Put Her Guard Up Against Him
Benjamin stared at Arissa and Jesse.
As she peeked out from her mother’s embrace and blinked at him, he thought Jesse resembled Arissa
a lot.
“I don’t need your help. I can handle this myself. Please close the door!” Arissa urged him.
Benjamin furrowed his brows as he sensed she did not welcome him. Why do they all have their guard
up against me?
Nonetheless, Benjamin still closed the door and went outside.
Arissa heaved a sigh of relief. She immediately loosened the blanket and continued to bathe Jesse.
Jesse stared at her mother closely and smiled.
“Mommy, Mr. Graham looked so upset!”
Arissa let out a chuckle as she flicked Jesse’s nose gently.
“Don’t bother with him. Let’s continue our bath!”
“Okay!”
As Jesse was playing in the water, she asked, “Mommy, who am I going to sleep with later? With the
others or with you?”
“Who do you want to sleep together with?” Arissa displayed a smile.
“I want to sleep together with you. It’s been a few days!”
Jesse gave a toothy grin, looking very funny.
Arissa chuckled. “Okay, you can sleep with me. I miss sleeping together with you too!”
Benjamin overheard their conversation as he was standing outside. He felt an inexplicable warmth in
his heart.
This is what a family feels like.
He stood there for a while before going downstairs.
After Arissa bathed Jesse and helped the latter put on her clothes, she came out of the room. Yet, she
did not see Benjamin around.
“Mommy, I will go find the others!”
“Go ahead!”
Arissa cleaned up the bathroom and put the dirty clothes into the basket. Then, she went to the kids’
room.
The four older kids had already taken their baths and changed into clean clothes.
“Come over here, all of you. Let me dry your hair!”
She noticed their hair were all wet.
Arissa took the hairdryer, and the four kids sat obediently on the couch, letting her dry their hair.
“All right. Now please go to bed!” she reminded as she put away the hairdryer.
“Mommy, it’s still early. Let us play for a while longer!”
Kneeling on the couch, Jasper sprawled against the back as he spoke.
“Fine. Just a little while!” she replied.
The five kids were overwhelmed with delight as they started to play with each other.
Arissa’s lips curled into a smile as she watched them playing together.
She hung out with them for a short while before taking the laundry back to her room.
Yet, before long, the five kids ran to her room again.
“Mommy, let us help you!”
Gavin was the first one to enter the room. He squatted beside her and was about to touch the clothes.
“It’s all right. It will take but a minute to do it. Please go to bed now.”
Arissa glanced at the kids.
“Mommy, we will wait for you then!”
Zachary also squatted beside Gavin and watched her.
“Mommy, are you sure you don’t need our help?” Oliver stared at her earnestly.
“Positive!”
Arissa displayed a gentle smile as she continued to wash the laundry.
“Mommy, why don’t we wash our own clothes from now on?” Jasper suggested. He thought it was tiring
to wash the laundry of five kids all at one go.
“Mommy, we have a washing machine in the house. Why didn’t you use it?” Gavin could not wrap his
head around it.
“The washing machine might damage the clothes, and it’s not very clean!” Arissa explained to Gavin.
“Mommy, I’ll help you get the water!”
With that, Jesse diligently moved to do as said.
“No need. You guys have taken your baths already, so don’t get wet anymore. Go on out and play. I will
take a bath after I finish washing these clothes.”
After Arissa kept urging them for a while, the kids were finally willing to go to bed.
“Mommy, please hurry up! We will be waiting for you!” Zachary reminded her.
“Okay!”
After Arissa finished washing, she washed the foam away with water and put the clothes in a basin.
Then, she closed the door and started taking a shower. At the same time, she washed her clothes.
After she dried all the clothes, she got ready to go to the kids’ room.
Just then, Benjamin called out to her. “Please come over here!”
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