Just as Balfour was about to respond, Alyssa appeared at the foot of the stairs, interrupting him.
With a smile on her face, Alyssa approached. âBalfour, why are you still here? Didnât you say you had things to do? Donât keep Ivy waiting at the hospital for too long; sheâs still a patient, after all.â
Mara knew her plans were dashed the moment Alyssa showed up.
Even if Balfour wanted to agree, Alyssa would never allow her to visit Ivyâs film set.
âGrandma Alyssa!â
She turned with a smile to greet Alyssa, who seemed to have only just noticed her presence. âOh? Ms.
Lewis, youâre here too?â
Her words were casual, after which she turned back to Balfour. âWhatâs holding you up, lad? If youâve got something to do, get moving. Why are you standing around like a lost sheep?â
Balfour seemed to snap out of it and turned to Mara with a reminder, âI canât give you a yes about visiting the set on my own. I need to check with Ivy.â
Maraâs smile grew strained. She had thought this might be her chance to visit the bustling film set.
As if oblivious to Maraâs discomfort, Alyssa inquired naturally, âWhy would you want to visit the set, Ms.
Lewis? You mentioned you were quite happy spending time with us two old birds, didnât you?â
Mara forced a laugh. âNo, no. Itâs just that Balfour thought I might get bored alone at home, so he suggested I could drop by Ivyâs set for a bit.â
Alyssa feigned sudden understanding. âAh, I see. A young person like you might find it dull with us old folks. Iâll have Balfourâs people take you out for a bit. You havenât been back home for years; I bet seeing your old haunts would be pretty novel!
But Ivyâs set isnât a place just anyone can visit. Thereâs a lot going on that an outsider like you might not understand. Theyâre swamped with work lately. If you show up now, they might be unable to host you properly. Plus, itâs not a playground; we wouldnât want to disrupt their workflow.â
Alyssaâs words clearly drew a line between Mara and their family, and Maraâs expression soured with every word.
In the end, Balfour suggested that if Mara was bored, she could accompany him to the hospital.
Alyssa rolled her eyes. Their grandson, Balfour, really had no clue.
Did he not think that Ivy needed rest and recovery at the hospital?
Why bring a third wheel?
Besides, in her heart, Ivy probably did not want another woman around, and here he was, seemingly eager to upset her.
âYouâre going to the hospital to be with Ivy. Why drag Ms. Lewis along?
Hospitals are full of germs. Ms. Lewis is so delicate; what if she catches something?
Balfour, you can be so careless. Canât you consider your guestâs well-being for once?
It would be better to wait until Ivy is feeling better. You and she can then take Ms. Lewis out for a proper tour. Youâre staying in the country for a while, arenât you, Ms. Lewis? Thereâs no rush.â
As Alyssa firmly placed Ivy as her granddaughter-in-law, Mara cursed the old woman a thousand times in her heart.
It was a clear warning not to harbor any undue affection for Balfour.