Chapter 924: Chapter 923
"Rose’s got nerves of steel, so let’s not dwell on the past. We’ve got the New Year coming up, and there’s a lot preparations to do. This year’s going to be a blast with Rose around—our family’s going to be livelier and happier for sure." Clark slung an arm around his sister’s shoulder with a grin.
Everyone nodded, "Clark’s got a fair point."
It was a reminder that there was still so much to do.
"Hey, Chasel, don’t forget to bring Myrna over for dinner, we need all the cheer we can get." Louisa suddenly remembered, then turned to Sean, "And what about you, Sean? Got a girlfriend to bring home this year?"
"Why ask me and not Clark? I’m still the baby here!" Sean, feeling a tad protective, shrugged off the hand on Rosemary’s shoulder. "What’s with the heavy hand? You’ll make her uncomfortable."
"Now you care about your sister, where were you for the first half of the year?"
Clark’s smirk was enough to make Sean suspect that he was deliberately stirring trouble in front of Rose. But then Rose spoke up, "Sean was badly hurt before. He stayed away because he didn’t want us to worry."
Sean arched an eyebrow, giving Clark a proud look: You see that? Rose’s taking my side!
Who has the stronger bond with her now?
He patted Rose’s head, about to shower her with praise, when Clark interrupted him, "What are you doing? Stop that, you’re messing up her hair!"
Clark reached out to adjust Rose’s hair, but before his fingers could touch her, Sean swatted his hand away.
"Are your hands clean, bro? Disinfected? Don’t bring germs to our sister!"
"A doctor’s hands are cleaner than those of a brawler like you."
"Yeah, but you’re a forensic pathologist, dissecting corpses! Stay away from our sis and don’t let her smell that scent on you, man!"
As the brothers squabbled, Louisa couldn’t help but interject, "Sean, I’m talking to you! Why dodge the question? Got a girlfriend or not?"
"Don’t tell me you haven’t found a girl yet?" Kenneth’s voice was a mix of disdain and sympathy. "That grumpiness would scare off anyone."
"What’s that supposed to mean?" Sean deflected again. "Why the focus on me? Clark’s the older one.
Shouldn’t you be pressuring him first?"
Louisa and Kenneth exchanged a look, both seeming hesitant to speak.
"Who says Clark’s without a girlfriend? Right, Clark?" Rosemary gave Clark a gentle look. "This year, aside from Sean and David, Hunter, Chasel, and Clark will all be bringing their girlfriends home for
dinner."
This brought Carol into the conversation as well.
Kenneth and Louisa shared another look, their hesitation growing.
"You already had a girlfriend, Clark?" Sean looked at Clark, with pure surprise. When did this happen, and how did he miss it?
Clark hadn’t expected Rose to speak up for Carol, especially with their parents previous reservations about her, fearing Carol’s connection to Doom could spell disaster for the Collins family.
"Carol and her brother have officially taken over the Brooks Group." Clark didn’t finish his words, when Hunter joined in.
"The Doom crisis has been dealt with by Clark, Romeo, and me," Hunter stepped down the staircase, his voice steady, "We can all live peacefully from now on."
Louisa and Kenneth exchanged yet another look, and finally said, "Well then, let’s invite her over for the holidays."
After all, she was also a poor girl, just like their beloved Rose and her experiences in the triangular zone—forced by a life of hardship to develop her skills.
If given a choice, they believe Carol would not choose to live in such a harrowing condition, with endless torment.
"Dad? Mom?" Clark thought he must have misheard. Could it be true that his parents were finally relented? They agreed to let him be with Carol!
Beside him, Belinda chuckled, "Truth be told, your mom and I had a talk about Carol quite some time ago. Your mom was just worried about the safety of the whole family. Now that the crisis is over, nobody in the family would object to you two being together."
Poor Crystal, though.
But then, when they heard about Carol’s association with the Temple family, it seemed like a small comfort. The thought of her taking care of Crystal’s parents brought some solace to the Temples, who
had lost their dear daughter.
"Hunter, make sure you invite Molly over," Louisa instructed, "If her family extends an invitation, you should visit her parents first."
Visiting the girl’s family first was a sign of respect and importance from the Collins family.
"And if they don’t invite you, make sure to visit them before the New Year to bring some gifts and formally ask their daughter to join our family dinner. Got it, boys?"
"Sure thing," Hunter and his two brothers nodded in agreement.
"Alright, your grandparents, and uncles and aunts, and I have to discuss the holiday arrangements. You kids go have fun for now."
They planned to give Rose a grand surprise and couldn’t let her find out prematurely.
"What you’ve just said, as if you’re about to blurt out ’surprise’."
Sean couldn’t help but tease Louisa.
Then, Louisa gave Sean a light slap and retorted, "Now you’ve gone and said it."
If Rose caught wind of it, that would not be a surprise anymore!
"Rose’s smart enough to guess, she’s just playing along, right?" Sean looked at his sister, who simply smiled at him.
"Let’s head upstairs for a chat," Clark tried to sling an arm around his sister’s shoulder.
But the sharp glances from Hunter, Chasel, and Sean made him halt. Weren’t they overreacting?
It was just his habit.
Why did he needed to gauge their expressions to get close to his sister now?
"Rose, is there anywhere you’d like to go for the holidays?" Sean quickly stepped around Clark to walk on Rosemary’s right side.
Seeing this, Chasel moved swiftly to her left. "If there’s somewhere you want to go, just tell me. Not only me, but Myrna is free to join you as well."
Clark, feeling that he was about to be outdone, said, "Carol would love to join you too. She’s in top form—hiking, rock climbing, you name it. Plus, you two could even make medicine together."
Carol’s skill at medicine was something Rosemary had known about for a long time. Carol had even used her homemade Deadly Seven Step on Rosemary once.
"Making medicine during the holidays? How ominous! Rose, not just me, but Myrna would love to go shopping or grab a bite to eat with you."
"Like you’re the only one who eats," Sean shot back unyieldingly.
Rosemary was surrounded by a constantly shifting entourage of brothers, each vying for her attention, until Hunter’s voice cut through, "Molly is also available."