Standing on the stairs for a few seconds, Audrey Sutton gave a light cough to ease the sowhat awkward atmosphere.
"Um... why aren’t you going to the office today?"
Shane Warner replied matter-of-factly, "It’s a holiday."
"You have holidays too?"
"When all the employees are on holiday, how could it make sense for the boss to still be working?"
Audrey Sutton walked down the stairs at a normal pace and speed: "Have you had breakfast?"
He pointed his chin in the direction of the kitchen counter, then lowered his head to look at the newspaper and said, "In the microwave, heat it up yourself."
Unexpectedly, he had already prepared breakfast. Audrey Sutton smiled and headed straight to the microwave.
"Mom asked us to co over at noon."
Standing by the microwave, waiting while scrolling through her phone, Audrey Sutton heard Shane Warner’s words and paused, asking him, "Your mom or my mom?"
Shane Warner glanced up at her: "Our mom."
Audrey Sutton: "..."
Just then, she saw the WhatsApp ssage from Hazel Yates telling Shane Warner to co over for lunch, confirming that this "our mom" was indeed her mother.
After breakfast, Audrey Sutton didn’t dawdle, went upstairs to change clothes and apply makeup, and without much delay, it was nearly eleven o’clock when she finally left ho.
The Suttons’ house, everyone was there because of the holiday.
Even Franklin Sutton, who usually has a hard ti making it to family gatherings due to his work’s special nature, was there, but Laura Yates was absent.
After Audrey Sutton arrived, she went to the kitchen to help her mom with the al preparation, while Shane Warner hung out chatting and drinking tea with her third brother since he got along well with him along with Samuel Sutton and Stephen Sutton who were also present.
Franklin Sutton and Six were in the living room playing video gas, one holding a controller, while the fourth brother was outside grooming his cats with the fifth brother helping him out.
Hazel Yates washed so fruit to bring to the living room and casually asked Franklin Sutton, "Didn’t I ask you to invite Laura over? Why didn’t she co?"
Franklin Sutton didn’t even lift his eyes from the ga characters on the TV screen, replying to Hazel Yates, "I did invite her, but she said she was busy."
"Isn’t it a holiday today? How could she be busy?"
As he was engrossed in the ga with Six, Franklin Sutton didn’t answer.
Perplexed, Hazel Yates returned to the kitchen, asking Audrey Sutton, "Laura doesn’t have work today, does she?"
"No, she always takes her public holidays."
"Then it must be that your second brother had a disagreent with Laura, otherwise, that girl usually cos when invited."
Audrey Sutton glanced outside at Franklin Sutton, who was playing gas as if nothing was wrong, and said, "Probably not? If they had a fight, could second brother still be so cheerful?"
Hazel Yates thought for a mont and seed to feel uneasy, so she asked Audrey Sutton to call Laura Yates.
Audrey Sutton wiped her hands on the apron and took out her phone to call Laura Yates.
The phone rang a few tis before it was answered.
"Hello? Second sister-in-law?"
"Audrey?" Laura Yates’ tone didn’t sound quite the sa as usual, sounding downcast and a bit weak.
"Second sister-in-law, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
On the phone, she heard Laura Yates sniffle, sounding a bit like crying and a bit like having a cold, leaving Audrey unsure, just hearing Laura Yates ask, "What’s the matter?"
"My mom wants you to co over for a al; she even specially made dishes you like."
"Thank Aunt for , but I won’t be coming today."
Noticing that Laura Yates’ tone and state seed off, Audrey Sutton hurriedly asked, "Are you feeling unwell? Should I ask the second brother to check on you?"
Laura Yates simply said, "I’m fine, don’t tell him. That’s all, enjoy your al, and send my holiday greetings to Uncle and Aunt."
Audrey Sutton still had so doubts but Laura Yates had already hung up.
She rushed out to find Franklin Sutton, who was still gaming, "Second brother, did you upset second sister-in-law?"
Franklin Sutton continued to manipulate the controller saying, "No, I called her this morning, and she seed fine."
"But I just called her, and she sounded weak. Is she sick? Shouldn’t you go and check on her?"
Franklin Sutton replied, "She was fine this morning. Besides, if she were sick, she would usually tell . She’s probably just woke up; she loves to sleep in during holidays. I’ll check on her this afternoon."
"You should pay more attention to second sister-in-law; she’s not officially part of the family yet. You’re so focused on gaming, you might just lose her, and you’ll be the one crying then."
Franklin Sutton sneered, "As long as you keep an eye on your husband, no one will take my wife."
Norman Sutton glared at Audrey Sutton, "Stop chattering, I’m trying to ga here."
In response, Audrey Sutton deliberately jumped in front of the TV screen, blocking it by moving her body back and forth.
"Audrey Sutton, do you want a beating?!"
Before Shane Warner could protect his wife, Samuel Sutton spoke up first, "Who are you planning to hit? Why are you shouting at your sister?"
Norman Sutton imdiately put on a grievance-stricken face and complained to Samuel Sutton, "Dad, look at her."
It’s different when a daughter whines versus a son, and this ti Samuel Sutton gave Norman Sutton a white-eyed look.
Audrey Sutton stuck her tongue out at Norman Sutton and then returned to the kitchen to help her mom prepare lunch.
Surrounded by the playful Audrey, the smile in Shane Warner’s eyes, like that of the eldest and third brothers, carried a hint of indulgence.
"Honey, could you get down so plates for ? The cabinet is too high."
Hearing Hazel Yates’ call from the kitchen, Samuel Sutton imdiately got up and headed toward the kitchen.
It reminded Shane Warner of the ti when he deliberately placed plates high in their own ho, but Audrey would just use a stool to get them without calling for him.
He hoped Audrey would not only learn to cook from her mom but also learn how to playfully ask her husband for help.
By lunchti, the whole family sat happily around the dining table.
"Shane, make yourself at ho. Finish the food on the table; we’re all family, no need to stand on ceremony."
Shane Warner nodded, "Mom, you’ve been busy all morning, you should eat more too."
Sitting next to Shane Warner, Audrey Sutton couldn’t help but mutter inwardly that if this man were a neighbor’s kid, he would be terrifying, because his behavior in front of elders was impeccable.
Friendly, polite, confident, and knowledgeable, no matter what the family elders were interested in, he could talk about it a little.
Just like her dad loves playing Go and her grandpa likes fishing, Shane Warner knows a bit about these hobbies, and what’s more important, he has the patience to accompany the elders doing what they like.
Unlike before, when grandpa went fishing, Audrey would get impatient after a short while; watching her big brother and dad play chess was even more boring, the black and white pieces didn’t make much sense, making it look very dull and tedious, hard even to stay by for five minutes.
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