bNo /bbAds /b

    bChapter 247 /b

    Maxine nodded and watched as the two of them walked out the door.

    After the door closed, Maxine sat on the sofa, leaning on her crutch. She looked up at the ceiling. For some reasonb, /bthe room felt eerily quiet.

    She covered her face with her hands. ‘Since when did I get so sentimental?‘ she wondered.

    Just then, someone suddenly knocked on the door. Maxine jumped in surprise. ‘Who could possibly being to see me at this hour?” she wondered.

    The relentless knocking on the door left Maxine no choice but to get up and answer it.

    At the door stood Sebastian and Brian. As soon as Brian saw her, he put on his most pitiful face and pleaded, “Mom, we’re ‘homeless. Could you take us in for the night?”

    Maxine narrowed her eyes at Sebastian and shot him a knowing look. “Did you put him up to this?”

    Sebastian deliberately avoided her gaze and chimed in, “Charles is tied up today and can’t pick us up. Would you mind letting us stay over for the night?b” /b

    ‘That excuse again!‘ Maxine thought.

    Maxine was momentarily dumbfounded. “Want me to call Charles and check?”

    “Mom!” Brian clung to her arm and pleaded, “You’re the best! Couldn’t we stay just for one night? We can keep youpany here and btake /bcare of byou/bb./bb” /b

    Brian added in a low voice, “Just let us stay for one night, please? We promise we won’t bother you at all.”

    Right after he finished speaking, Brian held up the nket in his hands with a grin and said, “We’ll make bour /bbown /bbeds on bthe /bfloor ourselves!”

    Maxine looked at them and, after a long pause, finally sighed. “Fine, but you’ll have to leave tomorrow. I need my peace and quiet.”

    “Of course, of course!” Brian eagerly helped Maxine into the room.

    Only Cleo and Maxine lived in the vi. There were plenty of guest rooms, but none had been cleaned yet. Brian took off his jacketb, /brolled up his sleevesb, /band started cleaning one himself.

    Late at night, Brian, beaming with excitement, carried his nket into Maxine’s room, only to be hauled right back out by Sebastian, who grabbed him by the cor.

    “Dad, what are you doing? Let me go!” Brian protested, squirming and struggling indignantly in his father’s grip.

    Sebastian snorted. “Go sleep in the spare room yourself.”

    Brian protested, “No fair! I want to stay with Mom tonight!”

    Sebastian said tly, “You have to get up for school around six tomorrow, and you’ll disturb your mom’s sleep.”

    That was an argument Brian couldn’t refute. Choking back his protest, he reluctantly trudged into the spare room with his nket.

    Maxine was reading in bed when she heard the door open. She looked up and frowned at Sebastian. “What are you doing in hereb?/bb” /bMaxine askedb, /bbher /b

    tone wary.

    Sebastian carefully spread out the bedding on the floor and sat down. Looking at Maxine, he said gently, “I’ll sleep here tonight. Since byou /boften bget /bbup /bbat /bnight, I’ll be here to help if you need anything

    Maxine paused, her heart fluttering. To her surprise, he still remembered this about her.

    Maxine quickly regained herposure, cleared her bthroat/b, and said, “That’s alright. I’ve always managed bjust /bbfine /bon bmy /bbown /bbbefore/bb. /b

    b08:33 /bbMON/b, 305

    But Sebastian was adamant.

    He quicklyy down on the bedding. Maxine sighed inwardly. There was nothing she could do, so she just let him have his bway/b.

    A voiceb, /bboth familiar and strange, rang out. “Hey there, youngdy. Going on a trip this time?” Maxine opened her eyes band /bfound herself sitting bin /bba /btaxi

    ‘Here we go again,‘ Maxine thought with a weary sigh.

    Maxine closed her eyes and took a deep breath. ‘I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve dreamed of this driver,’ she thought wearily

    Ever since the ident, she would often dream of the moments just before the crash, and of the driver who lost his life.

    Seeing that she remained silent, the driver pressed again impatiently, “Hey, miss? Aren’t you gonna say somethingb?/bb” /b

    AD