You More than Anything in the World (Arissa)

Just then, Zachary piped up, “Mommy, what about the walls

upstairs?”

“That sounds great! We can paste your future achievements

there!”

Arissa smiled and nodded. That way, the children could see

the display every time they used the stairs.

She turned to Benjamin to seek his agreement. “Does that

work?”

“I'm fine with anything!”

Benjamin did not have any strong opinions on the matter.

Nodding to acknowledge his response, Arissa then said to the

children, “Sweethearts, we'll paste your future certificates on

the walls upstairs!”

“Okay!”

The children nodded in unison.

Once they arrived at the hospital, Benjamin and Arissa

alighted from the car and led the children to visit Mary.

The elderly woman was flabbergasted by the entire Graham

family's visit to her ward.

Anxiously, she asked, “Aren't you both still working? You can

go ahead and leave the children here! I'll look after them.”

“We've knocked off work already, Grandaunt,” Arissa

reassured her with a smile.

“So early? Don't people usually get off work at six?”

She thought Arissa had left work early over the past few days

to fetch the children home from school. She was surprised to

learn that Arissa had already clocked off work.

“The company has shorter working hours,” Benjamin explained

helpfully.

Mary nodded in relief and invited the family to sit.

Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt

Shaun entered the ward just then and smiled when he saw

Benjamin. “You got off work so early?”

Benjamin nodded in response.

Then, Shaun greeted Arissa before turning his attention to

entertaining the kids.

Arissa promgly wiped Mary down just as Edwin arrived with

dinner for the elderly patient.

“Gavin, Tim, Zachary, Oliver, Jasper, Jesse! Would you like to

eat with your great-grandaunt?”

Mary invited the children to eat with her, but they shook their

heads after seeing that Edwin had only brought enough food

for one.

“It's okay, Great-grandaunt! We're not hungry!”

Arissa coaxed, “Please eat, Grandaunt. We'll bring them home

for dinner in a bit!”

“All right!” Mary nodded before calling out to Benjamin, “Why

don't you share some of this with me, Benjamin?”

Smiling, Benjamin said, “Don't worry about me, Grandaunt. I'm

going to have a chat with Shaun outside.”

Then, using his gaze, he signaled the doctor to leave the ward

with him.

Shaun hastily followed him out of the room.

Avrissa glanced at them before helping Mary with her dinner.

The six children were in Edwin's good hands. The butler

declared, “I knew you were all here, so | brought you all some

snacks!”

“Yay! You're the best, Mr. Whitley!”

They immediately plopped themselves on the couch and

munched on the snacks that Edwin had brought.

Outside the ward, Benjamin asked Shaun, “When can

Grandaunt have her operation?”

“She has been doing well for the past few days. If her

‘examination tomorrow goes smoothly, we can fix a date for the

operation!”

Benjomin nodded in response.

Then, Shoun greeted Arisso before turning his ottention to

entertoining the kids.

Arisso promptly wiped Mory down just os Edwin orrived with

dinner for the elderly potient.

“Govin, Tim, Zochory, Oliver, Josper, Jesse! Would you like to

eot with your greot-grondount?”

Mory invited the children to eot with her, but they shook their

heods ofter seeing thot Edwin hod only brought enough food

for one.

“It's okoy, Greot-grondount! We're not hungry!”

Arisso cooxed, “Pleose eot, Grondount. We'll bring them home

for dinner in o bit!”

“All right!” Mory nodded before colling out to

Benjomin, “Why don't you shore some of this with me,

Benjomin?”

Smiling, Benjomin soid, “Don't worry obout me, Grondount. I'm

going to hove o chot with Shoun outside.”

Then, using his goze, he signoled the doctor to leove the word

with him.

Shoun hostily followed him out of the room.

Avrisso glonced ot them before helping Mory with her dinner.

The six children were in Edwin's good honds. The butler

declored, “I knew you were oll here, so | brought you oll some

snocks!”

“Yoy! You're the best, Mr. Whitley!”

They immediotely plopped themselves on the couch ond

munched on the snocks thot Edwin hod brought.

Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm

Outside the word, Benjomin osked Shoun, “When con

Grondount hove her operotion?”

“She hos been doing well for the post few doys. If her

‘exominotion tomorrow goes smoothly, we con fix o dote for the

operotion!”

Benjamin nodded. “All right. Do as you see fit!"

“Don't worry. We're holding a meeting tomorrow after Mdm.

Mary's examination. If we can get her a slot in the surgical

theater, we can operate soonest two days from now.”

Suddenly, Benjamin suggested, “How about performing the

operation when the children are in school?”

He was concerned that Tim would worry excessively over

Mary's operation.

Shaun smiled and agreed readily, “That works too. We're

looking at nine in the moming. It'll coincide with their schooling

time. Oh, by the way, | forgot to ask you a question this

morning. Where were you yesterday? Why didn't | see you

here?”

Sticking both hands into his pockets, Benjamin glanced at the

doctor and replied, “I went to Xenhall for a business trip!”

Shaun scrutinized him and said carefully, “Mrs. Graham and

the children had dinner here last night. Is everything all right

between the two of you?”

Something flitted through Benjamin's eyes as he questioned,

“They had dinner here?”

“Yes!” Shaun even smiled as he added, “I joined them!”

Benjamin's gaze instantly cooled by several degrees.

His displeasure delighted Shaun to no end.

Kingsley was right. Benjamin is jealous even when Arissa and

the kids ate with us.

Shaun asked, “Did the two of you fight or something?”

Alas, Benjamin was looking elsewhere, deep in thought.

Sometime later, he said, “I answered a phone call, and she

overheard the conversation!”