Normally, once they co ho from school, the children would go to their rooms to change and rest until dinner. Atlas would be studying while Hugo would take a short nap. As for Slater, he would just be in his room.
But tonight, even before dinner, the family was in the family room just to talk about anything. Of course, what happened in the school was brought up. It was more about the crazy fans and Ray, though. The boys didn’t want to talk about Nina because it would only ruin the mood.
When Butler Jen called for them, they had dinner together. Haines was already in the dining when they arrived, and together with Haines, they continued their casual chats.
"Uncle Haines, did you also co to school today?" Penny asked out of nowhere, making Haines’s brows elevate.
"Yes," Haines answered, sparing her with the other details. "Why are you asking?"
Penny pursed her lips before her eyes squinted. "Did you et my horoom teacher, Uncle?"
"Miss Sandford?"
"Yes."
"Of course." Haines nodded with a smile. "You’re right. She’s a kind person."
Penny observed Haines’s expression and was secretly in dismay. How could his uncle talk about Miss Sandford as if he didn’t have any appreciation for her beauty or character?
’Uncle Haines really is like a wall,’ she wept inwardly. ’I thought if he t Miss Sandford, she would be able to dazzle him! I don’t want him to beco an old bachelor!’
Unaware of what was going on inside Penny’s mind, Haines tilted his head a little to the side. "Why are you asking Penny? Don’t worry. I already told her that the next ti she let so bullies pass without taking any action, she’ll have to quit the school."
"..." Penny gasped in dismay, wide-eyed. ’Nooo!!!!’
Even the devil on Penny’s shoulder wept as they watched Haines’s love life grow wings and fly away.
Unlike Penny’s woes, the boys were pleased to hear Haines’s tily action. Charles also nodded in satisfaction.
"Haines, Miss Sandford tried her best to give Penny justice," she expressed as she understood Miss Sandford’s dilemma. "The headmaster has already given us notice. We’ll see if they’d stop this bullying in school because if not..."
The gentle Allison, for the first ti, showed sharpness. "I will not forgive them even if the headmaster apologizes on his knees."
Penny let out a helpless sigh and ntally shook her head. She knew her family was simply trying to protect her, but this as well, took away Haines love life! The dinner continued with Penny secretly nding her broken heart, trying to think of how she could set up Haines and Miss Sandford.
Just one last try, she told herself.
If this didn’t work, then she would work hard and find her uncle a more suitable prospective wife.
*****
After dinner, Penny excused herself to her room with the reason she had to do so housework. Before her brothers could say anything, she bolted away after saying she’d co to the library in an hour.
When she reached her room, Penny sat down in front of her study desk to do so elaborate planning. The plan of briefly letting Haines know about Miss Sandford’s existence was not enough. Hence, Penny quickly wrote down all the following events that the school was expecting before the school year ended.
While Penny was determined and wrote in her notebook like crazy, a knock was suddenly heard. She was so focused she didn’t notice it until a voice reached her ears.
"Penny?"
Penny stopped and turned her head, only to see Slater by the door. Slater looked around her room cautiously, as if wondering where her pets were.
"Butler Jen took them out for a night walk," she explained and turned her bottom to face the door. "Third brother, what are you doing here? I said we’ll start our study session in like forty-five minutes."
"I know." Slater awkwardly ca to her room and marched to her bed, sitting down on the edge. "I just... need soone to talk to."
She tilted her head to the side, not expecting that the soone he would go to talk to was her. "Why ?"
"Because you’re the only one who knows about my situation." Slater frowned. "I want to talk about that."
"Oh." Penny was a bit taken aback, assuming Slater would try to decide on his own. She didn’t expect him to co to her brothers, let alone to her. Well, Slater had nothing to hide from her.
Penny closed her notebook and jumped out of the chair. She then sat beside Slater on the bed.
"What’s on your mind?" she asked. "Do you want to co forward as well?"
Currently, the headmaster’s office is inviting all the victims of bullying to co forward. She heard a few people coming forward. To be fair, Lily was also urging Ginnie to tell the headmaster about her sufferings under Patricia’s tyranny.
Unfortunately, Ginnie didn’t want to. Though her excuse was not because she was scared of Patricia, but because Patricia was already being punished. And Ginnie simply wanted to move on from it with her friends.
"I don’t know," he whispered and looked down. "A part of wants to have the courage to step forward, but another part of stops ."
"Why?" asked Penny curiously. "Are you scared Keith would pick on you more if you co forward?"
"To be honest?" Slater slowly raised his head and looked at her, smiling helplessly. "I’m not scared of him. At least, what he will do doesn’t scare now."
"Then why are you reluctant?"
"Because if I do, it might break Mom and Dad and our brothers as well." A thin layer of tears shone in his eyes. "You saw how they reacted. It’s okay now. In a way, you weren’t hard because you could fend for yourself. But if they find out that I even had to do laundry every single night without anyone knowing... I’m scared it would break them."
Hearing his reason, Penny now didn’t know what to tell him. Coming forward was bravery, and she thought Slater would move on from it if he faced the problem. But hearing his reasoning now, she knew it was a valid point.
"Up to you," she said. "I don’t know what to tell you, but... was not telling them protecting them? Or protecting the people who hurt you? Moreover, I don’t think you’re at the point where you should protect our parents."
She wasn’t the one to talk, but Penny had lived an entire lifeti to not tell the pranks to their parents.
Slater could only stare at her and sighed. "I don’t know."
"Think about it." Penny smiled and patted his back. "Whatever your decision is, I got your back."
His heart ward up at her remarks and without Penny’s expectation, Slater suddenly wept and pulled her into his embrace like a teddy bear.
"Penny! Huhuhu! Why would you say sothing so moving?" he wept and held her like a doll. "Huhuhu! Why are you so soft?"
"Eh?" Penny’s face was blank and before she knew it, she had beco a stuffed bear for Slater’s tears and snot.
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