish any nice girls you meet," Irene told him.
"I know," Zachary replied—he certainly would.
He then smiled. "That question was weird."
Irene looked out into the distance. "It just… came to mind."
Zachary did not think so, however.
"I heard from James that you were visiting Lulu. Was she in labor?" he asked, pausing for a moment before adding, "Was it a boy or a girl? Does the baby resemble her or Martin?"
"It's a girl," Irene replied. "She takes after Lulu."
"That's good," Zachary said. "She'd look surly if she took after a man."
Their car arrived just then, and they both got in since Zachary was staying at the castle too—the building was huge enough to accommodate anyone anyway.
As the car drove into the castle grounds and they alighted, they immediately heard Tommy crying.
Irene tried to hurry, but moving too quickly hurt her ankle which had yet to recover, so she slowed down.
In the distance, Eagle was carrying Tommy and trying to coax him to stop crying.
With his burly tanned build, there was something jarring as he carried Tommy, who was small and fair in comparison.
And yet, there was something indescribably harmonious about the picture.
"What's wrong?" Irene asked.
Eagle turned toward her and said, "He fell."
Irene held out her hands. "Let me carry him."
Irene gave him a small smack on the rump.
Settling down on the couch while still carrying Tommy, she summoned Pierre.
Tommy was old enough to attend kindergarten. Still, there was the language barrier to consider since they were abroad, so they needed a tutor.
They could teach Mrs. Watson and Sheryl too.
Pierre said, "I'll make the arrangements right away."
With that, Irene continued to reason with Tommy, telling him that he would eventually grow up and that she and his daddy would not always be with him.
Tommy had no idea what she was talking about and stubbornly leaned into her chest!
-
"Eat!"
The woman brought Isaac food, but he did not touch it.
"If you're willing to help me contact my family, I can help you with anything you ask," he said.
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