THE FORGOTTEN HEIRESS-Chapter 218: He Doesn’t Need To Be Thanked

Kathleen leaned in closer to Eleanor. "I know it must have been frightening, darling."

She scrutinized Eleanor’s face as she carefully asked the next question. "Did you have any bad dreams at night?"

Eleanor jogged her memory but couldn’t remember if she had any bad dreams. The only dream she remembered couldn’t be considered a bad dream.

In fact she would have loved the dream to be repeated every night but she was afraid to share it with her mother because she might get upset.

At the end of the day she could only shake her head. "No, mummy, I didn’t have any bad dreams."

"Are you sure?"

"Mm-hmm," Eleanor nodded vigorously to convince her mother and continued taking her juice.

Kathleen ruffled Eleanor’s hair." That’s OK, but you must remember to tell mummy if you don’t feel well. Don’t hide anything from mummy, OK?"

"I won’t, mummy."

Kathleen reached out and held Eleanor in a warm embrace. "That’s my brave little girl and I’m so proud of you."

"Thanks, Mom." Eleanor’s smile broadened as she recalled the special warmth and comfort she got from her father’s embrace in the pool.

"Do you know something mom? The special guest at the event...," she paused to check her mother’s reaction. "He looked so familiar," she continued when she didn’t see any visible change in Kathleen’s expression.

In the long run, Eleanor couldn’t stop herself from yielding to the pressure that her childhood nature was putting on her.

Kathleen’s hand that was holding Eleanor stilled for a few seconds and before she could come up with an explanation Eleanor’s next words made the words in her mouth retract back.

"He looks so much like Brother. Do you think he is our dad?"

Kathleen’s antenna went up at the look on Eleanor’s face. It was the same enchanted look she also had on her face when she first met Shawn.

’Has she started developing feelings for him already, from just a single encounter?’

She forced herself to relax and asked. "Did he say anything to you?"

Eleanor’s blue eyes squinted in confusion. "Something like what, mummy?" She asked innocently as she obviously didn’t know what her mother was talking about.

"Did he..., forget about it," Kathleen ended up saying.

Kathleen couldn’t bring herself to ask her question. How will it sound if she asks her daughter if her father had requested to know their identity.

Eleanor decided to give her mom a way out. "He didn’t say anything bad, mummy. He only told me not to be scared, that I was safe."

"Yes, sweetheart, he didn’t lie. And see, you’re safe, and that’s what matters most."

Understanding that her mother didn’t want to talk about their father, Eleanor had no choice but to drop the topic.

"Yeah, yeah! I’m safe now and I get to skip school today. I’m sure Sophia will be jealous of me now," she giggled at her own joke.

Kathleen released a deep breath and gave Eleanor’s soft cheek a gentle squeeze. "It’s just for a day, you are returning back to school tomorrow."

"But tomorrow is Saturday mom. We don’t go to school on weekends," Eleanor happily corrected.

Kathleen feigned ignorance. "Is that so?"

"Mm -hmm," Eleanor nodded and darted her eyes around. "Where is brother? I can’t find him anywhere."

"Mom, you have a call from grandma." Elvis rushed in at that moment and handed Kathleen’s phone to her.

"Grandma," Eleanor shouted, intending to speak with her grandmother, but Kathleen took the phone to where the children would not be able to hear their conversation.

She could clearly guess what the call was about.

"Hello mom,"

"Janice dear. What is this that I am hearing? What happened to Eleanor? Is she alright?"

The questions came one after the other in quick succession and Kathleen didn’t know which one to start answering.

"Mom! Nothing happened to her. It was just a small accident in the pool at their kindergarten where she was swimming. She’s alright as we speak."

"Are you sure? Or you’re just saying that so that I will not be worried."

Kathleen was speechless. Do all grand moms need to be this worried? "Mom, I’ve assessed her and nothing is wrong with her. You heard from her voice just now. Does she sound like something is wrong with her?

"That’s good to know. Pay close attention to her especially when she is quiet and doing nothing.There must be no sequel,"

"I know mom, that’s why I canceled all my appointments for today to be with her," Kathleen said.

"You did well my dear," Stacy commended. "How are you planning to go about thanking her savior," Stacy asked.

"He doesn’t need to be thanked."

"What do you mean? Whether you like it or not, you are indepted to him."

"But he is her father. It is the least he could do. After all, I’ve been taking care of them all by myself for close to six years now," Kathleen argued.

"You can’t blame him for that. You never gave him the chance to do that," Stacy pointed out.

"I don’t need his help," Kathleen declared stubbornly. She didn’t understand her mother’s point of view. Is she in any way insinuating that she is to be blamed for that?

"Then stop complaining," Stacy said from the other end. "But you must find a way to thank him for what he did for Eleanor. At least thank him as you would any other person that did that noble feat for your daughter. I know you wouldn’t want the children growing up to be ingrates"

Putting it that way, Kathleen had no excuse to refute her mother.

"Ok mummy, I will find time to see him," Kathleen agreed grudgingly.

"You have to do it as soon as possible. Don’t drag it beyond necessary," she ordered, but in a more compelling tone.

"I will, Mom, but I hope it won’t go beyond this," she warned.

She had a hunch there was more to her mother’s request.

"What are you afraid of?"

Kathleen didn’t miss the chuckle that filtered into her ears before her mother ended the call.