My Dreamy Old Husband

The talk in the living room resumed shortly after Carmen retreated upstairs. The whole family could sense that it was a crucial time in her life since she was about to transition from a teenager to a young adult—a process that was otherwise known as ‘the transition’.

It was at the start of the family discussion when Sophia first made the announcement that a historical revolution was slated to happen at around the same time Carmen transitioned into young adulthood.

“Carmen is going to start using condoms soon,” Sophia declared slowly with a sigh. “She’s all grown up now. She’s no longer the kid she used to be.”

Upon hearing the news, Cooper and Anna felt their hearts sink. Linus, too, looked as if he was in despair.

Carmen’s words would leave the family heartbroken for an entire year.

Her generation had evolved and using condoms at eighteen was commonplace. While the adults in the family were acutely aware that it was a rite of passage, they could not help but feel as though they were about to lose their little girl—whom they had raised for seventeen years—to some filthy boar-headed boy.

Sophia figured that Carmen would be done with her shower by the time the discussion was over, so she knocked on the latter’s bedroom door before entering.

She tried to come to terms with the fact that her daughter was growing up. Carmen no longer needed a nanny and she had been weaned off the bottle for years. Now, she was a teenager whose bedroom door was always locked and no one could enter without her permission.

Carmen is a big girl who wears a bra now, Sophia reminded herself.

Carmen was about to sleep when she heard the knock on the door. With a tired look on her face, she opened the door to reveal an enthusiastic Sophia.

“Darling, don’t you have to get ready for finals now that it’s a new school term? How about I look through the mock papers with you?”

“Mom, I graduated with a PhD,” Carmen pointed out as she looked at her mother through bleary eyes. “High school exams are a piece of cake.”

and quipped, “I heard that you broke up with your boyfriend today. Do you want me

people’s heads into a pulp—it’s illegal. I’m old enough to

about if we

that, she glanced at the kid’s watch on her wrist. “Mom, it’s eleven! We’ll go through the thesis tomorrow. Can you please let me head to bed now? I have

back out of the room and responded, “Okay,—go and get some rest. I won’t keep you up any

index finger to form a heart. “Here’s a

a kiss on the

ceiling, which was simulated to resemble a starry night sky. I’m practically an adult. Can all

out the best sleeping experience. For Carmen, who was already worn out, that meant she was close to falling asleep

if she

her being kidnapped by someone who wanted to kill her. She was frightened and scrambled to hide under a table, which was when

could still remember the feeling of being held that way—it

She kept her eyes closed all the way, afraid to open them, but the moment she did so, she

placed her down in front of her parents and he slowly stepped back until he

ugly sobs. By the

the house at six in the morning while yawning as she perched

not age a day ever since he started using the three-step

collaboration, the two giants in their respective industries had completely revolutionized the future for mankind. Not only did they launch the Premium High-Tech concept, the cosmetics department in Ronney Group had also partnered with Michel Medical Technology Group to produce several skincare and cosmetic products

the familiar road that led to the school. His schedule was synchronized with Carmen’s. He was the security guard stationed by the school entrance and every morning he would scrutinize every person who entered and left the school grounds, making sure that there was nobody suspicious among the

that the elite institution was brightly lit. It seemed as if everyone had arrived

to their sneers and paid no attention to them as she walked toward her seat. She placed her bag down and plugged in her earphones to listen to music while she read her books, ignoring the malicious