Chapter 22

Adam slowed the jeep down once he got to the gates of his estate.

He lowered his side window, while a security man came to confirm if he was the one occupying the jeep.

"Donald," Adam nodded at him. "It's me."

"I'm going to have to tell you to lower all the windows, Mr. Adam," Donald said in a serious voice. Adam inwardly smiled as he did what Donald had asked.

Normally his jeep window was tinted so based on security protocols, they had to be sure that no one was holding him at gunpoint in the back seat or anything like that.

Donald turned and nodded.

Ted got the positive signal and put in the password then the huge gates were opened.

"Have a nice day sir," Donald said as he walked back to his post having affirmed that the passengers were the harmless kids.

Adam nodded at Ted as he drove past the other security house and soon, he was zooming towards his house.

Later, Adam stopped in the driveway and all the kids got down before he then went to park the jeep in the garage.

The kids were waiting for him by the entrance and when he got to them; they all entered the house again, with all their bags.

"Listen you guys," Adam started and they all turned to look at him.

"I believe that what I said earlier about you all was very wrong, and I apologize for it." Adam went on. "Also, I meant what I said in the jeep. You'll all be staying with me from henceforth and I'll be your legal guardian, but you all know that I'm engaged to Vanessa Cortwell, and well...," he hesitated a bit.

"We've both decided not to have kids in our marriage, so I cannot adopt you guys."

Reece wanted to say something, but Adam raised his hand, silencing him.

"I'm getting married in six months' time. Until then you'll all live with me in my house. But as soon as I get married, you can't stay here anymore. I'll have a house arranged for you all to be staying in and stash it with everything you need. Mrs. Mann can even be staying with you...I know she won't mind, and I'll still check in on you guys from time to time because I'll still be your guardian," Adam said.

He rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably.

"Or...I dunno if you'd like that. But I can't let you return back to the streets," He paused briefly, then asked, "What do you think?"

Adam looked at them.

"You'd do that.... for us?" Caleb asked with glistening eyes.

Adam smiled a bit. "Yeah, it's the least that I can do," he replied.

"Thank you so much, sir," Lucy whispered in a cracked, emotion-laden voice.

"You ain't going to be bothered if people start wondering why you're staying with five kids all of a sudden? You ain't going to mind your reputation going down?" Reece asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Reece!" Lucy called sharply.

"I just wanted to know. I'd hate to be a burden," Reece murmured, looking away.

Adam shrugged. "Well...who cares what anyone says?" He said with more boldness than he actually felt. He really didn't want to think about that because the thought would overwhelm him.

He didn't even have an idea on how to break the news to Vanessa.

"The bible says that we shouldn't worry about tomorrow, right?" Matt asked in a small voice, not wanting to be kicked out.

Adam smiled weakly at him and he nodded slowly. "Yeah."

Then he heard a quiet whisper.

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

Adam closed his eyes tightly.

Yes, Lord. Take my hand, help me walk with You. He said inwardly.

"Okay guys, go and get settled...I still have to get to work," Adam told them.

"Oh, and you guys can have your phones back, please keep them; I insist," Adam said.

Lucy, Reece, and Caleb hesitantly took the phones that were still on the glass table. Adam smiled at them.

"Go and return your stuff back," Adam said and at once they all dashed up the stairs except Scarlett. She turned to Adam.

"Did you mean it when you said you were sorry?" she asked in a small voice as she looked up at him.

Adam bent to her height.

"Yes, Scarlett. I'm sorry I ever did say hurtful things like that," he said.

She searched his eyes intently and then smiled when she found sincerity there. She clasped her hands around his neck in a hug.

Lucy was coming back to get Scarlett when she saw them. She quickly hid by the side of the staircase, listening to their conversation.

"You forgive me?" Adam asked, quite surprised. He knew that the others hadn't quite forgiven him yet.

Scarlett pulled back from the hug and grinned at him.

"Yup. Seventy times seven times. That's what Jesus said...right?"

Adam blinked; it wasn't easy for him to forgive others that quickly. He was thinking that it was going to be about a week or two before things resumed back to normal between them.

"Um..." Adam couldn't form a suitable reply.

"And I still like you; you're a good man," Scarlett said with a grin. "I really hate fighting with anyone."

"You're a darling! Did you know that?" Adam said as he hugged her again.

"I try my best," Scarlett said with pride as she gave him a dazzling smile again.

"Can I sleep in your room again this night?" she asked him hopefully, her head tilted a bit as she eyed him, expectantly.

Adam stood straight and smiled warmly at her. "Sure thing."

Lucy walked back upstairs quietly, thinking about what Scarlett had said.

"...seventy times seven..."

Lucy sighed as Reece and Caleb rushed past her, heading for the gaming room.

Why is it so easy for Scarlett to forgive?

She missed within herself, a bit envious. She really wanted to forgive Adam, but his words kept replaying in her head, bouncing back like a bad coin.

A knock was heard on the door and she opened it. She saw that it was Adam.

"Good day sir," she tried to smile at him, but it only came out stiffly.

Adam ran his hands through his hair. "Look Lucy, I know you're still kinda mad at me for what I said earlier on. I've talked to the boys now and we're all cool...but I had to bribe Reece with the promise of a new skateboard though," he chuckled at the thought.

"So un...you do know that I'm sorry, right?" he said as he searched out her eyes.

Lucy looked down.

"I'm sorry Mr. Adam; I really appreciate all that you're doing and everything..." her voice dropped to a whisper. "But I was never too big on trusting people before. I always had a problem with it."

Adam nodded. He got what she said loud and clear.

"Thanks for all your help but I can never trust you again."

He laughed awkwardly. "I'll just get going then; I don't want to be late to work. So er...take care," Adam said casually.

He then left the room.

Soon he pulled his vehicle out of the garage and drove off.

When Lucy came out, she saw the three boys and Scarlett outside the room. It was obvious they had been eavesdropping in on her earlier conversation with Adam.

"You're not going to let it go?" Caleb asked with a small frown.

Lucy turned her back at them.

"You're all too young to understand," she said dismissively.

"Have fun being bothered about it while we all have a nice time," Reece said with a shrug and they all turned and left her.

Lucy scoffed and went down to the kitchen.

She paced about for a while, debating within her mind who was right between her and Adam.

She then grabbed a feather duster and started to dust all the surfaces. Lucy had already decided not to overuse any of the things Adam bought. She was still going to be independent; she resolved not to rely on him for anything.

She then mopped the kitchen floor and arranged everything in the room properly.

Lucy looked at what she had done and nodded to herself in satisfaction, then she went upstairs to get a change of clothes. She came out in a semi-formal outfit. As she went to the sitting room, the others looked at her in confusion.

Matt was seated on the sofa with a pile of novels beside him while Caleb laid on one of the sectional sofas, watching a movie. Reece sat beside Matt, but his face was buried in his new phone while Scarlett had toys scattered on the rug as she played with them.

"Why're you all dressed-up fancy like?" Reece asked with amusement, lifting his gaze from the new phone he was using. Since Adam had a good Wi-Fi signal in his house, Reece hadn't found it difficult to download some films and other apps on his phone.

Lucy looked at him with a small scowl. "I'm going out to look for a job," she said briskly.

"I see," Caleb chuckled and turned his attention back to the movie he had been watching; 'Facing the Giants'.

"You see what?" Lucy's scowl deepened as she threw him an offensive look.

"But I thought Mr. Adam said—" Matt started but Lucy cut him off with a wave of her hand.

"I know what Mr. Adam said, but I want to be independent," she said sharply.

"Good luck miss country," Reece snickered and they all burst out laughing.

"In case Mr. Adam comes home earlier than I, please inform him that I’m at 'G-Foodtz'. It's not too far from here and is a walkable distance," Lucy said.

"Hm-mm," Reece replied lazily as he slouched more on the sofa, resting his head on a cushion.

Matt had returned to reading his book while Scarlett continued playing with her tea party set; no one paid Lucy that much attention.

"I'm leaving now," Lucy announced and got only grunts as responses.

"Hmph." She snorted and left the house. Once she was gone the rest all looked up at each other and burst out laughing.

They knew Lucy was just trying to overwork herself because she was still angry at what Adam had said about them earlier.

Two hours later Adam came back home, and they told him the whole story.

"She what?!" Adam's left eye twitched.

"She got a job, at 'G-Foodtz' or whatever," Reece answered with a shrug.

"And none of you ever bothered to stop her?" Adam asked incredulously as his gaze darted to the two older boys: Reece and Caleb.

"We were too busy laughing to do so; you've got to admit sir, it was kinda funny," Caleb said with a chuckle.

Adam's lip curved upward when he pictured the scenario. Lucy brimming with anger and cleaning the whole kitchen, then deciding that she was still angry, went all out to get a job.

She walked down to tell them all her plan; expecting them all to be in panic or shock and plead with her to stay; letting her know that her anger was justified, that Adam deserved it for bad-mouthing them but instead they had all acted nonchalantly about the whole thing, which had left her more annoyed than she ever had been.

"Let's go and get her," Adam smiled, bemused.

"Ow!" Caleb hissed in pain as he stepped on one of Scarlett's small teacups and it pricked him.

"Scarlett!" he yelled.

Scarlett, who had jumped to walk alongside Adam looked back.

"Come and clear up these toys!" Caleb fumed and Reece laughed at him. Caleb turned to Reece angrily. "And, what's so funny?"

Reece made a face at him and walked towards Adam, but the tiny kettle pierced his foot too. He hissed in pain and stepped back but he slipped and fell down and landed on another teacup which pricked his side.

A girly scream erupted from Reece while Caleb laughed heartily at him.

Matt was careful as he walked around the room because Scarlett's tiny toys were everywhere.

"Scarlett." Adam turned to look at her. "Clear up your toys," he instructed.

"Aww...but I still wanna play later," she pouted in defiance.

"No man!" Reece yelled and jumped, shielding Adam from seeing Scarlett. "She's doing that cute-ish thing again that would render you speechless.... see no evil!" he chanted as he forcefully turned Scarlett around so that Adam won't see her face.

"Hey!" Scarlett protested childishly.

A scream came from where Caleb was; he had stepped on another toy as he tried to move forward.

"C'mon Caleb; it can't be that bad," Adam said and turned to yank Scarlett away from Reece.

"Lemme alone!" Scarlett shoved Reece playfully, but he swayed and hit Adam who was forcefully pushed back. Adam's face turned red when he felt what seemed to be a thousand needles pierce his foot, he had been walking around in his stocking.

"Owwww!!" Adam's scream was the loudest that was heard so far.

He sat down quickly but unfortunately another toy was there so another scream was heard from Adam. He jumped up to his feet and hopped to another spot, but a toy was there, and he let out another scream again.

He slid on the rug and fell on yet another toy.

"Scarlett!" Adam yelled. "Get these toys off the rug now!" His voice boomed, almost rattling the glass.

All the children were laughing at Adam who fumed as he limped slowly to a chair.

"What do they make these toys with anyway?" He wondered aloud as he tightly held onto his foot which had been pierced.

Last time I checked, cups and saucer toys didn't have needles in them. He thought with a scowl.

"Told ya," Reece said smugly as Scarlett packed up her toys with a pout.

Soon there were no more pricking toys anywhere.

They all went out of the house.