Chapter 46

The Clarkson Mansion, at half-past nine in the evening. "Big brother, water me more so I can grow taller!" Alvina was using a small watering can and enthusiastically pouring water on Alvin. The two of them weren't really watering the plants, instead playing a water splashing game. "Yeah! I will water you more, so you grow into a little tree, ha ha ha!" Alvin emptied the entire can of water onto Alvina's head, both kids laughing so hard they had to hold their stomachs. Unluckily, Melissa saw this and immediately shouted, "Alvin! How could you pour water on your sister’s head? She could catch a cold!" Melissa took away the watering cans from the two kids, held both Alvin and Alvina's hands and said, "Come on, let’s go upstairs and take a bath!" "Mama, let us play a bit more," Alvina pouted unhappily. "You cannot play anymore, it's already half past nine, you two must be in bed by ten!" Melissa grabbed the two troublemakers and took them to the bathroom. "Mama!" Alvina whined, twisting in protest as she was hesitant to climb into the bathtub. "Don’t try that with me, I will not cave into your tricks," Warned Melissa when she saw Alvina was having too much fun and decisively enforced her maternal authority. If they kept playing like this, they wouldn't ever sleep tonight. "Fine then" Alvina reluctantly bowed her head and started to sit on a small stool to take off her socks. Just then, Melissa noticed a figure standing near the bathroom door from the corner of her eyes. She turned her head and saw Joseph. "Melissa, aren’t you a bit too strict with your kids? Your daughter was enjoying herself, yet you insist she must bathe and sleep. It's quite boring to have such a mother" Said Joseph as he leaned leisurely against the doorpost, seemingly trying to stir the pot between mother and daughter. "Mom, see, even dad agrees that I should play more," Joseph words relit the hope in Alvina that had just been extinguished. "No way! Alvina, I made it clear that he is not your father" Melissa said, her anger simmering. Joseph was really good at talking without having to take any responsibility. He had never raised a child, yet sat there giving pointers? Melissa shot him a glare in annoyance. Feeling that their mother was getting angry, Alvin reminded Alvina "Yeah, Alvina, he is not our real father." "Mr. Clarkson, if you have nothing to do, stop staring at the door like a paedophile!" Melissa went over and slammed the bathroom door shut. Once Joseph was shoved outside the door, his complexion shifted. He originally wanted to see if he could offer any help. It was his fault for being too kind-hearted, he should never have offered to assist her. "Melissa, mind your words!" Joseph sternly warned, before turning around to make his leave. He returned to his room, sitting at the edge of his bed, feeling extremely annoyed. This woman was completely out of line. Homosexual, paedophile, she had called him everything. Never once in his life had he been so insulted! Joseph took a deep breath to calm himself down. Recalling his previous conversation with Melissa at the Clarkson's front gate, he thought there was something he needed to investigate. He was curious about who was the man who called Melissa at the garage that day. Inside the bathroom, Alvina was completely bare, sitting in the bathtub. Melissa was giving her a bath. "Ah choo!" Alvina sneezed. "Alvina, are you cold?" Melissa asked with concern, continuing to rub foam onto Alvina's body. Alvina sniffled, "Not cold." Outside the shower curtain, Alvin had already finished washing his hair and was now brushing his teeth. Melissa quickly rinsed Alvina clean, then wrapped her up in a large bath towel, carrying her over to a small stool to dry her hair. "Alvin, it's your turn to bathe!" Melissa called Alvin over to shower after she had changed the water in the bathtub. "Alright, Mommy, you go blow dry Alvina's hair first, I can wash properly by myself!" Alvin swiftly stepped into the bathtub, beginning to pour water onto himself. "Ah choo!, ah choo!" Alvina sneezed twice in succession. Melissa hurriedly ran over to Alvina, placing her palm on Alvina's forehead to check her temperature. Fortunately, she didn't have a fever. "Alvina, you might have caught a cold, we should get you some medicine when we go back to the room" Melissa spoke as she took a hair dryer from beneath the sink. She plugged in the hairdryer and moved back towards Alvina. "There's no need, Mom. I sneezed just now because a strand of hair went into my nose and it tickled" Alvina defended herself. She didn't want to take any medicine since it was often bitter. "Really?" Melissa began to dry Alvina's hair with the hairdryer, she bent down to look into her eyes as she asked the question. Alvina nodded firmly "It's true, Mom." Melissa looked at Alvina's sincere little eyes and chose to believe her. She had touched her forehead earlier and it didn't feel warm. After drying Alvina's hair, Melissa put the hairdryer back under the sink. Just then, Alvina felt like sneezing again, but she held it back by pinching her nose. "We should go to sleep" Melissa took Alvina into the bedroom first, tucked her in, and only then returned to the bathroom. At this time, Alvin was rinsing off his body, he was self-sufficient enough not to need any help from Melissa. "Mom, I'm done bathing. Can you pass me a towel?" Alvin was not only sensible but also very polite. Compared to his little sister, he seemed more mature, like he was a few years older than her. Melissa passed a towel over, smiling at Alvin approvingly. "Thank you, Mom." Alvin first dried his body with a towel, then wrapped himself up and prepared to leave the bathroom. "Hold on, Alvin." Melissa called Alvin back, believing that drying his hair would prevent him from catching a cold, especially now that the weather was getting cooler. Melissa had Alvin sit on a small chair as she dried his hair with the hairdryer, admiring his handsome little face in the mirror. Comparing his features, he did resemble Joseph somewhat. No wonder Grandma Julia mistook Alvin and Alvina for her great-grandchildren. "Mom, what are you thinking about?" Alvin saw his mom in a daze and asked curiously. Coming back to her senses, Melissa laughed embarrassedly, "Nothing, Mom's just a little sleepy." "Oh, then you should also go to bed early after you're done bathing" Alvin advised his mother warmly after getting off the stool. "Okay, you watch over your sister and make sure she sleeps well, I'll join you after I'm done bathing" Melissa told her son. He really was her capable little helper! "Alright, don't worry, mom." Alvin gave his mother a mischievous smile with an eyebrow raised at the doorway. "Be careful not to be 'peeped on' by the 'bad uncle'!" He then gently closed the bathroom door and left. What a little devil! Melissa smiled at his antics, Alvin was growing up quickly!