Hattie had officially run out of patience.
Other women her age were already spoiling their grandkids, proudly showing off baby pictures, and baking cookies on weekends. But she wasn’t like the others.
The Lester family line was hanging by a thread, and if she didn’t push harder now, she was going to be scolded by her ancestors in the afterlife for letting it all end with her son.
Meanwhile, Alexander was absolutely miserable.
He finally cracked under pressure, rubbing his temples. “Mom, I swear that I only stepped in to help the patient who got photographed with me. There is no girlfriend. She doesn’t exist. Do you
understand?”
Hattie’s tone sharpened. “Don’t give me that crap. You’re not cursed or doomed to solitude. There’s no way a man like you doesn’t have a girlfriend.
“If you’re so noble, then how about introducing me to this so–called patient of yours? Come on, you two already made it into a magazine together. That has to mean something.”
At this point, Hattie was spiraling. She even thought that any woman who looked at Alexander twice was good enough to marry him. She would light fireworks just to celebrate someone texting him back.
“Mom, please. I’ll take care of it. You don’t need to get involved, okay?” Alexander said with forced calm.
He had been trying to reason with her for almost two hours straight. If he didn’t get her out of his office soon, he would never get back to work.
“So what you’re saying is, you and that woman might actually be meant to be?”
Hattie had an uncanny talent for zeroing in on the wrong part of a conversation.
Her instincts were sharp, and her perspective was always just a little off–center–in the most brilliant way possible.
Alexander looked at the hopeful expression on her face and gave in. In the end, he couldn’t bring himself to let her down.
“Yeah. Maybe there’s something between us. I sure hope that’s the case.
After Alexander said that, there was a trace of something lovesick in his expression–just enough to be convincing.
Hattie saw it and practically lit up with joy. She couldn’t have been more thrilled. “Well, that’s all I needed to hear. At least now I know you haven’t shut yourself off from love entirely. There’s still hope I’ll get to spoil a few grandkids after all.”
With her goal accomplished, Hattie didn’t linger.
She hummed a cheerful tune as she left Alexander’s office, her steps light, her smile radiant. It was like she had just reached the peak of her life.
“Miss, let me take you in for a quick checkup. We’re already at the hospital. There’s no sense in wasting time,” she said with concern.
Hattie looked at the young woman in front of her and was beyond pleased. She looked exactly like the kind of woman she had imagined as her future daughter–in–law.
Beaming, Hattie added, “My son happens to be a doctor. He can take a look at you.”
She was nothing if not direct. After all, Hattie was the one who had knocked Calista over. If things turned serious, she would take full responsibility–no questions asked.
But Calista shook her head.
A little fall like that wasn’t enough to take her down–not when she had endured far worse at the
hands of the Fenwicks. Their treatment had been colder, harsher. Yet here she was, still standing on her own two feet.
“I’m fine. It’s just a bit of hypoglycemia,” Calista murmured, brushing it off.
She sat in a nearby chair and quickly pulled half a chocolate bar from her bag, unwrapping it with trembling fingers and taking a bite.
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