Chapter 355 The Note
Darwin glanced over again.
“Let's go to the flower market together as soon as I've made things right with Chicago,” he suggested.
Fiona set her cup down gracefully. “We'll see. If I'm too busy, you can just take your siblings. It'll be just as good.”
“Okay,” agreed Darwin.
An awkward silence fell upon them suddenly.
Fiona's phone rang. Her studio was calling.
“I’ve got work to do. Make yourself at home.” Without waiting for a response, Fiona was on her feet and heading out. After a couple of steps, she stopped and turned back to Darwin. “Mr. Solomon, next time you plan on buying a trending press release involving me, can you give me a heads-up? The PR department at Rhoads family is having a tough time.”
“Got it,” Darwin nodded in understanding.
“Thanks.” Fiona went upstairs.
Darwin lingered alone for a while. Before leaving, he made his way up to the second floor.
He had a hunch about which room was Chicago’s art studio. Charles had let it slip earlier.
Darwin slid the note he’d written through the crack under the door then left reluctantly.
Chicago was in the final moments of finishing up her painting. She was deliberate with every stroke, fearing a single slip could mean starting all over again.
When she applied the last dab of paint, she let out a relieved sigh.
Carefully descending her little stepladder, she twirled twice in celebration.
Then, she noticed the note by the door.
Chicago was meticulous about her space, and any new addition was immediately apparent.
She picked up the note and unfolded it.
Drawn on it was a cartoon of a sad face with the word “sorry” beside it.
Signed: Dad.
Her brows lifted slightly, and she pressed her lips together with a hint of amusement. “He’s such a fool!”
With those words, she pocketed the note, gave her painting of many days one last approving glance, closed the door firmly behind her, and secured it.
At that moment, Wendy appeared to ask if Chicago wanted to come downstairs for dinner.
Wendy couldn't have been happier when she saw Chicago emerge by herself.
“Are you done painting, Miss?” Wendy inquired.
"It's finished." Chicago patted her shoulder awkwardly. "Nobody can enter the studio, okay? You can't, Mommy can't, Charles can't—nobody!"
"Miss, you've told me that many times already. I've got it," Wendy responded. "Are your shoulders sore? I’ll give you a massage!"
Chicago descended the stairs.
Her big brother and uncle were engrossed in a game of chess. She didn't see Mommy or...
"Wow, our fairy princess Chicago has graced us with her presence!" Burl exclaimed dramatically.
Charles turned around.
When he saw the streaks of paint on Chicago's hands and face, he stood up, resigned, and wiped a smudge of green from her cheek. "Now you really look like a little calico cat."
"Where is he?" Chicago asked.
"Darwin?" Charles said.
She nodded.
"Oh, I saw that you didn't like him and shooed him away. That was cool of me, huh?" Burl said with a smug grin, winking at Chicago.
Chicago remained silent.
She ended up not speaking to Burl for the rest of the night.
Burl was totally confused and couldn't make heads or tails of it.
That evening...
Fiona was tucking Chicago into bed.
Chicago nuzzled into her mother's embrace, then sweetly complimented her. "Mommy, you smell so nice. I love cuddling with you!"
Fiona couldn't help but laugh. "You love me that much?"
"Uh-huh! I love Mommy the most!" Chicago declared with certainty.
"So, if you love me that much, can you show me what you've been painting these past few days?" Fiona probed sneakily.
But...
"Mommy, you're being too obvious," Chicago scoffed playfully. "I'd be a real dummy if I fell for that."
Fiona laughed.
"Charles, your sister is getting harder to fool," she said.
"That's great to hear," Charles replied.
A moment later, Chicago whispered in Fiona's ear, "Burl said he chased him away. Will he come back tomorrow?"
"Who's Burl? You mean Uncle." Fiona patted her bottom. "Who told you Uncle chased him away?"
"Uncle did," Chicago mumbled.
Fiona replied gently, "He was just talking nonsense. He went to work."
"Oh," Chicago said, understanding.
So, he hadn’t been chased away. Would he come back then?
Fiona thought that if she brought up Darwin, there would be more to the conversation.
Instead...
Chicago soon started to snore softly.
Fiona was amused and exasperated all at once.
Fiona had pretty much confirmed her feelings about Darwin. She had never disliked him—on the contrary, she found herself quite fond of him. It was just a little tiff they were going through.
Feeling reassured, she was ready to head to work and leave Darwin in charge of bonding with Charles and shaping the father-son and father-daughter relationship.
The next morning, Fiona woke up early. After freshening up and applying some light makeup, she grabbed her bag and headed downstairs for breakfast. Darwin arrived as soon as she finished. He walked in just as Fiona was standing by the foyer, slipping on her pearl earrings. The sunlight scattered over her, cloaking her in a halo.
"I'm here," she said, swiftly securing her earrings and slipping into her heels. "If you have any questions, ask Wendy. Try not to call me during work hours," Fiona instructed, glancing at Darwin. "And if you get into any arguments with Charles or Chicago, Mr. Solomon, you’ll need to handle it without me. If Chicago gives you the cold shoulder, don’t come asking for my advice. Figure it out on your own."
Darwin was hit with Fiona's three-strike warning as soon as he stepped through the door.
"Got it," he replied. "Are you going to the studio so early?"
He'd come over with the hopes of joining her for breakfast.
"If I wait any longer, the kids will be up."
Fiona stood up straight, looked at Darwin, and after a brief pause, said, "Good luck," before heading out the door.
Darwin followed her out, a little shell-shocked.
"Will you be back for lunch?" he asked.
"No," she replied.
"What about dinner?"
"I have a work dinner. I probably won't get home until around ten or eleven," Fiona informed him.
"That late?" Darwin muttered under his breath.
Just then, Thalassa came running up.
"Honey, hurry up! I'm going to be late to the construction site!" she cried, diving into Fiona's car.
Fiona was exasperated.
"Have you been married so long that you can't even drive yourself anymore?" Fiona couldn’t help but comment. Her knee still bothered her sometimes, so she usually had a driver.
"My car is still at the site, and I don’t dare drive Kenny’s car!"
Fiona sighed, casting another glance back at Darwin before getting into the car.
"Is he going to be okay?" Thalassa asked, clearly concerned.
"It's up to my son and daughter," Fiona said, then recalling Darwin at the amusement park with Chicago. "But I think he'll manage."
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