Chapter 13 I went home with Felix. His house was very large, yet sparsely furnished, giving off a sense of emptiness. The colors were mostly black and gray. It felt oppressive. I asked if I could have pink curtains in my room, and Felix just agreed. He gave me a lot of money to buy whatever I liked. I threw myself into it, working with Mrs. Abbott to give the whole place a makeover. Mrs. Abbott took a real liking to me. She helped me pick out patterns I liked, and we bought pink curtains and wallpaper. We didn't stop there-we also bought lots of potted plants with her and placed them around the living room. With the addition of vibrant green and colorful plants, Felix's house finally stopped feeling so cold and lifeless. When it was all done, Mrs. Abbott stood in the living room, and suddenly began to cry. I didn't understand why she was crying. She just hugged me tightly, pleading for me to stay longer. "Please stay a few more days. Don't let Felix be alone again.' >> From her, I learned that Felix was a loner by nature, with almost no friends. He buried himself in work, under so much pressure he could barely sleep at night. My arrival finally brought the presence of a living person into the house-into the home. I was very happy. I hugged Mrs. Abbott back and promised, "I won't leave. Felix is family now." After hearing this, Mrs. Abbott cried even harder. A figure slipped away around the corner. I laughed quietly to myself-Felix must have seen it too. He didn't protest, which meant he agreed to be my family! I cheered my own cleverness. Day by day, everything improved. I was learning to read more characters every day, and could even stumble through writing some simple poems. Felix was sleeping better too. The only trouble was Julian, who kept trying to come find me. I turned him away every time. On the start of winter, even Leo came. Mrs. Abbott couldn't bring herself to scold a small child. Chapter 13 97.86% She let him run to me, sobbing and out of breath, "You fool... Eleanor, come back quickly! If you don't, Dad will abandon me!" "I thought you liked Violet. Why don't you go live with her?" I didn't even lift my head, too busy thinking about what to make for Felix tonight-something nourishing. Leo stood next to me, sniffing. He said that after I left the hospital with Felix, Julian hadn't seen Violet anymore. He thought I was still angry, so he was atoning by cutting all ties with Violet. He was doing it all in hopes I'd come back. While Leo chattered on, I devoted myself to tasting the freshly cooked chicken soup. Mmm! So flavorful! It'd be perfect with some bamboo shoots. Felix would love it. He might even have two bowls. He especially loved my soups, and I'd often use the broth to make pasta for him later. Felix always said I wasn't a fool that everyone has a gift. And after much trial and error, I'd found mine. I loved cooking. And I was good at it. When he saw I was still ignoring him, Leo pouted and played his last card. He shouted at me. "Mom!" My hand trembled, and the soup spilled. I remembered that in my dream, even at our closest, I could never get Leo to call me Mom. He always found me foolish and silly. He said having me as a mom would be embarrassing. But I wasn't incapable. I could knit sweaters, gloves, and all sorts of small items. Every winter, I had knit warm hats and scarves for Julian and Leo, though Leo never wore them. This time, before I could say anything, Mrs. Abbott couldn't hold back. She came over with a dark expression. "What kind of upbringing is this, to call someone 'Mom' so carelessly?" And she ushered Leo out. That was better. I had no fate with Julian, and I would not have a mother-child bond with Leo either. Chapter 13 92.86%