Chapter 11

Charlotte couldn't help laughing. Was her charm really that strong? Kayden had already told her he liked her two days in a row. The most amazing part was how sincere he looked—it didn't seem fake at all. That made it hard to refuse him. Besides, he had come alone. She couldn't just send him away like that. After a moment, she said, "Alright, come in first." "Yay!" Kayden lit up at once. Since Charlotte let him in, it meant she wanted to be his friend. He followed Charlotte inside with a huge grin. She gestured toward the couch. "Sit here for a minute. I need to wash up." "Okay, ma'am. Go ahead. I'll wait right here." The little boy nodded and sat quietly. Charlotte smiled and went to brush her teeth, wash her face, and change clothes. When she came back, he was swinging his legs, waiting patiently. He looked like Brian, and Charlotte couldn't help but feel how bizarre life was. She was now under the same roof as her ex-husband's son. She had skipped breakfast, so she grabbed a box of milk and handed another to him. His eyes brightened up when he saw that. "Thank you, pretty ma'am." He held the milk but didn't drink it. Charlotte didn't pay it any mind. "What's your name?" "I'm Kayden Norman. Everyone calls me Kayden," he answered eagerly. She nodded, deciding they needed a talk. "Kayden, thank you for your affection, but it isn't safe for a child to go out alone. After you finish your milk, I'll have someone drive you home. Your family will worry if they can't find you." He hadn't expected her to send him off so soon. His shoulders drooped. "Ma'am, do you not like seeing me?" "It's not that," she said. "I'm just stating facts, and I have work this afternoon." Yesterday, David called her about a special case. The patient sounded unusual, so she had set the meeting for the afternoon. Kayden looked even sadder. He had thought coming in meant they could spend more time together, but now, she wanted him to leave right away. He asked pitifully, "Ma'am, could you let me stay a little longer? I'll be alone when I go back." "Alone?" Charlotte frowned. "Why alone? Don't you have other family?" "Daddy is busy. He works most of the time, and he isn't healthy. If something happens, he can't take care of me. Grandpa and Grandma are overseas, so I'm alone at home." Charlotte felt puzzled. He mentioned his grandparents but not his mother. Did Lydia not look after him? Moreover, this wasn't the first time Kayden mentioned his father was ill. Was Brian really sick? That made no sense. When they were married, he had been as fit as could be. Even if something had gone wrong, the Norman family could have easily hired the best doctors for him. Maybe she had mistaken the voice last night, and the caller hadn't been Brian? She couldn't help asking, "What's your dad's name?" "Brian Norman," Kayden answered. Her heart skipped a beat—she hadn't been mistaken. So what was going on? She gave up thinking about it. They had divorced long ago, and his life had nothing to do with hers. Still, she couldn't let Kayden stay all day. After weighing her options, she said, "Alright, you can stay until lunch. We'll eat together, and then you can go home. Okay?" He smiled and nodded. "Okay! Thank you, pretty ma'am!" He leaned in and planted a kiss on her cheek. His small stature and bright smile reminded her of Amber—they really did look a bit alike. After all, they were half-siblings. Since they had a plan in place, Charlotte started lunch. The sitter had stocked fresh food, so no trip to the store was needed. Kayden trotted after her. "Pretty ma'am, need help?" She looked down at him, amused. "Do you even know how?" He looked like a well-cared-for child. Kayden answered honestly, "I don't, but I can learn. I'm smart. I'm a quick learner." "Alright." Charlotte liked that spirit. She always taught her daughter to do things independently. She gave him a stool and said, "Stand here and wash the vegetables. Pick off the leaves like this." She then taught him how to pick off the leaves, which he caught on at once. "Pretty ma'am, am I great?" He beamed at the cleaned greens in front of him. "You're amazing, Kayden," she praised. While their kitchen buzzed with joy, the Norman residence was a mess.