113 Like A Child


    “So Lea came here again?” Ang asked after Aqu let go of her hug.


    “Yeah, I asked her toe. Wouldn’t the New Year’s Eve party be more fun if there were more people?” Aqu eximed with a sweet smile, exuding an aura of happiness. Meanwhile, Kalea felt like she wanted to get out of here right away because of the cynical look Ang gave her.


    Ang’s expression immediately changed drastically, she returned her mother’s smile just as sweetly. “I’m going to help you, Mom, wait a minute.”


    “Ah, no need, dear. You must be very tired, you better rest first,” Aqu refused so attentively but Ang persisted.


    “Not so tired, really. I also want to help, there’s no way I can just let Lea cook together with Mom, right?” Ang said so, still with her sweet smile but it made Kalea even less daring to look at the woman.


    “Okay, Mom and Lea will be waiting.”


    “Okay!” Ang running to the room to put down her bag and clean her body for a bit.


    “I hope you guys can get along,” Aqu said suddenly and resumed arranging the food, which was soon to be finished, only to arrange and decorate to make it more beautiful and appetizing. “Ang is a good girl, I’m sure if you spend a lot of time together, my daughter will slowly like you.”


    Aqu’s words made Kalea a little surprised. That means Aqu also realizes that her daughter hates her so much, right? However, the woman had not reprimanded Ang at all, not even since the first time they met. Albern and Aqu seemed to normalize the attitude of their youngest child. Or maybe because it happened too many times to make them tired of reprimanding Ang?


    .....


    “I will also try to make my daughter close with you,” Aqu said again, smiling at the girl with the brte hair.


    “Why ... did you have to go to the trouble of doing that, ma’am?” Kalea asked not understanding. After all, she was nothing to the Jeffersons at all, just a stranger who was identally invited because Arthur had no other choice to invite any other woman besides her.


    “Hm? Because I like you. Even though Arthur will have someone he loves, even get married, I hope our rtionship will still go well,” Aqu replied, caressing Kalea’s cheek gently. For some reason, Kalea seemed to feel that Aqu was doing it with love.


    She does not know how many times Kalea felt grateful to have met a woman as good as Aqu. In just an instant, she really likes that woman. And when she heard Aqu’s words, her eyes felt hot, like her tears were about toe out if she did not hold back as much as she could.


    Shortly after that, Ang returned with a different outfit. Kalea’s hazel eyes identally met Ang’s purple eyes. Ang’s gaze was so t and cold that Kalea could not look at her anymore and then focused on decorating the cupcakes again. She decorated it with cream of various colors such as white, pink, purple, yellow, and shaped it like a flower. Then she put a small raspberry on it.


    “What can I help you with, Mom?” Ang asked, approaching Aqu.


    “Oh, you can help Lea decorate the cupcakes. Lea, you can teach Ang, can’t you?” Aqu asked with bright eyes, as if she did not remember her age, but still Aqu was still fit to act cute like that.


    “Why should I be taught by her, Mom? I’m good at decorating cakes too!” Ang protested, feeling that her self-esteem was tarnished because she had to be taught by someone she hated, especially someone Kalea’s age who was far below her.


    “So that all cake models are the same, Dear. It’s okay, Lea is very good at decorating cakes,” Aqu replied, stroking her youngest child’s ck hair.


    Ang did not argue anymore, she just smiled wryly at her mother and then approached Kalea, who had been busy decorating the cake. She knew that Kalea had deliberately kept herself busy and was afraid of her presence. Ang continued to pay attention to Kalea’s painstaking hands, decorating the cupcakes that were originally in but now look very beautiful.


    Ang’s feelings were getting more and more irritated, she was reluctant to say a word to Kalea. She would better just take a quick nce and start decorating the cupcakes just like Kalea did.


    On the other hand, Kalea really feels that she is being watched intently by Ang but her hands are still moving to decorate one by one the cupcakes and other desserts entrusted by Aqu. Even with shaking hands. After the umpteenth cupcakes were done, Kalea prepared another cream in a stic triangle for Ang.


    “Here’s the tool,” Kalea said, handing it to Ang with an awkward smile.


    Ang was silent for a moment, then took the object from Kalea’s hand. She took one of the in cupcakes, looked closely at Kalea’s cupcakes and imitated them.


    Kalea watched Ang silently, Aqu did the same. She is watching her youngest child who is not good at cooking, trying to decorate a cupcake. Ang seems to be trying hard to imitate Kalea’s homemade cake.


    “It’s finished?” Aqu asked as she checked her daughter’s handiwork. “Ah ... that’s already very good, honey!” Aqu praised her while stroking the top of Ang’s head proudly. However, Ang did not feel the same way. She is looking annoyed at her homemade cupcake decorations that are not clearly shaped. It does not describe a flower at all. “Just keep going, Mom is busy with other dishes,” Aqu said, returning to focus on her activities with the help of the cook because they only had a little time left.


    Kalea flinched in surprise when Ang turned and red at her.


    “A-anything you want to ask, Miss?” Kalea asked nervously.


    Suddenly, a thin grin etched on Ang’s lips made her look even more sinister and made Kalea afraid of what Ang would do to her.


    Ang returned to decorating the cupcakes, and Kalea is hard to peek at even a little bit because Ang is guarding her tightly. Not long after, Ang gave the cake to her.


    “This is for you, eat it,” Ang said suddenly friendly and smiled very sweetly.


    “Th-thank you,” Kalea replied and hesitantly epted. She blinked when she saw the cupcake that said “Die” in blood red cream. She nced at Ang, who was busy decorating other cakes while humming happily without feeling the least bit guilty.


    Kalea swallowed her saliva roughly and then ate the cake because it would be troublesome if Aqu saw it. Even though Kalea was sworn to death but bravely she still ate the cake. Ang also looked at Kalea strangely.


    “Mom, Kalea ate the cake!” Angined that Kalea choked on the cake and immediately tried to get water and drank it.


    “Huh? What’s wrong? You guys didn’t fight, did you?” Aqu asked, worried especially when Kalea choked. “Are you all right, Dear?”


    “I-I’m fine, Ma’am,” Kalea replied, stroking her chest. It feels strange at this age to beined about because of problems eating cakes in the kitchen. It’s like childhood nostalgia.


    “She ate the cake first, Mom!” Ang said again, trying to make her mother think Kalea was a dishonest and disrespectful girl; after that, Aqu would hate Kalea too.


    “You must be hungry, huh. It’s okay, eat what you want,” Ang said, gently stroking Kalea’s back. She was not angry at all, especially over such a trivial matter. After all, Kalea had been helping her cook since the beginning.


    “You don’t think she’ll steal anything else in the house if it’s taken for granted like this?” Ang protested angrily.


    “You’re exaggerating, honey. We’re going to eat all the food here, after all, right?” Aqu replied, trying to mediate between the two children. “Don’t tease Lea, Dear. What if Kalea doesn’t feel at home here?” Aqu continued in such a soft tone of voice.


    “That’s exactly what I nned,” Ang pouted quietly.


    “Ang,” Aqu called. “I heard you, Dear.”


    Ang’s expression immediately changed drastically, she smiled broadly, then said, “Of course I’m joking, Mom! Lea, don’t take it to heart, okay. Because you’re innocent, it’s hard not to tease you,” Ang said while holding both Kale’s hands.


    Crazy, Kalea could not say anything more with the change in the attitude of the woman in front of her.


    After there were no more misunderstandings, Aqu nced at the clock on the wall, then slightly moved away from the two women. She took out her cell phone to call someone. Of course, her eldest son who she loved very much.


    [What’s wrong, Mom? I can’te there, because I’m with-]


    “Lea is here.”


    [...huh? Who?]


    “Lea, your friend.”


    [What-why is she there?! How could that be?!]


    Arthur’s voice was loud enough and made Ang and Kalea turn their heads.


    “Soe here, you can’t let Kalea have fun here without you, right?” Aqu said, she held backughter when she heard the response of her eldest son who was so surprised.


    [Haah... fine, I’ll be there in a minute.]


    The call was ended unterally by Arthur.


    As per Aqu’s n, her son would reallye if Kalea was with her. The woman turned to face Ang and Kalea again with a very happy expression.


    “Arthur ising!”