Hazel Yates heard Audrey Sutton’s voice, which made her realize Audrey had arrived, and she looked at Audrey with a hint of embarrassnt.
But Samuel Sutton didn’t restrain himself because his daughter appeared; instead, he acted as if Audrey didn’t exist and kissed Hazel Yates’ forehead: "I’m heading out."
Hazel Yates glanced at Audrey, feeling a bit awkward in front of her daughter.
After waving goodbye to Samuel Sutton, Hazel Yates turned to Audrey: "What do you want for breakfast?"
Audrey cradled the cup in her hands, took a sip of hot water, then replied: "I’ve had my fill of dog food."
Hazel Yates gave her a playful scolding look: "You little rascal are becoming naughty."
Audrey laughed, set the cup on the nearby table, and said to Hazel Yates, "Mom, can you teach how to tie a tie?"
Hazel Yates watched Evan Sutton head downstairs and said to Audrey, "Let your fifth brother teach you. I have to prepare breakfast; your second and third brothers are heading to work later."
Audrey turned towards Evan Sutton. Evan Sutton appeared gentle and asked softly, "Teach what?"
"Tying a tie, I want to learn."
She wanted to be like her parents, hoping to tie Shane Warner’s tie herself in the future.
Although Evan Sutton didn’t know why she wanted to learn to tie a tie, he didn’t ask. Instead, he chuckled lightly and said to Audrey, "Co to my room."
Audrey nodded and hurried upstairs.
To Audrey, her fifth brother’s room was like her own room since she clung to him the most as a child.
Evan Sutton was only three years older than Audrey. Compared to Norman Sutton, who was closer to Audrey’s age, she preferred playing with gentle and easy-going Evan Sutton. Norman Sutton was too botherso and always bullied her, establishing a hostile relationship with Six from a young age.
Excluding Six, Evan was the only one close to her age at ho. Her other brothers all doted on her, but there was too much of an age gap.
Between the ages of three to five, she almost always slept with her fifth brother.
Later, when the house was rebuilt, everyone got their own small rooms, and Audrey started sleeping alone.
Evan Sutton walked to the wardrobe, grabbed a tie: "There are many ways to tie a tie; I’ll teach you the way Shane uses most of the ti."
Audrey nodded and reached out to take the tie.
"I’ll change into a shirt; it’ll be easier for you to learn." Evan Sutton said, taking a shirt from the wardrobe. He didn’t take off his shirt in front of Audrey because she’s a girl; instead, he went to the bathroom to change.
He quickly changed and ca out to face Audrey: "Shane uses the Windsor knot, which is more complex than other thods. I’ll teach you step by step."
"Okay." Audrey watched as Evan Sutton demonstrated the knot slowly, explaining as he tied it.
After one demonstration, Audrey felt she could do it, but when she tried on her own, she got stuck.
"How does this go around?"
Evan Sutton looked at her hands and patiently said, "It goes through this side."
"Oh."
Watching her focus on tying the tie in front of him, Evan Sutton’s eyes montarily lost focus.
He never imagined she would tie a tie for him one day.
Her eyelashes cast a gentle shadow on the lower eyelid as she muttered the words he had just taught her.
Though she tied it, the result was uneven and not very presentable.
Evan Sutton gently encouraged her, "You’re getting the hang of it; just adjust it a couple of tis."
Audrey opened the tie to practice again, muttering, "I thought it’d be as easy as tying a neckerchief. Who knew it would be this troubleso."
Evan Sutton chuckled, "While that’s one way to do it, it doesn’t look as good. Besides, Shane always uses the Windsor knot, so that’s what I’m teaching you."
"You know so much, fifth brother."
Evan Sutton smiled silently, watching her hands at work.
It felt like a long ti since they spent ti together like this, especially after her marriage, when their etings beca rare.
Before marriage, she’d occasionally co to him for pocket money. After marriage, she probably asked Shane Warner instead and stopped coming to him for money.
Seeing her happy in marriage with a loving husband, he felt genuinely happy for her.
"Done! This looks much better."
"Yes, this knot looks great."
Audrey giggled, "Thanks, fifth brother. I’ll go check if Shane is awake."
Evan Sutton chuckled and nodded as Audrey turned and left the room.
As she walked out the door, his heart seed to empty a bit.
He looked at the tie she had just knotted under his shirt collar and couldn’t help but smile, deciding not to undo it and paired it with suit pants.
Audrey opened her room door, peeked inside, and seeing it was empty, she walked in. Hearing water running in the bathroom, she knocked on the door, not saying a word, just letting Shane Warner know she was there.
Then she headed to the wardrobe to choose her clothes.
Shane Warner heard the knock and opened the door after a few seconds. Audrey held two skirts in front of her, comparing them, and asked, "Which one looks better?"
Shane Warner pointed to the left without hesitation: "That one."
Because yesterday’s skirt was longer, and the right side was a short one.
Audrey liked both skirts, so since he pointed to the left, she hung the right one back in the wardrobe.
"Why up so early today?"
"I was thirsty, so I went down for water." Audrey said as she walked to the bathroom with her skirt, "I’ll take you to pick strawberries later. Dad has a new variety, and mom said they’re particularly fragrant and sweet. We’ll pick so to taste."
"I need to take care of sothing at Starfield later."
Audrey paused, then said, "How long will it take? Should you co back for lunch?"
"Probably won’t have ti to return."
Audrey didn’t seem disappointed; she chuckled and said, "Then I’ll bring lunch to you. I’ll pick more strawberries so Brother Xavier and the others can try them too."
Shane Warner frowned slightly, saying, "Just bring a few. Why bother about them?"
"Don’t be stingy."
Seeing Shane Warner pick up the tie from the bed, Audrey imdiately set down her clothes and walked back to him, reaching out to take the tie: "Let help."
Shane Warner chuckled and looked at her, "Can you do it?"
"Don’t underestimate ." Audrey said, reaching out to pass the tie around his neck, "I’ll tie them for you from now on."
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