Chapter 146
146 – His Disappointed Aunt
Baxter:
“Oh my god, you have Bodhi with you? How did that happen?” Yuvonne rushed in, smiling widely and startling Bodhi into holding my hand.
The way he clung to me showed he had not forgotten how she had behaved with Madeline at our engagement
announcement dinner.
“What? What happened? Are you scared of me?” she wondered as she tried to step closer to Bodhi, attempting to act pleasant.
Or maybe she was. I could not be certain.
“Uncle Baxter, I do not want to speak with her,” Bodhi requested, and I noticed Yuvonne’s smile begin to fade.
“Why not? I am your aunt,” she replied, sitting on the small stool and dragging it near our bed, where Bodhi and I were sitting.
“You were rude to my mother,” Bodhi told her without looking in her direction, turning his face to the other side.
There was something else that unsettled me. The way Bodhi, with all his energy, kept calling me uncle.
I was sure he had heard the entire conversation the council members had, unaware that the children were present.
Yet he refused to talk about the accusations.
“See, siblings always argue, but that does not mean they hate one another. Do you and your siblings argue?” Yuvonne asked.
I watched Bodhi slowly release my hand.
“We do argue. Elara wants to kill me.” Then, as a child, he continued to overshare.
Yuvonne straightened her back and looked at me.
“What is going on?” she asked. “Where is his mother? Why is he with you? And where are the other children?” She continued questioning me, and I realized she still knew nothing about the situation.
“Yuvonne, his mother is at the council center, having an interview,” I explained, clearing my throat.
“And why is only Bodhi here? What does he mean when he says Elara wants to kill him?” she pressed.
I looked at Bodhi, who was pouting while watching my face.
“Some things related to sickness. You do not need to worry about it. I need to go and take care of Madeline at the center. I wonder what kind of questions they are asking her.” That was all I told her as I stepped up and wandered to the closet to grab a shirt.
“Oh, but why is she there? What kind of interview? Is it the success story type or something else?” Yuvonne questioned.
She was clearly puzzled because we do not call it an investigation unless someone is directly accused.
When it is only suspicion, it is described as an interview.
“I will talk about it later. For now, I really have to go,” I remarked, moving toward the bathroom to take a quick
1/2
shower.
However, I needed to do one more thing before leaving.
“You can come back later.” As soon as I said that, I saw her frown.
“No, it is fine. You get ready. I will stay here with Bodhi. What do you say, Bodhi? We will play games,” she offered.
I noticed Bodhi reluctantly agree with a small nod. From his expression, I could tell he did not want to be near her, at least not right now.
“Yuvonne, I think he is tired. He was awake the entire night. He will take a short nap while I get ready,” I explained, hoping she would not push further and force me to tell her directly that I needed to leave.
“Oh, all right. Then I will take care of him while he is napping. You can go ahead and be at the center. You can leave him with me. After all, I am his aunt,” she repeated, giving me a sad smile.
If I had not known about the text messages, and if she had a different relationship with Madeline, something closer to real siblings, and if Madeline did not dislike her, then leaving a child with their aunt would have been ideal.
But things were different. And for Bodhi to be here with me, I realized Madeline must have trusted me deeply to send him. I had some responsibility as well.
“Yuvonne, I do not think it will be appropriate. Things are rough between you and Madeline, and I do not think she will be happy knowing you are alone with Bodhi.” As soon as I said that, I watched Yuvonne’s face lose its color.
“What are you insinuating? You think I am not safe for him?” she questioned, rising from the stool and stepping toward me.
“Yuvonne, I do not want to talk about it right now,” I replied, avoiding her gaze, not because I felt guilty but because I felt conflicted.
“I understand that Madeline does not trust me, but hearing this from you has broken my heart. For everything I have done, for how I took care of you, for you to claim that Bodhi is not safe with me hurts me,” she uttered, her voice beginning to shake.
“And the fact that Madeline would not leave her son with her own sister but would leave him with her ex–best friend makes no sense.” She continued speaking, confused because she only had part of the information.
Ruby Walker
Ruby Walker is a rising voice in the world of romance and spicy fiction. With a gift for weaving deep emotions, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists, her stories are a blend of passion and drama that captivate readers from start to finish. Ruby’s writing style is bold and irresistible—perfect for those who crave intense, addictive love stories.