<b>55 </b>vouchers
“Didn’t you know this answer from the start?” Her friend said, looking at her withplex emotions in his
eyes.
Andrea watched Jeffrey, Reba, and little Samuel walking hand in hand, madness and jealousy reaching their peak in her eyes. “But I refuse to ept this.”
Michelle asked, “What are you nning?”
Andrea clenched her fists. “I’ll make hime back to me.”
Even after his crystal–clear rejection. Even after her hopes had died at that moment.
The bitterness remained. ‘Why does Reba deserve his true love and devotion, while I, who saved his life, couldn’t earn even a shred of genuine affection?
‘What exactly makes me inferior to Reba?‘ she thought.
“Don’t do anything reckless,” Michelle cautioned. “Last night’s frank discussion was his way of warning you to back off. If you interfere with him and Samuel…”
Andrea knew full well his anger. But if she had an “ident,” even his rage would be tempered.
Unaware his earlier premonition hade true, Samuel pointed at the thrilling water park attractions, tilting his head up at Jeffrey. “Daddy, let’s try this one.”
Jeffrey clenched his fists at his sides. A flicker of unreadable emotion shed in his eyes.
Reba noticed it. She crouched down to Samuel’s level. “I’ll y with you. Daddy’s shoes aren’t suitable for getting in the water.”
Jeffrey was terrified of water. Reba knew this all too well. He couldn’t enter water deeper than thigh–level, his body rejecting it viscerally.
“Okay.” Samuel agreed, already piecing things together in his mind.
Jeffrey’s tense shoulders rxed slightly. He was about to remind them to be careful when his phone rang. Andrea was calling.
Both Reba and Samuel paused to look at him. Jeffrey decisively declined the call.
Before he could pocket the device, the phone rang again. He’d clearly stated today was for Samuel. ‘What’s she thinking calling back after being rejected?‘ he thought.
“Daddy, who’s calling?” Samuel asked.
Jeffrey evaded, unwilling to dampen the mood. “Just a friend.”
Samuel pressed. “Then why aren’t you answering?”
14:52 <b>Mon</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>22 </b>
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Jeffrey hesitated for a moment but answered anyway. “Didn’t we agree that today…”
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55 vouchers
“Mr. Hanson, this is Andrea’s friend.” The voice on the phone wasn’t Andrea’s, but Michelle’s. “Andrea’s been in a car ident. She’s at the hospital now, and it’s serious.”
Jeffrey’s expression darkened. “Which hospital?”
Michelle quickly replied, “Jsburg General Hospital.”
“Understood.” Jeffrey hung up immediately.
Both Reba and Samuel heard the conversation clearly. They exchanged nces.
Regretting her decision to stay, Reba told Jeffrey to store their belongings before leading Samuel towards the water. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s go y.”
“Don’t stay too long,” Jeffrey warned, eyeing their rolled–up pants. “You might catch a cold.”
Ignoring himpletely, Reba and Samuel sshed into the water withughter.
Watching them merge into the crowd at the deep end, Jeffrey’s brows furrowed with concern before he finally dialed <i>a </i>number.
Reba kept a close watch on Samuel the entire time. When Jeffrey left, the boy suddenly called out, “Mommy.”
“Hmm?” Reba responded.
Samuel’s voice carried unmasked disappointment. “Is that person more important to Dad than keeping promises?”
Jeffrey might break his casual promises, but he never went back onmitments he made seriously. Yet now, that had changed.
“Mommy’s here.” Reba diverted his attention. “I’ll stay with you wherever you want to y. We’ll have fun until you’re satisfied.”
Samuel recognized her attempt to cheer him up. His eyes sparkled mischievously. “Let’s go to the haunted house then.”
Reba tapped his forehead. “Little mischief–maker.”
After about ten minutes in the water, they moved on to other aquatic attractions. The entire circuit kept them upied for over an hour.
When Reba went to change Samuel’s clothes to prevent chilling, she suddenly remembered his spare outfit was in Jeffrey’s car. She wondered if Jeffrey had driven himself to the hospital or taken a ride.
As this thought crossed her mind, a clothing bag suddenly appeared before her.
Reba and Samuel were surprised. They turned in unison toward the hand holding the bag, tracing the arm
15 <b>voluie </b><b>wiem</b><b>. </b>
“Go change your clothes.” Jeffrey pushed the bag toward her again, frowning at the pair of sopping–wet munchkins.
Reba and Samuel exchanged a look. They’d seen him rushing off earlier.
Jeffrey grabbed Reba’s hands and ced the bag in them. “Use the women’s locker room. Wait by the entrance after changing. I’ll get Samuel changed.”
“Okay,” Reba replied instinctively.
Jeffrey took Samuel’s hand and left.
This was the first time he realized these two could vanish faster than rabbits–they’d disappeared during the brief moment he went to fetch dry clothes.
While changing, Samuel’s round eyes kept darting nces at Jeffrey.
“Spit it out,” Jeffrey said, briskly drying the boy with his clean towel.
Samuel chewed his lip before asking, “Weren’t you going to the hospital? Why’d youe back?”
Jeffrey retorted, “When did I go to the hospital?” After speaking, he paused.
‘So when they both stared at me like idiots earlier, they thought I’d gone to the hospital?‘ he thought.
“You care so much about that person, even divorced Mommy for her.” Samuel’s childish voice sounded surprisingly logical. “She’s in the hospital after a car ident. Won’t you go see her?”
He considered himself more mature than his peers in many aspects, but he’d never understood this matter regarding his father.
“Didn’t I say today’s just for you?” Jeffrey’s tone stayed calm.
Samuel’s low mood lifted a bit, his lips curling into a small smile. “Then why did you rush off earlier?”
“The car only had your spare clothes. I asked someone to buy Reba a set.” Jeffrey hadn’t expected to get in the water today, exining patiently. “She might lose me in the crowd if I didn’t hurry out to get them.”
Samuel understood. He rushed to avoid being gone too long and missing them.
Jeffrey straightened the boy’s clothes meticulously before taking his hand. “Let’s go.”
“Okay.” Samuel nodded his small head, tiny fingers wrapping around Jeffrey’srge hand.
When they came out, Reba was already changed and waiting there. Seeing the wet clothes in her hand, Jeffrey’s gaze shifted between her face and the bag a few times.
Reba understood his look. “I’m just an ordinary person, not as rich as you.”
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Jeffrey was speechless. The thought of her carrying these soaking clothes around and sharing the car ride home made aplicated feeling well up inside him.
Finally, he reached over and threw her clothes bag into the trash. Before she could protest, he dered, “I’ll buy you ten recementster.”
<b>14:52 </b>Mon<b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>22 </b>