Chapter 974: Half Full Plus Half Full

Chapter 974: Half Full Plus Half Full

Randall lay back down and pulled the covers aside, inviting Susan in: "Come lie down, sleep a little longer."

Susan didn't crawl under the covers. Instead, she lay on top of them diagonally, her feet hanging off the edge of the bed so her shoes wouldn't dirty the bedding. Her head rested right on Randall's chest.

Propping herself up on her elbows, she nudged him: "Randall. I came to have breakfast with you."

Randall reached out and grabbed the hand poking at his side, eyes still closed, his thick lashes resting against his cheeks. Susan tilted her head, gazing at her handsome boyfriend, completely smitten.

"You didn't eat at your place this morning?"

Susan shook her head. "No. I was worried you'd feel lonely eating by yourself, so I got up early to come keep you company."

Randall turned to look at her. "Why would I feel lonely eating by myself?"

"Because you'd feel like I don't care about you — like I'm just using you as a punching bag. You drove almost five hours yesterday to take me home, and then I leave you alone in a hotel room today. That's pretty rough, isn't it?" So Susan needed to show him through her actions — she could be there for her parents without forgetting about Randall. "I've already figured it out. I'll eat half a meal with you, then go home and eat the other half with my parents. That way I take care of everyone."

When Randall realized she'd been sitting there spinning this whole little scenario in her head, he flipped over and wrapped her up in his blanket, pulling her into his arms through the covers. "I think you're still half asleep. Stay and sleep a little longer."

"Hey, Randall, I still have my shoes on."

"Just kick your feet a couple times. They'll fall off. Now go to sleep."

Susan kicked her feet around until her boots fell off, then obediently burrowed into the covers. "Randall—"

"Sleep."

"Randall—"

Too drowsy to open his eyes, Randall threatened, "If you don't go to sleep, I'm going to kiss you. I didn't brush my teeth last night or this morning. You really want that?"

Under the covers, Susan immediately covered her mouth with both hands and mumbled, "I'm hot. I don't want the blanket."

The heat was on inside, and Susan was wearing a thick padded coat, and on top of that Randall had her wrapped up in the blanket and pressed against him — her back was sweating, and she was miserable about it. Randall was only wearing light pajamas, so the temperature was just right for him.

Randall lifted the blanket and looked at his girlfriend lying there in her padded coat, then lay back flat and said, "Take your coat off."

Susan stared at him. Something about this felt off.

"Take it off, or do you want me to do it for you?"

Susan unzipped and shrugged off her cream-colored padded coat, revealing a gray cashmere sweater underneath. "I'm keeping my pants on," she said. "I'm only wearing leggings."

Randall stared at her. Why did that sound so wrong?

He glanced at her leggings. "Come on, get some sleep."

Susan had completely forgotten why she'd come in the first place. She settled in beside her boyfriend, and Randall wrapped the blanket around her again. This time he turned on his side and casually threw one leg over her, pinning her in place.

She'd come to keep him company at breakfast, and ended up falling asleep in his arms for half an hour.

She lay on her back, the blanket covering the lower half of her face, breathing steadily, soft and sweet.

Randall, now too awake to fall back asleep, lay there watching the girl in his arms, then slowly moved his leg off her. He stared at her for a moment, and something must have crossed his mind, because he quietly laughed to himself, then got up and headed to the bathroom.

Half an hour later, Randall was dressed and ready. He looked at Susan, still asleep, pulled the blanket away from her face, leaned down, and kissed her softly — then with more pressure.

Susan's lips parted slightly—

And the "thief" took full advantage.

When the kiss ended, Susan looked up at him, breathless, and asked innocently, "Randall, why did you kiss me?"

Randall kept a straight face. "I called your name a few times and you wouldn't wake up, so I figured I'd try kissing you. Worked pretty well. I've decided — from now on, if I can't wake you up, I'm kissing you awake."

He got off the bed, picked up her padded coat, and handed it to her. "Put this on. I'm taking you home."

She'd rushed over first thing in the morning, slept for half an hour, and was now being driven back. When Susan got home, her parents had just woken up. Seeing their daughter walk in looking like she'd already been out and about, Sadie asked, puzzled, "Honey, are you heading out?"

"Mom, Dad — your daughter has already been out and come back."

---

Zandonick, Cherry Villa.

Vera's exam prep intensive course had started, which also meant it was almost over.

Someone in the class had shaved their head entirely to focus on studying for the graduate entrance exam — a girl in the course.

Vera and Nandi stared at her. Nandi grimaced in disbelief. "Can you imagine showing up to a relative's house on Christmas looking like that?"

Vera's expression scrunched up too. "Never mind how it looks — it's freezing out. Isn't her scalp cold? My son is growing his hair out right now, and I can't even bring myself to trim those few little baby hairs of his."

Nandi looked at her. "You're talking about your son again."

After spending so much time together, Vera sometimes said things without thinking and would accidentally let slip "my son" or "my husband."

She'd done it again. Before Vera could say anything, Alfonso, who was studying in the row behind them, spoke up first: "Vera, the exam is in December — I'm over here stressed out of my mind, and you two are chatting like it's someone else taking this test."

That snapped them both back to reality, and they quickly turned around and got back to studying.

Some people were studying in the classroom. Others were reviewing in hotel rooms.

Molly, freshly free from the misery of studying and with the weekend off, was stretched out on the couch at the Chase family home, perfectly content.

And even more content than her — the little treasure of the Olteran family.

Theodore was sprawled out sleeping on his dad's chest. His grandfather was napping in the bedroom, and he was napping on his dad. Anyone who dared put him down in his crib was asking for an earful.

"Sir, please let us hold him for a while," one of the Cherry Villa staff offered.

Patrick looked down at Teddy and smiled. "He's got a sharp nose. He'll smell that you're unfamiliar and start fussing."

That afternoon, Cindy and Vincent came to take the baby home.

"Patrick, the house feels too quiet without him. Let us take Teddy back."

When Shawn woke up, he wasn't about to stay at Patrick's place a second longer. "Cindy, you came for your old dad too? Let's go, let's go — this place is no place for a person." He waved his hand, grabbed his cane, and headed for the door with a surprisingly brisk stride.

Patrick set his son down on the floor. Teddy toddled over to his grandfather on his little legs and grabbed onto the cane with both hands, refusing to let go.

"My grandson can't bear to see me leave, can he?" Shawn said, deeply moved and thoroughly convinced of this.

Just as Shawn was getting emotional about finally having a devoted grandchild in the Olteran family, Patrick said flatly, "He wants your cane."

"No way! My grandson just doesn't want to be apart from me!"