Chapter 83
Brian scrunched up his little face and huffed, “It’s just a first prize in the math competition. Nothing worth bragging about.”
But as he spoke, he couldn’t help sneaking a glance over at Maxine.
Maxine didn’t notice him at all. She was glued to her phone, hoping Jessica would still be asleep when she got back. If only she’d thought to put a camera in the room, she’d know what she was up to, and if Jessica woke up, she could chat with her.
Valerie caught Maxine’s distraction in the rearview mirror. Seeing she wasn’t joining in and just staring at her phone, she got anxious and raised her voice, “You’re really something, Brian! When Maxine was in school, her grades were a total disaster, right? Isn’t that so, Maxine?”
Maxine finally looked up from her phone and absentmindedly replied, “Yeah.”
She thought, ‘What does it matter to me how well Brian did in school? Kathleen is there to look after him anyway!
Seeing she wouldn’t play along, Valerie could only give Brian a sympathetic look and thought, ‘Sorry, kid, that’s as much as your aunt can do for you.’
The car quickly fell silent. Soon, they pulled up outside Maxine’s building.
Maxine opened the car door, leaned in, and said, “Thanks for the ride.”
Valerie gave her a smile. “No problem.”
Before she could finish, a little girl’s voice rang out from upstairs, “Maxine!”
Everyone in the car looked up. From Brian’s spot, he could just see a little girl in pink pajamas waving at them from the window.
To be exact, she was waving at Maxine, who was standing by the car door.
Jessica, who’d just woken up and hadn’t seen Maxine, was holding back tears, her voice trembling a little as she called out, “Maxine, I waited for you like a good girl. Please come back soon.”
Maxine, who’d barely said a word to Brian the whole ride, finally showed a soft, tender look. She called up, “I will be right
there!”
Hearing the little girl’s voice, Valerie instinctively glanced at her nephew in the back seat. Sure enough, his face had turned
stormy.
But Maxine clearly had no intention of paying attention to her own son. She shut the car door and headed upstairs without so much as a backward glance.
Valerie cleared her throat. “Girls are just like that–super clingy.”
Cleo, who’d been quiet the whole way, finally couldn’t hold it in. She shot her a look. “Are you done? Maxine’s already gone. I still have to come back after dropping you off, you know.”
She was only giving these two a ride because of Maxine.
For Maxine’s sake, Valerie swallowed her irritation and forced a grin. “Thanks, Cleo. It’s cold out, and Brian’s not dressed for it. Otherwise, we’d just walk home.”
In the back seat, Brian watched Maxine’s figure disappear, lips pressed tight, his eyes clouded with emotion.
As soon as Maxine opened the bedroom door, a small figure darted over and threw herself into her arms. “Maxine!”
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Chapter 83
Maxine hugged Jessica tightly, her heart aching. “Sorry, sweetie. I left you alone in the room.”
Jessica shook her head, acting all grown–up. “I know you’re busy with work, so I waited for you like a good girl.”
Maxine made dinner for Jessica and helped her with her homework. They were only halfway through when her phone rang. It was Sebastian.
She hung up without a second thought.
But he was persistent and called again.
Maxine answered, sounding impatient. “If you have something to say, just say it. If it’s about work, contact me during office hours.”
There was a long pause before Sebastian finally spoke. “I didn’t mean anything else. If you’re having a hard time..”
Maxine went silent too, wondering if Sebastian had lost his mind. She cut him off. “Sorry, if there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up now.”
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