Chapter 75 A Familiar Feeling
Maybe he saw her as his future sister-in-law and wanted to comfort her because she was so scared.
She wiped her eyes with her fingers, sniffling, "I'm sorry, I... I wrinkled your shirt..."
"Not just wrinkled, it's dirty too. Now you owe me two shirts," Jack replied with a smirk.
Alison suddenly remembered the other shirt he mentioned was the one he had to throw away after she threw up on him on the plane. She lowered her head and let out a small laugh, all her grievances and fears dissipating with that laugh.
He was here, and that was all that mattered.
Now, she wasn't afraid of anything anymore, just felt a sense of relief.
"Alright, I'll get you two new shirts in the next couple of days."
Jack reached out and playfully pinched her nose, a mix of tenderness and affection in his gesture. He teased, "Still planning to run away?"
His actions were so natural, as if they were very familiar with each other. His intense gaze made her recall the three months they had spent together.
He used to be so kind and gentle to her.
But Emily's actions had changed everything.
She had experienced a sudden shift from heaven to hell, and it was excruciating.
She shook her head lightly, indicating she wouldn't run away again. This experience had terrified her; if something really happened to her, what would happen to the kids?
They would be left all alone.
"Call the kids. Your brother said they're really worried about you."
"Okay." She missed the kids too. She had promised to call them every day, but now, it had been at least three days since she last called.
"Here you go." Jack handed her a phone. At first glance, she thought it was hers, but upon taking it, she realized it was brand new and exactly like her old one. He smiled at her, his voice soft and magnetic, "Everything's still the same, like nothing ever happened."
His gentle gesture made her heart skip a beat, like a deer caught in headlights, her emotions rippling like a wind-blown lake.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.
Thinking about talking to the kids filled her with joy, but she was still a bit nervous in front of Jack. She dialed the numbers one by one, each press filled with anticipation, eager to hear the kids' voices.
"Mommy, is that you?" Ethan quickly picked up the phone as soon as it connected.
"Ethan, it's Mommy."
"Mommy, what happened to you?"
"Nothing, Mommy lost her phone and got lost, but everything's fine now. I've met up with Uncle Winston."
"Really?" Ethan shouted excitedly on the other end.
"Yes, he's right here with me." To reassure the kids, she mentioned Jack.
"Mommy, I want to talk to Uncle Winston." The little guy seized the opportunity to get closer to his so-called dad.
"Well..." Alison glanced at Jack. Everything felt so surreal. She had been rescued by Jack, but she was hesitant to let Jack talk to the kids.
"What's wrong?" Jack's pleasant voice rang out, making Alison's heart flutter again.
"Ethan wants to talk to you..."
Before she could finish, Jack took the phone from her, "Give it to me." He remembered the little boy's voice and didn't mind the two kids.
Alison had no choice but to let him take Ethan's call.
She felt a bit anxious, worried that Ethan might say something inappropriate, "Jack, put it on speaker. I want to hear the kids too."
"You... you just called me what?" Jack, holding the phone, turned to ask Alison. She had just called him Jack instead of Mr. Winston, which she had reverted to after the rooftop incident when she found out he was toying with her.
Alison blushed, trying to explain, but Ethan's innocent voice interrupted, "Uncle Winston, that's what I call you. Isn't that right?"
Ethan actually wanted to call him dad, but he hesitated and asked, "You both call him Uncle Winston, so which one is the real one?" Ethan knew there were two Uncle Winstons but couldn't tell which one was their real dad.
"What do you mean, which one? What two Uncle Winstons?" Jack was confused by the child's words.
"Oh, it's like this. I have two Uncle Winstons, but I don't know which one is Mommy's boss." Ethan decided not to reveal too much.
"I am." Jack said casually, finding it amusing to chat with the kid. He liked Ethan and Sophia.
"Then please let Mommy come home. She hasn't called us in days, and we were so scared." Ethan exaggerated, pretending to be really frightened.
"That's not possible. We haven't finished exploring Paris yet. Going back now would be a waste. How about a few more days, okay?"
"No way!" Ethan protested strongly, wanting Alison to come back immediately.
"How about this, I promise your mommy will call you twice a day, okay?"
"That's better. Uncle Winston, you have to keep your promise, or I won't talk to you anymore."
Jack couldn't help but laugh. It turned out that the kids' conditions were so simple, and the consequence of breaking his promise was just losing their attention.
But thinking of Ethan's cute face, he suddenly didn't want them to ignore him, "Alright, I'll make sure your mommy does that. You can't ignore me, okay? When I get back, I'll come visit you."
The conversation was getting more intimate, making Alison a bit flustered, "Mr. Winston, please give me the phone."
"I'm not done talking yet." Jack continued to tease Ethan, "When Uncle comes to visit, what delicious food will you prepare for me?"
"How about chips?" Ethan suggested.
"And what else?" Jack asked.
"Um, yogurt, is that okay?" These were Ethan's favorites, but he knew Mommy limited their intake to one pack or bottle a day.