Chapter 16 What’s Your Name?
Finished
Clara watched as Natalie pushed all the blame onto Lyla, afraid that Wesley might misunderstand and resent her. She immediately explained, “Wesley, she’s your little sister. You can’t bully her.”
But Wesley’s mind was consumed by the image of Clara pulling Lyla protectively behind her and. by Natalie’s words. Clara ignored him because she had this new ‘sister‘ now.
Seeing him remain silent, Clara frowned in concern.
Lyla, sensing the tension, cautiously stepped out from behind Clara and approached Wesley. With a bright, open smile, she extended her hand toward him. “Hello, my name is Lyla. What’s your name?”
Clara felt a swell of pride at Lyla’s grace and composure, but when she turned to look at Wesley, he neither extended his hand nor responded. Instead, his eyes burned with hostility.
Just as Clara was about to scold him for his rudeness, she changed her mind and simply said, “Lyla, if he doesn’t want to shake hands, let’s not bother with him.”
Already simmering with anger, Wesley’s temper flared further at her dismissive words. He wanted nothing more than to shove Lyla into the lake. But he remembered the last time he pushed someone, Clara had hit him and refused to speak to him for days. He swallowed his
rage.
“Lyla, let’s go set off our fireworks somewhere else.” Clara pointed to a quieter spot nearby.
Lyla obediently helped gather their things, and when Wesley realized they were truly leaving without him, he panicked. However, his pride kept him from calling out to them. After all, Clara. had not apologized.
Both Clara and Lyla did not cast Wesley another glance until they almost finished gathering their stuff. Wesley panicked. He turned to Natalie, silently pleading for her to intervene. Wesley had not seen Clara for a long time. He felt like he missed her.
Natalie spoke up. “Clara, you bought so many fireworks. Why not let Wesley join you?”
Hearing Natalie’s invitation, Wesley’s tension eased slightly. He turned his head away, pretending to be indifferent, but his eyes flickered toward Clara, waiting for her reaction.
As long as she apologized, he would forgive her, and then they could set off fireworks together. He convinced himself of this.
Clara looked a Wesley and let out a cold laugh. “Natalie, have you gotten so used to taking things for free that you think everything belongs to you? You already took my son and my husband, and now you want my fireworks too? Are you too poor to buy your own, or do you just have a problem where you have to steal anything that isn’t yours? Or is it that you just love secondhand things? Can’t help but snatch whatever someone else has used?”
Natalie’s face paled, then flushed red. She took a deep breath, quickly putting on a pitiful expression. “Clara, you’ve misunderstood me. I just wanted you and Wesley to spend some time
Chapter 16 What’s Your Name?
this could help you two reconcile.”
Finished
“If you don’t want to set off fireworks with me, I’ll leave. I just want you and Wesley to make up.” She wiped at the corners of her eyes, though no tears fell.
“Clara, Wesley really misses you. I hope you can forgive him. He’s just a child. He depends on me because I’ve been there for him. I’m not trying to replace you.”
Clara frowned at Natalie’s expertly delivered pretentious performance.
Seeing Natalie act so aggrieved on his behalf, Wesley stepped forward and threw his arms around. her, shouting at Clara. “I don’t miss her at all! Ms. Dawson, I don’t want to play fireworks with her! I don’t like Mommy at all. She’s a bad mommy! I only like you!”
His words were spoken out of spite, meant to provoke Clara into softening toward him.
Clara merely cast him a quiet glance, her expression filled with both mockery and sorrow.
My foolish son. So easily manipulated and blind to it.
“Aunt Clara, why does that lady talk so strangely? Lyla doesn’t like her.” Lyla, too young to understand the full extent of Natalie’s act, simply knew she disliked her. Something about her words felt off.
Clara was pleasantly surprised. She had not expected Lyla, at such a young age, to already have such sharp instincts. Meanwhile, her own son was still foolishly handing over his loyalty to someone who was using him.
Leaning down, she whispered in Lyla’s ear, “I don’t like her either.”
She patted Lyla’s head before straightening up and addressing Wesley. “Since you I’ll be leaving. I won’t intrude on your sweet stroll with your new ‘mommy.”
don’t like me,
Without waiting for his reaction, she turned, taking Lyla’s hand and walking away, fireworks in
Tow.
Wesley watched her retreating figure, wanting to chase after her, but he hesitated. Her cold. indifference stung his pride.
Natalie, noticing his fixation on Clara, frowned slightly before putting on a guilty expression. “Wesley, it’s all my fault. Because of me, you and your mother are fighting. I’m so sorry..”
Seeing Natalie upset, Wesley immediately comforted her. “Ms. Dawson, this isn’t your fault. You’re so kind. Anyone would like you! If Mommy doesn’t, that’s her problem, not yours.”
“But…”
“Ms. Dawson, trust me! Look at all the people who like you when you stream online. Don’t doubt yourself!” Wesley said.
Chapter 16 What’s Your Name?
Finished
Despite the earlier unpleasantness, Clara and Lyla quickly put it behind them. They found at quieter spot and resumed setting off fireworks. Midway through, Zoe called and joined them.
An hour later, after carefully cleaning up the area, Clara drove Lyla home.
On the way, Lyla’s big, curious eyes sparkled as she looked at Clara. “Aunt Clara, was that boy today your son?”
Clara glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “Why do you ask?”
“Because he called you ‘Mommy.‘ But it looked like you were fighting” Lyla answered.
Clara was once again surprised by Lyla’s keen observations. She could not help but wonder how Zoe had managed to raise such a perceptive child.
“Lyla. I used to be his mother. I’m not anymore. And I don’t know what the future holds.”
Lyla tilted her head in confusion, not fully understanding. “So…. does that mean he’s brother?” she asked.
my cousin
Clara thought for a moment before nodding. Technically, yes. You should call him ‘Brother.”
