“You may return to the hotel…” Josie said stubbornly, completely disregarding Dexter as she walked towards the mansion, holding Grape.
Being too soft-hearted is a weakness. It needs to be cured!
Dexter hit a wall, but he had no intention of giving up. Over the past two years, he had experienced life without her, and his numb senses had slowly awakened.
“Going back now would be too far, not very convenient.” Dexter didn’t give Josie a chance to refuse, taking the lead and walking ahead of her. As they approached the steps, he didn’t forget to caution her. “Watch your step…”
“This is my home.” She was intimately familiar with every brick and tile.
“I know.”
Josie stopped in her tracks, realizing that the other person had no intention of leaving. Feeling helpless, she had no choice but to push the door open. Everywhere she looked, there were Grape’s toys, filling the room with a comforting warmth.
In that moment, Dexter noticed the multiplication table hanging on the wall, triggering a memory within him.
“I knew how to recite this when I was very young,” he said confidently.
Josie raised an eyebrow, glancing at Grape in her arms. It seemed that the little one had inherited a sensitivity to math.
“Let me hold the child.” Dexter’s gaze fell upon the little bundle of joy. After spending the afternoon together, he had noticed that Grape’s previous resistance had disappeared.
Josie set Grape down, and the little one’s bright eyes gazed at Dexter, anticipation clearly visible.
“She has plenty of toys, so there’s no need to worry. All you need to do is keep her company.” After Josie finished speaking, she turned and went into the kitchen. In no time, she returned with a baby bottle in hand.
“Does she still drink milk?”
“Yes… Children usually drink milk until they’re three years old.”
Dexter had absolutely no experience with children. His knowledge in this area was practically nonexistent. Resigned to this fact, he took out his phone and bought a stack of parenting books online .
Dexter spent time playing with Grape. Despite their difference in size, they shared an undeniable bond. Some things in life couldn’t be explained by common sense, just like Grape’s unexplainable reliance on Dexter.
Eventually, Grape surprisingly fell asleep in Dexter’s arms.
Josie watched the scene unfold. Warmth welled up in her eyes, tinged with a hint of moisture. She tiptoed over and whispered, “Hand her to me…”
Dexter felt a pang of reluctance. The delicate, adorable little bundle in his arms had already captured his heart.
“Let me hold her a little while longer.”
Josie couldn’t resist Dexter, so she had no choice but to let him hold Grape.
Perhaps it was the fatigue from a sleepless night that suddenly overwhelmed him, or maybe it was the restless part of his heart that finally found solace. Dexter completely relaxed. After placing Grape in the child’s bed, he, too, leaned against the headboard and fell into a deep sleep.
The following day.
When Dexter woke up, the thin blanket had slipped off his shoulders. Holding the still- warm blanket in his hand, a feeling of warmth washed over him. Upon closer inspection, Grape, who had been on the small bed, had disappeared without a trace.
Dexter’s expression faltered. He quickly stood up. “Grape!”
He left the children’s room.
He scanned the area, but there was no sign of Josie and Grape. A troubling thought crept into his mind. Have they slipped away from me again?
Dexter hurriedly descended the stairs, each disoriented step revealing the turmoil within his heart at that moment.
“Josie, Grape!”
Dexter appeared visibly anxious as he called out the two names, hastily reaching for his phone. However, just as he was about to dial a number, he suddenly came to a halt.
