Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Calvin shot Lacey a wary look, his voice laced with suspicion as he countered, “I merely called out to my sister. I didn’t say anything beyond that. Why the nervousness, Lacey? It’s almost as though you’ve mixed something into her medicine that requires immediate consumption.”
Lacey nearly gasped for air, taken aback. Calvin’s perceptiveness was unnerving, as though he could peer into the depths of her soul.
Trying to mask her fury, Lacey forced a strained smile despite her inner turmoil.
“You’re mistaken. Elma finds the medication bitter, and it becomes even more unpalatable if it cools. I’m just looking out for her.”
Ignoring Lacey, Calvin observed the shadowy liquid in the bowl, his brow furrowed in thought. Then, with caution in his voice, he said, “Lacey, perhaps you’re unaware, but my sister has allergies to several medications. I’ll have my family doctor review this one thoroughly, just to ensure it doesn’t contain any allergens.”
Lacey’s anxiety spiked at his words.
“What are you implying? That I’ve drugged her medicine?” she blurted out, her voice a mix of anger and dread.
Calvin’s eyes narrowed, a hint of suspicion creeping into his voice.
“A drug, Lacey? What are you implying? Have you tampered with my sister’s medication? Was it poison, or something more sinister?” With each word, Calvin took a deliberate step toward Lacey.
Despite Calvin’s youthful size, his presence loomed large, equal to Lacey’s. Shadows of Landon flickered in his features, especially in the menacing squint of his eyes.
There was also a touch of Leila’s assertive aura about Calvin, which only irritated Lacey further.
Lacey clenched her jaw, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and defense.
“I have no idea what you mean, Calvin. How could I possibly harm Elma? She’s my patient, and I’m dedicated to her swift recovery. Plus, once she’s better, she’ll go back to Leila. She won’t be my concern anymore.”
Calvin was unconvinced, his doubts clear.
“If you’re innocent, then you won’t mind if the doctor I’ve brought along examines your medicines for anything unusual. If you’re clean, there’s nothing to fear, is there?”
A shiver of dread crept down Lacey’s spine.
The medicine had been provided by Cody, and Elma had been cooperative, swallowing each dose without complaint over the past several days. Lacey was uninterested in unraveling the mystery hidden within these unexamined medicines.
Lacey had convinced herself that if she was vigilant enough, her actions would go unnoticed. Yet, she hadn’t anticipated Calvin-a relentlessly curious and exasperatingly astute boy-disrupting her carefully laid plans.
Lacey’s mind raced, and in a burst of calculated fury, she snatched the bowl of medicine and hurled it to the floor, shattering it with a loud crash.
“I am a doctor!” she yelled, her voice echoing off the walls, seething with feigned indignation.
“How dare you level accusations at me without a shred of proof? I’m well aware that none of you can stand me and would love to see me ousted. If you have grievances, go whine to Landon. Don’t you dare insult my professionalism in this manner!”
With that, Lacey put on an exaggerated scowl and stomped away as if furious.
Calvin watched her receding figure, his eyes narrowing with deepened suspicion.
Elma, sensing the tension, tugged gently at Calvin’s sleeve.
“Let it go, Calvin. There’s no point in pursuing this quarrel,” she murmured, her voice a soothing balm.
“Despite her apparent disdain, she has been tending to my health lately. And look at me-I’m much better now. Plus, being our dad’s biological daughter shields me. She wouldn’t dare cross that line.”
Calvin shook his head disapprovingly and gently patted Elma’s head.
“You’re too trusting, Elma,” he warned, his voice tinged with concern.
“Lacey is more complex than she seems. I need to investigate her thoroughly.”
With a sense of urgency, Calvin quickly directed someone to gather the scattered remnants of the medicine from the floor so his trusted doctor could analyze them.
To everyone’s astonishment, the results showed nothing sinister-merely a blend of herbs that were actually enhancing Elma’s health.
Relief washed over Elma, and her face lit up with a bright smile as she latched onto Calvin’s arm.
“See, Calvin? I knew Lacey wouldn’t risk harming me. Let’s not drain ourselves suspecting her,” she declared with a dismissive wave of her hand.
Despite Elma’s optimism, Calvin’s skepticism didn’t wane. His expression was etched with concern as he quietly remarked, “There’s something off here.”
Calvin was haunted by the memory of Lacey’s overwrought reaction earlier that day, a nagging feeling telling him he had overlooked an important clue.
Elma observed the deep lines of worry on Calvin’s forehead with intrigued eyes. Suppressing a yawn, she stretched lazily.
“I’m overwhelmingly sleepy all of a sudden, Calvin. I think I’ll slip into a nap.”
A puzzled expression crossed Calvin’s face as he looked at her.
“A nap? You used to resist even the thought of daytime sleep.”
With another lazy yawn, Elma’s eyelids fluttered.
“True, but ever since arriving here, this herbal medicine leaves me perpetually drowsy. It’s just a harmless side effect,” she murmured, her voice softening.
Calvin’s expression darkened slightly, yet he restrained himself from further comment, merely advising Elma to retreat to her room for some rest.
To everyone’s astonishment, Elma slept through the afternoon, still lost in her dreams, even as the aromas of dinner began to waft through the home.
That evening, Landon made his way home from his corporate entanglements earlier than usual. Typically, with Elma away, he would linger endlessly at the office, immersing himself in work to fill the void.
This evening, however, as Landon entered, his eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Calvin poised calmly on the living room sofa. He paused, taken aback, yet chose to hold his tongue. Calvin, projecting an almost grown-up air, returned Landon’s stare intently.
A tense silence enveloped them, broken only when Landon, after entrusting his coat to a servant, settled into a chair across from Calvin and cleared his throat assertively.
“What are you doing?”
Calvin, arms crossed in a deliberate echo of Landon’s own authoritative posture, responded with a hint of defiance.
“I came here on my own initiative. My mom’s off traveling with my sister, and she was worrying over Elma being here all by herself, so I thought I’d step in.”
Landon’s lips twitched into an amused smirk.
“She’s worried about Elma’s safety? I’m Elma’s father. Protecting Elma is my priority.”
Calvin responded, “It’s not my mom who’s worried. It’s me. My mom trusts you’re a good father, yet I harbor serious doubts.”
Landon’s expression darkened.
“Why do you feel that way?”
Calvin chuckled bitterly.
“Since my birth, you’ve been an absent figure. Over these past few years, despite being alive, you’ve essentially erased us from your life. Do you realize how frantically my mom and my sister have been trying to track you down?”
A deep ache throbbed in Landon’s chest. Leila had been looking for him. Why? Likely to confirm that he was dead. Yet, he chose not to share these thoughts with Calvin. Instead, he offered a different perspective.
“Calvin, some issues are better left for the…”
“Adults to sort out. I am your father, and it is my responsibility to care for you, to cherish you, and to safeguard you.”
Calvin’s face twisted with dissatisfaction.
“Why shouldn’t we children worry? Since you are my dad, your issues with my mom inevitably ripple through to us.”
“Besides, I’m the man of this family. I don’t need your protection. I can take care of my family by myself,” Calvin’s eyes hardened, his expression fierce.
To Landon, however, Calvin’s attempt at looking intimidating didn’t come across as a threat at all. The boy was too immature-like a cub trying to mimic a roar.