Chapter 22
Susan hurried to the bed and whispered, “Miss Yolanda, what’s wrong?”
Seeing the maid, Yolanda cried even harder. “I want Daddy… I want Daddy…”
She slapped the bedsheet harder and kicked her legs in distress.
Susan reached out to comfort her, “Miss Yolanda, Mr. Logan has already left. He asked Mrs. Logan to take you to preschool. Let me wash you up, alright?”
Yolanda saw the grease on Susan’s hand and pushed it away with disdain. “Get your dirty hands off me.”
Susan withdrew her hand and softly comforted her, “Don’t cry, Miss Yolanda. When Mrs. Logan returns, she can help you get cleaned up, okay?”
Yolanda turned her face away in displeasure. “I don’t want her to help me.”
Susan sighed, yet still trying to be patient. “Miss Yolanda, let me help you get you ready before Ms. Logan comes back. Or you’ll be late.”
But Yolanda refused to listen. “Go away! You’re not my mom.”
Out of options, Súsan calle propy
He answered quickly. “What’s wrong?”
Susan was sweating with anxiety, “Mr. Loganr, Miss Yolanda’s crying and refuses to back early?”
“She hasn’t come back yet?‘ Charles asked, his voice tightening.
“No, not yet.”
After a pause, Charles said, “Put Yolanda on the phone.”
let
me
wash her. Could you ask Mrs. Logan to come
Susan complied and brought the phone to Yolanda. “Miss Yolanda, it’s
your father.”
Though unhappy, Yolanda grabbed the phone. “Daddy…” Her voice was hoars
from crying.
“What are you crying for?” His tone was firm, not gentle.
Yolanda recognized the discontent in her father’s tone and responded softly, “You left without telling me. I woke up and you were gone.”
Charles didn’t explain, but his voice became sharply commanding, “Let Susan wash and braid your hair. When your mother comes back, she’ll take you to preschool.”
“But I…”
“That’s final.”
Yolanda was about to argue, but her father’s tone intimidated her into silence.
She lowered her head and reluctantly said, “Fine.”
“I’ll call her to pick you up. If you don’t want to talk to her, don’t. But she’s still your mother, and it’s her duty to take you to school.”
“Okay, Daddy.”
After hanging up, Charles called Teresa, but she didn’t answer–she was at the clinic, phone on silent,
He guessed she might have left her phone when taking Richard out and so didn’t call again.
He thought, ‘No matter her feelings, Yolanda was still her daughter; she wouldn’t completely neglect her.’
With that in mind, he sent her a text: [Take Yolanda to school. I’m at the office.]
On the other side, Susan had just dressed Yolanda, braided her hair, and served her breakfast.
1/2
11:29 AM Po
Chapter 22
From 8:00 to 8:20, they waited, but Teresa still hadn’t returned.
Susan was getting anxious and quickly ran out to search for her.
0
At that moment, Richard came to the foyer with his cane and frowned at Susan’s hurried steps. “What’s the rush?”
Susan looked behind him but didn’t see Teresa, so she asked with confusion, “Mr. Logan, where’s Mrs. Logan? Miss Yolanda will be late if she doesn’t come soon.”
Richard frowned. “She left nearly an hour ago. Isn’t Charles upstairs? Why isn’t he taking her?”
“He’s gone too. He told me to have Mrs. Logan take her.”
Richard’s face darkened. “She’s been gone nearly an hour. What’s Charles thinking–ignoring his own daughter’s schooling?”
Hearing this, Yolanda burst into tears in the living room. “Bad Mommy! Bad Mommy!”
Richard’s heart ached. He scooped her up, soothing her. “Don’t cry, sweetheart. I will take you to school.”
Yolanda cried uncontrollably, and Mr. Logan comforted her for several minutes. Finally, she stopped, though still sobbing.
In the end, Mr. Logan had the driver take Yolanda to preschool.
By the time they arrived, it was already 9:00, and the other kids were already dancing.
Yolanda stood at the school gate. The teacher who usually greeted her wasn’t at the gate.
The security guard unlocked the gate and asked kindly, “Miss Yolanda, why are you late today?”
Upon hearing this, Yolanda’s tears started flowing again, and she cried even harder.
Normally, it was Naomi who took her to school, and Naomi never arrived late. The teachers always praised her and give her a sticker.
But today, there was no sticker for her.
All morning, Yolanda felt the teacher’s eyes on her, cool and distant. Even
Her mood stayed sour all day.
She kept cursing Teresa in her heart, her hatred for her growing sharper by the
No apology, no ride–just making her look disobedient.
She decided she’d never speak to her again.
she raised her hand high, she wasn’t called on.
minute
The clinic closed precisely at 6:00 PM, and Teresa left the hospital.
Sitting in her car, she finally saw the messages on her phone, not only from Charles about taking Yolanda to school, but also one from Howard.
[Teresa, your mom and I have prepared a lot today. Bring Yolanda home for a visit. We just want to
see
our
granddaughter.]
Her father’s repeated request left Teresa with no choice.
So, st