NOVEL NEXT Chapter 453: Odd family
When the twins woke up, they saw Luther having tea in the garden with their grandma. They ran to him, beaming and giggling.
«Good morning, grandpa! Hello, grandma!»
Melanie chuckled, amused by their energy. She wasn't expecting them to be so active so early...
«Your parents came to fetch you,» she said.
«Where?» Scarlet inquired, looking around. She did see the cups on the table but no people.
Where was her mommy?
«They're preparing breakfast,» the woman explained, reaching out to caress Scarlet's face. She moved a lock of hair away from her face and smiled even broader when Scarlet didn't even wince. She was getting used to familiar gestures.
As for Jaden, he was standing there, his lips pursed, considering whether to run away and look for his parents or just wait for them to appear.
His thoughts weren't fast enough because Nate walked into the garden a moment later. He was setting the table while Lara was dealing with food. However, when he heard his kids, he couldn't resist but came to take a look.
«Daddy!» Scarlet exclaimed.
She strolled to him and raised her arms, waiting, as usual, to be picked up. Jaden also walked to Nate but stood by his side without any spoiled request.
«I missed you, daddy,» the little girl said, pressing her cheek on Nate's.
«We played with grandpa Luther,» Jaden added. «It was fun.»
«I see... And does grandpa Luther agree to you calling him grandpa?»
«He asked us!»
«Oh, I see. Actually, he's your grand-uncle. He is your mother's uncle.»
Jaden opened his eyes wide when a realisation struck him.
«Grandpa is mommy's uncle,» he muttered. «Grandma is dad's mommy...»
He seemed to have found out one of the secrets of the world, so Nate let him think and mutter in peace. He waved at the adults still sitting at the table and turned to walk in, one kid in his arms and the other holding his hand.
It was then that Lara called everyone for breakfast.
When Luther walked into the dining room, he saw the twins clinging to their mother. One on each side, they were literally hanging on her, pushing their heads against her like puppies or asking for her attention with low sounds.
It was completely different from how they greeted Melanie or him. Or Nate, for that matter.
That morning, he discovered yet another secret of the Woods: the two children liked their mother more than their father. Somehow, he was surprised by such a huge difference in treatment.
But it did make sense. She was their only mother, after all.
«You know, Grace has never been like this with you,» he said. At that time, he not just was around but would also often visit his brother and take a look at the newborn baby.
He would visit often as she grew up, living with her what he couldn't with his children because he didn't have any yet.
He had noticed how his sister-in-law wanted her children to act proper and mature - even when it was so unnatural - because she wanted all the other mothers to envy her. He should have understood it all by one of these little signals, but he had been blind. He had thought it was just part of her character, and that it was harmless. Read exclusive content at empire
Yet, that woman's greed had brought him to prison.
«She liked to play the part of a member of the elite even when you and David were babies,» he said. «And a mother from high society doesn't hug her children. Not just like that. She wanted you to be proper, she used to say. But she was just as cold as ice...»
«She did take care of us, though. In her own way,» Lara pointed out. «Hugs are just part of it, not the whole thing. My mother made sure we had an education and some social skills. She worked hard on that.»
«Kids need love, not skills. They will learn all they'll need as they need it.»
«I agree,» she said. «I also think they will learn everything when the time comes... And they will have their parents to support and guide them. I was just trying to say there are several ways of being a parent. Not just one.»
Seemingly content with their mother's caresses, Scarlet and Jaden let go of her. However, they pushed their chairs next to hers, surrounding her. Nate sat a few inches apart, visibly sulking.
However, he didn't seem surprised nor too offended by their behaviour. It must have been something they did often, Luther thought.
Analysing that family was becoming more and more fun. With every question he found an answer to, other two appeared out of nowhere.
Were the twins so cold to their father in their daily life? He pitied Nate: no one deserved to be ignored by their own children.
But it was also funny. Nate Woods had the reputation of a cold and calculative man. Who would have ever imagined he could be so sweet and careful around his family?
«Daddy, my mommy is hungry!» Scarlet exclaimed, turning to him for a moment only.
At her words, Nate shook his head. His girl was hungry, again. And she was using her mother as an excuse to have her plate filled.
He selected the best pieces of everything for Scarlet and Lara, not forgetting Jaden. However, the boy was rather easy when it came to eating. He would accept anything his mommy chose for him, no matter what shape, aroma, or colour.
Under Melanie's loving gaze and Luther's stupefied glances, the family had breakfast in their usual, chaotic way.
Lara cut the meat for her cubs while Nate insisted on vegetables. They had split the work among the two of them that day. Oddly enough, they didn't need any kind of synchronisation. No words or other forms. They hadn't even exchanged a glance before coordinating.
It was as if they had been married for years, Luther realised. How odd of a family. Very odd.