Donald sat up straight, looking a little embarrassed. Whatever pain he’d felt a moment ago had vanished, replaced by a gentle warmth in his eyes as he looked at Charlotte.
He opened his mouth to say something, but Charlotte’s phone suddenly rang.
She glanced at the screen, raised her eyebrows, and answered with a respectful, “Grandpa.”
“Lottie, have you seen Donald yet?” Robert’s voice was so loud it practically echoed through the speaker. Age had dulled his hearing, but definitely not his volume.
“Yes, I’ve seen him,” Charlotte replied sweetly.
“That’s good,” Robert said, sounding pleased. “Since your training is happening on Donald’s turf this time, you’ve got him watching your back. No one’s giving you a hard time, right?”
Charlotte shot Donald a quick look, her eyes curving into a smile. “No, everything’s great. You don’t have to worry, Grandpa.”
“Good. That makes me feel better.” Robert laughed, deep and hearty. “Now that the whole family’s together, we’ll have a proper get-together after you finish your training.”
“Okay,” Charlotte said, holding her phone close and quietly listening to Robert’s caring reminders. Just before the call ended, she added softly, “With Donald here, I’ll be fine.”
Donald couldn’t help but grin. He’d half-expected Charlotte to complain about him, but she hadn’t. Lottie had forgiven him. He actually had a sister now.
After the call, Charlotte spoke quietly. “Training’s not done yet. I should get going.”
“Lottie…”
“Lottie…”
Anthony and Donald said her name at the exact same time.


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