Chapter 342 The Expected Person Didn't Come
For a name, Jerry even went to church.
When I found out, I was both amused and exasperated.
Madison looked a bit helpless. "It's my fault. I put too much pressure on him."
Elissa, with her hands in her pockets, teased, "Great, now there's someone else to share Jerry's love with you."
I snorted, "Don't try to stir things up. He's not loving someone else. It's my daughter. I'm more than happy."
But Jerry's behavior was indeed a bit over the top.
A name was important, but it didn't need such a big fuss.
I was planning to have a good talk with Jerry about this when he got back. Instead, he put a bracelet on my wrist.
I couldn't help but feel touched, my heart filling up bit by bit. "Steven said you went to name the baby. Why did you buy me a bracelet?"
Jerry took a piece of paper out of his pocket, slowly unfolded it, and handed it to me.
I saw neatly written on it: [Celestia Hammer.]
I quite liked it.
"Celestia." I waved the paper in front of the baby and said, "We have a name now. Daddy gave it to you. Do you like it, Celestia?"
The baby reached out for the paper and smiled sweetly at me.
I looked at Jerry. "It seems your daughter really likes the name."
Jerry hugged us. "I hope she can always be happy, without fear, just following her heart. For everything else, I'll take care of it."
I laughed. "The baby doesn't understand yet, and you're already spoiling her. What will you do if she becomes very bossy?"
Jerry kissed me on the forehead. "Then it'll be hard on you, keeping an eye on us for a lifetime."
After some time, I returned to Tranquil Haven and found the house had changed a lot.
Madison and Elissa had decorated the house, adding a lot of things for the baby.
When I walked in, there was hardly any place to step.
"Surprised?" Elissa handed me a bouquet and said, "You've worked hard, great mother."
I gave her a playful glare and looked at Madison. "Mom, this is too much."
This was like a mini amusement park; they even put a slide in the house.
Madison said, "This is nothing. If Elsa wants the stars in the sky, I'll get them for her."
I was helpless. "Loving Elsa is fine, but you can't spoil her."
Elissa disagreed, "Elsa is a little princess, okay? Her parents, her godmother, her grandma, all have so much money. We can't let her lack anything materially. But don't worry. We won't interfere with her education, just give her love."
With so many people loving Celestia, I couldn't let them down. "You're so sweet."
"Of course." Elissa was quite proud. She took Celestia in her arms and said, "Come on, try out the crib I bought."
I rubbed my forehead and turned to look at Jerry, who was standing still at the door. I asked, "Do you think this is too much?"
Jerry shook his head. "This house is too small. We need a bigger one."
That evening, Jerry didn't have dinner at home. Although Francis had helped him with a lot of things, he couldn't keep avoiding them and had to go check on things.
After feeding Celestia, I sat at the dining table, seeing Elissa constantly looking at her phone, bringing utensils to her mouth but not eating any food.
I asked, "What are you busy with? If it's company matters, I can start helping now."
Elissa shook her head and put down her phone. "It's nothing. It's my personal matter."
There were rarely any secrets between Elissa and me, and she wasn't someone who could hide things.
I thought something was off. Thinking back, it seemed like things weren't right between Elissa and Francis.
I asked, "Have you completely given up on pursuing Francis?"
Elissa nodded. "Let's not talk about him. Eat more meat. You need to replenish."
She kept piling food on my plate until it was full. I reached out to stop her and said, "Is it because of that so-called first love?"
Elissa put down her utensils and replied, "No matter how much I like him, I can't bring myself to ruin their relationship."
When it came to feelings, I couldn't interfere. These things didn't follow logic.
I continued, "Did you ask clearly? Is there really a first love?"
Elissa pointed to her eyes. "I'm not blind."
I said, "Seeing isn't always believing."
Elissa really didn't want to talk about this topic and changed the subject. "You've already proposed. What about your dress? You're getting married soon. You probably don't have time to get it made, right?"
Elissa rarely avoided emotional issues; she always did what she wanted.
"Do you have any ideas?" I didn't want to dwell on this topic either.
Elissa hugged me and smiled. "You know what, I actually do."
At the bar.
Jared raised a glass first. "Jerry, congrats on having a daughter, and I wish you and Hope all the best."
Jerry clinked glasses with him and teased, "What? Are you jealous? Want to be a father?"
Jared sighed, "I do, but the girl doesn't respond."
Jerry glanced over at Francis and asked, "Are you serious?"
Jared leaned closer to Jerry and said, "Jerry, Elissa and Hope are so close. Can you put in a good word for me? I know I was unreliable before, but this time, I swear I'm serious."
Jerry squinted. "Elissa has clearly rejected you. Why are you still chasing her? She's not the only woman."
Jared retorted, "She didn't reject me."
"Didn't reject you?" Jerry glanced at Francis and asked, "What do you mean?"
Jared said, "She just said she's busy. I understand. After all, she's Hope's best friend. With everything going on with Hope, she must be busy. I can't keep bothering her, so I'm waiting for her to be less busy. Jerry, you can put in a good word for me then."
Jerry's lips curled into a meaningful smile, and he kicked Francis lightly. "I'm sacrificing time with my wife and daughter to drink with you, and you just sit here brooding? If you don't want to drink, I'll leave."
Jared stopped him, "Don't leave. He's been like this lately, zoning out all the time. I ask him, but he doesn't say. Don't let him spoil the mood. I'll drink with you."
"Zoning out?" Jerry knew very well but asked on purpose.
Jared spoke before Francis, "I'm puzzled too. His ex-girlfriend came back, and they got back together. What's there to be brooding about? I don't even have a woman."
Jerry's smile deepened. He looked at Francis and said casually, "Looks like our bet still has some suspense."
Jared interjected, "I think you'll win, Jerry. His family won't agree to him getting back with his ex so easily. With his personality, he wouldn't secretly get married either."
Francis glanced at Jared and finally spoke to Jerry, "Last time I was in the hospital, why didn't the person who was supposed to come show up?"
Jerry raised an eyebrow and replied unhurriedly, "Oh, Hope didn't let me say anything. But I didn't expect that the person who wasn't supposed to come did show up."
Francis hadn't received any information and was waiting for Elissa, but someone else came instead.
Francis said, "Let's drink."
Jerry didn't say anything more, drank his glass of wine, put down the glass, and stood up. "It's about time. I'm heading back."
Jared quickly stopped him, "It's still early."
Jerry adjusted his cuff and said, "You don't understand. When you have a wife and kids, you'll naturally go home early."
'Showing off endlessly.' Jared only dared to say it in his mind. Out loud, he said, "Can you help me out?"
Jerry neither agreed nor refused. "I'm heading back."
Jared walked him to the door, just about to turn and talk to Francis, but Francis had already left.
Jerry had just sat in the back seat when the other car door opened.
Seeing Francis get in, he wasn't surprised and instructed Steven to drive.
Francis asked directly, "Did she say anything?"
"What?" Jerry pretended not to understand. "Which 'she'?"
Francis frowned. "I've been working hard helping you lately. You don't thank me, and now you want to mess with me?"
Jerry chuckled, "You drove her away yourself, and now you're taking it out on me."
Francis was quite regretful. So he wanted to talk it out, but then one thing after another caught him off guard. He never found the right opportunity to talk, and now, they were worse than strangers. Elissa could smile at a stranger asking for directions, but not at Francis.
Francis complained, "You won't help me and even kick me when I'm down."
Jerry laughed in exasperation. "Great skill, taking out your anger on me for no reason."
Francis took out a cigarette, but before he could light it, Jerry snatched it and threw it into the car's trash bin.
Jerry clapped his hands and said lazily, "Sorry, my wife and kid can't stand the smell of smoke."
But Francis didn't feel a hint of actual apology from his words.
Francis rubbed his throbbing head and asked, "Really not going to help me?"
Jerry leaned back casually in his seat, arms crossed. "Tell me, what's the deal with the ex-girlfriend?"
When I was seeing Elissa out, Jerry's car just pulled up.
Elissa glanced at her watch and said, "Back so early? He has really become a good man. Hope, to be honest, I never dared to imagine this before."
I patted Elissa's arm and smiled. "You'll find a good man who loves you too."
But I didn't expect Francis to be in Jerry's car.
My words were heard loud and clear by Francis.
I shot Jerry a look, blaming him for not giving me a heads-up.
Jerry walked over and held my hand, saying to Elissa, "We won't see you off."
Elissa shook her car keys. "No need. Mr. Hammer, I'm driving."
"You're driving." Jerry dragged out his words, his gaze falling on Francis's face, but his words were directed at Elissa, "Then drive safely."
I could hear the amusement in Jerry's low voice, clearly enjoying the show.
I poked him in the side.
I forgot Jerry was always so carefree. I wanted to cover his mouth but didn't make it in time.
"Honey, are you hinting at something?" Jerry teased.
I glared at him, quickly said a few words to Elissa, and pulled Jerry into the elevator.
Back home, Jerry raised an eyebrow, looking a bit roguish. "In a hurry?"
At first, I didn't get it. Then I reached out and poked Jerry's face hard. "Why did you say that!"
Jerry looked puzzled. "What?"
I pulled my hand back and said, "About Elissa and Francis. Elissa is Celestia's godmother. You figure it out."
Jerry pulled me into his arms, kissed me on the forehead. "Not my problem, just enjoying the show."
I was about to speak when he picked me up and said, "Besides, I have my own important business to attend to now."
Jerry's urgency was palpable. He was so eager that he even took a shower with me. But just as we got into the bathroom and undressed, there was a knock on the bedroom door.
"Mrs. Hammer," Ellen's voice was cautious, "Celestia is awake and needs to be fed."
Ellen didn't want to disturb Jerry and me, so she had taken Celestia to her own room to coax her to sleep.
Who would have thought Celestia would wake up at this moment?
I quickly put on a bathrobe, loosely tied the belt, and hurried to the guest room.
Ellen looked a bit embarrassed. "Actually, Celestia's feeding times are quite regular."
Celestia was indeed very well-behaved, not fussy at all.
When she woke up, she waited for me to feed her, playing quietly without crying.
Who could have predicted this timing?
While I was feeding her, Jerry walked in wearing navy blue loungewear, pinched Celestia's cheek, and said, "Enjoying your meal, right?"
I could hear the obvious resentment and patted his hand. "Are you seriously mad at your own daughter?"
"How could I dare?" Jerry played with Celestia and said, "She's the only one who gets to bully me."
I was both amused and exasperated.
In the parking lot.
Elissa didn't even glance at Francis, heading straight to her car.
Seeing Francis walking towards Elissa, Steven turned to leave. He wasn't tired, but he had finally managed to get eight hours of sleep recently and didn't have time to waste with them.
Elissa was about to unlock her car when she saw Jerry's car speeding away out of the corner of her eye and paused.
Francis had already reached the passenger side but didn't open the door.
He asked, "Not leaving?"
Elissa couldn't figure out Francis lately.
He had spoken so harshly before, clearly not wanting to develop anything with her. Now that his first love was back, he definitely wouldn't want to move forward with her.
Elissa had stepped back to being just a friend, but Francis kept approaching her.
During the busy times recently, she was always with him, handling things together.
In the midst of the busyness, Francis would show concern for her.
At that time, Elissa didn't have the mind to think about it, and later she felt there was no need to say anything.
Elissa gradually became distant towards Francis. With Francis's personality, he wouldn't chase after her; it was always others chasing after him.
Elissa said, "Mr. Peterson, I'm not comfortable letting a drunk adult male into my car."
Francis had drunk quickly and had a lingering frustration, feeling dizzy.
He felt that these words shouldn't have come from her mouth and without thinking, he said, "Didn't you say before that if I ever got drunk, you'd come pick me up, and then..."
"Mr. Peterson." Elissa interrupted coldly.
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