Chapter 346 Going Home Alone
The next day, Fiona saw a news alert suggesting that Darwin had returned to the hospital late at night, apparently with unhealed injuries.
"Charles's condition has improved a lot. If there are no other problems after a couple more days of observation, he can go home," the hospital director said first thing in the morning, as he accompanied a team of specialists to check the rooms.P
"We’re just waiting for the bone marrow match results now," one of the experts mentioned.
"You've all been wonderful these past few days." Fiona expressed her sincere gratitude.
Not long after, the director and the team left.
Chicago stood by Charles's bed, her big eyes flickering. "Mommy, is Charles going to get better?"
"We just have to wait a little longer, honey. Dr. Darwin and the others are going to give your brother some new treatment, and once they're in, he'll be all better!" Fiona said, stroking Chicago's hair with a smile.
Chicago nodded and turned to Charles. "In a few days, I'll take you back to the island!"
"We're not going back," Charles said.
Shocked, Chicago asked, "Why not?"
"From now on, we're going to live here with mom and dad," he replied.
Her surprise turned to disbelief as she turned to look at Fiona, who remained silent. Chicago's face scrunched up with frustration. She didn't say a word, but stomped off, plugged in her headphones, and sat down in front of her drawing pad. But she just stared at the incomplete doodle of a deity—its eyes not yet drawn.
"Charles, you—" Fiona went to check on Chicago and came back to the side of Charles’ bed. His change in attitude had taken her by surprise.
"You got married. This day was bound to come," Charles replied. "Where we live doesn't matter, as long as you're there."
Charles had started speaking softly to Fiona these past few days. Her heart warmed, and she leaned down to kiss his forehead.
"He'll be a great dad, you can count on that," Fiona whispered softly.
Charles didn't respond. "Don't worry about your sister. Let her figure it out on her own."
"Alright."
Fiona had never anticipated this.
Her initial worries had been turned upside down.
Chicago, who had adored Darwin, began to resist him once she knew he was her father.
Meanwhile, Charles, who had previously found Darwin so irksome, had come to accept the truth before his sister did.
He even started to tolerate living under the same roof.
After Charles had taken his medication and become drowsy, Fiona waited for him to fall asleep before she left the hospital room.
Chicago was still sitting in front of her canvas, headphones on, staring blankly.
Fiona sighed gently.
She was about to leave, when Chicago suddenly took off her headphones and called out, "Mom?"
Fiona turned back and walked over. "What’s up, sweetheart?"
"Can Uncle Stuart take me home?" Chicago asked as Fiona approached.
Fiona was taken aback. "Chicago, there’s only staff on the island right now. How could you go back alone?"
Chicago shook her head. "I mean home here."
The thought of being alone on the island made Chicago shudder.
Fiona breathed a sigh of relief. "Do you need to get something? I'll take you back."
"No." Chicago was adamant. "I’ll go back. You stay here with Charles, Mom."
That settled it.
Fiona called Stuart and Wendy, and they took Chicago back.
Chicago was a small child, but when she left, Fiona stood in the living room feeling as though the space had suddenly become utterly empty.
Chicago's nanny pulled into the garage, and Chicago hopped out of the car. As she got out, she heard her godmother's voice.
"Chicago?"
Thalassa ran toward Chicago, surprised beyond belief.
"Godmom," Chicago spoke with a soft, sweet voice, lacking her usual energy.
Usually, if her godmother came running to her, Chicago would run to her with equal, if not more, enthusiasm.
They would have embraced each other tightly.
"Why did you come back on your own?"
Thalassa had come to pick up the birthday gift Fiona had bought for her grandmother.
When she saw Chicago, her surprise was indescribable.
"Did you and your mom have another fight? Did you get sent back here as punishment?" Thalassa speculated boldly.
Chicago shook her head. "Of course not. I’m the best. I don't fight with mommy. I came back to paint!"
"Miss Carey, they really didn't fight. Chicago wanted to come back on her own," Stuart explained.
Concerned that the little girl might be entering her rebellious phase a decade too early, Thalassa hoped to avoid any misunderstandings.
"That's good to hear," Thalassa said as she nodded. She bent down to gently pat Chicago's head. "Hey, Chicago, today's Grandma Carey's birthday. Kenny and I are going over to see her. Do you want to come along?"
Chicago loved clinging to her mom and her big brother.
Thalassa hadn’t expected her to come home by herself, especially since her brother was sick. She guessed that Chicago might be in a bad mood, so she thought a little outing might cheer her up.
But to her surprise...
Chicago shook her head without hesitation and said, "Godmother, wait a second, okay?"
P
After saying that, she dashed inside the house.
Thalassa glanced at Kenny's parked car nearby, signaling him to hang on a little longer. Then, she followed Chicago inside the house.
With practiced ease, Chicago located her safe and pulled out a small box.
Inside, she found a diamond brooch.
She then found a small velvet box and placed the brooch inside it.
"Here," she handed the box to Thalassa. "Please wish Grandma Carey good health, happiness, and a long life from me."
Thalassa found it both touching and amusing.
But she didn't refuse the thoughtful gift. "Grandma Carey absolutely adores you, Chicago. She'll be so thrilled with your birthday present that she'll be smiling all day long."
Hearing this seemed to brighten Chicago's mood considerably.
Thalassa stroked her cheek gently.
Chicago had always been this way from a very young age. If someone was happy because of her, she would feel overjoyed too.
After Thalassa left, Chicago went straight to her art studio.
She didn't even want Stuart and Wendy to follow her.
After locking the door behind her, she walked over to an easel that was covered with a white cloth. Pulling the cloth away revealed a sketch on a canvas - the very image of a family of four that had appeared in her dream.
Looking at the sketch, she put on a paint-smeared apron, carelessly tied up her hair, dragged over a stepladder, expertly mixed her paints, and immersed herself in painting.
Meanwhile...
When Thalassa got in the car, she called Fiona to tell her about the brooch.
"That's the diamond hummingbird brooch from the auction two years back," Thalassa said. "We really should teach Chicago about the value of money. She’s giving away such an expensive piece without even thinking..."
Fiona chuckled. "It's hers, after all. If she wants to give something to someone she loves, nobody should stop her."
Thalassa grinned, "Well, that's what you said. So, do I take it to Grandma, then?"
"Absolutely," Fiona responded with certainty.
After hanging up, Thalassa gazed at the hummingbird brooch sparkling in the sunlight and couldn't help but marvel at it. "Chicago has definitely inherited her extravagance from her mom."
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