My Four Miraculous Treasures (Willow and Jasper) novel Chapter 278

It sounded like Lara was set on this matter.

But seeing the light in Hailey’s eyes suddenly go out, as she hung her head dejectedly…

Unable to bear it, Willow picked her daughter up in her arms, and whispered into her ear, “I’ll order some french fries and fried chicken for you, and when the delivery gets here, we’ll just act surprised, understand?”

That perked the little girl right up. “Yes! Alright!”

Realizing that she’d said that too loudly, jeopardizing her little secret with Mommy, she clapped both hands over her mouth, which did little to hide her obvious delight.

-

In the afternoon, Jasper had left work early to visit the cemetery.

Frank and Cindy, his grandparents, were already there waiting. Before them stood a pair of headstones: Aiden Hughes and Serene Jordan. Jasper’s parents.

Evening was approaching, and the setting sun cast both headstones in a mournful glow. Tree boughs swayed in an errant breeze, producing eerie shadows which danced across the periphery.

Jasper approached, with two bouquets in his arms. He placed the carnations before his mother’s grave, and the daisies before his father’s.

He’d lost them both when he was still very young. He could hardly remember what they looked like anymore.

He had their photographs to look at; but his memories of the times he’d spent together with them… those had all but faded away.

Jasper said nothing in response.

Wiping at her tears, Cindy remarked, “After so much time, there’s no longer any point in trying to figure out where it all went wrong.”

Aiden had been her son. No parent should ever have to bury their own child.

Thank goodness Aiden had left behind a son of his own. Over the years, Cindy had done her best to give Jasper every bit of the same love as she’d given to Aiden. They were so alike… it was as though her son continued to live through him.

Frank’s heart broke to witness his wife’s grief. “No amount of time will change the fact that we lost our wonderful boy. I’m not looking for someone to blame; I’m choosing not to ignore the lessons of the past. If we don’t want a repeat of this tragedy, then we must be wary of repeating the steps that led to it.

“That Serene girl couldn’t be satisfied with just being Aiden’s wife. She’d had something going on with another man, too! For the mother of a child to behave like that… who can say what she was even after?! But she refused to break things off with that other man, and so Aiden was at war with her day in and day out… until one day, she ran off to elope with her lover. Aiden gave chase, and then in the end, there was a terrible car crash…”