32 To be a man

Before the ladies made their way home, Liz presented each of them with a set of jewels.

Lady Chrester was the first one to receive her set of jewels from Liz.

"As a sign of how much I appreciate you, I'm going to give you Lady Chrester your set of jewels first and hope that you will continue to behave ladylike." Liz said with a distorted smile.

Although Princess Eleanor smiled, the warning undertone in her voice was unmistakable.

"I will certainly not disappoint you in the future." retorted Lady Chrester with her head lowered.

One by one the ladies received their set of jewels and before Liz knew it, she was alone with Tommy in the garden.

Tommy's mood improved significantly when the evil aunt was finally gone, and he finally had the chance to play with his big sister in peace.

"Say, Tommy, does your grandmother know you're actually here?" Liz asked in a worried voice.

She wanted to make sure that the old lady would not worry about Tommy to death if he was somewhere without her knowledge.

"I am a man." Tommy replied robustly.

He took a deep breath, held it, and stretched his chest forward to appear more masculine.

"Yes, you are, Tommy." Liz agreed with a hearty smile.

"But being a man also means being honest. So, Tommy, did you tell your grandmother?"

"Have." Tommy clarified.

"Tommy?"

"Tommy's grandmother is with Eleanor's parents," Tommy expressed with a pout.

He felt wronged that his big sister did not believe him.

After all, he was a man and therefore honest.

Not believing him meant that his big sister did not see him as a man!

"What's wrong, Tommy?" Liz asked.

She noticed that his mood had deteriorated considerably and pinched his cheeks slightly.

Tommy lightly pushed her hands away.

He did not like it at all when someone pinched his cheeks.

It only confirmed his suspicion that Eleanor thought he was a child.

"Do you do that with the big monkey too?" Tommy asked.

"Big monkey?"

Confusion was written all over Liz's face.

The guy who was with you back then." Tommy explained mutteringly and with caution.

A friendly smile plastered on Liz's face after Tommy's explanation.

"Tommy you can't call him a big monkey." Liz jokingly rebuked Tommy.

Thereupon Tommy flinched because he was scolded by his big sister.

"He's not a monkey, but if anything, he's a gorilla." Liz corrected him.

Hope shone in Tommy's eyes again.

His big sister does not hate him for his remark!

"And regarding your question, I'd rather punch or kick him." Liz confessed.

"Then punch and kick me too." Tommy declared determinedly.

Which child would voluntarily take a beating?

"Tommy, I will never kick you or punch you." Liz vowed to herself.

"Never?"

"Yes, never." Liz confirmed.

Hearing this answer Tommy's world crumbled.

For an outsider who does not know Tommy's his thoughts, he might appear like a masochist.

But according to Tommy's understanding, being punched and kicked by Eleanor means being considered a man by her.

After all, she kicks and punches the monkeys - man too.

"I will become a manly man!" Tommy declared ambitious.

(A/N: I'll make a man out of you from Mulan is playing in the background.)

"Just you wait." he added.

"Huh?"

Irritated and yet surprised by Tommy's behavior, Eleanor begins to laugh.

Tommy furowed his eyebrows.

"Not funny." He humpfhed and crossed his arms insulted.

"Tommy, you don't have to rush to become a manly man. Enjoy your childhood. You're only a child once."

"But if I don't become a man quickly, monkey-senpai will take you away from me." he reasoned and sulked.

"And I have to become a man quickly for grandma and mommy I am the only one who is capable of it" He said with a hallow smile.

That´s right.

Tommy's father was murdered by the despicable debt collectors.

"Tommy please listen to me. Your mother and grandmother would not want you to mature too fast. It would worry them very much and tear you up inside to skip this important stage of your life just like that. Can you promise me that?"

Liz knew what she was talking about.

Because after the death of her parents she went from being a child to an adult in one day.

The family of her aunt mistreated her.

No one cared about her.

No one loved her.

She had to grow up quickly as a method of survival.

And when she became successful, all attention was focused on her.

Many people wanted to make her acquaintance, acted like they are really interested her as a person.

But in the end, they were only interested in Liz Quinn the Business Queen and not Liz Quinn as a person.

All except Rose, the only person who really took care of her after the death of her parents.

Although Rose sometimes drove Liz crazy with her manhwa and webnovel addiction, she was the only sincere person to her and she is grateful for that.

´Rose. How are you doing?´ Liz wondered.

´Are you eating well? And by eating well I mean not instant noodles.´

´Wait for me til I come back ok?´

"Got it." Tommy capitulated and with his surrender he tore Liz from her thoughts.

"But in return you must promise to wait for me!" Tommy demanded.

"Of course, I'll wait for you. I don't see a in that problem."

The promise was sealed with a pinky promise.

"And now we should search for your grandma, she might be waiting for you."

Liz waited patiently for Tommy to finish his last snack and they went off together.

Never would Tommy have thought that his words came out wrong to Liz.

Her and his understanding of waiting differentiated on worlds.