Chapter 26 You like scum?
A mocking smile played on Aaron's lips.
"He's just a kid; why would you fuss with a kid?"
The plump woman choked on her words, her face turned various shades of red.
At that moment, some neighbors, drawn by the commotion, gathered to see what was happening.
Seeing an opportunity, the woman spun around and plopped down on the ground, wailing dramatically.
"Ouch, he hit me! Somebody come and look, my husband's not at home, and this cripple who popped up out of nowhere is bullying me and my child!"
The bystander's gaze shifted suspiciously between Aaron and the three kids.
Aaron's mouth quirked in disdain. "Bullying you? That's a joke."
"You're denying it? Look at the bruises you've caused on my son's leg—and mine! You cripple, you have to pay for this, or I'll take you to court!"
The stout woman blustered, using the crowd's presence to her advantage.
Aaron's face remained cool with contempt. "You want compensation? It's you, with your disrespectful behavior and poor parenting, who's at fault. I simply administered a minor punishment as a warning."
"You're calling me a disrespectful woman? You no-good cripple, who even are you, causing trouble here?"
The woman shouted insultingly.
"Auntie, Mr. Thomas was rescued by my mommy. He just broke his leg; he's not a cripple!"
Billy clenched his small fists, fuming.
"You little brat!"
The woman glared venomously at Billy and then turned her scrutinizing gaze upon Aaron.
"So you're the pretty boy Nora took in? Four years ago, she gave birth to three bastards with some man, and after her husband divorced her, was she too lonely? Is that why she picked up some pretty boy to bring home?"
Her mocking words cast a strange look from the surrounding people onto Aaron.
Aaron's aura became heavier and darker.
"Clean up your act and watch your mouth, or you'll give me a reason to forget I'm a gentleman."
"Oh, I'm so afraid! You say that, you cripple, but can you even stand up and hit me?"
By the time Nora returned home, she found it eerily quiet and empty. Worry spiking, she rushed outside.
Her brows furrowed at the sound of the heavyset woman's harsh voice, relentlessly taunting someone as a "cripple." Quickening her pace, Nora moved towards the gathering crowd.
As she suspected, her three adorable kiddos and Aaron were encircled by the onlookers, enduring a verbal lashing from the woman. A chill swept over Nora's face.
Elbowing her way through, Nora spoke up, "Hey, Brenda, what does it matter to you if his leg is impaired or not? huh?"
Relief washed over the kids as they spotted their mom and scrambled to her side.
“Mommy!”
Nora tenderly patted their heads, “What happened here?”
“It was Tommy the bully…”
Samantha tattled.
Nora caught Aaron's eye, and an unspoken understanding passed between them, their gazes softening.
“Nora, your rescued 'Pretty Boy' here hurt me and my son. What are you gonna do about it?” Big Brenda demanded.
Wrapping her arms protectively around her trio, Nora fired back, “Good for him.”
Taken aback, Brenda spat, “Nora, you actually condone him hitting people? Truly classless. Just like someone who wasn’t raised right; otherwise, you wouldn't have these wild brats with some random man!”
Samantha’s ears were swiftly covered by Nora’s hands as she retorted coolly, “I might be classless, but at least I’ve raised my children to be well-behaved and helpful. Samantha helps with household chores even at her young age.”
“Not like you, who lets your kid run wild, constantly causing trouble. Seriously, Brenda, if you don’t straighten out your act, you'll be visiting your son in juvenile prison before long.”
Brenda was seething.
“Nora, you’re full of it! Curse my son again, I dare you!”
She began to make threatening moves as if to take a swing at Nora.
Aaron nudged his wheelchair forward, placing himself between Nora and Brenda.
“Lay one finger on her and you’ll regret ever being born!”
His glare was icy, his stance unyielding—a clear message not to be taken lightly. He was standing his ground for her!
Nora's gaze softened as she looked down at the man in the wheelchair, her heartbeat fluttering with a hint of emotion.
“Brenda, Nora's right. If you don't discipline that son of yours, society will.”
“That’s right. Nora is a gem, both kind and beautiful. If only you had half her class.”
“Exactly! Nora, let's head home. Don't waste your breath on her.”
As the crowd chided Brenda, her face cycled through shades of embarrassment and outrage.
Nora flashed them a grateful smile, no longer engaging with the belligerent woman, and started to wheel Aaron back.
Since returning to the States, Nora had played the part-time healer for the elders in the neighborhood, curing their minor aches and pains. Needless to say, she had quickly become a beloved fixture in their community.
The notorious Brenda certainly had a reputation for her fiery temperament, and everyone in community held a secret scale in their hearts, weighing who was right or wrong.
Nora pushed Aaron along, herding their three excited little ones back home to Courtyard House. The kids' faces were alight with exhilaration.
"Mommy, you won't believe it! Man used pebbles to teach Chubby and his mom a lesson. It was so cool, just like this!" Samantha couldn't help but dance around, mimicking Aaron's stone-throwing with dramatic flair.
Nora raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. It was just throwing stones, after all. What was so cool about that? She could do it too!
"Mr. Thomas, you dodged Tommy’s slingshot like a ninja and your aim was spot on. You must have some martial arts training, right?" Billy asked with stars in his eyes, while Alex, though silent, was brimming with admiration.
"I might've learned a thing or two. Can't remember." Aaron replied with a shrug.
"Can you teach us, Mr. Thomas?" Billy asked, hope sparkling in his eyes.
"You really want to learn?" countered Aaron.
"Yes!" chimed in Alex and Billy in unison.
"Alright, I'll teach you," Aaron thought to himself, it could be fun to spend time with the kids.
Billy's excitement was palpable. "So, what's first, Mr. Thomas?"
"I want to learn shooting!" declared Alex thoughtfully.
"And I want to learn how to kick!" Billy said with a wink.
Aaron couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, I'll teach you all that."
Nora sighed from the side, "Thomas, don't teach them nonsense!"
Boys will be boys, but she worried they might pick up bad habits, turning into troublemakers like that Chubby.
"Sometimes talk is cheap, Nora. You have to stand your ground," Aaron said, glancing her way.
Nora was about to retort when Alex cut in, "Don't worry, Mommy. We won't hurt anyone. We just want to be able to protect you."
Those words went right to her heart, and she was overcome with emotion. How did she end up with such adorable little ones? She wanted to give them the world, yet she couldn't even afford to send them to the best preschool.
Faced with the dilemma of their education, Nora felt a headache coming on. After a moment's thought, she picked up the phone and called Jenny.
"Hey Jenny, I need a favor. Could you pull some strings to get Alex and the others into Mont International Kindergarten?"
Jenny's excited voice buzzed through the line, eager to help.
"Nora, I was just about to call you. Mont International Kindergarten scrapped that bizarre rule and Alex is now eligible to enroll!"
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