Chapter 18. Bonding

At 6 p.m., she heard a car drive in, and she knew it was Lionel. She went into Zion’s room and took his hand, and together they made their way out of the bedroom and into the living room. She let him hold on to the birthday gift bag they got for Nine and Nina, Greg and Diya’s twin girls.

They came outside the house, and they met Lionel beside his car and Ivan standing beside him. Whatever they spoke about didn’t lighten Lionel’s mood or worsen it. He kept a neutral expression, and she didn’t want to listen to it. He looked neat and in good spirits; he had his hair brushed to the side, which gave him a mature look. He had a cream shirt and green trousers to keep it simple.

“Uncle Lionel! Uncle Ivan!” Zion called out, released her hand, and raced towards them.

The two uncles turned to face him, and Lionel bent and picked him up when he got close to him. “You’re so big. You’re even bigger now than the last time I saw you.” Lionel spoke with an incredibly cheerful tone