You More than Anything in the World (Arissa)

Arissa hugged her six children and stroked their heads fondly.

The children smiled happily, delighted at her show of motherly

love.

No one said a word, yet it was still a heart-warming and cozy

scene.

Benjamin woke up when they were almost at the hospital.

He arched a brow when he saw Arissa and the children

hugging each other.

Jesse noticed he was awake and exclaimed, “Mr. Graham's

up!”

She stared at him with her adorable, large eyes, and Benjamin

mussed her head fondly as he straightened himself in his seat.

The blanket over his knees slipped off. Instead of picking it up,

he turned to look at Arissa, who was still preoccupied with

entertaining the kids.

A concerned Jasper piped up, “You can sleep a bit longer if

you're tired, Mr. Graham. We promise we'll be quiet!”

“It's fine. | already had a good rest.”

After reassuring his son, Benjamin lifted his wrist and checked

his watch.

He had slept for almost half an hour.

It was the best rest he had gotten in the past two days.

“Were we too noisy? Did we wake you up?” Arissa asked when

she noticed Benjamin's furrowed brows.

“No!” Benjamin returned her stare. “Why didn't you wake me

up when we picked the children up at school?”

Avrissa's eyes lit up with humor as she explained, “You were

sleeping so soundly that | couldn't bear to wake you up, so |

fetched the kids myself. They were so happy when they knew

you came along!”

Zachary and the others looked away in embarrassment.

Benjamin looked at the six children crowding Arissa's lap and

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patted the seat beside him.

“Come on! Sit over here. Don't crowd your mommy!”

To his dismay, the children glanced at him before hugging

Arissa even tighter.

Arissa was delighted.

Benjamin side-eyed her before massaging

his temples to feel more refreshed.

Concerned, Arissa suggested, “Why don't you sleep a little

longer if you're tired?”

“It's fine,” Benjamin replied curtly before picking up his tablet to

work again.

Avrissa stared at him wordlessly.

Gavin observed their exchange attentively and said to

Benjamin, “Daddy, why are you so disobedient? Listen to

Mommy! If she asks you to rest, rest! What a worrisome

fellow!”

Benjamin froze and glanced at his son while Arissa hastily

looked elsewhere.

A second later, he stroked Gavin's hair and said, “Don't worry

about me. The sooner | get this done, the sooner | can sleep at

night!”

Gavin merely huffed pettily in response. “I'm not worried about

you!”

His behavior brought a smirk to Benjamin's face.

Realizing the other kids were staring at him, Benjamin asked

gently, “Is anyone still bullying you at school?”

Thankfully, they shook their heads in unison.

“Not anymore,” replied Oliver.

‘When the boy saw that Benjamin's eyes were bloodshot, he

asked, “Mr. Graham, do you want to get your eyes checked?”

Zochory ond the others looked owoy in emborrossment.

Benjomin looked ot the six children crowding Arisso's lop ond

potted the seot beside him.

“Come on! Sit over here. Don't crowd your mommy!”

To his dismoy, the children glonced ot him before hugging

Arisso even tighter.

Arisso wos delighted.

Benjomin side-eyed her before mossoging his temples to feel

more refreshed.

Concerned, Arisso suggested, “Why don't you sleep o little

longer if you're tired?”

“It's fine,” Benjomin replied curtly before picking up his toblet to

work ogoin.

Avrisso stored ot him wordlessly.

Govin observed their exchonge ottentively

ond soid to Benjomin, “Doddy, why ore you so disobedient?

Listen to Mommy! If she osks you to rest, rest! Whot o

worrisome fellow!”

Benjomin froze ond glonced ot his son while Arisso hostily

looked elsewhere.

A second loter, he stroked Govin's hoir ond soid, “Don't worry

obout me. The sooner | get this done, the sooner | con sleep ot

night!”

Govin merely huffed pettily in response. “I'm not worried obout

you!”

His behovior brought o smirk to Benjomin's foce.

Reolizing the other kids were storing ot him, Benjomin osked

gently, “Is onyone still bullying you ot school?”

Thonkfully, they shook their heods in unison.

“Not onymore,” replied Oliver.

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‘When the boy sow thot Benjomin's eyes were bloodshot, he

osked, “Mr. Grohom, do you wont to get your eyes checked?”

Benjamin was touched by his concern. He reassured, “It's

okay. I'm just lacking sleep.”

“Then you need to rest more!” Jasper insisted with a pout.

Tim chimed in worriedly, “You should sleep more, Mr. Graham.

Don't tire yourself out, or you'll fall sick!”

Nodding, Benjamin promised, “Okay! I'll take your advice!”

He set aside his tablet and pulled Tim, Jasper, and Oliver into

his arms.

“Are you coping well in school?”

The three boys stared at him and nodded. “Yup!”

“Are you keeping up, Tim?"

Despite meeting the school beforehand, Benjamin remained

worried that Tim would struggle to keep up during his first time

in school.

Tim nodded and said, “I'm keeping up. The teacher always

makes sure to teach me anything | don't know.”

“Plus, we're there, Mr. Graham. We're teaching Tim too!”

Jasper offered with a smile.

“That's great!” Relieved, Benjamin nodded in approval. “I'l

teach you some stuff later tonight too!”

The children were excited.

Jesse boasted happily, “Yesterday, Mommy helped us with our

homework. This morning, the teacher praised us for our work.

We even won first place!”

Surprised, Benjamin looked at Arissa and asked, “What

homework?”

“Paper-cutting. Mommy's so good at it! And you complained it

was childish!” Gavin muttered before pursing his lips.

Benjamin raised his brows in interest.