Chapter 285 As Long as You Like Her
The following day, Nora awoke early, her internal clock functioning as a reliable alarm. She reached out to the cool, empty spot on the pillow beside her and a smile tugged at her lips. It was habit, she realized, and she was beginning to miss his presence. After rousing herself from the bed and freshening up, she descended the staircase.
The murmur of conversation drifted from the kitchen.
"Hey, you need to flip that now! Can't you see the eggs are on the brink of burning?"
"Oh."
"Can you hurry up with the salt? Why are you merely prodding them?"
"I've got it."
"Heavens, you're such a klutz. How do you expect to become a good wife and mother someday?"
"With your guidance, I'm certain I'll excel."
"Hmph, who said I wanted you as my daughter-in-law?"
"After all this time you've spent training me, would you truly let someone else reap the benefits?"
Nora listened to the banter between Hollis and Quinn, a smile playing on her lips. She held a deep admiration for Quinn.
Quinn was both emotionally and intellectually astute, and she had a knack for winning over Hollis. Despite her status and position, Quinn was willing to humble herself and engage in menial tasks. Even when Hollis's tone was less than pleasant, Quinn remained unfazed, diffusing any tension with a few well-chosen words.
Hollis, despite her outward disdain, was subtly warming up to Quinn. Nora could see the emotional distance between them gradually shrinking.
"Dr. Smith, you're up?" Mary, setting breakfast on the dining table, greeted Nora with a warm smile.
"Good morning, Mary." Nora returned the greeting, her smile mirroring the housekeeper's. She then approached the kitchen doorway, inhaling the enticing aroma. "Smells delicious."
Quinn was in the process of plating the perfectly fried eggs.
"Nora, are you hungry? It’ll be ready in a minute. Just wait till you try my cooking!"
Nora responded with an enthusiastic nod.
Hollis let out a derisive snort. "Try your cooking? If I wasn't here to guide you, we'd all be eating charcoal for breakfast."
Quinn shot her a smile, plate in hand. "Yes, and I'm not finished yet. If my cooking is good, it's all thanks to Mrs. Brown's excellent guidance."
"Stop trying to flatter me," Hollis retorted, rolling her eyes.
"I'm merely stating the facts, okay?"
Feigning hurt, Quinn carried the plate towards the dining room. As she passed Nora, she shot her a wink. It was a look that seemed to say, "I have it tough, you know what I mean."
Nora couldn't help but chuckle.
Just then, a notification chimed on her phone. It was a message from Aaron. Opening it, she found a photo. Her three precious ones were seated at the dining table with Jacob, who was looking at the little ones with a face full of tenderness. A sudden longing to join them for the meal washed over her. Why would he send such a picture so early in the morning? Was he bragging or simply showing off?
"Don't let Grandpa overexert himself," Nora texted back.
"Don't worry, with the kids around, Grandpa ate an extra half a bowl of porridge," Aaron responded.
Nora didn't reply further as Quinn was calling her to breakfast.
After the meal, Quinn offered to drive her to the lab.
"That's okay, I can just take a cab."
"No problem, I have some business near the university later, so it's on my way," Quinn insisted.
Nora offered no further words, silently slipping into her car. As the vehicle hummed to life, she glanced out the window at the passing landscape, a chuckle escaping her lips. "Quinn, I truly admire your ability to handle everything so well. I have no doubt that Mrs. Brown will soon be won over by your charm."
Quinn, her eyebrows arching slightly, sighed in response. "Ah, the trials of womanhood, always bending over backward for the men in our lives. Why should it be so?"
Nora nodded, a silent agreement passing between them. Yet, she couldn't resist a playful jab. "Perhaps because you're fond of him?"
Quinn's laughter rang out, a light-hearted acceptance of the truth. "You're right; who asked me to fall for him?"
Nora cocked her head, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "So, you've fallen for Baldwin?"
"Indeed, I have," Quinn replied, unabashed.
Nora's laughter echoed in the car. "Then Baldwin must surely be smitten with you as well."
"Of course! Who do you think I am?" Quinn retorted, her chin lifted in a display of pride.
Nora couldn't suppress her laughter. As she mused to herself, she decided that if Aaron truly intended to introduce her to his parents, she would adopt Quinn's strategies to win over his mother, Mary.
Arriving at the gates of Lindwood City University, Quinn bid Nora farewell. Nora stepped out of the car and into the bustling campus, making her way to the laboratory.
"Good morning, Professor," she greeted, her voice echoing in the quiet lab.
"Morning," Professor Lee returned her greeting with a smile, launching into a discussion about the previous night's data.
One by one, the other research staff began to trickle in, each receiving a warm greeting from Nora. However, Sandy was conspicuously absent.
"Professor, is Dr. Hernandez not coming in today?" Nora inquired.
"Oh, she's feeling unwell; her husband called in sick for her," Professor Lee informed her.
Nora nodded, an intuitive sense telling her that Sandy's relationship with her brother-in-law might be strained. But she steered clear of the gossip, instead immersing herself in her lab work after donning her lab coat.
As lunchtime approached, a message from Evella popped up on Nora's phone.
Evella: [Nora, want to have lunch together?]
A smile curved Nora's lips as she responded affirmatively. After changing back into her clothes, she made her way to the Lindwood City University dining hall.
Evella was already waiting for her on a bench near the entrance. As Nora entered, Evella waved enthusiastically.
"Nora, over here."
Nora returned the smile and made her way over, taking a seat opposite Evella.
"Nora, these are the cafeteria's specialties. Try them, and if anything doesn't suit your taste, I'll get you something else," Evella offered.
Nora chuckled, "No worries, I'm not picky."
Despite the flavors being a bit strong for her liking, she found them tolerable. She mused that after a while back in Houston, she might find the local cuisine too bland.
As they began eating, Nora remembered something from the previous day. "Evella, how's your brother doing?"
Evella swallowed her food before replying, "He's doing great. I saw him this morning, and he's already lively as can be."
Young folks sure do recover quickly, Nora thought, a smile playing on her lips. "That's good to hear."
"Nora, my brother also said he wants to thank you in person," Evella added.
"It was nothing, no need for that," Nora responded, brushing off the gratitude.
Just as Evella was about to say something more, her gaze shifted towards the door. "Oops, talk about perfect timing. Gary, over here!"
Nora turned her head, following Evella's gaze, and saw a man making his way toward her. He was tall, around six-foot-three, dressed in a crisp white casual shirt. His features were sharply defined, his complexion fair, and a black earring adorned his left ear. Under the lighting, he looked like a leading man straight out of a comic book.
This was Evella's older brother? Yesterday, she had been so focused on his illness that she hardly noticed his looks. Now, seeing him in full, she thought the man was incredibly handsome. He had a different kind of appeal from Aaron.
Aaron's attractiveness was the austere kind that came from years of navigating the cutthroat world of business, an aura of authority naturally emanating from him. But this man's charm was sunny, reminiscent of the quintessential heartthrob from a teenage drama series.
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