Chapter 133
“Keen, are you feeling any better?”
The moment Keen laid eyes on Rachel, he looked as though he’d seen his savior. “Rachel, you finally made it!”
Rachel’s heart ached seeing the forlorn expression on Keen’s face. “Keen, what’s wrong? Did someone upset you?”
Stella stood by with a smirk, “Ms. Pearce, that’s quite the question. Who else could possibly be bothering him in this room besides me?”
Rachel, flustered, stammered, “Ms. Cameron, you’ve got it all wrong. I’m just worried about Keen, that’s all…”
“Save the performance,” Stella said, her voice like ground glass. “We both know exactly what happened.”
Keen immediately piped up in Rachel’s defense. “Mom, how can you talk to Rachel like that?”
Stella shot back, “And how exactly am I wrong?”
“Of course you’re wrong! Rachel’s just concerned about me,” Keen insisted, his innocence shining through. “Mom, you can’t just be so possessive and not allow others to care for me.”
Stella raised an eyebrow, saying, “So, can I go be someone else’s mom and care for another kid then?”
The thought of Marvin made Keen squirm in his seat. “No way! You can’t be that brat’s mom!”
Stella asked, “And why not?”
“Because you’re my mom and only mine!”
“But didn’t you just say it’s not fair to be possessive?”
Keen fumbled for words, “Well… that’s different…”
Rachel stepped in to mediate, “Ms. Cameron, why argue with a child? Keen’s just a kid. Why not give him a break?”
Stella’s voice was icy, “He was speaking of freedom, equality, and respect just a moment ago. Aren’t we all equals here? Why should I bend over backwards for him?”
“Expecting others to be tolerant while preaching equality-Ms. Pearce, is that what you teach Keen?”
It was clear Keen’s earlier words were beyond what a five-year-old would naturally say.
Someone must have put those ideas in his head. And who that was, was obvious. Rachel’s face turned various shades of red and white under Stella’s scrutiny. After a tense pause, she offered, “Ms. Cameron, you stayed up with Keen all night. Why don’t you rest now? I’ll take over for the day.”
Everyone knew the nights were tougher than the days.
Last night, as Keen was rushed away, Rachel had clutched her head-oh, the dizziness!—and clung to Haynes’ arm as they left. Even Deanna, after some coaxing from Callie, had fluttered off. Leaving Stella alone in the too-bright hospital lights, the irony curdling in her chest.
Funny how now, no one seemed concerned about her “negligence.”
Ignoring Rachel, Stella turned to her son.
“What would you like to eat? I’ll get it for you.”
“No need for that trouble. I made some chicken soup for Keen,” Rachel said, opening a thermos with a warm smile. “Keen, I made this myself. Want to try some of my cooking?”
Keen hesitated; he’d tasted Rachel’s cooking before and it was nowhere near as good as his mom’s. But remembering how his mom had just been harsh with Rachel, he nodded gently.
“Okay.”
“Let me feed you.” Rachel scooped some soup, blew on it gently, and was about to feed it to Keen.
Stella, who had been standing nearby, caught a whiff of the soup and her expression shifted. She swiftly knocked the spoon from Rachel’s hand.
The hot soup splashed onto Rachel, making her yelp in pain. “Ah!”
At that moment, the door to the hospital room swung open.
A tall, imposing figure stepped inside.