Turning Of the Tide by Diana Sander

It was close to nine o'clock. The entrance and courtyard of the Wilson's residence were teeming with a constant flow of people. Meanwhile, numerous luxury cars were neatly parked around, and everyone stepping out of the vehicles was dressed in black.

Natalie, Trevon, and Rachel, Caleb stood in the courtyard to receive the guests who cto pay their respects, nodding politely and exchanging pleasantries with whoever cto bid farewell to Theo.

Lena and Mary placed the two children and Jasper upstairs to ensure their noise would not disturb the funeral.

Before the three children were directed to go upstairs, Trevon had instructed them to pray in front of Theo's photo for ten minutes. The twins left after the tspecified by their father, while only Jasper remained in prayer as he decided to continue for an additional half an hour.

Respecting the child's decision, Trevon refrained from intervening and allowed Jasper to continue praying for the additional half hour before eventually joining the others upstairs.

Many people cto bid farewell to Theo. After all, his amiable nature throughout his life had endeared him to everyone, resulting in a spontaneous gathering of mourners who cto pay their respects.

During this period, couples from the Yamin family, the Blackwell family, as well as various Athana dignitaries and wealthy families, visited the Wilson's residence to express their condolences.

A young man carrying a school bag cin. He was wearing a black hoodie and a black cap. As soon as he stepped into the funeral service, he took off his cap. When Natalie saw him, she quickly went forward, asking, "Isn't it Friday today? Why are you here? Aren't you going to class today?" The person who arrived was Tucker. His eyes were teary as he truthfully conveyed the information, adhering to Natalie's directive to be honest—an instruction he held close to his heart. "Natalie, | heard at school that Mr.

Wilson had passed away, so | took leave. Don't worry, I've already prepared all the class materials for today's lessons. | won't fall behind on my homework." Upon hearing this, Natalie could not bring herself to scold him. She took his bag, an act that prompted the individuals paying their respects to start whispering about the relationship between the two. Natalie and Tucker, however, carried on as if they had not noticed, focusing on their own tasks instead.

"Go ahead and bid Mr. Wilson farewell." Tucker dutifully stepped forward and offered his prayers in front of Theo's photo. He expressed heartfelt gratitude to the old man, acknowledging his deep appreciation. After all, Theo had treated him like he was his biological grandson, taking care of him in every way and even imparting occasional lessons on proper conduct.

Recalling every day in the Wilson's residence and every little bit of Theo, Tucker could not help but cry. After finishing his prayers, Tucker raised his hand to wipe away tears with the back of his hand. Subsequently, he took the bag from Natalie's hand and politely greeted Rachel, Caleb, and Trevon. Finally, he said, "I'll head upstairs to keep an eye on Jasper and the twins." Trevon patted Tucker's shoulder. "Go on." Upon pushing open the door upstairs, Tucker discovered that Jasper was not present. Instead, he only found his two nieces and Lena. Scanning the room, he inquired, "Lena, where's Jasper?" Lena sighed with reddened eyes, indicating that she had cried just now. "He went to Theo's study alone to practice calligraphy. It seems like he's missing his great-grandfather. Jasper may be reserved, but he is actually very understanding. You see, he spent half an hour in prayer in the courtyard before entering the study, and he has not spoken a single word by far. Just like his father, he rarely shares his thoughts with others." Hearing this, Tucker placed his school bag on the ground. "I'll go take a look at Jasper. Sophia, Olivia, be good, okay? | will be back later." Sophia and Olivia both nodded in agreement, with Sophia adding, "Alright." In the study room, Jasper had diligently practiced numerous words using the method passed down by his great- grandfather. The word he had written most frequently was "Goodbye." As Tucker entered, he noticed a pile of papers neatly arranged on the corner of the table.

Jasper had been guided through the art of calligraphy step by step by Theo, and the influence of Theo's calligraphy was evident in both the style and strokes. "Jasper, Lena mentioned that you've been practicing for quite a while. Would you like to take a break?" Jasper picked up the pen again and knelt on the chair that Theo had often sat on. "It's fine. Uncle Tucker, don't mind me. Just keep an eye on Sophia and Olivia for me, and make sure they stay upstairs." Originally, Tucker wanted to comfort Jasper, but he ended up getting an order instead. He shook his head helplessly. Meanwhile, his nephew remained expressionless as he calmly practiced his calligraphy as if nothing had happened. However, Tucker was aware that Jasper was unhappy. Still, he said, "Alright. You can practice for a while. We'll be in the children's room." Jasper replied calmly, "Hmm." Back in the children's room, Tucker shook his head helplessly at Lena, who had already foreseen this outcome.

"It's okay. Let him keep practicing. He's expressing his longing for his great-grandfather in his own manner," Lena remarked.

Downstairs, Trevon and Natalie were on speakerphone, handling calls from Emma and Daniel in a secluded corner. Emma and Daniel communicated their plan to visit the day after tomorrow, considering the possibility of Ava graduating early. In simpler terms, they chose to postpone their arrival until Ava finished the required procedures. By doing that, she could await delivery in Athana.

Trevon reassured Daniel that there was no rush, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing Ava's studies, especially given her pregnancy. Nonetheless, Daniel explained that the deceased should be given the utmost priority. Fortunately, Theo's burial was scheduled for later, so that they could cthe day after tomorrow, otherwise, they would have cimmediately.

After around ten minutes, the call concluded. Trevon mentioned that he would send someone to pick up Daniel, who had indicated that Frank would be heading to Sapphire City tomorrow. In the call, Daniel also advised Trevon to handle Theo's funeral arrangements with peace of mind.

Despite the sun having set, the Wilson's residence remained as bright as day, bustling with activity. The three Euchre tables that Trevon had set up were filled with players, adding to the lively atmosphere.

Sherri, Rose, Stella, and Jim formed one of the tables. Meanwhile, Natalie sat beside Sherri, observing the game.

After the three children had offered their prayers in front of Theo's photo, Rachel guided them to bed. Due to Lena's surgery, Natalie understandably prohibited her from coming downstairs. Therefore, Lena was told to return upstairs as soon as she finished praying.

The second Euchre table was taken up by Frank, Hackett, Chris, and Edward, with Trevon wandering around the table from tto time. Unfortunately, he did not get the chance to pay his respects to his grandfather.

Meanwhile, Caleb stood behind the elders’ table, quietly observing.

The last table was occupied by the elders, namely Nathan, Richard, Charlie, and William, with the calm Grace seated beside William. It was noteworthy that Theo's funeral service could be described as incredibly lively and filled with endless laughter. Perhaps it was precisely what Theo had desired.

William raised his hand to stop Richard from grabbing the cards. "Wait a minute. Grace, take a look and see what I should do." Grace reorganized his cards, and in an instant, it becclear at a glance. She reminded William, "Don't shuffle the cards. Arrange them in order." "I'm just afraid that Charlie will guess my cards." William pushed the cards down and Charlie defended himself by saying, "Why would | guess your cards? Do you think | have nothing better to do? What a petty man." Caleb stood behind and observed everything keenly. In reality, Charlie had already deduced William's cards.

Charlie consistently held the cards that William needed to win in his possession. He had even discarded the setup and outright refused to play that particular card. However, Caleb chose not to disclose this information; he simply observed silently.

The atmosphere at the other table was even more festive, with everyone in high spirits. For those unaware, it would seem as if Theo had not left. Instead, one might wonder if a wedding celebration was underway. In fact, the Wilson family could very well be the first to host a funeral as lively as a wedding.

Rose complained, "Jim, do you know how to play? Why are you acting like this? I've been trailing you for a few rounds already." Hackett interrupted from another table, remarking, "Jim, | suspect the little money you won this morning isn't even enough for you to take the bus ride htonight." Frank played a card and glanced at the three women with a faint smile. The only odd one out, Jim, scratched his ear and cheek, remarking, "No need to be suspicious. | might lose so much that | go bankrupt soon." Playing cards was an enigmatic affair. Whenever a man engaged in a gwith three women simultaneously, he found himself losing almost ninety percent of the time, unable to quell the trend.

The tof women took turns securing victories, causing Jim to continuously part with his money. With substantial losses, he began to contemplate the purpose of the endeavor. Meanwhile, Natalie's best friend reveled in her substantial winnings. Trevon stood by Jim's side, offering reassurance. "Don't be panic. I'll cover for you. Just play.” Sherri affirmed, "Absolutely. With Mr. Wilson present, what do you have to fear? Just show us what you have got.

It seems like Theo favors the three of us. Haha." Her words were accompanied by a broad grin.

Despite their prayers to Theo, it seemed that he favored women over men, withholding his blessings from Jim entirely. While losing money was a minor concern, being defeated by three women beca somber story in Jim's life.

Rose purposefully selected a card, waving it in the air with theatrical flair. "Theo, please bestow your blessings upon me." She slowly unveiled the card, squinting her eyes in anticipation. "Oh my god, Theo, you're incredible! Look at me! Self-made victory!" All eyes turned toward Rose. Even Grace, her own mother, could not help but be stunned.

Under the intense scrutiny, Rose offered an awkward smile and a wave of her hand. She picked up a card and explained, "I got a bit carried away, you know. | was a bit carried away. It's mostly because I've never had a self- made victory. Sorry about that. Let's carry on, shall we?" Stella asked, "What's making you so emotional? Just look at Jim—he's not displaying any emotions, even though he's constantly losing money. Why are you so emotional about collecting the winnings? Try not to rub it in his face." Rose wore a triumphant expression, altering her voice as she declared, "You are right. Mr. Hawk, my apologies. | shall be subtle next time. Please do hand over your money." Jim was speechless. He pondered, 'Can't we just have a regular conversation? I'm done playing cards with women.’ Natalie could not help but feel a sense of pity for Jim, thinking that perhaps he had been traumatized by Euchre at this funeral.

Trevon stood behind Frank, who had experienced quite a stroke of luck that night. Frank and Edward essentially dominated the entire evening as they engaged in card games expressionlessly.

Standing behind Frank, Trevon glanced at the cards in Frank's hand and inquired, "What tare you heading to Sapphire City tomorrow? If you have to get there early, you might as well head back early." Upon hearing this, Hackett took a brief pause and raised his eyebrows. "You're heading to Sapphire City? Why at this particular moment?" Frank glanced at him and replied, "Sick." Hackett added, "But you have the medicine." Frank could not be bothered with Hackett. After all, he did not need Hackett's approval in order to go to Sapphire City. He thought, 'What a crazy man. | am going there to check on my wife, okay? | am not going there to have fun.' "I plan to leave at nine o'clock." Frank thwarted Hackett's potential victory by playing a card, leading to yet another scolding from Hackett.

Chris complained, "You've been taking numerous flights. Is there a necessity to travel abroad?" "I do not mind." Frank coldly glanced at the ignorant Chris, thinking that it must be the reason why he was single.

Rose, with keen ears, replied to Chris as she assisted Frank at another table, "How thoughtless of you. Why don't you just date a random neighbor, huh? It would save you the trouble of giving your girlfriend a ride home." Stella concurred, saying, "Exactly. | believe Rose's suggestion is a good one." Chris did not even raise his head as he said indifferently, "A good idea? You go ahead then. I'm perfectly content being single. After all, dating doesn't hold the sallure as performing surgery." Frank chimed in, saying, "True. The operating table does seem more appealing when you're dealing with critical moments in your life. Imagine, if you were in a wheelchair, there might not be anyone around to push you." "Get lost. Stop throwing curses at me, okay? Can't you wish something positive for me?" Chris was left speechless, wondering why everyone was talking about him being single now.

At the other table, William shook his head, sighed, and criticized Charlie, "Charlie, you really need to focus on your education. Look at Ava; she's carrying twins. Meanwhile, Chris is talking about dating the operating table.

You should have a conversation with him. Sigh, I'm so concerned." Grace felt speechless, thinking, 'If you want to persuade someone, just be open about it. Why bring up Ava? It's not like nobody knows about Ava's twin children." Charlie remarked, "If you can get him married, I'll do whatever you want." William dared not accept the challenge, stating, "I can't do that. My family isn't running a matchmaking agency anyway. You should be patient. Besides, I'll be busy holding my grandchildren this year. You know, it's either two grandsons or two granddaughters." Nathan commented, "The likelihood of having twins is quite low, you see." "That's correct. Ava is indeed quite capable. Just take a look at Natalie, eh? She's given birth to twin girls," William said with joy.

Richard simply nodded without uttering any words. Meanwhile, Grace fixed her gaze on the cards, making an effort to disregard William's smug demeanor.