Spoiled by Eight Uncles

Hannah, meanwhile, was so frightened that she stopped crying. Her cries tapered off into hiccups and soft sobs.

Bettany’s temper flared. Her countenance took on an arctic chill. “You like crying, don’t you? Do as you like! You’re not allowed to stop until you fill this bucket!”

The girl, sure enough, burst into full-blown wailing after receiving the scare.

She had cried at first to cause a scene, but now she was downright howling.

Her tears were genuine this time.

The child held the bucket in her hands and kept crying. Each tear fell into the container.

Mrs. Bettany Levine, the Madam of the Crawford household, was, however, an obstinate woman. She silently watched on as the younger cried.

The elder had a childish streak to her. You want to act out? So can I. Both were now stuck in a stalemate until Hannah grew exhausted from her endless whines.

Hannah was too afraid to stop. She proceeded to cry even harder when she finally noticed her tears wouldn’t even fill half a cup.

She choked up as she continued sobbing, “I can’t anymore, Granny. I’m thirsty… I want water…”

Margaret could barely hold in her laughter.

Bettany was as angry as she was amused. “Are you going to keep crying?”

Hannah sniffled and shook her head. Her eyes were bloodshot.

Bettany grunted and went back inside.

Margaret hurriedly approached the child. “Let’s go back inside, Little Miss! Have a glass of water.”

Hannah had cried her eyes red. No one had ever treated her this way.

Her mother would always meet her demands whenever she turned on the waterworks.

She was slowly coming to understand her tears weren’t everything. They meant nothing before her grandmother.

Margaret guided the child to the first floor and sat her down to get her to drink water.

No one else had come home. Her mother had also been driven away. It seemed she was the only one left in the huge manor. Hannah suddenly felt fearful, flustered, and confused.

if the world had left

a small

her a lollipop. “For

Hannah crying into a bucket out in the garden after

face away. “I don’t want your

hesitate to stuff the lollipop back into her pocket. “Okay. If you

“…”

asked out of curiosity, “Is

feeling she wouldn’t be able to fill the bucket even if she were to cry herself blind. She pinched her lips tight

hurried away to

so much of the bucket left

it better! Don’t let

so slightly wet yet Hannah

water on the table over. “There’s no more water in your eyes, Hannah! Drink

and

her another glass.

ended up drinking four whole cups of water, leaving

a long while. Her voice grew hoarse but the bucket

do? It’s still

“Uwahh…”

glinted in the light as she held up the

when Anthony returned with Drake and Josh. The absurd sight of Hannah crying with Lilly holding

on. “You can do it!

and asked, “What’s going on

cry a bucket full, Uncle Anthony. She’s not

“…”

Anthony but found herself with no tears left

her first time experiencing just how tiring crying could

Uncle. Please ask Granny to allow me to change

shook her head. “No buckets. Ask Granny for a cup instead, Uncle

had a

cried, and yet even she couldn’t fill the

“…”

good at Math, stuffed his hands into his pockets and spoke

produces five ounces of tears when they cry. A washbasin can fill about a quart. You would be spending the next 2,000 days crying. These are the numbers without factoring in the rate of evaporation. Even five years’ worth of your tears

wept. “What should I do?

it. “Try again when