Chapter 50 His Kindness
In the restaurant, Lucas and Alexander were dining.
When Lucas saw Lillian coming downstairs, he timidly asked Alexander, "Alexander, can Lillian join us for dinner?"
Lucas knew Alexander's rules about such matters, so he always made sure to ask him whenever he wanted to share a meal with Lillian.
"Lilian, I've already eaten in the kitchen," Lillian said softly to him. "Make sure you eat well too."
"Lillian, I'm almost done here. I'll come and find you in a bit."
In the kitchen, Kelly was setting the dinner on the table and said, "Come eat."
As Lillian sat down, she asked with concern, "Has Quentin eaten?"
"I served him first; let's enjoy our meal without worries." Kelly passed her a piece of chicken and said, "Lillian, I've made an appointment with Dr. Turner for today. After hearing about Quentin's condition, he suggested that a hospital stay combined with several treatments might speed up his recovery."
"That serious?" Lillian swallowed her food and asked, "What do Quentin and you think? Is he going to be admitted?"
"Quentin refuses to stay in the hospital. He's not very trustful of Dr. Turner," Kelly sighed. "But I think Dr. Turner is quite capable. He analyzed Quentin's illness thoroughly. I trust him enough to think a hospital stay might do some good."
With a mix of irritation and concern, Kelly added, "Even lying in bed Quentin is so headstrong. Right now, don't I have the final say? I'm arranging for his admission tomorrow, no more discussion."
"Kelly, you focus on Quentin in the hospital, and I'll take care of things at home. Staying in the hospital is tough on one's own, so I'll come every other day to relieve you. I can come by at noon too, so you can get some rest."
"Lillian, just knowing you would offer that means the world to me. But no need to trouble yourself. It's just like sleeping somewhere else. The hospital has nurses, after all. I won't have to be alert all night. It's fine."
Still, Lillian advised, "Kelly, don't try to be strong. You're getting older, and sometimes you can't do as much as you used to."
"Focus on keeping things calm at home with Mr. Sinclair. Eat well, sleep well, and take good care of Lucas. That's your duty," Kelly instructed. "A home isn't complete without a woman's touch."
"Don't worry, Kelly, I'll cook," Lillian responded with a wry smile. Was Kelly worried she wouldn't feed them?
Just then, Alexander walked in and addressed Kelly, "I've already taken care of the hospital arrangements today. A VIP room and a skilled male nurse are all set. This way, you won't be too worn out. And as for the hospital bills, don't worry about them at all. Just focus on accompanying Quentin."
As soon as Kelly heard the news, she was flustered with delight and stuttered, "Mr. Sinclair, thank you so much!"
"You've all been long-time employees of Sinclair Villa. It's only what I should do," Alexander said, his voice softening as he continued, "Kelly, in my heart, you're like an elder to me, like family. It's only logical – and compassionate – that I wouldn't neglect you."
"Thank you, Mr. Sinclair," Kelly said, her eyes brimming with grateful tears, her appreciation evident.
Lillian, observing from the sidelines, thought that Alexander could be pretty considerate at times.
After dinner, Kelly went back to her room to pack for the hospital stay, while Lillian cleaned up the kitchen and retired to her own room.
She lay on the bed, clutching her iPad and opened the forum app. She scrolled through the comments on her post. There were calls for her to come up with a name, demands for updates, and some skeptics who insisted the story was fabricated. A mixed bag of feedback trickled in.
A sudden thought flashed through Lillian’s mind, recalling what Doris had mentioned to her, "He has been mentally stimulated."
How about using that for a title? After pondering for a moment, she typed on her iPad: "I Married a Hot-tempered Man Who Has Been Mentally Stimulated."
"That sounds good, very authentic," Lillian thought, quite pleased with herself. After editing the title, she responded to some of the forum users' questions, and then launched her drawing app to work on the sketches for her upcoming holiday.
She kept at it until Lucas came looking for her, pleading with sorry eyes for her to come to bed, to which she finally relented with a soft heart.
Awkwardly lying on the familiar big bed, Lillian faced Lucas, listening to him talk, until his voice faded into the quiet rhythm of his gentle snores.
"Mr. Sinclair, I think we have to get Lucas used to sleeping on his own," Lillian whispered across to Alexander's back.
"Mhm," came the nonchalant reply from Alexander. "I'll talk to Lucas's therapist when I get a chance. You don’t need to worry about it."
Therapist? Was Lucas suffering from some psychological trauma? Her gaze fell on the child, and she couldn't help but tenderly pat him.
A night of blissful dreams followed.
Lillian’s phone alarm was set to vibrate, and early in the morning, just as it started buzzing, she reflexively grabbed and silenced it. She carefully watched the two still slumbering figures, patted her chest in relief, and tiptoed out of the room.
After getting herself ready and changing clothes, Lillian headed to the kitchen.
"Come here, Lillian," Kelly called, "I want to show you around the kitchen and the pantry. With me away, you won't be all frenzied searching for things."
"Oh, and about the front door," Kelly added, "I’ll record your fingerprint for the lock, and I need to tell you the code too. I’ve always been here to open the door for you, and it just slipped my mind before."
Lillian could tell Kelly was burdened with a lot to say but didn’t know where to start. She quickly reassured her, "Kelly, fingerprinting is important, and we should handle that first. As for the rest, just mention whatever comes to mind. If you forget anything, you can always call me later."
Teasingly, she added, "Look at you, acting as if we’re still kids who can’t manage on our own. We can take care of ourselves, you know."
"You're like my children, of course, I'm worried about you," Kelly replied.
The first day back at the office after the holiday was bustling with activity.
Lillian had just arrived when Dora tapped her on the shoulder from behind and took a seat.
"Happy holidays," Dora greeted her with a smile.
They hadn’t seen each other in three days and quickly caught up in warm conversation. Suddenly, Lillian’s phone chimed with a WhatsApp message from Leo.
Leo: [Lillian, I'm outside the office. Can you come down and see me off?]
Lillian: [Leo, are you going on another business trip?]
Leo: [Just come down and see.]
Checking the time and realizing work hadn't started yet, Lillian figured she had a moment to spare. She grabbed her phone and hurried out of the office, catching the elevator down.
Outside the company, Leo stood despondently, clasping a cardboard box containing his belongings, looking down and out.
"Leo, what's happening? Did you resign, or have you been let go?" Lillian asked, shocked.
Leo gave a wry smile. "Lillian, I won't be at the company anymore. Take care of yourself and be wary."
Lillian noticed his weary expression and guessed the worst. She couldn't believe it and demanded, "Why? Weren’t you doing a good job? Why would they let you go?"
