Chapter 795: Chapter 201: A Family of Three
Other than Patricia, who was still in swaddling clothes and stayed with Juliet downstairs, all five daughters were making a racket outside; I hardly knew what to say about it. If they wanted to make a noise, with the house being so large, did they really have to run around just outside the study? And running around outside the study was one thing, but did they have to chase the family’s kittens and puppies all over the place?
“What’s the matter, did we disturb you?” Lily, who was leading the pack, stopped in her tracks, letting the small animals scamper away, and turned back to blink at dad.
“Of course not, daddy wouldn’t bother us,” Deva and Juliet chimed in unison, making faces at dad, sounding more like twins than actual twins.
Mary stuck out her tongue and hid behind Lily, showing only half her face, while the smaller Eleanor clung to Lily’s clothes, confused and unclear about why they had stopped.
“Don’t you think you’re being a bit loud?” Adrian crouched down in front of them, putting on a serious face, “And chasing the little kittens around like that isn’t nice.”
“But daddy doesn’t want to play with us,” Deva and Juliet looked at each other, then said in unison, folding their arms with a bit of an accusing tone.
However, they were still just kids, despite their convincing performance, their gazes couldn’t help but sneak towards their older sister, clearly following her lead.
“Who says that, I just haven’t been playing with you right now,” Adrian raised an eyebrow, his gaze fixing on Lily, it seemed today was the day to properly discipline this little troublemaker.
But Lily didn’t give daddy a chance, with a shout, she immediately led her sisters away, “We better run, daddy’s going to be with sister Emma, he won’t have time to teach us a lesson!”
From this, it was clear to see Lily’s prestige among her sisters, although Adrian called out “wait” none of the little ones listened, not even Eleanor who, stumbling as she ran, quickly got up after falling, without crying or fussing, continuing her run, leaving Adrian somewhat frustratedly rubbing his chin for quite a while.
But… to be with sister Emma… was this the little one feeling jealous? Adrian couldn’t help but let out a chuckling laugh. Little Emma, feeling that she was already an adult—at least she claimed so—didn’t join Lily and the others in their wild play this time in Los Angeles, unlike before. In fact, she intentionally reduced the number of times she played with them, seemingly on purpose to appear more mature, but Lily didn’t care about that; she just blamed it all on dad, so…
If she didn’t act this way, she wouldn’t be the headache-inducing little troublemaker she was; actually, it was not bad, if little Emma joined in their craziness, the headache would at least be doubled.
Alright then, just leave them be, even though the poor kittens and puppies were going to suffer, they had long since accepted their fate under Lily’s “tyranny.” Just like Kate’s Pomeranian named Lulu, which was already “bullied” by Lily to the point of losing its temper, Deva and Juliet being slightly nicer to it made the dog endlessly grateful, happily frolicking around them all day long.
Anyway, the women had raised several pets, so let the little ones have their way with them, there were plenty to go around. However, with the children growing in number, a better system had to be found, a father should also have his own authority, shouldn’t he?
Back in the study, Adrian was about to wrap up his conversation with little Emma when he saw her and was momentarily stunned. Little Emma stood in front of the window, looking outside with a curious and thoughtful expression.
“What are you looking at?” Adrian asked curiously.
“Nothing much,” little Emma turned around, her arms folded, smiling with a profound meaning, “just observing a scene that is nearly impossible in modern society.”
Hmm? Adrian arched an eyebrow and walked to the window to look out, then rolled his eyes and let out a heavy sigh, half annoyed and half helpless, as he glared at little Emma. Outside, there was no frightening scene, just a group of moms lazily sitting or lying under the umbrellas, chatting pleasantly; Juliet sat in the middle, holding Patricia, with Kate, Monica, Sophie, Jessica, and Blanchett dropping by occasionally to say hello or tease the little ones, very harmonious and heartwarming.
In short, today was the mothers’ gathering, and yes, with two more waiting to become mothers—Gwyneth and Zetajones. After the beach party, although they all felt surprised and embarrassed when thinking back, their desire for children was very firm, and Adrian was trying his best.
Overall, what appeared to be a nice scene was completely shattered by little Emma’s words—well, not shattered, just reminded. From this angle, they looked harmonious, but if you stepped into their midst, you would realize that each of these women had their own ulterior motives. Not to mention anything else, they would chat and laugh together while playing with Patricia, but as soon as they parted, they became distinctly factionalized, Monica and Sophie forming one group, Blanchett and Gwyneth another, Juliet alongside Zetajones, and while Kate didn’t have Sarah, Charlize, or Ivanka by her side, she pulled in Jessica, who was relatively naive and without much guile.
If Adrian went over, he’d inevitably be dragged into their conversations. While it wasn’t something he couldn’t handle, it often left him feeling a mix of frustration and amusement. This was exactly why he always tried to avoid having all the women together, and also another reason why he dragged little Emma to the study for a chat.
“Well, that being said, aside from Adrian, hardly anyone seems to have achieved such harmony. So Little Emma’s teasing isn’t too much, but…”
“You sure have a way with words, Emma,” Adrian squinted and even made a fist. “Is that what they teach you at school?”
“I’m just telling the truth. Can’t the great Miracle Director handle the truth?” Little Emma made a face, as mischievously as ever.
Adrian raised an eyebrow, looking like he wanted to pin her down on the sofa and give her a good spanking. Little Emma seemed to sense this and immediately shrunk back, placing her hands in front of her chest in a protective stance, though her eyes twinkled non-stop.
Taking a deep breath, he managed to suppress the emotion he had stirred up and just knocked on her head, “Alright, just say whatever you want, as long as it doesn’t go outside.”
A look of disappointment flashed through Little Emma’s eyes, and she immediately pouted and huffed, “What if I take it outside?”
“Then that’s just my bad luck,” Adrian shrugged.
“I knew it…” Little Emma grumbled unhappily, “Why do we all have to consider your feelings?”
“Because I consider yours too. It’s a two-way street,” Adrian smiled, as though he hadn’t noticed she deliberately lumped herself and Kate together in her comment, and his gaze returned to the window.
The little ones had had their share of wild fun by now, running back to the garden to find their mothers. Although Lily was almost eight, she jumped onto Kate like a koala, relentlessly clinging to her. Kate shook her head with amusement and eventually let her sit on her lap, chatting affectionately with her daughter, just like Monica and the rest.
“That’s how it is.” Adrian turned his gaze away from the garden and looked at Little Emma, who was also watching the scene there.
The girl’s hand rested on the glass, looking somewhat dazed, with eyes full of longing. Adrian suddenly felt a momentary urge and reached out to wrap his arm around her shoulder, bringing her into his embrace. Little Emma didn’t resist; she just closed her eyes, wrapped her arms around his waist, and pressed her cheek against his abdomen, savoring the long-missed feeling of warmth.
After a while, the girl relaxed her grip and then acted as if it were no big deal, prodding Adrian with her finger, “Okay, I get it.”
“It’s not enough to know, you also have to understand,” Adrian pinched her cheek, “so I can’t fulfill your request. I’m busy before and after the 26th this month.”
“What’s going on?” Little Emma, sensing something out of the ordinary, immediately sparked with interest. “Can I know? I can help, I promise I won’t be a nuisance.”
“No way, just stay put in Los Angeles.” Adrian flatly rejected her, having devised several plans since the beginning of the year and finally settling on the current one. He wouldn’t let anyone disturb it, not even Little Emma!
The music came to a smooth halt, and as the band bowed to show appreciation, a round of applause broke out in the dining room. Kate clapped absent-mindedly a couple of times before glancing at the clock on the wall. The second hand had just completed its circuit, and the minute hand moved up to the top. At the same time, a waiter escorted someone over.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Kate.” Adrian smiled as he sat down, presenting the single rose to her – although there was only one, the way it had grown, its color, and even the thorns showed that it must have been plucked from someone’s yard or a public park.
“You’re almost late,” Kate huffed, but she still took the rose.
“Be careful with the thorns,” Adrian chuckled, then signaled to the waiter who quickly brought over a tall vase filled with some water.
“Have you become so stingy now that you can’t even afford to buy a bunch of flowers?” Kate teased as she inserted the rose into the vase.
“Though the roses from the flower shop are beautiful, they can’t compare to the natural charm of wild roses, can they?” Adrian shrugged and said, “You know, Kate, I like things that feel natural.”
“Yeah, it’s the wild roses that are the most alluring,” Kate said, her beautiful and graceful eyebrows raising non-committally.
Adrian couldn’t help but laugh softly, but he didn’t explain anything, instead signaling the waiter to bring the menu over.
“I’ve already ordered the Roman roast half-chicken and Bolognese pasta for you,” Kate then said, “Of course, if it’s not to your liking, they can change it.”
“No, that’s not necessary,” Adrian chuckled, shaking his head, “No one knows my tastes better than you do, right?”
Soon, the beautifully prepared food was served, and after the waiter poured them red wine and left, Adrian picked up his glass.
“You look really beautiful tonight, dear.” He gazed at her earnestly.
Indeed, the V-necked dress with just the right amount of low-cut, her wavy hair flowing smoothly, lightly made up and full of poise was exceptionally eye-catching. Just as she knew his culinary tastes, she knew exactly how to dress in the way he liked.
“Thank you.” Kate opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something else, but in the end, she just sighed softly to herself and said with a smile.
“Tomorrow you’ll be 30, dear. According to our ways, 30 is a brand new start. No matter what outrageous things you’ve done before, you can leave them all behind and stride toward the goals you’ve set for yourself,” Adrian said, holding up his glass.
“Really? I always thought I had already reached my goals,” Kate couldn’t help but retort, “As for the rest, isn’t it all up to you?”
“Kate.” Adrian called softly with a gentle tone and a smile.
Suddenly, any little emotion that had been bubbling up immediately dissipated. She shrugged her shoulders and bowed her head to take a bite of vegetables.
“Speaking of which, I’ve seen some clips of ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’,” Adrian continued as he cut into his food, “You were very good, and Jim was very good too… It’s great…”
“Can we not talk about the movie?” Kate suddenly looked up and said.
“Alright, then…” Adrian looked at her.
“How about we talk about your plans for tomorrow,” Kate thought for a moment, “You mentioned before, you have a special birthday gift for me.”
“Of course, you will see it very soon.” Adrian smiled mysteriously but didn’t divulge more, quickly shifting the conversation to something else.
Kate didn’t press further, and they finished their dinner in a still soft and harmonious atmosphere.
“Where are we going?” After leaving the restaurant, the limousine was already waiting outside. As Adrian escorted Kate into the car and said someone would drive her car that was parked there back, Kate asked.
Adrian continued to smile and not answer, instead chatting about some interesting trivialities from the past. Kate’s curiosity was piqued, and while engaging in the conversation, she paid attention to the streets outside. After a moment, she actually started to notice something.
“Are we heading… to the airport?” Kate asked, blinking her eyes.
“Yes,” Adrian finally confirmed that evening, but he still refused to divulge more information, even though Kate deliberately made a displeased expression, he only indicated that they were going to a very suitable vacation spot.
Thankfully, the airport was not far off now, and after about ten more minutes, the RV finally drove into the airport and came to a stop at the already prepared private plane.
“You guys are really slow, do you need so much time for dinner?” The little girl who had been idly counting her fingers on the gangway immediately stood up with dissatisfaction, “I have been waiting here alone for such a long time.”
“Lily?” Kate’s eyes widened, then she turned to Adrian, completely clueless about what he was planning.
“Don’t listen to her, I bet she was still watching TV on the plane until two minutes ago,” Adrian arm in arm with a bewildered Kate boarded the plane.
The growing number of unusual things made Kate feel more and more like she had fallen into a fog, not to mention, the four regulars… well, now three, usually, they were unrestrained in throwing flirtatious glances at Adrian before getting on a plane. But today they were all behaving properly, professional smiles on their faces, wholly in flight attendant mode.
“Can you tell me now?” After the plane had taken off and stabilized, Kate asked again, furrowing her brows as if she’d really get angry if he didn’t speak.
But before Adrian could speak, Lily exaggeratedly cried out from beside them, “Wow, Dad, you haven’t told Mom where we are going yet? That’s so cliché!”
“Cliché?” Adrian raised an eyebrow, suddenly snatched her up, “I haven’t put you in your place for a few days, and you think you can tease your old man like this? Explain to me, what do you mean by ‘cliché’!”
Watching the father and daughter playing around and hearing Lily’s giggling and screaming, Kate sighed, but her mood improved even more.
“Alright, we are going to Hawaii,” After properly “instructing” the little one who thought too highly of herself, Adrian began to explain to Kate, “We are heading to Oahu, to Honolulu, and not to the little island I bought.”
“That’s it?” Kate squinted her eyes and asked.
“What else do you want? Taking our daughter, just the three of us to celebrate your birthday in Hawaii, isn’t that nice?” Adrian laughed, “This is a vacation completely for us.”
Although she always felt there were more of his plans, upon hearing those words, especially the “completely for us,” Kate couldn’t help but get a shiver in her heart, even if Lily was still mumbling reluctantly.
“It would have been nice if Deva and the others could have come, even if they are still young, Sister Emma could have come too.”
“I’ve said before, Lily, we want to give Mom a special birthday present, and it can’t be directed by anyone else. You promised Dad to keep it a secret.”
Let me wait and see what gift you have then. Kate decided not to think about it anymore and began waiting patiently.
The next day’s trip in Hawaii was quite pleasant; as Adrian had said, the three of them, happy and harmonious. Although Kate still needed a bit of dressing up to go out, such as wearing sunglasses, in others’ eyes, she had a considerate husband, a lively and smart daughter, and her face always radiated a happy smile.
However, when going for a swim at the beach, after some consideration, they chose to book a private beach. After all, the public beaches were a bit crowded, especially as these few months were the peak travel season.
“No worries, the public beach might be lively, but there isn’t as much space to slowly bury you,” Kate said at a leisurely pace as she dumped the bucket sand over Adrian, who had been properly buried.
“Yeah, yeah, at the public beach, I might not have been able to find so many good things.” Lily, beside her, flinging sand onto her dad with a small shovel, immediately waved a bag filled with her collection—pretty seashells and conches, beautiful little stones, and a purple-red starfish.
“Really? So let’s do something else, like building a sandcastle.” Adrian smacked his lips and sat up immediately, so fast that Kate and Lily didn’t even have time to react, and all the fine sand that they had piled on him fell off, and the mother-daughter duo immediately started to complain. (To be continued. If you like this work, feel free to come to Qidian () to vote for recommendation tickets, monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)