Adrienne retorted discontentedly, "You are a big fool!"
"I'm a big fool, and you're a little idiot. We sound like a good match," said Jefferson with a smirk.
Adrienne glared at him. "Who wants to be a match for a big fool like you?"
"You little idiot, how dare you to say that?" Jefferson drew closer to Adrienne, his lips almost touching hers. "Tell me, are we a good match or not?"
At this moment, people were walking by the corridor. The nurse who just passed by took a second look at them, and Adrienne felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment.
Adrienne tried to move backward, but the wall was behind her, so she had nowhere to run to. She had no choice but to let Jefferson press up against her. "Y-You... you're too close."
"Answer me, are we a good match?" Jefferson asked again. He inched closer to her and their lips brushed against each other. He was hinting at her flirtatiously that if he didn't hear the answer he wanted, he would not let her go easily. "Are you going to answer my question?"
How could this man be so vile? There was no way she could fight back. "I..."
Just as Adrienne was about to speak, Britney pushed open the ward door and came out. She was immediately met with the sight of the couple closely pressed up against each other. Adrienne's face immediately flushed red and she shoved Jefferson aside.
Britney smiled and said, "Do continue. I didn't see anything."
"Mom, can you go back in then?" Jefferson didn't care that Britney had seen them. On the other hand, Adrienne was so mortified that she secretly pinched Jefferson as a warning to be more cautious about speaking in front of the elders. "Madam Yard, are you done speaking to my grandpa?"
"Yes. I just found out that he was hospitalized yesterday, that's why I came to see him." Britney held onto Adrienne's hand. "Adrienne, I was talking to Hodge about the wedding ceremony for you and Jefferson. What do you think about it?"
"I don't..." Before she could tell her that she had no opinion on the matter, Jefferson cut in and said, "Mom, we know what to do. Don't worry about it."
Britney shot a sharp look at Jefferson. "I am talking to Adrienne. Did I say you could speak?"
Jefferson could only shut his mouth.
"Can't she be more considerate of my reputation in front of my wife?" Aggrieved, Jefferson wondered to himself.
Britney turned back to Adrienne and spoke to her with a much gentler tone, "Adrienne, I'm not forcing you. I'm just asking. If you have any ideas, you can tell me. You don't have to worry about how Jefferson feels at all."
"I don't have to care about how Jefferson feels..."
Hearing this, Adrienne couldn't help but want to laugh. She didn't want to care about his feelings either, but she also had her concerns.
When she had brought up the wedding to Jefferson the day before, he hadn't agreed. It meant that he didn't want to have a wedding with her at all, and she couldn't possibly force him into it.
Although she hadn't given Jefferson much time to think about it, she didn't want the elders to be giving him extra pressure. Thus, she replied, "It's all down to Jeff, Madam Yard. We'll do it his way."
"That boy is unreliable. How can we listen to him?" But since Adrienne had said so, Britney didn't want to intervene any further. "Well, then I won't bother you two anymore. Spend some more time with Hodge. I'll be on my way." Britney threw a warning glare at Jefferson before leaving, saying, "You'd better not bully Adrienne."
"Take care, Madam Yard. Be safe." After seeing Britney off, Adrienne's expression changed almost instantly. She peered at Jefferson with a smirk and said, "Jefferson, do you have any thoughts about the wedding?"
"Grandpa... I was just kidding. I swear I wouldn't dare to bully her." Hodge's moods were changing like a flick of the switch. Jefferson was afraid that all his efforts earlier had gone to waste, making him even want to drop to his knees to apologize.
Nonetheless, Hodge's face was still stiff.
At this time, Adrienne helped Jefferson out. "Grandpa, don't be angry. Didn't you want dessert? Come, eat some. If you don't eat it soon, I'm afraid it will get cold and it won't taste as nice."
Hodge said coldly, "Fine, I'll let it slide for your sake. I won't be so kind next time. Go and bring the desserts in."
"Okay." Adrienne immediately went to pick up the desserts and quietly gave Jefferson a look, telling him not to anger Hodge any more.
As soon as Adrienne left, Hodge blinked at Jefferson and whispered, "You saw that, didn't you? She usually despises you, but she still stands up for you when she needs to."
"Yeah, I saw it... But can you please give me a heads up next time before you put on acts like this? Your earlier expression made me think that I had really pissed you off," whined Jefferson.
"You rascal!" Hodge hit him on the head and said, "I wanted you to see with your own eyes that you mean the world to the silly girl. Do what you need to do as soon as possible. Don't miss the opportunity and regret it later."
"Yes, sir!" Jefferson complied with a smile.
Shortly after, Adrienne brought the desserts in. Seeing that the two were laughing and chatting, she wondered if the earlier scene was merely her imagination. Hadn't they been in the middle of an argument moments ago? "Grandpa, the desserts are ready."
Hodge took the dessert, waved his hand, and said, "Okay, I'll take my time. Go and do whatever you two have to do. Don't spend all your time here with me."
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: My Husband Warm The Bed (Karen Daly)