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“I’m meeting up with an old friend this afternoon, Edith. Feel free to do whatever you want,” Kerrie said, picking up her bag and leaving without hesitation.
Kerrie bumped into Fiona at the airport yesterday and was honestly impressed by her enthusiasm. The Larson family even had Marcus come over to invite Edith for dinner.
It was obvious just how much they valued Edith. Kerrie thought to herself, ‘At this rate, after the SATs, I’ll probably be toasting at Edith and Larry’s wedding‘
Edith sighed in compromise. “I can’t just show up at the Larson Residence empty–handed. I need to go buy some gifts or something.”
Marcus let out a breath of relief, though his face stayed calm and detached. “Let’s go.”
He walked toward the door, but Edith called out, “Wait a second. At least let me change my clothes.”
She swapped into some casual clothes and wiped off her makeup, her face looking so fresh and young, like she was glowing with youthful energy.
Walking next to her, Marcus couldn’t help but feel a little old around her. ‘Only twenty–three. That’s not old at all, just five years older than Edith,‘ he thought to himself.
He tried to convince himself and asked, “So, what do you want to buy?”
Edith shot the question back at him. “Who’s going to be at your house?”
Marcus thought, ‘My three older brothers are hardly ever around, and all the nieces and nephews are at school. Right now, it’s probably just my mother and my sisters–in–law at home. Larry should be at the hospital with Dad.‘
“My mother and my three sisters–in–law,” Marcus replied.
Edith nodded. “Do you know what kind of things your mom’s into?”
Marcus drew a blank at that. Ever since he got back after being missing, he’d never been close with the Larson family or lived at home much. Honestly, he had zero idea what Fiona actually liked.
He pulled open the passenger door and said, “My mom pretty much has everything. Just buy whatever you feel is right. Same for my sisters–in–law.”
Marcus didn’t think it mattered if they brought gifts or not. But suddenly, he found himself wanting to get her something.
He said, “I’ve got a niece about your age, still in high school. She’s about your height and just as slim. She loves stylish clothes. Why don’t you help me pick out a few outfits for her?”
Since Edith had a clear idea of what to buy, things got a whole lot easier. Edith asked him to take her to a nearby mall, one of the fancy ones in Bonrea.
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Edith checked her bank balance. Thankfully, she’d been working hard lately, and her account had a decent. amount of money in it. Buying a few gifts wouldn’t be a problem.
First, she headed to pick out a gift for Fiona, who had been so nice to her from the start, so Edith wanted to make sure she got something really special.
Most older folks liked things like coffee, but the Larson family probably had plenty of that. Edith needed to think outside the box.
In the end, she settled on a massage device for Fiona. A lot of older people had back pain, and this one was specifically designed for the lower back, which cost 26,000 dollars.
Marcus had done so much for her, not to mention the two fancy dresses he’d given her before, so of course, she wanted to pay him back somehow.
She bought the back massager, picked out three handbags for the sisters–in–law at about 26,000 dollars each, and then three stylish dresses that any girl would love. Having picked out all the gifts, she made her way to the main register.
The cashier smiled warmly. “Miss, your bill has already been paid.”
Edith glanced back and spotted Marcus standing at the entrance. She was at a loss for words.
Since she was the guest here, it really should have been her responsibility to pay for the gifts.
And besides, she already owed Marcus so much money. He should at least give her a chance to repay him for once. Honestly, Edith felt a headache coming on.
She took out the Anti–Wrinkle Pill the System had rewarded her with. It even came in its own fancy gift box, perfect for presenting to Fiona. Edith figured things would be square between her and Marcus.
After picking out all the gifts, the two headed toward the Larson Residence. The car stopped outside an elegant, old–world mansion, timeless, stylish, and rich with character.
Edith stepped out after Marcus and followed him inside. A servant greeted them enthusiastically. “Mr. Larson, Ms. Lovett, this way please.”
Marcus, face calm and eyes straight ahead, walked right in. Edith offered the servant a smile by way of greeting and followed after him.
As soon as Edith stepped inside, she realized the place was packed. It was way more people than she’d expected.
There was Fiona, Marcus’s three brothers and their wives, Larry, plus a younger male and female cousin of Larry’s. To Edith’s surprise, the girl mentioned by Marcus as his niece was twelve, maybe thirteen tops.
Edith glanced at Marcus standing beside her. He was as composed as ever, like all this was normal.
‘Alright, I get it now, Edith thought. “This guy just wanted an excuse to buy me clothes, and I totally fell for it. Well played!
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But looking around at the crowd, and knowing she only had gifts for four people, Edith couldn’t help but feel absolutely mortified.
“Edith, you’re finally here,” Fiona greeted her with a huge smile, delighted. “Have a seat.”
Edith smiled. “I thought it would just be Mrs. Larson and the aunts at home, so I only brought four gifts. I’ll get something for the uncles and kids next time.”
Fiona was just about to say something. But Marcus’s face darkened. “Who told you to call them ‘uncles‘ and ‘aunts‘? Don’t start lumping them in like that.” In Marcus’s mind, Edith’s calling his family that way meant she was of Larry’s generation.
Since she was brought home as Marcus’s guest, it only made sense for her to follow his lead when it came to addressing everyone. Marcus said, “Edith, let me introduce you to everyone.”
Fiona instantly felt a rush in her heart. ‘My son really has his mind set on this girl, huh?‘ she thought.
“They are Stella, Rachel, and Gloria. Over here are my brothers, Bernard, Yancy, and Xavier,” Marcus introduced, then glanced at the three younger cousins nearby. “Hey, this is my friend. Maybe you just call her Aunt Edith.”
Edith couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She griped inwardly, feeling she was way too young for this
nonsense.
Larry was speechless, and he thought, ‘Edith and I are classmates, and we’re friends. There is no way I’m calling my best friend ‘Aunt Edith.‘
“Edith, then just call me Fiona,” Fiona said, beaming. “Lunch is all set. Come on, everyone, let’s sit down together.”
The Larson family had this big table, just right for all twelve of them. Edith was seated on Fiona’s right, with Larry taking the spot on her other side.
Larry had just sat down, hoping to ask Edith about the competition, when Marcus snagged him by the collar and said, “Swap seats with me.”
Before Larry could protest, Marcus took the place right next to Edith, acting like it was where he belonged.
Edith lowered her gaze. ‘Is Marcus getting as clingy as Dodo?‘ she thought. ‘He’s just one step away from tugging on my sleeve and begging for attention like Dodo. Is this really what happens when two personalities merge?
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