Chapter 64 Family Painting
The following day, the Martins family and the Parker family were eating breakfast at the dining table, but Avery was missing. They were eating in silence. The atmosphere was gloomy, even Edwin Parker, who was the chatterbox, was quiet. What happened between his nephew and his niece shocked him to the core.
His brother-in-law was playing with food like a child. He didn’t have an appetite. Avery had asked her father to be excused. She indicated that she would eat the food he had prepared for her last night. She didn’t want to face her mother and her brother’s hatred.
After breakfast, Uncle Edwin looked at Aiden and said, “Nephew, I am so full I need to take a walk outside. Please accompany me.” Aiden walked out of the dining room with his uncle. He heaved a sigh of relief when he was outside.Property © of NôvelDrama.Org.
They sat on the grass. Uncle Edwin said, “A friend of mine asked for advice but I didn’t know how to advise him. When he was dating his wife, she promised to give him a big family and he promised to marry only her in this lifetime. Immediately after they got married, his wife told him that she didn’t want to have children.
In the end, they agreed to have one child. His wife asked the hospital to block her fallopian tubes to avoid pregnancy but later she found that she was pregnant. She was so angry, she wanted to abort the baby, but her husband threatened to divorce her. When the baby was born, she refused to take care of her. Nephew, if she was your wife what would you have done in this situation?”
Aiden was so upset and replied, “I would have divorced that woman. It is clear to me that she had never loved her husband. She was taking his love for granted.” Uncle Edwin smiled and replied, “That woman is my sister, your mother. Is it fair to accuse your sister of the pain your mother had put through your father? Avery is the victim as well. Your duty as her brother is to protect her but you are failing dismal to play your role. I am so disappointed in you, my nephew. Do the right thing before it is too late.”
Aiden was so shocked; his mother didn’t tell him the whole story. He was so embarrassed and replied, “I am sorry, Uncle Edwin, I wasn’t aware. I will go to Avery and ask for forgiveness.” Uncle Edwin hoped that Aiden was not too late. They walked back to the house.
Avery was in the living room chatting and laughing with her aunt, Cathy Parker. Her mother was peeling grapes for her niece, Lily. Avery looked at them, her heart ached. Her mother had never peeled even an apple for her. There was a longing in her eyes, but she calmed herself down.
She made a silent prayer; she asked the Lord to take the pain away. When Aunt Cathy saw Avery’s eyes she said, “Sister-in-law, my niece missed breakfast. Please peel some grapes for her as well.” Her mother sneered, “I bought these grapes for my niece, and if she is hungry, she must go to the kitchen to eat.”
Cathy was aware that her sister-in-law hated her daughter so much. She looked at Avery with sympathy in her eyes. She knew that her niece had been hurt too many times by her heartless mother. She reached her hand for the plate. She wanted to peel some for her niece, but her sister-in-law slapped her hand hard. Her hand became red and started swelling.
Elizabeth wanted to beat her sister-in-law up for a long time, but she was scared of her brother. She was happy when she saw that her sister-in-law was in pain. She wanted to laugh but she restrained herself. She wished she had slapped her ugly face.
Cathy looked at her coldly and said, “Elizabeth, I am not Avery, and I am not scared of you. If you ever touch me again, I will fight back.” Elizabeth smiled and replied, “You deserve it.”
Uncle Edwin and Aiden heard those words when they entered the house. Uncle Edwin looked at his wife and asked, “What happened?” His wife shook her head and replied, “Nothing.” Uncle Edwin smiled at Avery and said, “Good morning my beautiful niece, are you ready for us?” Avery smiled and replied, “Good morning, Uncle Edwin, I am ready for you. Do you want a painting for you and Aunt Cathy or for the whole family?”
Uncle Edwin indicated that he wanted a painting for the whole family. Then he looked at his daughter, Lily, and said, “Sweetheart, stop eating and join us here.” Lily thanked her Aunt, then she sat between her parents. After an hour, Avery finished her painting. Uncle Edwin was overjoyed when he saw his family painting. It was amazing. He hugged his niece and said, “Thank you my beautiful niece, the painting is beautiful.” Avery took her painting tools and walked towards the lift.
When she saw Aiden standing next to the lift, she decided to take the stairs. “Avery, stop, I want to talk to you.” Avery ignored him and quickened her pace. Aiden ran fast and stood in front of her. Avery raised her head and looked at her brother with cold eyes, “What can I do for you, Mr Martins?”
Aiden was taken aback when he saw his sister’s cold eyes and said, “Avery, I want to apologize for yesterday’s incident. Please forgive me.” Avery replied, “Apology accepted.” Then she left her brother standing. She had forgiven Aiden for herself. She didn’t want to hold any grudges in her heart. Aiden was dumbfounded and he looked at Avery’s back for a long time.
His father was standing in the kitchen with a glass of water in his hand. He walked to his son and said, “Give her some time, she will come around.” Aiden nodded his head, then he went to his room. His mother was overjoyed when she saw Avery’s attitude towards her son. Unbeknownst to them, Aiden was dead in his sister’s heart.