Chapter 185
I had a really good sleep without waking up during the night.
In the morning, sunlight streamed in, and the room felt warm and cozy.
After Celestia woke up, she started poking her dad's face with her finger. I'm a light sleeper, so I woke up when she turned over.
Levi felt ticklish from her poking, and a smile crept onto his face.
It's a new year, and we're all a year older today.
"Dad, Happy New Year! I wish you good health, all the best, and don't forget to love me lots."
Celestia pried open his eyes to wake him up.
Levi patted her head, his affectionate gaze unable to hide his joy.
"Celestia, I hope you stay healthy and happy in the new year."
Celestia turned around and smiled at me, "Mom, you're awake."
"Yeah."
"Mom, Happy New Year! I wish you'll stay young and beautiful forever, and have success at work."
Celestia's wishes were different for each person - she knew exactly what to say to each of us.
"Thank you. I hope everything goes well for all of us."
I reached for my phone on the nightstand. Opening it, I saw New Year messages from Nola, and from Elliot...
I don't have many friends. Especially after Mom passed away, I rarely made new friends. In recent years, I've been home raising the kids, and even when I worked at the Morgan Group, I didn't meet many people, so I didn't get many New Year greetings.
That's fine, though. It saves me the hassle of socializing. Anyway, in my heart, I wish everyone well.
"Dad, why is your phone on silent? You have so many messages - can your phone even hold all these messages?"
Celestia snuggled into Levi's arms as they looked at his phone together.
"There's enough storage. Help me go through them."
Maybe Levi has the same obsession as I - I can't stand unread message notifications.
"Okay, Dad. These all look like your work group chats, this one seems to be from your friend, and this one... is from Auntie Jessa?"
Celestia paused, "Dad, is it?"
"Yeah."
"Should I delete this one for you? I don't like her anymore. She always hurts Mom."
Celestia tapped a few times with her little hand and deleted the message.
Levi didn't stop her. He almost never replied to these kinds of messages unless they were from someone special.
"There's another one here with a foreign person's profile picture..."
Celestia looked at Levi, "It's in a foreign language, I can't fully understand it, but one word means happy, oh, it's about the New Year."
I guessed this was a message from Ava, though it could be someone else - after all, Levi's social circle is huge.
"Here's your phone back. Too much work, but I went through them all. I'm going to wash my face now."
Celestia sat up and obediently got out of bed.
"Mom, I wonder if Grandpa and Grandma are back yet. My new clothes are still in their car - we didn't take them out yesterday."
I threw off the covers and got out of bed too, stretching.
"Go wash your face first, we'll go check in a bit."
"Okay."
Levi doesn't have the habit of staying in bed either. He usually gets up and washes up right away. Since Celestia was using the bathroom, he leaned against the headboard waiting.
"If you're busy today, you don't have to go to church."
"You don't want me to go?"
Levi put his phone aside and looked at me.
"That's not what I mean. I'm worried you might have other things to do. You don't need to accommodate me."
"I'm not accommodating you."
He lazily stretched his arms open, then lowered them.
"You're allowed to pray devoutly, but I'm not?"
"Of course you can."
I walked to the window and pulled the curtain open a crack to let some sunlight in.
"There's so much to look forward to this year. I hope our children will be safe and sound."
He could have such thoughtful moments, too. I thought he didn't care about these things.
"Especially you. You got hurt several times last year, and of course, I'm partly responsible."
His words touched my heart. What has God been putting into him these past days? How did he suddenly become so good with words?
He's not the type to say such nice things.
"Mom and Dad, you can go wash up now."
Celestia said as she walked to the door, "I'll go see if Grandpa and Grandma are back. You don't need to worry about me."
"Okay."
"Ladies first."
Levi was letting me wash up first?
When did he become so gentlemanly? Before, he would always wash up first and go to the company, then I'd get ready and drive to the office myself.
"Well, I won't refuse such kindness."
After we both got ready, we came to the living room. Aiden and Rhea were up early and already eating breakfast.
Every year on this day, we go to church after breakfast, then have our main meal at home at noon.
"Grandpa, Happy New Year!"
"Grandma, Happy New Year!"
We both greeted them respectfully.
"Good, good, good! Here are your red envelopes."
"Grandpa, we can't take the red envelopes. We're all grown up now."
I tried to refuse, but Rhea stuffed the red envelope into my hand.
"Just consider it for the two babies."
"Alright then."
Seeing Cleo arrive, I didn't want to refuse anymore, or she'd mock me again.
Celestia held her grandpa and grandma's hands as they walked over. She knelt down and kowtowed to her great-grandparents, "Great-Grandpa, Great-Grandma, Happy New Year!"
"Get up, get up quickly."
Celestia stood up by herself.
"Don't listen to your great-grandfather's old ways. We don't do that anymore. Do your knees hurt?"
"I'm fine, Great-Grandma."
Rhea glared at Levi's parents, "It's modern times now, stop teaching the child these things."
"Haha, I think Celestia did well. No matter what, we can't forget our roots."
Aiden was about to argue with Rhea again.
Cleo pushed Hayden, "Go give your New Year greetings."
"Hayden, come here, here's your red envelope. You can skip the kowtowing, just take care of yourself."
"Thank you, Great-Grandpa."
Hayden still didn't dare to speak clearly - he was hurt pretty badly yesterday.
I turned to greet my in-laws and wished Cleo a Happy New Year.
After yesterday's drama, Cleo wasn't throwing any tantrums today. She actually looked like a proper sister-in-law.
Just as we were eating breakfast, Joseph suddenly showed up for New Year greetings, with Faye following behind him.
"Mr. and Mrs. Morgan, Happy New Year!"
Joseph greeted everyone, and we all stared at each other in surprise.
Aiden stood up with a smile, "Happy New Year to you too! Thank you for coming to see us."
"Grandpa, who is this?"
Cleo asked curiously.
"This is Mr. Finn Skye's nephew."
"The Skye family..."
Cleo looked at me questioningly, "Nola's family?"
I nodded. Joseph's family was connected to the Morgan family through the Skye family. His visit was really at an awkward time.
"Blair, Happy New Year!"
Joseph walked up to me and greeted me especially. I didn't know what to do - he was being so friendly, calling me by my first name.
Faye walked over to us, "Oh, Joseph, you're all the same generation, no need to be so formal."