Chapter 560 Chapter 560: Don’t Stay Up Too Late
Estelle settled the two girls into their child seats, making sure they were safely buckled up. Yohan, who was a bit older, got into the car on his own. Then, Estelle took the driver’s seat and said to the kids, “Alright, I’ll get you some ice cream. But each of you can have just one.”
“Yay! Thank you, Mom!” All three children cheered at the same time.
Observing their happy smiles in the rearview mirror, Estelle couldn’t help but think, ‘Children find happiness in simple things. These little things make them joyful and content, whether it’s ice cream, chocolate, dolls, or cartoons. If only adults could find happiness so easily.’
Yvonne and Christina, being close in age and attending the same kindergarten, had plenty to talk about. They chatted and played rock-paper-scissors together, filling the car with their laughter.
“Christina, you won!” Christina celebrated her victory with excitement.
Yvonne, who had lost a few rounds, lost interest in the game. She leaned halfway out of her seat and suggested, “Let’s play something else. How about playing with Barbie dolls?” As she spoke, she reached out to grab her bag.
Yohan, seated to Yvonne’s left, offered to help, saying, “Stay put. I’ll get it for you.” He then retrieved a Barbie doll from Yvonne’s school bag and handed it to her.
Listening to the children’s conversation, Estelle realized even the mundane task of driving was enjoyable. With a smile, she joined their chat, saying, “It sounds like all of you had a great day. Did you get along well with your classmates and friends at school and kindergarten?”
“Of course,” Yohan replied proudly. “Mom, you always tell me to be helpful, so when my classmates had questions, I tried to answer them all.”
“Good job!” Estelle praised him. Then she turned to Yvonne and Christina, asking, “Girls, how about you? Did you have a good time with the other children at kindergarten?”
Tilting her head, Yvonne thought about her day at kindergarten and replied sweetly, “Yes, Mom. Christina and I had fun playing with the other kids. We built blocks and went on the swings together.”
Excited, Christina chimed in and began sharing the exciting activities from kindergarten with Estelle, saying, “Mom, we played a new game with our teacher today, and our teacher said we can play it with our parents on weekends.”
“Is it a parent-child game? Okay, I’ll join in and play the games with you when I have some free time,” Estelle said with a smile.
At that moment, the traffic light turned red, and she brought the car to a halt. While waiting for the light to turn green, she checked her phone and noticed over a hundred unread messages in the kindergarten’s group chat.
Opening the group chat, Estelle saw numerous responses of “Roger” and “Got it.” She scrolled to the top of the chat and found a message addressed to everyone in the group.
‘@All Dear parents, to strengthen family bonds and help the children learn about teamwork, our kindergarten hosts a parent-child activity themed ‘Helping Our Children Grow.’ This weekend, we’ll have lots of fun games and surprises for all of you. We hope you can join us! We’re looking forward to seeing you there!’
The message was from one of the kindergarten teachers. Estelle couldn’t help but smile at how the teacher’s message seemed to persuade parents in the same way they might with children. However, her smile froze when she read the words “parent-child activity” again.
“Yvonne, Christina, would you like Grandma and me to take you and your brother to the event?” Estelle asked casually.
Christina spoke up first, pouting slightly. “Mom, what about Dad? Our teacher said it’s a parent-child activity, so both Mom and Dad should go. Plus, our classmates mentioned there’s going to be a fathers’ competition. I bet Dad would win if he came.”
“Yeah, Dad is our superhero. I hope he can come with us,” Yvonne quickly added, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
It had been a long time since the three kids had seen their father. Yohan, being the older one in primary school, tried to act tough and hide his feelings, even though he missed his Dad. However, the two girls were different. They worried that their mom and Dad would permanently separate, which was indeed Estelle’s plan. But she was unsure how to make the girls accept it. She felt a pang of sadness as she looked at them with hopeful eyes.
“Dad really wants to come, but his legs haven’t fully healed yet,” Estelle offered a reasonable excuse. She gently reassured them, “I know you miss your Dad a lot, but he can’t participate in the activity right now. How about we plan a trip to the amusement park a few days later?” At the same time, Estelle couldn’t help but think, ‘Cristofer may not need a wheelchair anymore, but he still requires a cane due to his unhealed condition. Participating in a kindergarten event involving running and jumping would be too challenging for him.’
Yohan, showing consideration, said, “Mom, don’t worry. I’ll do my best and be a good big brother.” He then held his two sisters’ hands and pleaded, “I’ll go with you. I promise we’ll be just as good as the other kids, and we’ll win any prize you want.”
Yvonne and Christina were a little disappointed, but they were always thoughtful and didn’t want to upset their mom or brother. They lowered their heads and reluctantly agreed, even though they felt disheartened. Estelle couldn’t help but feel guilty for making them sad.
When they arrived home, Aurora had prepared dinner. She noticed that her granddaughters seemed down, so she discreetly asked Estelle about it when she fetched the cutlery. Aurora sighed and said, “He doesn’t have to go to the event. The children just want to see their Dad.”
Estelle smiled wryly because she understood that, too. But she had her own struggles. She didn’t seem willing to discuss Cristofer, so she ended the conversation by taking the cutlery from Aurora. She returned to the dining room and smiled at the children, saying, “Before dinner, you must wash your hands. Come with me.”
Aurora sensed that Estelle was intentionally avoiding the topic of Cristofer, so she didn’t press further. After dinner, she went to help the children with their homework. Then she told Estelle, “You can go to work. I can assist them with their primary school homework.”
“Okay. But remember, Mom, you can only give each of them one ice cream cone if they ask you,” Estelle emphasized, showing her concern for the children’s health.
“I know,” Aurora replied with a warm smile. “Don’t stay up too late, dear. You need to take care of yourself too.”