~ Los Angeles, Cliffside Vi ~


    That afternoon, Sarah was surprised to see that JoAnna arrived with Harriet.


    "Harriet''s name is now Penelope. And she prefers that people call her Penny.", JoAnna made an introduction to Sarah.


    Emma and Charlie are in the garden…


    They are chatting in a pleasant and rxed atmosphere. asionally, Charlie mentions how he would like to go to some event and asks Emma if she wants to join him, but she always rejects.


    Charlie is aware that Emma believes how those girls from upper ss are better than her (for some reason), and he wants to take Emma with him into that circle so that she can see for herself that she is perfect. No girl is better then her, but Emma is always rejecting him. He feels that he is losing this battle. If he does not hurry, that B-r-i-a-n wille back and take Emma out again! And Charlie can see that Brian is bad news.


    Charlie sighed while thinking that at this rate, he will need to ask JoAnna for an advice.


    Charlie is not aware that Emma is rejecting him for two reasons. The first reason is the one he already knows, but the second one is that Emma thinks how he is doing this out of gratitude because she is helping him walk again.


    In her opinion, introducing her to that circle is too much. She does not belong there, and eventually he will find a girl who matches his current (and future) status. There is no need for him topromise a potential date with a girl who can be his match by being in Emma''spany just because he is grateful to her. And once he finds that girl, the less Emma is attached to him now, the easier it will be to cope with Charlie''s absence.


    Penny spotted Emma and Charlie.


    "Is that Charles Smith, the heir to the Smithsonite corp.?", Penny asked JoAnna and Sarah.


    JoAnna raised her eyebrows. "You know him?"


    Penny shook her head. "Not personally. But my parents made me memorize top 100 heirs in the country. I had a portfolio in my room with their photos and short biographies, ordered by wealth. My parents said that it''s an important knowledge for any youngdy."


    JoAnna and Sarah exchanged nces at this information. Both of them sighed while thinking that not everyone has it easy. Many would envy Harriet Morgan, a single child of a wealthy family… but only she knows how miserable her life was. It will take some time for Harriet to be Penny, a free young woman who can make her own decisions.


    Penny knows that JoAnna came to perform some examinations, and asked Sarah if she can check out the garden while waiting.


    "Feel free to. It''s safe here.", Sarah responded. "But let me introduce you to Emma and Charlie first. And it''s probably for the best that I show you Kitty."


    After short introductions, and a surprise to see a young leopard rxing in the branches of a tree, Penny went to stroll through the garden.


    Emma rmended to Penny the path toward the pond with Koi fish, and the one leading to theke with the gazebo.


    "She is here because…?", Sarah asked JoAnna when Penny was out of the earshot.


    "I went to the safehouse to check on her, and she was miserable. I could not leave her there by herself.", JoAnna exined.


    "Ben left?", Sarah assumed.


    JoAnna confirmed. "Penny made the call for both of them."


    JoAnna nced at Emma and Charlie. "Any updates?", she is referring to Charlie''s romantic advances toward Emma.


    Sarah exhaled while frustration cracked through her indifferent expression. "Since your stunt by bringing Brian here, Charlie is spending so much time here, that I''m considering to give him a room and charge rent. Hees even on the days when he does not have a treatment. But I''m not aware of any actual progress… unless you consider as a progress how he is here for three meals a day. Daily."


    JoAnna ignored Sarah''s displeasure. She is disappointed that even with so much time with Emma, Charlie is not making a move on her. "How about with Brian? Any updates there?"


    "They went to lunch twice, and how much I know… nothing happened. They are ying the friends-game. Brian is now in Miami, and then he is heading to Vegas. You need to check with Emma to see when he ising back, if that interests you."


    JoAnna frowned at the information that Brian is out of town, again. That is the reason Emma does not want to be with him, and JoAnna is not ming her. Ah! Sometimes things are not destined to happen.


    JoAnna rubbed her chin while thinking what else she can do to give a push to Charlie in the right direction.


    "Whatever you are thinking about, stop it.", Sarah warned JoAnna. "Just let them be. Do you think that Jarred will allow Charlie to stay single for much longer? When Jarred starts introducing girls to him, he will decide if it''s Emma or someone else."


    Sarah sighed helplessly. Based on JoAnna''s expression, Sarah can see that her sister will not give up. She just loves to meddle.


    JoAnna and Sarah went to the second level minib (or maybe a better name is mini-hospital). It''s a room with all kinds of medical equipment that Sarah got so that Aiden does not need to be moved to the hospital for his checkups and treatments.


    JoAnna wants to check Sarah''s arm, Aiden''s condition, and Ron''s leg.


    Ron is staying in the second house with Jesse, Haru and the rest of the kids. In terms of age, he is close to most of the kids, so they get along well. The only thing that bothers him is that JoAnna prohibited him any physical exercise until she clears his leg aspletely healed. And he is tasked to catch up on schoolwork!


    Ron was amazed at the speed at which kids <em>''donated''</em> their books and notes. "Why do I have a feeling that you are very eager to get rid of these?", he asked them.


    "I thought I don''t need to deal with this high school stuff anymore…", he grumbled while looking at the textbooks piled up on the desk in his room.


    Ron was shocked when kids exined to him that it''s expected for each of them to get a college degree. He looked at Haru helplessly, but his hope to avoid studying crumbled when he saw Haru nod, confirming what kids said.


    JoAnna finished with Sarah and confirmed that her arm is healing well.


    "You are not going to give me instructions to take it easy?", Sarah asked.


    JoAnna lifted an eyebrow. "Will it make any difference? You know what you should and what you shouldn''t do. Why would I waste my breath? You don''t listen to me anyway."


    "Fair enough."


    Sarah''sment earned her a punch in the shoulder by JoAnna.


    They moved to check on Aiden.


    "He is stable.", JoAnna told Sarah when she finished with the exam. "There is no sign of any deterioration of his organs or muscles."


    Sarah knows that they are doing everything medically possible to keep Aiden''s body in a good condition, but she feels a relief every time there is a confirmation.


    ---


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