"Yeah, I know five languages." Carla smiled. "But I'm not really good at two of them. Can you teach me?"
"You're too humble, Mommy. Let's learn it together."
Randy found his drive to study.
"I'm so envious of you. You get to live with Mommy…" Josh watched how Venus and Randy interacted with Carla. "I'm going to part with Mommy very soon…" he said sorrowfully.
"Don't worry, I'll take you to Erihal for a visit after two months." Zayn patted his head.
"You can follow me to Erihal too." Carla couldn't bear to leave Josh behind. "Daddy can pick both you and Venus up after two months, " she said tentatively.
"Erm…" Josh turned to face Zayn.
"No need." Zayn refused. "It's only fair that you leave at least one with me after taking two of them away with you."
"It's only for two months, and it's not like they're not coming back here." Carla frowned. "Why don't you ask Josh his opinion?"
Josh kept his head down and dared not utter a word.
"Josh, do you want to go?" Zayn asked.
"I…" Josh gave it some thought and answered timidly, "I think I'll keep Daddy company instead, or else he will be too pitiful."
Carla kept her mouth shut after Josh expressed his opinion. "Okay then, we can meet again in two months."
"Ok." Josh nodded profusely.
"Ok, let's eat."
Zayn placed some meat on Josh's plate. He felt displeased even though he acted as if everything was fine.
He thought Josh stayed by his side because he couldn't bear to leave him. Who would have thought it was because he pitied him?
Zayn started playing with the kids after lunch.
He first worked with Randy to settle some problems he had faced in the new software he made himself. He gave him some pointers before allowing Randy to work on it himself.
He then spent some time tidying up Venus's Barbie dolls alongside Venus. He found a small pink box for Venus to store the dolls so that she could take them with her to Erihal.
Josh played Lego all by himself by the side so that they could spend their final moments together.
On the other hand, Carla pouted in displeasure as she cleaned up the kitchen.
It had been two years since she last did housework. D_mn it! How could Zayn let me clean up the kitchen all by myself?
Nevertheless, she felt as if she should be the one to clean up the kitchen since Zayn already cooked.
She felt a comforting sense of familiarity as she cleaned up the kitchen in her own home.
Every corner of the kitchen reminded her of Mrs. Borah.
Carla recalled how bad of a cook she was two years ago. She would mistake salt for sugar, serve food before it was fully cooked, and make weirdly shaped buns.
She was just really bad at it.
However, there were also times when she successfully made some dishes.
Zayn moved upstairs and they became neighbors at the time. She would sneak into his place to sleep with him at night and sneak back into her apartment to prepare breakfast for the kids in the morning. After the kids headed off for school, she would bring breakfast and have it with him.
She didn't know why she loved him so much at the time.
But now, she was pushing him away even though he had changed for the better. She wasn't about to fall for him again after coming back to her senses.
It was all part of growing up.
Very soon, it was time for them to part ways.
Carla answered the door when she heard a knock.
"Ms. Lierger, we should head to the airport now. We might get delayed since the road to the airport is jammed, " Freda reminded softly.
"Ok, " Carla replied. She turned around and shouted, "Randy, Venus, Josh, it's time to go to the airport."
Inside the room, Josh's hand trembled, toppling the Lego tower he had just finished building.
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