Back at Coral Villa, Tabitha had also returned.
I carried Tabitha upstairs and started unpacking her things from the suitcase. She was thrilled.
Nicholas walked over and squatted beside her. "Tabitha, Daddy and Mommy prepared these for you. Do you want to kiss Daddy and Mommy?"
Tabitha stared at him without blinking. After a while, she timidly hid in his embrace.
I knew she understood. Tabitha had always been smart, but she struggled to express herself and often avoided such direct emotional interactions. It was her habit to retreat instead.
However, Nicholas had experience. He could understand Tabitha better.
He spoke to her gently, guided her, and kissed her cheek first. Then he encouraged her. To my surprise, Tabitha actually kissed Nicholas back.
Even I was taken aback. My vision blurred slightly as I observed them. Their eyes were strikingly similar, a resemblance impossible to ignore when they were side by side.
How could I not think of him when looking into eyes like that?
Nicholas smiled and carried Tabitha over to me. She obediently kissed me on the cheek. I heard Nicholas encouraging her to express herself boldly and to talk more.
He said, "Daddy make all your wishes come true."
I left quietly, leaving them some space. I thought back to the conversation I had with Nicholas in the car before we came back.
He said that even if I told him not to make up for anything, he would show me he could. He asked for one month. After that, if I still wasn't willing to stay at Coral Villa, I could take Tabitha and leave.
Eight years had already passed. Couldn't I wait another month? Nicholas was bound to lose.
That evening, Nicholas cooked dinner himself. I didn't know what kind of magic spell he cast on Tabitha, but the girl who usually paid little attention to the outside world insisted on sitting outside and watching him cook.
I didn't refuse and sat on the couch with Tabitha. For Tabitha, this was at least a good sign.
Nicholas baked some salmon for dinner. When it was ready, he carefully picked out the best part and placed it on my plate.
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