Chapter 282

Chapter 282

If Michael had harbored any lingering belief that Howard was genuinely hungry, that illusion was now thoroughly shattered. Men understood each other's games all too well.

Howard rose from his seat, a satisfied smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.

Katherine pushed through the door carrying a blueberry cake, only to be greeted by what looked like a feast spread across the room. Michael was attacking his plate with the fervor of someone defending his last meal, fork working overtime.

"What on earth is this? Did you two set up a state dinner in a hospital room? This is a bit much, don't you think?" Katherine asked, bewildered.

Michael, his mouth stuffed with rice and vegetables, could barely manage coherent speech. Food particles escaped as he tried to talk around his overstuffed cheeks. "I'm starving. Haven't you eaten? Go grab something somewhere else, or order takeout!"

He shot Howard a venomous glare. Two could play at this game—if Howard could devour his cooking, then he'd return the favor.

"Alright, I'm not particularly hungry anyway. I'll sort myself out later. But you might want to slow down before you choke yourself," Katherine warned with genuine concern.

No sooner had the words left her lips than Michael began coughing violently, food spraying in all directions as he struggled to clear his airway.

"You realize your words have a nasty habit of coming true, don't you? Stop cursing people!" he gasped between coughs.

He frantically tried to clean up the mess while Flora materialized beside him with tissues, gently patting his back.

Michael's expression softened. "At least my Flora cares whether I choke to death."

Katherine approached the hospital bed and opened the blueberry cake container. "Barry, how are you feeling? Can you manage this? Mommy bought it especially for you."

Ever since Barry had orchestrated that drone display spelling out "Mommy" in the sky, Katherine had embraced him as one of her own children, always referring to herself as his mommy.

Barry nodded and gestured for Howard to raise the bed. Howard had been Barry's constant companion during his hospital stay, and with Edward's help as translator, father and son had developed an understanding. Howard immediately recognized the signal and adjusted the bed.

Katherine carefully carved out a small piece of cake with a plastic fork. Barry opened his mouth, but when she moved to feed him, he gently pushed her hand away.

A hoarse sound emerged from Barry's throat as he struggled to form words with his mouth.

Katherine and Howard locked eyes, neither daring to breathe. Edward had warned them about potential side effects from the treatment, but had also mentioned the possibility of unexpected improvements. Could speech be that surprise?

Howard's attention was riveted on Barry. The boy had been conscious for some time now, and during Arabella's earlier visits, he'd seemed listless and unwilling to even attempt vocalization.

"Ah—Mom, Mom, Mommy." Barry forced out the syllables with tremendous effort.

The pronunciation wasn't perfect, but everyone in the room could clearly understand what he was trying to say.

Katherine lost her composure, tears streaming down her face unchecked. The entire room fell silent in amazement.

She wiped her eyes and carefully offered Barry another bite of cake. "Yes! Mommy heard you. You haven't tasted this in so long, have you? Come on, try some more."

While Edward and Flora were typically possessive of Katherine's attention, they were genuinely delighted to see her caring for Barry.

Barry seemed much happier as he ate the cake bite by bite.

"Mommy, during the second treatment, I specifically stimulated Barry's speech centers," Edward explained excitedly. "He can't manage full sentences or express complete thoughts yet, but he can produce individual sounds. With time and practice, he'll be able to communicate just like the rest of us!"

Howard wrapped his arm around Katherine's shoulders, dabbing at her tears with a tissue. "Seems this boy has quite the soft spot for you. He hasn't made a peep for me all this time."

"With that poker face of yours, looking like everyone owes you a million dollars, who'd want to talk to you?" Michael managed between labored breaths, having eaten himself nearly to the point of nausea.

Despite his efforts, more than half the food remained untouched on the table. His revenge plot against Howard had backfired spectacularly. He tossed his disposable utensils aside and collapsed onto the sofa, too stuffed to move.

Howard shot Michael a withering look but refrained from retaliation in Katherine's presence.

With Edward and Flora's school enrollment approaching and Barry's recovery progressing, Katherine began formulating plans.

"Now that Barry's improving, do you think he could start school after some rest? Even if he can't begin with the others, he could join as a transfer student, couldn't he?"

Howard had been considering the same possibility. "Actually, Barry, Edward, and Flora all qualify for direct enrollment. The school only gave each family one slot to prevent overcrowding, but since Edward and Flora haven't used their spots, Barry can enroll immediately."

"I'll arrange a temporary medical leave with the principal. Once Barry's fully recovered, he can join the others in class."

Edward's excitement was palpable. "This is perfect! We can all go to school together! When we finish developing our software, we could beta test it within the school system—it would be like a real-world simulation!"

Katherine finished feeding Barry the cake before turning her attention to the remaining feast. "I suppose I'll just grab something here. Are there any clean utensils left?"

Michael bolted upright, throwing his arms protectively over the food. "What if I told you it was poisoned? Would you believe me?"

Katherine brushed his hands away. "If it were poisoned, you'd be flat on your back by now. Stop being ridiculous."

"Bring my wife some utensils," Howard commanded someone near the adjoining room's entrance.

He emphasized the word "wife" with deliberate weight, as if marking his territory.

Michael bristled with jealousy but couldn't argue with their marital status.

Katherine settled beside Michael with fresh utensils. "Tomorrow when we take Edward and Flora to school, you can drive over and pick us up."

Howard interjected smoothly, "I'll be handling Barry's enrollment anyway. I can drive over to collect you and the children. Mr. Davis is always so busy—no need to trouble him."

"It's no trouble at all. I'm free these days and happy to help," Michael countered.

Katherine considered both offers. "Howard's offer makes more sense—it would be more convenient that way."