Chapter 132 - New Family Member

Dave stopped halfway. Jean was still hugging him from behind, but the girl had stopped crying.

"Jean, can you please come down for a moment?"

Jean did what Dave said. They stopped right in front of a bus stop. At this hour, the streets are quite quiet even though there are still a few vehicles passing by.

Dave sat at the empty bus stop, pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his jacket pocket and sandwiched a cigarette between his upper and lower lips. With a lighter, Dave burned the tip of the cigarette stuck between his lips, inhaled the nicotine smoke slowly while continuing to burn the tip, then exhaled the smoke into the air through his mouth.

"Sorry, but I need to calm myself down before returning home."

Jean could understand why Dave was that angry. Jean had heard that her father was saying bad things about Dave's family again. Jean knew how much Dave loved his family, so of course Dave would be very angry if someone insulted his family with bad words like that.

However, Jean still felt grateful, because Dave held back his emotions at that time. Knowing that Dave was holding back his emotions for her sake made Jean feel even more in love with Dave.

Jean sat beside Dave and silently stared at Dave. The girl continued to stare at Dave, while Dave seemed to be busy with his own thoughts. Jean didn't know what Dave was thinking right now, but Jean could see that Dave was currently depressed, as if what was in his mind was really weighing down on him at the moment.

Thousands of questions popped into Jean's head. The girl was eager to ask Dave the thousands of questions that were accumulating in his mind. But Jean also knew that this was not the right time. Seeing Dave trying to overcome whatever was on his mind right now, made Jean feel that Dave is a person who is more mature than he looks.

Maybe the two of them were the same age, but Dave looked like a more mature person on the inside. The way Dave saw how the world worked, the way Dave behaved and made decisions. And what made Jean most unable to get Dave out of her mind was how Dave had defended and protected her all this time. Even what Dave did to her is what her parents had never done so far. For Jean, Dave is not just a boyfriend, but Dave also fills the void in Jean's heart that should have been filled by her own parents.

Dave is her boyfriend, and also savior of her life. The way Dave treated her made her feel as full of affection as her own parents.

It didn't take long for Dave to finish a cigarette. Dave got back on his motorbike and Jean followed him by sitting behind him. Jean hugged Dave's body from behind again, and Dave began to speed up his motorbike to return home.

Although they didn't say anything, Jean was happy to spend time with Dave at the bus stop earlier. Because in that short time, Jean's view of Dave deepens without the girl noticing it by herself.

***

Dave carried Jean's suitcase into the house. From the living room, Dave could see Angeline was tidying up the room that was previously reserved for guests. Dave brought Jean's suitcase in and put it on the floor and helped Angeline put the sheets on the bed in the room.

Angeline turned, "How's it going?"

Dave just nodded softly without saying anything. Angeline could understand what Dave meant by doing that. And because of that, Angeline feels happy and proud of Dave, because he managed to solve the problem without causing other problems. In her heart, Angeline felt grateful to see how the only child she had had grown more mentally and mindfully mature.

Angeline also thought, surely David would also feel proud of Dave. Even though from the outside, Dave looks like a rebellious child who always acts harshly and sometimes can't control his emotions and words, but Dave always grows to be a better person every day. And that is the greatest happiness that Angeline feels as a mother.

"Am I right? That violence is not the only way to deal with problems?"

Dave just snorted and continued to help Angeline clean up the guest room next to Angeline's room, which seemed to be Jean's room from now on.

Their house only has three bedrooms, namely Angeline's bedroom which is downstairs, Dave's bedroom which is upstairs and also the guest room that Angeline actually prepared for when David is reunite with them, and David want to have a younger brother or sister for Dave ... You know what it means.

Upstairs there are only two rooms, one is Dave's bedroom, and the other is a bathroom that only Dave uses.

Angeline smiled at Jean and immediately hugged Jean's body while gently stroking the girl's head. "Sorry if it's not as luxurious as you think, I hope you feel at home."

"I don't need anything fancy. Being able to live here with you and Dave is more luxurious than anything I've ever had."

Hearing what Jean said of course made Angeline feel very happy. Angeline was delighted to know that Jean is the kind of person who appreciates being together in simplicity, and that is very rare for kids nowadays.

Although at first Angeline felt doubtful, because remembering how Jean was a child who came from a wealthy family, and from what Dave had told her about Jean, Jean was a child who lived in luxury since the girl was born. But now, Angeline was convinced that Jean was not that type of person.

Dave put Jean's suitcase in the corner of the room. "You don't need to tidy up your things at this time. You better get some rest now, three hours from now I'll wake you up to get ready to go to school."

Jean nodded in agreement with Dave's order, but there was still one thing on the girl's mind. "Umm, Dave ... Why did you throw away my wallet earlier?"

"To show that my family is not a family of sycophants."

"But ... in that wallet are some of my savings that I can use to pay school fees ..."

"There's no need to talk about that anymore. You better go to bed now."

Jean shifted his gaze from Dave to Angeline, Angeline only smiled at her, did not mind at all if she also had to pay Jean's school fees.

Jean showed a guilty expression to Angeline, "I don't want to bother you at all. You ... I mean, you guys have allowed me to stay here. Of course I can't make you be burdened with things that I have to bear myself."

Angeline also stroked Jean's head gently. "Don't ever think that you are burdening me. For me, you are like my own child. Also, with you living here, it means that we have become a family. Whether it's happiness or difficulties, everything must be faced together. That is the most important rule in this family. Okay?"

"But the school fees are not cheap at all. I'm sorry to say this, but I also heard that Dave entered the school through the scholarship route. So, I think ..."

Dave also looked at Jean with a serious gaze. "I don't need to repeat, do you? Now do you want to sleep here, or go back to your parents' house?"

"Uh I don't want to! I want to stay here!"

"Then don't ever discussing about money again, whatever the fuck it is. If there's anything you need, just tell me."

Angeline understood why Dave was a little annoyed when Jean started talking about money matters. And it may be for several reasons.

First, because Dave still couldn't get over his anger about Jean's father putting the family down. They thought this family was just a poor family who liked to curry favor with the richer people, and of course Dave felt angry about that.

Second, because Dave did not want to tell how their family's financial condition actually was. Because if Dave said that, then Dave had to tell how their family had become that rich. And it will certainly relate to David's past, considering that what David has done in the past to get all that wealth, is not something that anyone can just talk about.

Angeline nodded, "Yeah, if there is anything, just tell Dave. Let's just say it was all training for Dave, because someday, Dave will also be the head of the family too. You know what I mean, right?"

Jean laughed at that. But Jean remembered something. "Oh by the way, when can I meet your dad?"

Angeline looked at Dave who was silent with Jean's question. But a moment later, Dave set his sights on Angeline. "Mom, do you think dad will be mad if I bring my girlfriend to meet him later? I mean, this is our first meeting, and I've already brought a girlfriend to meet him this sudden."

A big smile painted on Angeline's face. "Of course not. In fact, I can guarantee that Dad will be very happy."

Jean still doesn't understand what Dave and Angeline are talking about. But the girl chose to remain silent, not wanting to interrupt the happy faces that could be seen from the two of them. Being in the midst of such a warm family made Jean's heart so blessed.

It seems that later David will get a big surprise by the presence of Jean with Dave and Angeline.