Whispers Turn to Whimpers: Could He Ever Change?

"There you go, good boy."

Sylvia quickly instructed the housekeeper, "Hurry, prepare the medicine again!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Here, give it to him!" Sylvia carried the medicine over to Francis.

Francis coaxed and fed James, who was very cooperative and didn't make a fuss.

"Oh dear..." Sylvia felt a twinge of envy, smiling, "Dad's always the best, huh? I couldn't do the trick."

James' cheeks were flushed as he clung to Francis' hand.

Sylvia, sensing the moment, said, "Daddy's back now, James. You have a good time with dad, and we'll leave you two."

She left with the housekeeper, smiling.

By the bedside, Francis watched over James, applying a new fever patch.

"Daddy..." James' voice was hoarse from the fever, "Are you my real daddy?"

Huh? Francis paused for a second, then quickly understood what James meant. He nodded affirmatively, "Yes, daddy is your real daddy, your very own."

Hearing this, James' lips quivered, and tears started falling.

He was young, but not naive. He understood what that meant.

Sobbing, he asked, "Then, daddy, where's my mommy?"

Pausing, he added, "Not the auntie, I mean, my real mommy, the one who gave birth to me?"

"

for words... How

knew where his mom was, but their relationship wasn't exactly

"Daddy."

James let his imagination wander, "Is my mommy... is she dead? Not in this world anymore?" "No, not

didn't even have to think before he denied

very much alive! Perhaps not in

mouth puckered again,

puzzled by his son's thought process, "Why would you

"It must

true!" James' tears

freely, the picture

doesn't like James.

comes to

Content

presenting his pouty rear to his dad in

to say something but

he supposed to comfort

like James? He

mother loves

James had a complicated relationship. Rebecca hadn't wanted James... After James was born,

James.

It was his fault.

was probably an existence Rebecca wished to forget forever... A nightmare,

bed, James, still upset, eventually

massaged his temples, then tucked James

James murmured,