Stolen Identity: Mute Heiress-Chapter 386: Family Dinner

The building stood wide and warm, lights glowing through the windows inside.

Jamal turned off the engine. "Let’s go in through the back. We will surprise them better that way."

After they stepped out of the car, Jamal walked ahead and pressed in the passcode for the gate that led to the backyard.

It clicked open softly, and they walked through quietly.

Immediately, bright laughter floated through the air. The laughter was loud and familiar. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Dawn stopped walking when she saw him. Her heart squeezed, and she smiled brightly as she watched Josh run across the patio with a small white toy poodle chasing him.

"I’ve missed him."

"Me too," Jamal said with a grin, watching as Josh screamed with joy as the dog barked playfully behind him.

Tears gathered in Dawn’s eyes. "Josh always told me he wanted a dog," she whispered. "But he couldn’t have one because of Ryan’s allergy."

Jamal looked at her gently. "Then we will get him one."

Josh turned mid-run and paused when he saw them. "Daddy!" he screeched and ran straight toward Jamal and jumped into his arms.

Presley and Mila, who were sitting nearby on their phones, looked up immediately. Their faces lit up when they saw Jamal.

Jamal laughed and lifted him easily. "Hey, baby!"

Josh wrapped his arms around Jamal’s neck tightly. "I missed you."

Mila hugged Dawn warmly. "We saw your video!" Mila said excitedly. "You’re trending online. I told all my friends that I know you."

Dawn laughed softly and hugged her back. "Of course, you do."

When Jamal finally set Josh down, Josh turned to his mother.

Dawn pouted playfully. "I’m beginning to think your Dad is your favourite person."

Josh grinned. "You’re both my favourite."

She bent down and hugged him tightly while Jamal talked with both his siblings.

Just then, the patio doors opened and Jamal’s mother, Candace, stepped out first.

She smiled the moment she saw them. "Jamal, Dawn," she said warmly and pulled Dawn into a hug. "I’m so happy you’re finally here," she said gently.

Then she turned to Jamal and embraced him too.

Behind her, Jamal’s dad stepped out, followed by his grandparents.

"It’s good to see you again," Matt told Dawn as he embraced her.

She smiled at him, "I guess I can get an autograph now."

He chuckled, "Of course. As long as I get one and a picture. You’re even more famous than I am right now," he teased, and she giggled before going to embrace his grandparents.

Everyone noticed that she stuck more to Aaron’s side and looked at him with puppy devotion.

Soon they all moved inside for dinner.

The dining table was large, and as Candace and Mila carried the dishes from the kitchen, Dawn stood quickly. "Let me help."

Candace smiled. "You’re our guest."

"I prefer to think I’m family. Even if I’m not married to Jamal yet, Josh is your grandson, and Grandpa Aaron is my granddaddy, so that makes me family," Dawn replied, making Candace laugh.

Before she could speak, Presley joked, "If he is your granddaddy and he is also Jamal’s granddaddy, what does that make you two? Cousins?"

"Grand couple?" Dawn retorted.

They all laughed, including Candace. "Well, let’s go then."

"Since you have Dawn to help, I can just sit down, right?" Mila asked her mom with a bright smile.

Her mother walked away with a roll of her eyes.

Jamal watched with a smile as Dawn followed his mom into the kitchen.

Back at the table, everyone talked at once as they ate. Everyone talked about what was going on presently in their lives, and they all did a conference video call with Harry and his family, as well as Andy and her husband.

After dinner, Dawn offered to assist Mila with the dishes while Jamal excused himself to take a stroll with his Dad and his brother.

Candace watched Dawn quietly as she did the dishes with Mila, who seemed more engrossed with what was going on in her phone than with the dishes.

"Go," Candace said, shooing Mila away, and she happily left the kitchen and let Candace take over.

"You are settling in so well," Candace said softly as she rinsed the dishes.

Dawn smiled at her. "I hope so."

Candace smiled. "You are. I love how bold and confident you are. You remind me of my sister, Andy."

"I remind you of Aunt Andy?" Dawn asked incredulously since Jamal had told her a little about Andy, and she had seen for herself over the video call a while ago.

Candace laughed. "Well, I’m not sure what you heard about her, but I don’t mean you are as wild as she is. I mean you fit in easily. I had a hard time doing that. So, it’s admirable."

"Thank you."

"And you did a wonderful job with Josh. He’s a delightful boy," Candace said.

"I wish I could take the credit for that. That wasn’t me," Dawn said with a small smile. "I mean, I only started mothering him recently."

"But you were present in his life even though it was virtual. Give yourself some credit."

They continued in silence for a while, then Dawn looked at Candace. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure. Anything."

"How did you tell Jamal about his father’s death?" Dawn asked, then quickly added. "I have to tell Josh about Ryan’s death, but I don’t know how to go about it."

Candace nodded thoughtfully. "You don’t have to tell him right now. He is smart, but he’s still a kid, so spare him the news. He isn’t asking about Ryan, is he?"

Dawn shook her head. "He hasn’t asked yet. But I’m pretty sure he’s curious."

"Don’t bring it up unless he does. And even then, don’t tell him outrightly that Ryan is dead. You can tell him all of it when he is older and wiser. That was what I did with Jamal."

Dawn nodded thoughtfully. "I will do just that. Thank you."