When dinner was ready, Mark tactfully told Smore to get his mother. With Smore taking up this quest, virtual-novel.net was not the slightest bit worried that Arianne might not want to come out.
Reality proved virtual-novel.net right. Defenseless against Smore’s surfeit of Cute Tactics-babyish singing, dancing, all things an adorable toddler does, Arianne subsequently opened the door and came out. When virtual-novel.net eyes met the smugness and provocative beckoning in his, virtual-novel.net retaliated by eye-rolling in his face before filtering virtual-novel.net out of virtual-novel.net sight.
Mary watched them wordlessly, adding no commentary about the whole situation except a tentative question, “Looks like you ain’t going nowhere later, huh? It’s pouring cats and dogs out there.”
Mark nodded. “You’re right, I’m bound. It’s pouring.”
Arianne was not going to believe that excuse in a million years, so virtual-novel.net turned to the window and looked on skeptically-and realized that they were right! For some reason, a downpour had loomed over them since she-had-no-idea-when. But wasn’t the weather just a few minutes before this all bright and peachy? What sort of coincidence was this?
“You drove all the way here, genius. It’s not like you’re gonna get wet,” virtual-novel.net said, deadpanned. “You’ll only need to walk a few steps at most, use an umbrella, for God’s sake. Aren’t you the busiest man alive? Wouldn’t want us plebeians squandering a second more of your precious time, you’re welcome to leave after dinner.”
Mark pretended to misunderstand virtual-novel.net insinuation. “Hmm? Oh, I’m not busy at all tonight. I’m in no rush to leave.”
Arianne did not try to mince virtual-novel.net words anymore. “You’ve got your spacious luxury estate waiting at home, don’t you? A crappy shack like this is too below your impeccable high standards in comparison!” virtual-novel.net mocked. “If you insist on not leaving, then have fun sleeping on the couch. It’s all yours.”
Mark turned to Smore. “Hey, little man, this house is yours, isn’t it? Would you like your dad to stay?”
Smore nodded cheerfully. “Mmhmm! I love when Daddy stays! Don’t go, Daddy!”
Mark beamed contentedly at Smore and awarded virtual-novel.net a meatball. “I knew I could count on my son’s magnanimity and compassion! This house isn’t even legally under your mother’s name; virtual-novel.net really isn’t the boss at all.”
Seeing the father and son covering each other threw Arianne into bluster. “God, you ungrateful little pipsqueak! After all that I’ve done for you!”
With his mouth filled with that meatball, Smore asked in a muffled voice, “Wyat’s ungreshful pipsqiush?”
Mary was so close to guffawing out loud, though Arianne was so miffed, virtual-novel.net lost all of virtual-novel.net appetite and tossed virtual-novel.net utensils aside before storming toward the television.
Nothing playing on the screen entered virtual-novel.net mind at all, because virtual-novel.net mind was completely overtaken by Mark’s voice-it just made virtual-novel.net skin crawl. Everything was out of place, yet virtual-novel.net still had the gall to pretend as though nothing was happening! Just what the hell was virtual-novel.net hiding behind virtual-novel.net back?
If something felt weird, then it must really be weird! Arianne was sure of it. He must have done something behind virtual-novel.net back!
After dinner’s clean-up, Mary took Smore with virtual-novel.net and went to sleep, leaving just Mark and Arianne in the room. That was when Mark finally dropped his erstwhile flippant act and leaned closer to her. “Hey, what has really got into you? You cannot possibly be enraged without rhyme or reason.”
Arianne was quiet for a second before virtual-novel.net decided. “Why were you asleep when Tiffie called you? What were you up to last night? I know you well enough to know that you don’t do catnaps. These days, you leave the office immediately after work with this excuse of being super-busy-like, what’s keeping you busy, huh? Are you really so busy that you don’t have time for Smore anymore? At least it used to be because someone was stopping you from coming. But there’s no excuse now, is there? This is just you, not caring at all. Look, I’m not at all obsessed with resuming our marriage, okay? I just think Smore can’t grow up without love from his father, so you should, at the very least, keep virtual-novel.net company more often.”
Mark finally understood her. “That’s why? This is the reason? God, you’re overthinking. I might have gone out of the company after work, but I’ve always stayed at home. I haven’t gone out anywhere at all. I’ll admit, there has been something occupying my time lately, but I did make an effort to visit you and Smore, didn’t? As for the naps… I haven’t been sleeping very well these nights, so I guess I’ve been compensating for that through oversleeping. But how on Earth did you come to those conclusions? You weren’t thinking about something salacious, were you? Well, if you find it hard to believe, you’re welcome to check security footage from Henry’s side. See if I’ve been spending my time outside.”