When a Well-Raised Son Grows Up - Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Abella stepped towards Carlisle and nuzzled his furry nape without thinking.

‘He must be hurt.’

She didn’t have to ask if he was hurt; she felt a burning sensation in her chest. Abella soothed Carlisle, who stood there, unable to protest.

“It’s okay, honey; don’t pay attention to her.”

“Abella, wait……!”

Esha blurted out, looking at Abella, who was desperately trying to calm Carlisle down but wouldn’t let Esha speak.

“What you just said is very disappointing,” Abella said.

“No, I didn’t mean to say that…”

“Okay, so you’re right, we’re not really family by any stretch of the imagination since we’re not related by blood, but did you have to tell him?”

Abella’s arms around Carlisle were shaking with anger.

“I apologize for not telling you about Carlisle earlier. It’s not an easy topic to discuss.”

“Abella…….”

“But that doesn’t mean you get to be mean to him.”

Abella picked up Carlisle and carried him into the house with a basket of blueberries hovering over his mouth.

Inside, she remained speechless for a long time.

Abella stood in silence, not offering Carlisle any words of comfort or lashing out at Esha’s gossip.

Carlisle began to worry as he watched her stand there for what seemed like forever.

“Hmmm…….”

Carlisle let out a pained yelp and pushed a basket of blueberries at her feet with the bridge of his nose.

However, Abella only pitifully shook her shoulders, her pink eyes never turning to Carlisle in affection.

Growing impatient, Carlisle moved closer to Abella and began rubbing against her. The fluffy fur rubbed against Abella affectionately. She responded.

“Baby”

He stood still and wondered what she was doing. She was crying

with her head bowed and tears streaming down her cheeks. Upon noticing the swollen corners of her eyes, Carlisle panicked and shifted quickly.

Carlisle, who was now a head taller than Abella, bent down to meet her eye level and asked,

‘Mother, why are you crying?’

He gently wiped away her tears and reassured her, ‘Don’t cry; I’m fine.’

However, the reassurance failed to stop her tears. Instead, it made her cry even harder. Her tear ducts collapsed at the gentle touch, and she began to cry more loudly.

I apologize; I was not aware that Esha had said that.

Abella was criticizing herself. It was a surprising turn of events.

Carlisle, who had hiked up the mountain that morning to gather blueberries and mushrooms for Abella, was now unexpectedly listening to her friend.

‘I should have known that you were uncomfortable with Esha,’ Abella said.

He wiped away her tears and cupped his hand in hers, rubbing his cheek.

“I’m sorry, Carlisle; I’m sorry; I’m so, so sorry…”

“There’s no need to apologize; I’m fine,” Carlisle said, cheerfully shrugging his shoulders. But his attempt at nonchalance only made her feel worse.

“It’s not okay…”

She struggled to speak through her tears, only managing to cry through her teeth and bite her lip.

She couldn’t bear to confront Carlisle, and all she could manage was a simple apology.

“hmph…….”

Carlisle should be the one crying, not her. She shouldn’t cry so incompetently.

Carlisle resented her for repeatedly crying. He looked at her and opened his arms, trapping her tightly in his arms.

“I’m okay.”

“Carlisle”

“I am more upset that you are crying.”

Abella’s tears continued to flow, and Carlisle comforted her by gently patting her back. His embrace provided warmth and security, causing her to cry uncontrollably.

Abella spoke unintelligibly, but Carlisle still listened closely.

A large hand stroked her long pink hair in an attempt to calm her.

‘I never thought I’d see her cry like this.’

Carlisle’s eyes took on a meaningful glow.

He moved away from Abella, who continued to cry uncontrollably. He lifted her like a princess, light enough to be carried with one hand, and strode toward the bed with a brisk, wide stride.

When he saw her crying in his arms, she was already swollen. However, he did not want to let her know that.

Carlisle calmly laid her down on the bed and followed suit. She then burrowed back into his arms, as if she had been waiting for him.

“hmph…….”

“Shhh, stop crying, mommy.”

“I’m sorry for crying. I’m pathetic crying.”

“What do you mean, pathetic? You’re not pathetic at all.”

Today was somehow the opposite of normal for the two of them.

Carlisle was busy soothing her, and she was busy crying, unable to control her emotions.

And so Abella spent many more tearful hours in his arms.

Carlisle’s chest was soaked with tears, and she struggled to catch her breath.

“Are you feeling better now?”

“Yes, thank you.”

“Don’t thank me; I didn’t do anything. Thank you instead.”

“What do you mean? You have nothing to thank me for.”

“You have been listening to my side.”

Carlisle whispered in Abella’s ear, his voice soft and gentle.

“You have likely known your friend longer than I have. I am grateful for that alone.”

“I don’t mind how long Esha has been my friend; disrespecting my family is not acceptable.”

Of course, Carlisle would be lying if he said he wasn’t hurt by Esha’s words.

But once again, he was reminded that Abella was his family, his ally, and his protector, and he struggled to calm his thumping heart.

‘Of course, he didn’t expect her to show up so suddenly…….’

It was fortunate that it worked out in the end. Carlisle smiled shyly as he handed the pod to Abella. Her hand was much smaller than him.

“Don’t worry, I wasn’t hurt,” she said.

” a lie”

“Actually, I almost got hurt, but you hugged me up like this.”

Carlisle pulled out his furry tail and wrapped it around Abella’s waist.

“Don’t feel bad. I picked a bunch of blueberries in the mountains this morning. Would you like to make a pie together?”

Carlisle remembered when he was younger, Abella had offered to teach him how to make pies. They had worked on the dough together, even though he preferred pies with meat.

He tried to memorize the recipe because it was her favorite.

Thanks to her, he could now make a pretty convincing pie.

“Oh, and I brought some mushrooms, too, because I remembered you said you wanted some roasted mushrooms the other day…….”

Carlisle trailed off, sneaking a glance at Abella. The corners of Abella’s eyes were once again damp with moisture.

“hmph…… Carlisle…….”

Abella was showing a new side. A side not usually seen in adults. Carlisle was amused, but also a little bitter. The twitch of his lips showed it.

“Oh, Mom. Why are you crying again?”

With a loving touch, he caressed the corners of her eyes. She felt an indescribable wave of emotion wash over her as she looked into the blind red eyes that seemed to know only her. The coquettish smile and bushy tail completed the picture.

‘How can there be a wolf so warm and innocent in this world?’

Funnily enough, Abella genuinely thought so, and she threw herself into the arms of the wolf that was so eagerly pursuing her.

Carlisle was only too happy to hold her.