Chapter 6
In San Jose.
Inside the Calderon’s place.
The nutritionist gently reminded, “Hyman, Lynne, have you forgotten Ms. McFarland’s instructions? No picky eating. You need healthy fats for your body to grow strong. You can’t eat too many sweets.”
Hyman hesitated when her mother was mentioned.
Lynne, however, was completely unconcerned. “Mom already missed her usual call time! She won’t find out! Besides, Auntie Sharon said we’re kids and should just be happy! And what makes me happiest right now is eating these little cakes!”
Just then, Sharon’s pleasant laughter drifted down from upstairs.
“Heh.”
She walked over and gently tapped Lynne’s forehead.
“You little rascal. Fine, Lynne and Hyman can eat whatever they want today.”
“Yay! Auntie Sharon is the best! I wish you could live with us forever!”
Lynne’s innocent cheer made Sharon smile.
The nutritionist frowned.
She started to speak, but her eyes flickered to Sharon, and she stopped.
She had thought Concetta was the lady of the house, but Sharon moved around the Calderon’s house with complete ease.
The children were incredibly close to her.
Upsetting her might make Alejandro unhappy…
Hyman, though, felt torn.
He thought, “Last time I didn’t listen to Mom. Then I fell ill.
“Auntie Sharon is good to me. I like her. But Mom said if I eat as I like, I’ll get critically ill. Dad will be worried.
“I can’t make Mom and Dad worry…”
Uneasy, he ate cautiously.
Lynne, however, ate both cold and hot foods and far too many cakes. That night, she was hit by terrible stomach pains.
She curled up on her bed, shivering in pain.
Her pale face looked pitiful after the diarrhea.
Alejandro rushed home as soon as he heard his daughter was ill.
She tugged at Alejandro’s sleeve, looking aggrieved.”Daddy … is Mommy punishing me with a tummy ache because I was bad? Mommy said last time… if I ate too many cakes again, she’d use magic to punish me like a witch. I didn’t mean to! I want Mommy to come back and break the spell… Wah…”
More importantly, whenever she felt sick before, Concetta would make her special, soothing soup.
Lynne cried, tears and snot running down her face.
Beside her, Sharon bit her lip, looking remorseful.”Alejandro, it’s my fault. I didn’t keep an eye on Lynne. That’s why she ate so many cakes.”
Lynne sniffled, afraid Alejandro would blame Sharon, and quickly defended her.”Daddy, don’t blame Auntie Sharon! It’s Mommy’s fault! She forgot to call and remind me! She doesn’t care about me at all…”
Hyman blinked, puzzled.
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He was glad he remembered Concetta’s warning after getting sick last time.
In his eyes, even though Concetta wasn’t as good as Sharon in other ways, she always cared about their health.
Still, thinking of how kind Sharon was to him, he also spoke up.”Daddy, before, Mom always reminded me and Lynne. She’s just little. Normally, she forgets.”
“Understood,” Alejandro said, his tone stern. “From now on, listen to the nutritionist. No more greedy eating.”
He certainly didn’t blame Sharon.
Instead, his displeasure towards Concetta grew.
Previously, she was always the one reminding and instructing their children.
If she hadn’t completely neglected her duties this time, their daughter wouldn’t have gotten sick.
“She ignored them just because she was angry?” he thought.
