Megan looked youthful in her pink, cashmere overcoat and white casual shoes.
Tabitha was delighted to see her. "Oh, Megan! You've grown! Let me see you," she said as she gave her a warm welcome hug.
Tabitha was grateful because of what Megan's parents had done for Carlos. She loved her as if she were her own daughter.
"Tabitha, I'm already 18, remember? I'm an adult now and won't grow much taller," Megan said coyly.
Amused, Tabitha grinned from ear to ear. She took Megan's hand in hers and patted it lovingly. Their closeness saddened Debbie, who watched silently in Carlos' arms. "Oh, Debbie, do you and Megan know each other?" Tabitha asked her.
Holding back the bitterness in her heart, Debbie forced a smile and answered, "Yes, we've met before."
'They look like a family, ' Debbie thought.
Suddenly, Megan let go of Tabitha and ran towards Carlos happily. She took his left arm casually as if she had done it a million times before, and said with a smile, "Uncle Carlos, Aunt Debbie, I'm sorry for not greeting you right away. I was too excited to see Tabitha!"
Carlos politely pulled his arm free from her grip and stroked her hair dotingly. "Every time you see Tabitha, you ignore the rest of us," he said.
Megan made a face playfully and walked back to Tabitha. "Of course. Tabitha loves me the most in the whole world," she declared proudly.
Carlos held Debbie tighter and didn't respond.
Debbie stood there numbly, hands in her pockets. Feeling Carlos' tightened embrace, she squeezed the fabric hard, a choreographed smile stuck on her face.
It was never in her personality to be as amicable as Megan. Socials and flattery were not her strong suits. She wondered if Tabitha was disappointed in her already.
"Let's go inside," Tabitha said, turning.
car. His mom had a last-minute
stuck out her tongue awkwardly.
a kid in the car, Tabitha said to the bodyguards hurriedly, "Let the
and carried a toy gun. At the sight of the group of adults, he
words. Inexperienced in dealing with kids, Debbie wondered
Megan put her hands up and said, "King Jake, please spare me. How about I take you
his toy gun and dashed towards the house as he shouted, "Go! Charge! Everybody,
villa and out
wrong with the boy's
arm and helped the smiling lady
Carlos' son was that
point, her husband whispered in her ear, "I
him inside, "Didn't you say you wanted a
would end up hitting him
laughter. No doubt that
start working hard from tonight,"
her slippers and put his in front
on and answered, "To make you
pinched him
Carlos laughed.
saw the two whispering to and smiling at each other. She was quite surprised. Carlos
he didn't just like Debbie. He loved her. Something occurred to Tabitha. She waved at Debbie
up to her obediently and said
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