Chapter 251
When Charlene noticed Thorne reaching out, she reluctantly handed him the bouquet she was holding.
She avoided looking at Moran and Granger altogether.
Approaching the bedside, she asked Irma, “How are you feeling now?”
“A bit sore, but manageable,” Irma replied. Having just undergone surgery, she was understandably exhausted. She reached out and gently squeezed Charlene’s hand, saying, “You’ve worked all day, must be tiring. Did you eat? Why don’t you join Thorne and the others for dinner?”
Charlene replied, “No need, Grandma. I ate at the office before coming over.”
Irma paused, sensing Charlene’s continued reluctance to warm up to Thorne, and decided not to press further.
Charlene chatted with Irma for a while longer. When Irma began to tire and needed rest, Charlene prepared to leave.
Helena suggested that Thorne escort her since they were planning to grab dinner anyway, and Charlene decided to join them as they headed downstairs.
Once inside the elevator, she caught Moran’s inquisitive gaze fixed on her. She turned and shot him a frosty look, “Had a good enough look?”
Moran shrugged, “Just about.”
Charlene ignored him after that.
As the elevator reached the ground floor, she was the first to step out.
Thorne and the others followed a few steps behind her.
Seizing the moment, Moran leaned closer to Thorne and whispered, “She’s really changed her attitude towards you. Has she truly moved on? But… I find that hard to believe.”
Thorne watched Charlene’s silhouette, saying nothing in response.
Granger, who hadn’t caught their conversation, asked, “What’s going on?”
Moran repeated his observation to Granger.
Granger, much like Thorne, simply watched Charlene’s retreating figure without commenting.
As they exited the hospital, Thorne called out to Charlene’s back, “Minnie’s with the Ross family now.”
Charlene paused for a brief moment before continuing towards the parking lot.
There, she noticed Vesta still waiting. As they approached, Vesta took a couple of steps in their direction.
Charlene headed straight for her car, while Thorne, Granger, and the others walked towards Vesta.
Charlene got in her car and drove away, leaving Thorne and his group behind without a second thought.
She drove back to the Ross family estate.
Upon her arrival, Jasmine, who was playing with Nadine and the others, looked up and said, “Mom, you’re back!”
Charlene closed the door to block out the cold air, took off her coat, and replied, “Yes.”
Jasmine set down her tablet, ran over to hug her leg, and exclaimed, “Mom, Dad said I can stay with you for the next few days. After we visit Great–Grandma at the hospital tomorrow, can we go skiing?”
Before Charlene could respond, Nadine and Carl chimed in, “Yeah, let’s all go, cousin!”
Charlene hesitated but eventually agreed, “…Alright.”
Jasmine beamed, “I’ll call Dad and tell him!” She immediately picked up her phone to call Thorne.
Charlene didn’t listen to their conversation and headed upstairs.
The next morning, Charlene didn’t see Vesta at the hospital. However, Thorne seemed to have set up shop there, working through his files.
As Charlene and Jasmine entered, Jasmine shouted, “Dad!”
Before Thorne could respond, Jasmine noticed the table laden with various fruits, pastries, and drinks, all favorites among kids and young adults.
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Jasmine dashed over, her eyes lighting up. “Wow, so much good food! And milkshakes!”
Thorne nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. “Yeah, figured you guys were coming, so I had them whip up a little something.”
As he talked, his eyes wandered over to Charlene, but noticing she wasn’t paying attention, he shifted his focus. to Carl and Nadine. He gave them a friendly nod and gestured for everyone to take a seat. “Make yourselves comfortable,” he said.
Thorne had this way about him–an aura that commanded attention. Irma had just finished saying hello, and Nadine and Carl found themselves naturally gravitating towards the seats beside Jasmine, ready to dig into the treats Jasmine and Thorne were handing out.
Once the kids were settled and munching away, Thorne handed a plate to Charlene. “Want to give it a try?”
With Irma watching, Charlene took the plate, offering a polite, “Thanks.”
She took a sip and was pleasantly surprised to find it was strawberry–flavored, just the way she liked it.
When the conversation turned to their plans for a ski trip, Irma remarked to Thorne, “You should join Charlene and the kids. Skiing can be a handful, especially with three kids to watch over. I’ve got Abbey and the house staff here, so don’t worry about me.”
Charlene opened her mouth to protest, but Thorne was quick to reply, “Got it.”
Jasmine beamed at the idea of Thorne joining them.
After spending a bit more time in the room, Charlene and the kids decided it was time to head out.
Thorne tidied up his papers and joined them as they left the hospital room.
They were taking two cars. Jasmine, Nadine, and the rest piled into Charlene’s car, excited chatter filling the air.
When they got to the ski resort, Thorne knelt down to help Jasmine with her gear, fixing her jacket and goggles. Just then, his phone buzzed. He stepped aside to take the call, spoke quickly, and then said, “I’ll be there later. Curious, Jasmine spoke up, “Dad, who was that on the phone?”
Thorne didn’t answer directly. Instead, he asked, “Would you rather have lunch with me or with your mom and the others?”
Jasmine blinked, a bit taken aback. “Huh? Aren’t we all eating together?”
Thorne shrugged. “I’ve got some things to handle.”
Charlene and Nadine overheard but kept their thoughts to themselves.
Thorne ruffled Jasmine’s hair affectionately. “Let’s not worry about that now. Go have fun skiing; we can decide later.”
“Okay!”
The three kids wandered off, chatting excitedly. Charlene adjusted her goggles, then turned to Thorne. “Still not settled the divorce, huh?”
Thorne shook his head. “Not yet.”
He paused, then added, “If you need some cash in the meantime, I can have some sent over to your account.”
Charlene wanted to discuss something else, but before she could, Jasmine called for her. “Mom, come on!”
Charlene let it go, ready to join the kids, but her phone rang just then. It was Vernon.
“Someone from The Henderson Group reached out,” he said. “Wanted to discuss a potential collaboration.”
The Henderson Group was under Thorne’s leadership now. Years of experience told Vernon that Thorne wouldn’t offer help without a reason. He was calling Charlene to figure out Thorne’s angle and whether there were any hidden pitfalls in the deal.
Charlene didn’t respond to Vernon right away. She lowered her phone, casting a questioning glance at Thorne.
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Charlene turned to Thorne and said, “My uncle mentioned that someone from The Henderson Group reached out to him, looking to collaborate on a project.”
Thorne was about to respond when Charlene continued, “I know you want to repay me and my grandmother for visiting your grandmother in the hospital, and you think this is a way to show gratitude. But we didn’t do it for you, so there’s no need for any projects.”
If they started doing business with The Henderson Group, both the Hawkins and Spencer families would undoubtedly cause a stir and create problems.
Even if Thorne genuinely wanted to thank her and her grandmother by offering a project to help her uncle, his heart truly belonged to Vesta.
One day, if he wavered, this favor could become a vulnerability. Any consequences would still fall on the Ross family. She couldn’t afford to accept such a project.
She said coolly, “You can rest assured, after the divorce, we’ll go our separate ways. I won’t cling to you anymore.”
To her, this was just another way for Thorne to draw a line between them.
He was eager to set boundaries, afraid she might cling to him.
But she wouldn’t anymore.
Thorne listened silently for a few seconds before replying, “Alright.”
Charlene didn’t say anything else to him. She picked up her phone and conveyed her decision to Vernon.
After the call, they all went skiing.
This time, the skiing went smoothly without any incidents.
However, Charlene mostly chatted with Nadine, Carl, and Jasmine.
As for Thorne, they barely spoke unless necessary.
Thorne didn’t make much effort to start a conversation either.
Around noon, Thorne told Charlene he had to leave early, to which she replied, “Alright,” in a flat tone.
Thorne turned to Jasmine and asked, “Minnie, are you-”
“I’m going to the movies with Mom and the others!”
That wasn’t Charlene’s plan originally; it was Nadine and Carl who wanted to see a movie. The three kids put the plan together before letting Charlene know.
Thorne replied, “Okay.” He nodded to Charlene and turned to leave.
About ten minutes after Thorne left, Charlene’s phone rang. It was her divorce lawyer, Padgett. He said, “I just received a call from Thorne. He mentioned he’s preparing a new divorce agreement today, offering you two or three more multi–million dollar properties than the original agreement.”
Charlene’s expression remained unchanged upon hearing this.
Thorne’s actions suggested he didn’t trust her words and thought she might still cling to him. Even if she refused his offer, he couldn’t feel at ease?
She responded, “Alright, I understand. I have no objections. The rest is up to you.”
Meanwhile, Thorne had left the ski resort and picked up Vesta to head to a restaurant.
When they arrived, the private dining room was filled, not just with the Spencer and Hawkins families, but others as well.
The room was packed with people.
Seeing Thorne and Vesta walk in together, Henley and Garfield immediately broke into smiles.
Vesta sat down next to her aunt, Rhoda.
Thorne took his seat and started chatting with some business partners.
Rhoda leaned over to Vesta and whispered, “Vesta, we just heard that Thorne is planning to hand over a project from The Henderson Group to the Ross family!”
Vesta replied, “I’m already aware of that.”
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Rhoda was all worked up. “I heard that ever since Irma got hurt a few days ago, Thorne, Charlene, and the whole Ross family have been pretty tight. Someone even spotted Thorne having dinner with that old lady from the Rosses yesterday. They’re not trying to rekindle an old flame, are they?”
“They never had a flame to rekindle,” Vesta replied calmly, clearly not a fan of Rhoda’s choice of words.
Seeing Rhoda so worked up, Vesta decided to explain, “Irma has always been close with the Ross family. Thorne needs to keep Charlene and the old Ross lady on his side, so they can visit Irma. That way, Irma won’t use her injury as leverage to force Thorne to break up with me.”
Rhoda was surprised to hear this.
When Irma had her fall, she had already kicked their families out of Henderson Group. Both families were anxious that Irma might demand Thorne’s breakup with Vesta as a condition to agree to the surgery. They feared Thorne might give in.
Now that Thorne and Vesta seemed fine, Rhoda had assumed that Thorne had managed to talk Irma into it. It turned out he had sorted things out through the Ross family instead.
With a sigh of relief, Rhoda asked, “So, that project Thorne gave to the Ross family–is that his way of saying thanks?”
“Exactly,” Vesta replied. “It’s both a thank–you and a way to draw a line.”
Rhoda couldn’t help but admire, “Thorne really knows how to cover all his bases. No wonder he runs his businesses so well.”
Things were looking up, and Rhoda should have been pleased. But…
Something else crossed her mind, and her brow furrowed. “The Ross family already got that PrimeStar project thanks to Charlene. They’re showing signs of bouncing back. If they also get a project from Henderson Group, they might really come back to life.”
Vesta’s expression turned cold. “They turned it down.”
“They turned it down?” Rhoda didn’t wait for Vesta’s response before she figured it out. “They’re trying to make Thorne owe them, so Charlene can keep some connection with him. Quite the crafty plan!”
With Thorne and Charlene on the verge of finalizing their divorce, Rhoda wouldn’t accept any monkey business. “We can’t let them pull this off-”
Vesta remained unfazed. “Don’t worry, Thorne will handle it.”
Reflecting on everything that had happened, Rhoda remembered that Thorne had never let them down.
If Thorne was open to giving out the project, he likely saw the Ross family’s attempt to overstep coming. Thorne was sharp, and he definitely had a plan to manage the situation.
With that thought, Rhoda felt completely at ease again.
After a pause, she suddenly asked, “By the way, have you visited Irma in the past few days?”
Vesta shook her head. “No.”
Rhoda seemed a bit disappointed. Vesta added, “During her recovery, there can’t be any slip-ups.”
Right now wasn’t the best time for her to show up. Besides, although Thorne had managed to keep Charlene
and Helena steady, ensuring Irma went through the surgery, her recovery would take time, and they’d still need Charlene and the Ross family’s support.
Vesta thought, “There’s no rush on my end.”
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Charlene and Nadine were grabbing lunch when Charlene decided to buy some movie tickets.
After they finished their meal, they caught the movie and then did a bit of shopping.
While Nadine tried on some clothes and Carl went off to check out some collectibles, Charlene turned to Jasmine and said, “Your mom will drop you home later.”
“Home?” Jasmine, sitting beside her, replied, “I’m not going home. I’m staying at Grandma’s for another night. I’ll head back tomorrow evening.”
Charlene took a sip of her water and said, “Tommy and Max have been hanging out with you all day. They need to buckle down and do their homework tomorrow. You might distract them at the Smiths‘ place.”
“I don’t need them to entertain me. I can play on my tablet by myself,” Jasmine insisted.
Charlene didn’t push the issue further but found a moment to text Thorne, asking him to arrange for Jasmine to be picked up a little later.
Thorne seemed busy and didn’t reply for quite a while.
After Nadine finished shopping, they wandered around a bit more before heading back to the Smiths‘.
Helena and Vernon were truly happy to see Jasmine. They genuinely doted on her.
Jasmine, with her charming demeanor, made sure to sweet–talk them. After dinner, she joined Helena for a walk, leaving Helena utterly delighted.
Still, no word from Thorne.
That night, Jasmine stayed over at the Smiths‘.
The next day, Nadine and Carl dutifully stayed in their rooms to tackle their homework.
True to her word, Jasmine busied herself downstairs or sat quietly beside Charlene, not causing any disruption.
It was then that Thorne finally messaged Charlene, saying he’d send someone over soon to pick up Jasmine.
Charlene didn’t respond.
A few moments later, Jasmine’s phone rang. She turned to Charlene and said, “It’s Dad.”
Charlene just nodded.
After Thorne finished his phone call, Jasmine looked up and said, “Mom, Dad says he’s taking me out for some fun…”
Charlene replied, “Yeah, he mentioned it to me. If you want to go, then go ahead.”
“Alright!”
Half an hour later, the car Thorne sent to pick up Jasmine arrived.
Helena, upon hearing Jasmine was leaving, felt a tinge of reluctance. As she always did, she packed plenty of goodies for Jasmine to take home.
As the car drove away, Helena sighed, “I thought he was more generous than this. Who knew? Just two days, and he’s in a rush to have her back.”
She didn’t wait for Charlene’s response, heading back inside with a mix of sadness and contemplation.
Just then, Charlene’s phone rang. It was Padgett.
He said, “I’ve met with Thorne’s lawyer I have the new agreement. The additional properties are worth about ten million altogether. Everything seems fine.”
Charlene replied, “Okay, got it.”
Padgett continued, “Thorne’s lawyer mentioned that if you need money urgently, Thorne can advance part of the assets to your bank account. What do you think?”
Yesterday, Thorne got the wrong idea about her intentions.
The two birthday gifts he had given her grandmother were already auctioned off, and the money was in the account.
For now, Vernon wasn’t exactly strapped for cash.
However……
Charlene said, “Let’s go with the advance.”
They weren’t officially divorced yet, so things were still up in the air. If he was offering, why shouldn’t she take it?
After all, if she didn’t take it now, who knows if it would still be there later?
Padgett replied, “Alright, understood.”
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Once Jasmine had left, Charlene headed upstairs, booted up her laptop, and got down to work.
About an hour later, Padgett sent over some documents for her to review.
Charlene opened them up and the first thing she noticed was a list of three new properties, with their exact locations clearly marked.
She paused for a moment as she took in the details.
These three properties were all vacant homes within the Ross family’s neighborhood, and notably, they were quite close to the Ross family residence.
Honestly, even though Thorne had previously helped her purchase the house in front of the Ross family, it hadn’t completely put her worries to rest.
Her grandmother always enjoyed her walks, and though the Spencer family didn’t live right across from her grandmother, being in the same neighborhood meant they were bound to bump into each other eventually. She was genuinely worried.
But now…
Reviewing the new agreement, it seemed Thorne was taking steps to ease her worries again. Though Thorne was just trying to show his gratitude and ensure she didn’t overthink things, these property offers really hit the mark for her.
As for the rest, she didn’t dwell on it or let it bother her.
She turned her attention to another document.
It stated that Thorne would transfer two billion dollars to her for liquidity.
Even though she’d already witnessed Thorne’s wealth at the auction and when he bought a house for the Hawkins family, she was still taken aback by how casually he could come up with two or three billion dollars,
After confirming there were no issues, Charlene contacted Padgett.
Shortly after signing the contract, the money was in her account.
As for the properties, Thorne’s lawyer mentioned that the transfer process was still underway and that the deeds would be delivered to Charlene in a couple of days.
By the time all these matters were settled, the morning had flown by.
Irma had recently undergone surgery, and Helena worried that Irma might feel lonely, planned to visit the hospital that afternoon.
Charlene decided to join her.
Starting Monday, she’d be diving back into work, and it might be a while before she’d have the chance to visit Irma again.
When they arrived at the hospital, Charlene spotted Vesta again.
She wasn’t concerned about whatever was going on between Vesta and Thorne. The last time she saw Vesta waiting outside a car here, she hadn’t given it much thought……
But today was chilly and windy, and Vesta was still standing outside, clearly wanting Charlene to see her.
It was as if she was signaling that she and Thorne were doing just fine.
No matter what Charlene did, she wouldn’t come between them.
Charlene smiled, but…
She glanced at Helena. She wondered what Helena thought of Vesta…
Helena happened to be looking down and didn’t see Vesta.
Charlene decided not to mention it, instead, she linked arms with Helena and headed towards the hospital entrance.
Since Vesta was downstairs, Thorne was bound to be around too.
Sure enough, when Charlene and Helena entered the room, Thorne was there. He greeted them as they walked in.
Charlene remained cool and indifferent.
Irma was delighted to see them, clasping Helena’s hand and saying, “It’s so kind of you to come visit me again, old friend.”
“After all these years, you don’t have to say that.”
Charlene and Helena sat down.
They both noticed that Irma looked much better and more spirited than she had in the past few days.
This put their minds at ease.
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Charlene and Helena had been keeping Irma company for about half an hour when Thorne suddenly announced, “I’m going to step out for a bit.”
During that time, Thorne had mostly been a silent observer, not contributing much to the conversation.
Irma, not particularly impressed, waved him off. “Go if you must.”
Thorne left the room, not returning for quite a while.
Earlier, Abbey had made sure there was a good supply of fruit, pastries, and coffee. But after Abbey left, Charlene noticed that Helena’s coffee had cooled down. So, she grabbed the small pot and walked over to the coffee table, determined to make a fresh pot.
Seeing Charlene take matters into her own hands made Irma think of Thorne. She frowned, “Thorne, honestly. Who knows what he’s up to, gone this long.”
Charlene hadn’t really thought much of it when Thorne said he was stepping out. But hearing Irma’s complaints now reminded her that Vesta was still downstairs. Thorne had probably gone to keep Vesta company, not wanting her to feel bored. Still, he’d been gone for a good half–hour, which was quite a long time.
After brewing the coffee, Charlene poured fresh cups for herself, Helena, and Irma. Just as she was setting down the pot, Thorne returned.
Irma shot him a look and huffed, “I thought you’d gone for good.”
Thorne just smiled, saying nothing.
Irma didn’t press further, instead complimenting, “Charlene, your coffee is always delightful.”
Thorne remained mostly quiet, letting them chat among themselves. But when their cups were empty, and Irma requested more, he dutifully brewed another round.
Another half–hour passed, and the sky outside was starting to darken.
Charlene and Helena decided it was time to head out.
Irma suggested Thorne join them for dinner, but Thorne hesitated.
Charlene quickly interjected, “There’s no need. We have soup waiting for us at home.”
She was telling the truth. Besides, neither she nor Helena was eager to have dinner with Thorne.
Irma probably sensed their reluctance and didn’t press the issue, simply asking Thorne to escort them downstairs.
Thorne obliged, assuring Irma, “I’ve got some things to take care of, but I’ll be back tomorrow to see you.”
“Go on, then. Come back if you want,” Irma dismissed him with a wave, though she was secretly pleased with how attentive Thorne had been since her accident. He’d been quite dutiful, in fact. Her only gripe was his attitude toward Charlene. She could tell he was still set on the idea of ending things with her.
As Thorne walked Charlene and Helena to the elevator, they ran into Terence waiting for it, school backpack slung over his shoulder. Seeing them, he greeted warmly.
Charlene and Helena nodded back.
Terence asked, “Are you guys headed out for dinner?”
Before Charlene could respond, Thorne cut in with a question of his own, “Why aren’t you at school yet?”
“I’m just going to pop up and see Grandma for a bit, then I’ll head back.”
“Better hurry up, then.”
“Okay…”
With that, Terence boarded the elevator. Once Charlene and Helena reached the hospital entrance, they turned to Thorne. “No need to walk us any further,” Charlene said.
Thorne nodded, not insisting. “Alright.”
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Charlene and Helena were the first to head towards their car. Just as they were about to get in, Vesta stepped out from the vehicle.
“Turns out you haven’t left yet,” Helena remarked, glancing over briefly before turning her attention back to Charlene.
Charlene had assumed Helena hadn’t noticed Vesta, but clearly, she had.
As Thorne made his way over to Vesta, Helena recalled how he’d been away from the hospital room for over half an hour earlier. “They seem to have quite the bond,” she commented.
Charlene finished fastening Helena’s seatbelt and remained silent. She pressed the gas pedal, ready to drive off, when she caught sight of Terence dashing out of the hospital.
Spotting Vesta, Terence appeared both surprised and delighted. He hurried over in their direction.
Charlene took a quick glance and then focused back on the road, driving away.
“Hey, bro!” Terence exclaimed as he ran up, his eyes fixed on Vesta. “You’re really CC! I thought I was seeing things!”
Vesta knew Thorne had a younger brother in high school, but they’d never met before. Hearing Terence’s excitement, she realized this was indeed Thorne’s brother.
Before she could respond, Terence continued eagerly, “CC, I’m such a fan! I even went to see your race in person recently. That overtake you did at three minutes and three seconds was insanely cool! I’ve rewatched that clip dozens of times and it never gets old-”
He stopped talking when Thorne raised an eyebrow at him. Thorne hadn’t actually interrupted, but something clicked for Terence. “Wait, bro, you know my idol?”
Thorne responded, “Problem with that?”
“No, no problem at all,” Terence quickly replied.
Thorne was much older than him and had an extensive network, so it wasn’t all that surprising he knew Vesta.
Thorne asked, “How’d you get down here so fast?”
Terence slapped his forehead. “Oh right, I forgot something upstairs. Almost slipped my mind.”
Checking his watch, he exclaimed, “Oh shoot, it’s this late already?”
He started running towards another car, calling out, “Bro, CC, I gotta go-”
He paused, seemingly remembering something, then dashed back, his face reddening slightly as he looked hopefully at Vesta. “Uh, CC, could I, um, add you on Instagram?”
Before Vesta could reply, he hurriedly added, “I promise I won’t bug you, I swear!”
Vesta chuckled. “Sure thing.”
Overjoyed, Terence quickly pulled out his phone to add her.
In a rush, he thanked her and was about to leave when another thought struck him. “Could you, uh, sign something for me?”
“Sure, but you-” Vesta started to say, but Thorne interjected, “You go take care of what you need to. I’ll make sure you get the autograph at the house later.”
Relieved, Terence beamed, “Thanks, bro!” With that, he ran off happily.
Despite Thorne not usually meddling in his affairs, Terence thought he would disapprove of his fangirling. But Thorne agreed so quickly, probably because CC was his friend and he thought she was genuinely worth admiring.
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Charlene was driving away from the hospital when Helena suddenly seemed to remember something. “Thorne made it to the hospital, but what about Minnie? Where did she go?” she asked, her voice tinged with concern.
Charlene was about to respond, but Helena’s expression had already turned sour. She was clearly upset that Thorne had left Jasmine behind, choosing instead to accompany Vesta to the hospital to see Irma.
“He’ll sort it out,” Charlene reassured her.
Helena, still skeptical, persisted. “If he keeps this up, Charlene, you need to take him to court. You have to get custody of Minnie, no matter what!”
Charlene hesitated for a moment before replying softly, “Okay.”
Despite her agreement, Helena remained visibly displeased.
When they finally arrived at the Ross family home, Helena was the first to step out of the car.
At that moment, Charlene’s phone began to ring. It was Jasmine calling.
Charlene chose not to answer. Perhaps it was because she’d spent so little time with Jasmine in recent months, often ignoring her calls. Lately, whenever they met, Jasmine seemed clingier than ever, much like when Charlene used to care for her all by herself.
The phone buzzed again. Charlene glanced at it but still didn’t pick up. Instead, she switched it off and joined the Ross family in the dining room, getting ready for dinner.
Just as she settled into her seat, the house phone rang.
Charlene instantly knew who it was…
“I’ll get it,” she said, standing up and briskly walking to the phone.
Sure enough, it was Jasmine on the other end.
As soon as she heard Charlene’s voice, Jasmine’s tone brightened. “Mom!” she exclaimed, sounding delighted.
“Have you eaten yet?” Charlene asked her.
Not yet,” Jasmine replied, sounding a bit down. “Mom, are you at Great–grandma’s? I want to come over. Can
ou eat with me later?”
Helena, overhearing, asked, “Is that Minnie on the phone?”
Charlene nodded. “Yes.”
“Is Minnie missing you?” Helena set down her fork and approached. “If she wants to come over, contact Thorne and have him bring her here. We’ll save some food for her.”
Charlene sighed. “Alright, I got it.”
Turning back to the phone, she told Jasmine, “Okay, you can come over now.”
“Yay!”
Before hanging up, Charlene remembered to add, “Make sure you tell your dad before you leave.”
“Got it!”
The Ross family members were willing to wait for Jasmine before starting dinner, but Charlene insisted they go ahead.
About an hour later, Jasmine finally arrived at the Ross house. As soon as she walked through the door, she dashed toward Charlene. “Mom! I’m back!”
“Good,” Charlene said while straightening Jasmine’s clothes. “Let me heat up some food for you.”
“Okay!”
Jasmine set down her backpack and tablet, then followed Charlene into the kitchen.
With Vernon and his wife out taking Nadine and the others to school, Helena stayed home. Watching Jasmine cling to Charlene like a little shadow, Helena smiled warmly, not wanting to interrupt their reunion.
Charlene instructed Jasmine to wait outside while she reheated the food.
Jasmine obediently sat in the dining room, waiting for Charlene to bring out the warmed–up meal.
Jasmine was usually a picky eater, often turning her nose up at leftovers. But today, she didn’t seem to mind and ate with gusto.
As she ate, she animatedly recounted her day to Charlene. “Mom, I went out with Granger and Daisy today!”
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Charlene nodded slightly, a soft “Yeah” escaping her lips.
Jasmine, realizing that Charlene might not know who Daisy was, quickly added, “Daisy’s my friend, the one who calls Uncle Granger.”
“Yeah, Charlene replied again, her tone neutral. Seeing Jasmine’s eagerness to share, she asked, “So, what did you guys do?”
“We went to a corn maze.”
“Uh–huh.”
Charlene listened quietly, showing little reaction, but Helena’s face darkened.
Earlier, when Thorne had taken Jasmine back, Helena assumed he intended to spend quality time with her. Now she was finding out that he had been off on a date with Vesta instead. Not only was he not spending time with Jasmine, but he preferred to leave her with someone else rather than with Charlene.
Helena was visibly upset.
Jasmine, unaware of Helena’s inner turmoil, continued, “Granger wanted me to stay for dinner, but I wanted to come back here for dinner, so I called you.”
Charlene replied, “Yeah.”
In a gentle voice, she asked, “Did you remember to thank Granger?”
“Sure did,” Jasmine replied cheerfully.
Charlene didn’t probe further.
With her homework done and dinner finished, Jasmine stayed in the living room to hang out with Charlene and Helena.
Helena, sitting beside Jasmine, asked, “Minnie, how about staying at my house for a little while longer?”
Before Charlene could respond, Jasmine exclaimed, “That sounds great!”
Helena added, “Now, Minnie, since you’ve agreed with me, you can’t change your mind, okay? At least a week.”
Yay!”
Charlene frowned slightly.
Helena, pleased, patted Jasmine’s hand affectionately.
As Jasmine lowered her head to play a game, Helena remarked to Charlene, “Kids brought up by you are different. No matter what, Minnie still sticks to you.”
Charlene just smiled.
Jasmine nudged Charlene, asking her to join in the game.
Charlene looked at her, “Are you sure about this?”
She suspected Jasmine might be all excited now but could change her mind in a couple of days, wanting to return to Thorne and Vesta.
Jasmine was momentarily confused.
After a couple of seconds, she understood Charlene’s concern and said, “Of course, I already promised Great–grandma.”
Charlene said nothing more.
Suddenly, Jasmine seemed to remember something and exclaimed, “Oh, I haven’t told Dad yet! I should give him a call.”
Thorne picked up the phone quickly.
After Jasmine explained, he replied, “I got it, sweetheart. If you need anything, just call, and I’ll make sure it gets to you.”
“Okay,” Jasmine said happily.
She hung up, content.
Helena had been worried that Thorne might object.
She even considered stopping Jasmine from making the call.
But reason told her not to interfere.
Seeing Jasmine’s happiness after the call, Helena couldn’t help asking, “Did your dad agree?”
Jasmine beamed, “Of course!”
Then, with a hint of confusion, she asked, “Why wouldn’t Dad agree?”
Turning to Helena, Jasmine added, “Dad’s really good to me. Whatever I want to do, he usually says yes.”
Helena was momentarily speechless.
Charlene quietly observed, not interjecting.
As bedtime approached, Charlene took Jasmine’s hand and led her upstairs for a bath.
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