NovelEnglishDorothy's brow furrowed slightly, a sign that she was on the verge of saying something more, but Everett gently patted the back of her hand in a comforting gesture.
"You've sacrificed so much to get to where you are today, I can't let you give it all up because of me," he said, his voice laced with empathy and concern.
The thought of Dorothy, pregnant and receiving the devastating news of her mother's passing, still haunted Everett.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtHe couldn't bear to think of her shattering at that moment.
Nor could he bear the thought of her enduring a difficult childbirth, working tirelessly to provide for her children while also gathering evidence to seek justice for her mother.
Everett couldn't convince himself to let nearly six years of Dorothy's relentless efforts dissipate into nothing just because she wanted to be with him-especially since the defendant in question was his own mother.
"Everett, I chose this," Dorothy assured him, her voice steady. "You're not forcinginto anything." He offered her a small smile, "I love butterflies, but I wouldn't trap one. Instead, I'd plant the flowers they love and wait for them to cto me, to choose to stay by my side. Dorothy, I want you to always feel free." Rather than feeling as if she had to give up on things she wasn't ready to let go of, just for his sake.
Dorothy looked down, her eyes slowly filling with tears. She had once thought her life meaningless, believing that without her, Everett would merely be saddened for a few days before finding someone more suitable.
But hearing his words today, Dorothy felt a deep sense of shame. It was an overwhelming feeling of unworthiness. "You're so stubborn," she muttered.
Everett gently ruffled her hair, "I prefer to call it devoted." The car filled with noise as they picked up Abigail and Langston from school.
"Mommy! A big brother wrotea note today!" Abigail exclaimed, pulling a crumpled piece of paper from her backpack and handing it to Dorothy. "He even said I'm pretty and liked my eyes!" Before Dorothy could even glance at the note, Langston breezed in with a cooler tone, "He's the sage as you, not even older than us by a birthday. He's not your 'big brother,' he's a 'little brother'!" "I can still call him big brother!" Abigail rarely retorted against Langston, but this time, she wolclearly upset by her brother's diminishment of her "big brother." "If you call him big brother, doesn't that makeyounger than him too? Abigail Sanchez! We share the sbirthday!" "Okay, okay, whether it's a big et brother of a little brother, it doesn't matter. Let's not fight," Dorothy interjected, hoping to quell the sibling dispute. ŚwShe looked down at the note in her hand.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmIt read, in crooked handwriting: I love you.
Langston, unable to resist, peeked over and snorted, "So young and already throwing around 'I love you's. Kids are so naive!" He seemed to forget his earlier claim of sharing the sbirthday as Abigail.
"Hmph!" Abigail pouted, ignoring him and carefully folding the note back up.
Langston pointed at his sister, turning to Dorothy, "Isn't she too young for love? Mom, aren't you going to say something?" Dorothy hadn't anticipated navigating these parenting waters so soon.
Everett, driving, glanced at them through the rear-view mirror before softly asking Abigail, "Do you like this boy?" Abigail nodded, "I do!" "Then talk to him more, as long as it makes you happy, that's what matters." "Okay!" Abigail beamed, feeling validated by her father's approval, but Langston sulked After all, his little sister, who usually shadowed him, was now showing interest in another boy. "Speaking of which," Dorothy suddenly remembered, "maybe it's tto rethink Abigail and Langston's names."
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