Unseen, Aurora eavesdropped from behind the wall, her head bowed in heavy thought.
As the men grouped up, the women flocked to Fannieâs bedside. While the joy of a newborn filled the air, attention naturally settled on Fannie, who had endured the labor. Bearing gifts meant just for her, Joelle and Katherine expressed their care.
âHey, will Rafael and Allie be returning soon?â Katherine inquired.
Joelle nodded. âYes, theyâre planning to bring Lucas over for the summer.â
The previous year had seen Lucas traveling alone to spend his holidays with the Millers.
Fannie questioned, âHas Lucas been settling in well here?â
âExceptionally well,â Katherine responded, as she adjusted Fannieâs blanket. âItâs quite surprising, but heâs meshed perfectly with Aurora, Molly, and Kalel. Molly, in particular, is quite fond of following him around.â
âThatâs reassuring to hear. Whenever Iâve met Lucas, he appeared contemplative, much like Rafael,â Fannie replied.
Reflecting on times past, Joelle remembered Lucasâ playful days at her place with Molly, seeing no hint of worry in him.
Katherine said, âI stopped by the school recently and discovered that Aurora has grown quite close to a boy named Rickey Kelly?â Joelle had assumed Aurora would befriend a girl, not an overly energetic boy.
Katherine expressed concern, saying, âHow can you be okay with Aurora spending time with him? Iâve heard that Rickey had to repeat a grade. He tends to intimidate the other children.â
Setting her cup down, Joelle replied, âWe need to look beyond academic performance. Rickey has been nothing but supportive of Aurora, especially when she faces bullying at school.â
âStill, his influence might be problematic. Aurora excels in her studies, yet Rickey struggles academically.â
Joelle considered. âIâll have a chat with Aurora about it once Iâm home.â
âYou and Adrian need to be mindful. Aurora is the eldest among the kids, and weâve always looked to her to set an example for the younger ones.â
âGot it.â
The lush greenery of Usheujan Paradise Ranch stretched as far as the eye could see. Cows roamed freely, idly waving their tails.
Ryland sat transfixed by the window, his gaze locked on the tranquil scene outside, his mind seemingly miles away. The butler approached. âMr. Potter, itâs time we left.â
However, Ryland remained still, his eyes still fixed on the lush meadows. âOnce againâ¦â
âWhat?â
âWhere does he expect me to hide this time?â
Caught off guard, the butler quickly recovered. âYour father wishes for you to see more of the world. He truly desires only the best for you.â
Ryland chose not to respond further. He rose from his seat beside the window and made his way out.
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