A Crazy Night Novel

As soon as Christina spoke, she heard footsteps behind her.

Turning around, she found herself gazing into Nathaniel’s eyes.

What a coincidence! Nathaniel shows up every time we say something about him. Did he put a wiretap in this house?

Nathaniel lifted Lucas and slung his schoolbag onto his shoulder. “It’s time to go to school, Lucas.”

“But Camila is sick. I want to stay and take care of her.” Lucas pursed his lips and blinked, trying to appeal to his father.

“There are plenty of people at home to look after her. You need to get to school on time.” As he spoke, Nathaniel marched toward the door with Lucas in his arms.

Having not seen his mother for a long time, Lucas was reluctant to attend kindergarten. Besides, he could recite the syllabus with his eyes closed.

He was determined to remain by his mother’s side. To that end, he clutched his stomach and yelled, “Ow! My stomach hurts! I don’t think I can go to school.”

Nathaniel scowled. He was fine earlier, and now he’s having a stomachache at the prospect of going to school. Nice try.

“I don’t care what hurts. You will go to school,” he insisted, his voice becoming dangerously soft.

Lucas’ panic grew when his father was about to leave the house with him. “Help, Mommy! It hurts so bad!”

Watching him gnash his teeth in agony, Christina became convinced that he was telling the truth. Concerned, she ran after the pair and stopped them.

“Didn’t you hear him say that he’s not feeling well?” Christina strode over and snatched Lucas out of Nathaniel’s arms.

Like a koala, Lucas clung to his mother. Thank God for Mommy. She loves me more than Daddy does.

Nuzzling against Christina’s bosom, he did not dare meet his father’s gaze for fear of being discovered.

“Where does it hurt? Show me.” Christina carried Lucas in and sat him down on the couch.

pain, but he

kind of illness is this? It looks

Lucas anxiously. “Don’t worry, Lucas. I’ll take you to the

anxious as well. She trotted over. “Don’t be scared, Lucas. I’ll bring you

your medicine, Camila. Stomachaches require a different kind of medication,

“I

differed wildly. Lucas was witty and outspoken, while Camila was delicate

He’s coming to examine you and give you a jab if you’re

the needle. At the prospect of getting

is infinitely

doesn’t hurt anymore, Mommy. I’d better get going to

to his feet, looking

much better within a few short seconds.

tenderly. “I’ll call in sick for you if you

understand, Mommy. I won’t do it

family doctor turned

Camila to her follow-up with the doctor. The girl was well-behaved. She remained in her mother’s arms while she held onto her father’s

long for the doctor to finish his examination. “She’s doing much better, but she needs to continue taking her medication until her coughing stops.

Christina coaxed Camila to take her medicine and sketched while she stayed

asked her mother to put her to sleep. Christina glanced at the

the soft lull of nursery rhymes

the children were sound

silenced her phone upon arriving home, she found that Lina had called

entered the study and addressed them one at a time. She asked Lina to

learning via a series of questions that it was nothing serious, she ended the call in

on the computer in the study. Nathaniel had never changed the password even after all those years. She

lit photograph greeted her at once, and she

all of us together when we visited the