Chapter 745 I Will Resolve the Trouble I Caused
Maria was a lot like Fannie—bubbly and full of energy, always ready to chat with anyone.
Declan, on the other hand, was her total opposite. The older he got, the more he reminded everyone of Martin. Maybe it was because of the tough times he went through as a kid. By the time he was one and a half, he had stopped smiling, always looking serious and way too mature for his age.
When they first brought him home, Declan used to smile and reach out for hugs.
But as he grew, he got quieter. Patricia even joked that he was like a little old man—serious but cute. She loved teasing him because of it.
Kaleb adored Maria who looked just like Patricia. He'd always reach out to hold her.
As soon as she saw him, Maria, who had been talking for a while, would call out sweetly, "Grandpa, Grandpa."
Kaleb beamed, "Maria, I rushed over and didn't bring you a gift. What do you want to eat? I'll get it for you."
Maria, thinking hard, let a bit of drool escape, "Tamales. I want tamales."
Kaleb chuckled at her cuteness, "Alright, I'll get you lots of tamales, and you can eat them at home."
Maria's eyes sparkled, "Thank you, Grandpa. Maria loves Grandpa."
Kids are easy to win over.
In no time, Kaleb and Maria were chatting away.
Patricia then brought Declan over and introduced him, "Declan, this is your grandpa. Say hi."
Declan glanced at Kaleb briefly before looking away.
Kaleb cleared his throat, trying to connect, "Are you Declan? I'm your grandpa! What do you like? I'll get it for you, okay?"
But Declan just gave him another quick glance and looked away.
Kaleb's smile faltered.
Patricia quickly added, "Dad, he's always like this—quiet and not very talkative."
Kaleb, not one to hold a grudge, replied, "It's alright. He just doesn't know me yet. He'll warm up."
After Kaleb took the kids away, Shane grabbed Patricia's arm, frowning, "Patricia, is that man really your dad? Your biological father?"
Patricia nodded, "Yes, he is. He has a photo with my mom!"
Hearing that this was the man who had abandoned Elise, Shane got furious and was ready to confront Kaleb, but Patricia stopped him, "Grandpa, there's a misunderstanding!"
Patricia explained the situation between Elise and Kaleb to Shane. Though still angry, Shane calmed down a bit, considering Kaleb had been searching for Elise for over twenty years and had never remarried.
Patricia looked around and noticed Jeremy was missing, "Where's Jeremy? I haven't seen him."
Shane replied, "He went out early this morning and didn't say where."
Patricia nodded and didn't press further.
It was time for school. Everyone gathered for breakfast. It had been a while since the family was all together.
After breakfast, Patricia left Maria and Declan with Kaleb and Shane. She and Ariel took Charles, Fannie, and Randy to school.
Patricia's mind was still in the past, so she took Charles, Fannie, and Randy to the kindergarten entrance. The kids looked puzzled. Seeing their hesitation, Patricia waved them on, "Hurry up and go in!"
Charles gave her a quick look, then grabbed Patricia and Randy's hands, turned a corner, and headed into the elementary school next to the kindergarten.
Patricia asked, "Why are they going to the elementary school?"
Ariel, a bit annoyed, replied, "They're almost seven. Why do you think?"
Patricia finally got it, "Oh, right! They're seven."
As a mom, Patricia hadn't noticed.
Ariel patted her shoulder, "It's okay. A lot's been going on. It's normal to forget! Luckily, they're all sensible and obedient, so you don't need to worry too much."
Patricia watched the three kids walking away and sighed, "Yeah, thankfully they're all sensible and obedient."
After they disappeared, Patricia and Ariel got in the car to head back.
On the drive, it was just the two of them. Patricia was driving, and Ariel was in the passenger seat. The atmosphere felt a bit tense.
Patricia sensed something was off. She was about to tell Ariel about her plan to return to Country Y, but Ariel spoke first.
Ariel said, "Patricia, I'm planning to take the afternoon flight back to the Country Y. Please take care of Grandpa."
Patricia finally realized what was wrong—it was Ariel's expression. Ariel had been forcing a smile all day to keep Shane from noticing. Now, alone in the car, her emotions were spilling out.
At a red light, Patricia turned to Ariel, "You know everything, don't you?"
Ariel's face was pale. She was smiling, but it was heartbreaking, "Of course, I know! Someone called me as soon as it happened, and the internet is full of news. Grandpa is old, so I didn't dare tell him. Luckily, he doesn't usually go online, and I hid his phone. He doesn't know yet, but..."
She paused, "But I can't hide it for long! Grandpa likes to watch the news on TV. He'll see it eventually. I can stop him from watching TV for a day, but not every day."
Patricia nodded, "I get it! But that's why you need to stay with Grandpa! If he wants to go back, you have to stop him."
Ariel bitterly tugged at her lips, lowered her head, and said with shame, "This trouble was brought upon the Koch family because of me, so I should be the one to end it. I can't let the Koch family be ruined because of me."
Patricia tried to persuade her, "You're pregnant now. You can't take risks. What if something happens to the baby?"
A crystal-clear tear fell onto Ariel's hand. Patricia panicked. Just then, the light turned green, and she had to start driving.
Ariel placed her hand on her swollen belly and choked out, "This is his child. If I can't keep it, then it must be fate!"
If it weren't for her maternal instincts, she would have had an abortion long ago. She wouldn't have let the baby stay.
For the first time, Patricia realized Ariel was even more determined than she was. Patricia said, "Actually, I also bought an afternoon flight to return to the Country Y!"
Ariel looked at Patricia in surprise. Patricia smiled bitterly, "After everything Martin and I have been through, we can finally be together. I can't let him take risks alone in the Country Y."
Knowing Ariel wouldn't change her mind, Patricia decided to stop trying to persuade her, "Since you've decided, let's go back together!"
If she tried to stop Ariel, Ariel would just sneak back anyway. It was better to stay together so they could help each other if anything happened.
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