Chapter 109
Chapter 109
Hazel’s kids were bubbly the next morning, and Daisy’s swollen cheek, though still red, had gone
down.
“I’ll
snap her fingers when next I see her,” Silently swearing to herself, Hazel applied soothing ointment. This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.
As she tended to them, Liam spoke up suddenly. “Was Mr. Princess here last night?”
Hazel continued her gentle application, asking, “Why do you ask?”
“No reason,” Liam replied casually, but there was a spark of mischief in his eyes.
“Was he?” he probed again, unable to contain his curiosity.
Hazel sighed, realizing there was no evading Liam’s questions. “He was,” she admitted, watching as
Liam nodded in satisfaction. She looked away turning her focus back to Daisy. Liam reached out
picking up a colorful glass ball bead from the potted plant nearby.
The beads were a subtle communication method between Liam and Ethan. Liam had given Ethan
several colorful beads with a specific pattern. “Drop one in the plants whenever you stop by,” they had
decided. It
for Liam to know if Ethan had visited, just in case their mom didn’t let him see them. The simple yet
effective communication system allowed Liam to confirm Ethan’s visit even when he had been asleep.
was a way
Hazel, now done with the soothing balm application, shifted her focus to brushing Daisy’s hair. “I don’t
think Mr. Princess likes his wife very much,” Daisy declared her observation innocently.
“He does like her; people only get married to people they like,” Liam interjected, his explanation.
reflecting the uncomplicated understanding of relationships that children often hold. Hazel couldn’t help
but smile at the simplicity of Liam’s perspective, where marriage was based on and equated to love.
Daisy confidently asserted, “Well, that means he loves us more than her.”
“Yes.” Liam agreed with a from nod and wide smiles at the thought that they were Ethan’s favorites.
Hazel sighed suddenly feeling drained. Ethan was all the twins could talk about most times. She
couldn’t wait for Daisy’s surgery so they could go home finally.
‘After that, we would leave, we’d go somewhere far away. Hazel murmured to herself. In the meantime,
she would just have to endure everything.
She listened to her kids talk more about Ethan.
She’s his wife, remember,” attempting to temper their growing enthusiasm.
“Wife means she’s part of his family,” Hazel reminded them, guarding against the budding optimism
that Ethan might choose them over Bella. However, Daisy, with her honest simplicity, countered, “But
she’s
mean.”
“And Mr. Princess protected us. He yelled at her, and he even grabbed her arm. He was so angry,
Momma,” Liam recounted, his eyes earnest defending his Mr princess.
Daisy chimed in with a resolute, “Yes.”
“Then he told her she shouldn’t be there. He told her to go home,” Liam added, a hint of defensiveness
in his tone.
Hazel was taken aback, hearing this revelation for the first time. She hadn’t expected Ethan to resort to
violence, especially against a woman. It was unlike him. It however confirmed that his distressed state
last night was genuine when he apologized and told her that he had sent Bella home.
As the kids recounted the scene with vivid storytelling, Liam animatedly described the confrontation,
attempting to mirror Ethan’s sternness.
“Mr. Princess walked in, you know, and he was like, ‘What happened to those kids? Bella, explain
yourself,” Liam retorted with seriousness. Hazel couldn’t help but chuckle at the theatrical delivery. But
Liam wasn’t finished. With a determined expression, he continued, “Then he said, ‘Why are you here?
You should stay at home. Go home now.“” Liam said then added physical gestures, grabbing Daisy’s
arm as he had seen Ethan do.
Daisy in response swung into her role as Bella stood with her half made hair and pleaded with dramatic
intensity, “No, Ethan, no! Let me stay at the party.”
Liam, in character as the protective Mr. Princess, stood firm, “I said no! Look at his arm; you hurt him?
Oh, you’ve done it this time. You need a time out, lady. Go home!”
Daisy gasped. “I don’t wanna go home.” She cried.
“It’s too late for that. Guards, take her away.” Liam commanded.
“No, no, Ethannn,” Daisy shrieked dramatically, collapsing onto the floor in feigned distress.
Hazel found herself caught in a fit of laughter. She knew they were exaggerating but she got the
message. She felt a tinge of relief, Ethan had stood up for them.
Soon they settled back down after the display.
“Mr. Princess is nice. Even though he has a witch for a wife, I still love him,” Daisy declared stubbornly,
her determination evident in her young eyes. “One day, I’ll get rid of her and marry Mr. Princess,” she
added seriously.
Hazel couldn’t help but chuckle.
“What to you mean?” she asked, intrigued by her daughter’s imaginative declaration.
“I’ll help you get rid of her,” Liam chimed in, his commitment matching his sister’s. “Then we can have
him all to ourselves. It would be just you and me and mommy and Mr. Princess.” Liam smiled at his
sister, sharing in the dream of a family unburdened by the presence of Bella.
Tears welled up in Hazel’s eyes as she considered the simplicity of their dream. If there was no Bella,
perhaps that’s how their family could have been, undisturbed and harmonious. The reality was
different, everything had changed since Bella entered their lives. She acknowledged that her kids
weren’t entirely
wrong.
Liam and Daisy exchanged a knowing smile, their shared vision forging a silent communication
between them. Hazel could tell they were up to some kind of mischief.
“Liam, what are you guys discussing?” Hazel asked.
“What?!” Hazel exclaimed.
“He has a soft spot for us; we could get her in trouble when next we see her. He would definitely take
our side,” Liam strategized, plotting mischief with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“Where is that from?”
Hazel questioned them with a furrowed brow, disapproving of the notion.
“That would be mean; you shouldn’t deceive people or play with their affection for you. It’s called
manipulation, and it’s not very nice,” Hazel corrected sternly, drawing a clear line against such tactics. i
Bella’s conniving ways were not something she wanted to see replicated in her children. She was
determined to raise her kids with integrity and kindness, avoiding the means of manipulating people.
“Do you understand me?” she asked, looking at them with a serious gaze. She wouldn’t teach her kids
to be bullies, they wouldn’t stoop so low.
“Yes, mommy,” the two replied in unison, their expressions slightly subdued.
“Good,” Hazel nodded, satisfied with their response.
The two looked a little disappointed and unhappy. Their heads were bowed and they stood sulkingly.
“You guys want cookies?” she asked, instantly brightening the atmosphere. Their eyes lit up with
excitement.
“Yes!” The two yelled excitedly.