Spoiled by Eight Uncles

The boy was wheeled out of the operating theater.

His black lips and sunken cheeks took the youth out of the seven-year-old child.

Melody choked with sobs. “Ivan, Mommy is taking you home.”

If he could not be saved, so be it. The little man had tubes sticking out all over his body and lay alone on the operating table.

It was hard enough for the boy.

With the car driving off, Colton turned a corner and made his way toward the Crawfords’ family home.

Melody held Ivan in anguish without paying attention to where the car was going.

A phone call came in, and Colton tapped the button to accept. Karen’s exasperated voice came from the other end of the line.

“Where are you taking Ivan, Colt?”

Colton answered in a flat tone, “The doctor said that they can’t help Ivan, so I’m taking him to the Crawfords.”

He informed his mother about what Lilly said to him yesterday.

Karen was Ivan’s grandmother and a rather superstitious old lady.

She was on the extreme end when it came to superstition as she could only dine at an auspicious time.

Nevertheless, Colton’s reply only infuriated her further. “What’s the point of seeking help from a little girl? What does she know? I found a practitioner, so come back now with Ivan/”

Colton scowled. Karen had sought many practitioners, but these people were later revealed to be shams.

He answered, “That won’t be necessary.”

Melody did not mean to eavesdrop, but Karen’s loud voice could be heard from the phone.

“What do you mean it won’t be necessary? I’m telling you to come home now! I have Master Sullivan here. Do you know who Master Sullivan is? He’s not someone who can easily be invited. Master Sullivan has reached the pinnacle of spiritualism. Do you get it? You rather believe a little girl than a true practitioner.”

Colton faintly responded, “I’m hanging up.”

He then terminated the call.

Holding Ivan tightly in her arms, Melody asked, “Are we going to see Lilly?”

She had heard about the young heiress’ union with the Crawfords.

Colton queried, “Do you trust the girl?”

If Melody gave a negative answer… Colton would turn the car around and take Ivan home.

To his surprise, Melody firmly replied, “I trust her.”

the girl carried

to come to her before Ivan’s health

…

Karen was fuming after the

with me to the

the old lady sat a practitioner with brows longer than his beard. He

don’t usually interfere with the mortal world. I have already made an

understand. It’s all my ungrateful son’s

anxiously and helplessly relayed what Colton said before bringing up restoring Master Sullivan’s shrine

was fate that brought us together. I’ll go with

Master Sullivan’s change of heart, Karen brought

…

Lilly looked

the

not shake off the dream she had this morning. The ghost in the dream simply stared at her

if he died. For all she knew, he would come

corner, scribbling something in

out? I can teach you to

you yesterday? The five practices of spiritualism –

replied, “I do… I

her a skeptical

snoozing away before he was even done

“Destiny is all about reading the stars and signs to deduce a person’s fortune. Prophecy is the art of divination to infer

and Lilly listened intently. There

can you try and look into Ivan’s

Lilly immediately looked around.

Fortune-telling… Pendulum…

girl got these two things

to the artificial pond and fished out a tortoise that was

“Ha!”

the tortoise onto the

tortoise tumbled and rolled around

poor tortoise

at a loss for

of divination, but nothing was said about

What was she doing?

kneeled before the

“What do you

responded, “The boy isn’t dead, and he’s

the poor boy! He

on all fours and got to the tortoise’s eye

struggle, the tortoise craned its neck

will be a

Pablo had no words.

hell? Was that supposed to be an unexpected