Ysabel Lee vs. Fem Law (3)

"Where's Niel?" Greg's eyes were attentive without even scanning the row of his children.

Fem, having seen how her younger brother reacted a while ago knew that Niel excused himself secretly. " He probably went to the pasture, Papa." Fem smiled wryly knowing that her answer was a silly one. Who goes to pasture at night time anyway?!

"I saw him took his spotlight and bolo a while ago, he probably went hunting again." Hannah said it straight.

" Hmmmm... Bart, these are my children. Eight of them are here but Niel the third male escaped as always. Five are away. My first child is overseas, my second married at the Eastern Province, this is Grace the third, then Michael and Ysabel. Mike manages a woodwork shop at a tourist spot in her mother's hometown at the Western Province. Vhan is missing. He disappeared after his highschool graduation and had only written thrice since. This is Esterlyn, then Fem, then Niel. And so on. That's Hannah, my youngest. One stays with her aunt in another district. All these kids are raised by me and my wife with our own sweat and blood. Ten of them are biologically mine. Three were given to us by others." Greg said his lengthy introduction before he picked up his spoon and fork.

"You're so rich Greg! I envy you so much." Barton said as he passed his eyes one by one at the line of Greg's children opposite him.

" Ysabel is the first adopted one, right? Then which ones are the other two?" Barton was curious.

"It's enough that you know which one is yours. You don't have to know the other two. As if you'll exchange them if you knew." Greg's sharp tongue worked again.

"I'm just envious that a couple can have so many children while others are deprived of the privilege." Barton repeated as he nodded over his food.

All the rest ate silently focusing on their food. The food were mainly four serving platefuls of purple rice, broiled native chicken topped with Buddhist melon and some chili leaves. Stir fried mixed vegetables with button mushrooms and some fresh fruits for dessert.

Fem ate silently while her ears were attentive at the conversation. Perhaps all of her siblings are doing the same.

Having finished her food, Fem raised her bowl of soup at the level of her face to drink at the same time scanning the people opposite them. She saw how tensed Mark's brother was while frequently side glancing at Ysabel. Ysabel was feeding Pauline some mashed vegetables. By this time, Fem already accurately deduced the whole situation. Her breathing became uneven that the soup she just drank seemed to enter her nose. She choked and quickly pushed her chair away to excuse herself, making a hand gesture of excuse as she turned away.

Fem went to drink water and calmed herself down before returning this time to get Pauline from Ysabel's arms.

"I'll hold her, you take time to eat. " Fem gently held the baby in her arms while making funny faces to catch the baby's attention.

Surprisingly Pauline was so willing to be cuddled by her. "Pauline, who is this?" Fem guided the baby's tiny hand and pointed at the back of Ysabel.

"Mama...."

"Pauline, who is this?" Fem transferred the tiny hand on the shoulder of John Paul.

"Dada...."

"Pauline, say uncle... Ung.....kel" Fem squinted at the cute little baby in her arms.

John Paul turned his head and looked at his daughter. She was pouting while rolling her fingers like they were dirty.

With a gentle voice, John Paul patted the leg of the baby "Pauline, its okay I'm daddy not uncle. Uncle is not here yet, okay? Play with aunty." Then John Paul gave Fem a meaningful look.

Fem took Pauline to the sitting area at the corner of the dining room and let her play with random stuff while waiting for Ysabel to finish her meal.

"Your children are all looking healthy and well behaved." Barton commented after a while of silence.

"Do you find that true with Ysabel?" Greg mused. He was only told earlier that Ysabel served as his personal nurse at Central City and that's how they found out that she was his daughter. The adoption and marriage proposal were yet to be told later.

"Really, I can't thank you enough for saving and raising my daughter well. Thank you Dith for nursing her like one of your own." Barton looked at Mrs. Law seriously before he helped himself with a bowl of chicken soup.

"Anyone could have done the same when faced with same situation. No need to thank me. She's my child too." Mrs. Law said from the other end of the table.

The three solider body guards were done eating and started to excuse themselves. They were all young and heavy built men with strong yet respectful aura. Fem was guessing they should all be in their late twenties to early thirties.

After dinner, the younger siblings tidied up the dining table while others washed the dishes. Fem brewed coffee while the rest returned to the bench outside to prepare the bonfire. After all, they have to stay up late tonight as they welcome the new year.

Around the bonfire when everyone was gathered except for the younger kids, Ysabel started to relate how she met John Paul and how she ended up being a personal nurse of her father. All this while, JP was silent feeling anxious over his and his brother's situation.

How is he going to respond if Mr. Law asked him about his brother? JP felt really nervous that he could not tell if he needed to use the toilet or just his intestines reacting so much in nervousness.

By the time Ysabel reached the part where she changed her surname, Barton Lee spoke.

"Greg, the reason we came is to tell you couple of important things. Firstly, in my desire to with my daughter what's rightly hers, I had her change her surname with mine including her daughter Pauline. I only trusted that you have a good heart and are not greedy to withhold this from me. You've a lot of children and I almost died not knowing I have one. You see, I served the country in my prime years and I barely survived. It's a shame that at current physical condition, I have to burden her to take care of me." Barton's voice had a hint of pleading and humility. He looked at Greg who was immersed in his thought as if thinking hard.

"Secondly," Barton continued, "This young man wishes to propose to be married with our daughter. I got their DNA checked and he's the father of Pauline. He has been pleading to me since he knew about his daughter's existence. But I needed to consult your opinion on this." Barton knew all these were too much to swallow in one scoop much more so to digest, but he didn't want to drag things over. He might as well drop everything and see how things will turn out. After all, the Greg he knew before was rational and understanding man. Tough but always stood by right principles. He was not greedy but knows how to protect what rightfully his and he doesn't do tricks.

"So, what are you saying then! Bring them all at once!" Greg's voice trembled. Mrs. Law rubbed his arm gently as her reminder for him to calm down.

"Greg, if there's one thing I want you to graciously grant me, it would be your full blessing to allow me to exercise my right as a father to my daughter. I cannot repay you for everything you did. Please do not withhold this from me. I am alone and have no family to take care of me." Barton pleaded.

Greg looked at Ysabel who was cuddling her now sleeping child. Then his eyes travelled to John Paul beside her. "So what about you John Paul, I'm sure you have something to say?" Greg directed himself to John Paul who was struggling to kerp himself composed.

"Uncle, I really didn't know that Ysabel was pregnant then. She hid from me after our time together. Then when my brother mentioned about Fem, I really tried hard to convince him to forget about her but he was so persistent. I even made someone distract him so that his attention will be diverted to another woman but as things are now, he never gave any attention to other women. So..." John Paul was so nervous and terrified to say what he has long been rehearsing in mind.

"So? Are you saying something more?" Greg's voice didn't conceal his anger and annoyance.

"So uncle...I have a daughter with Ysabel now and I honestly was glad that uncle Bart changed her surname before I could propose for marriage. Fem and Mark's plan doesn't need to be affected." John Paul said with all his boldness gathered altogether. He is the CEO of two leading companies in the neighbouring region, yet he felt like a chick infront of this cowboy man who had nothing to do but order his kids around.

"Ysabel, how long does it take to travel from your workplace until here?" Greg looked at Ysabel whose head was kept lowered all the while.

"Just a day and two back and forth Pa. " Ysabel answered.

"Exactly, just a day or even less than a day. Did you ever think that I actually exist when you made all this decision by yourself? Did I ever treat you like an outsider in this home? Look at you now? Are you a professional by your own self-guidance and self-discipline? Forget about that, I might have been tough as a father but have you thought about your life otherwise? Or do you pride yourself as a professional and despise your uneducated parents? Is that how you think unimportant we are?" Greg questioned Ysabel with much self-control but full of disda and indignation He could not believe that such child could be so unfilial and inconsiderate of her parent's feeling.

Ysabel sobbed and her tears were now dripping on her daughter's hair. John Paul slowly extended his arm to take Pauline from her embrace.

"I'm so sorry Papa. I thought it would be best for everyone besides, I have to take care of my father and my baby while footing the legal papers with my little free time. I didn't think going home was necessary." Ysabel confessed.

"That's what made it entirely agitating my child. Your reasoning is way too shallow! It only tells me that you've grown independent and despised us who raised you! What do you take me as? See your mother? Did she not nurse you till you yourself felt you didn't need her milk anymore? " Greg felt he was going overboard after spatting his thought.

"Greg, that's enough! You've said enough..." Mrs Law admonished her husband softly while tightening her hold in his arm.

"Where's Fem? Why is she not here?" Greg demanded at his wife.