As winter break wrapped up and the new school year kicked off, Jeffery was gearing up for kindergarten.
The kindergarten they initially picked for him had some changes.
Nicole chatted with Josephine and decided they still wanted Jeffery to go to Celestia Springs for kindergarten.
This was the same place Gerald went to as a kid, and Ulysses had been there too.
Back in the day, the kids there all came from similar backgrounds, mostly military or political families. It was pretty exclusive, not just anyone could get in.
After getting the lowdown, Josephine realized Nicole wanted Jeffery to hang out with kids from similar backgrounds. She was on board with that.
But since Jeffery was heading to Celestia Springs, she had to let Andrew know.
Surprisingly, Andrew was all for it. He even said, "If you all are going to Celestia Springs, I'm thinking of retiring there too."
"All of us?" Josephine was a bit confused.
Andrew replied, "Of course, if you go, do you think Stuart would stay in Hustalia?"
Josephine felt a bit awkward.
Andrew added, "As long as you all are happy, it doesn't matter where I retire."
Andrew planning to move to Celestia Springs was a big deal.
Stuart had been on the hunt for a good villa. He had a few places in Celestia Springs, but finding one that suited Andrew and wasn't too far from The Clarence Family was tough.
Finally, Steven had a buddy who needed cash fast and had to sell his villa, which Stuart bought. The villa was in a prime spot, well-kept, and close to the city but still quiet with a park nearby.
It was perfect for Andrew's retirement. The best part was it was close to The Clarence Family, just a ten-minute drive away.
And the kindergarten Jeffery was about to attend was right next to The Clarence Family, just a few minutes' walk, super convenient.
Stuart had the villa spruced up.
Since the previous owner had kept it in great shape and the decor was nice, there was no need for a full renovation.
Stuart just tweaked some of the decor to match Andrew's taste.
Andrew thought it was unnecessary, saying he didn't have many years left, and the young folks should decorate it how they liked. But Stuart didn't listen. He made all that money so his family could enjoy it.
With money, things get done fast, and soon enough, everything was ready.
Elbert and Carol were mostly busy, but they said they'd visit Celestia Springs during their breaks.
So, the whole family finally moved to Celestia Springs.
Josephine left two days before Stuart.
Jeffery left even earlier; Gerald said he'd take him to check out the school and get familiar with it. But when they got to Celestia Springs, Nicole took over.
Taking Jeffery to school was something Nicole wanted to do. She used to stay home a lot because of her health and rarely went out.
Gerald had tried all sorts of ways to get her out, but she never wanted to.
Now that she was willing to do something, Gerald was all for it.
Nicole rarely went out, so not many people knew her. So, when she took Jeffery to school, no one knew who she really was.
The school was just like those fancy international kindergartens. Actually, the facilities were even better than those elite kindergartens.
But you couldn't tell from the outside. They didn't want to attract any criticism. So, it was all about understated luxury.
After checking out the school, Nicole asked Jeffery how he liked it, and he said it was good.Honestly, Jeffery felt that as long as Josephine was with him, it didn't matter where he studied.
Before, it was just him and Josephine, but now he had more family around. Even though he usually acted mature for his age, it was clear he was really happy lately, finally getting to enjoy being a kid again.
After leaving the kindergarten, Nicole said, "The place is nice, and the facilities are great, but the teachers don't seem very enthusiastic."
Jeffery replied, "The teacher who held my hand was nice."
Nicole nodded, "Yeah, that stern-looking one seems to be some kind of leader. But don't worry, you won't be with her anyway."
When they got back, Nicole had a video call with Josephine, asking when she'd be coming.
Josephine said, "I'm finishing up here. If everything goes well, I can be there by tomorrow morning."
Nicole said, "Your room is next to Jeffery's, is that okay? You can check it out first, and if you don't like it, we can change it later."
Knowing Josephine agreed to come to Celestia Springs, Nicole was thrilled. But she didn't dare to directly ask Josephine to stay at The Clarence Family, instead carefully expressing her wish. She said there was always a room for her at home.
Hearing this, Josephine's eyes welled up with tears as she smiled and asked, "Is it really okay for me to stay? Would I be too much of a bother?"
Nicole was also moved to tears, "The Clarence Family is your home, and the door is always open for you!"
So, that was settled, but Josephine hadn't arrived yet.
Jeffery, however, had come from Hustalia and moved directly into The Clarence Family.
Since finding out about Jeffery, Gerald had someone prepare a children's room.
It was next to Josephine's room, with good orientation, a large space, and even a small playground inside.
Jeffery was different from other kids; he seemed like a little adult, without any of the annoying traits of a typical child. He was always quiet and polite.
He wasn't too concerned about his own room but was particularly interested in Josephine's room, giving several suggestions to Gerald, who was in charge of the decor.
When Josephine arrived at The Clarence Family, she was really happy with her room.
Seeing Josephine come with just a backpack, Nicole was a bit worried. She was concerned that Josephine didn't plan to stay long, so she asked, "Josephine, if you're moving, remember to ask Gerald to help you pack."
Josephine said, "Mom, I'm not moving. I'll occasionally go back to Hustalia, so I'll just leave my things there."
"Then you only brought this much stuff?"
Josephine smiled, "Just some toiletries and a few changes of clothes because I might be busy at the research institute here and stay there."
Nicole felt heartbroken, "You only have a few clothes? How will that be enough?"
That night, the latest collections from various luxury brands were delivered.
Nicole took the liberty of putting all the clothes that fit Josephine's size into her wardrobe.
Buying clothes wasn't enough; she also got matching accessories and bags.
Josephine was amused, "Mom, the clothes you bought before are already enough. I don't have many occasions to wear so many clothes."
"If you don't wear them, just keep them. You might need to attend some events with me in the future. How can you go without clothes?"
Ulysses, who was nearby, said, "Grandma, when are you planning to attend events? You used to never go when people invited you!"
So, many people in the upper circles of Celestia Springs didn't know Nicole. Everyone knew her name, but few had actually seen her.