Marshall didn't wake up until the evening. He got refreshed, and when he went upstairs, Katherine and
Frances were nowhere to be found.
Even Darcie was gone, too.
Marshall looked around on the first floor, and then he checked the yard, but he still didn't find them.
He stood in the living room and yelled. The space was so empty now that he felt he had heard an echo.
He called Katherine, but she didn't answer. He called Frances, and she didn't either.
He put down his phone and was sure that the three people must have decided together to do this.
Marshall went to the kitchen and took a look. There was no sign of cooking in there. Nobody was
making dinner.
Marshall laughed and remembered Katherine's attitude towards him. The three women were on the
same side now.
He turned around and went to the living room. There he sat on the sofa and turned on the TV. Then he
watched it leisurely.
Katherine, Frances, and Darcie came back very late. They laughed and came back with many
shopping bags, big ones and small ones.
Frances came in and took a look at Marshall. Then she said, "Ah! You're awake! You were sleeping too
soundly just now, so we didn't wake you up. We've already had dinner yet. You may need to get some
by yourself now."
Frances had changed her clothes. She was in a long dress with polka dots. She looked younger in it.
She hadn't tied up her hair. Instead, she made a ponytail.
Now she seemed to be much more vigorous and healthier than before. She was like a completely
different person, quite a few years younger.
She ignored Marshall's reaction and put the shopping bags on the table.
They had gone to the grocery store and bought a lot of snacks.
Frances picked two of them and handed them to Katherine and Darcie. "Try this. I think it's good."
Marshall smiled and asked, "Why didn't you answer my calls."
Frances hummed and said, "We didn't hear it."
Marshall thought nothing of it. He continued to ask, "You've had dinner? What did you eat?"
Darcie answered, "We had a barbecue. It's delicious."
Marshall looked at them and nodded. "OK. I'm gonna order in."
He took out his phone and said to Frances, "I think you look much better today."
Frances was taken back and was about to smile, but she kept a straight face and said with a stern
tone, "I am as beautiful as always."
Marshall stared at Frances and Katherine, and then he looked at Darcie.
Darcie was avoiding his gaze. She went to the kitchen and put the groceries into the refrigerator.
Marshall looked back. He ordered dinner and looked at Katherine.
Katherine hadn't looked at him since she came in. She pulled a long face and didn't seem happy.
Seeing Marshall sitting on the sofa, Katherine grabbed a pack of snacks and went to sit on the
hammock chair.
Marshall paused and asked, "Where did you go? The grocery store?"
No one gave him a response.
Marshall seemed to have known this would happen. He didn't seem embarrassed at all.
He smiled and stopped talking.
Katherine sat downstairs for a while and had some snacks. Then she had some snacks.
As soon as she left, Marshall could wait to ask Frances, "What happened? What are you scheming?"
Frances curled his mouth. She thumbed up to him and said, "Well done, son. What you did just made
you a jerk, but I have to say... good work!"
Marshall was confused and didn't know what Frances was implying.
Frances wasn't going to make this clear for him anyway. She sorted the groceries out and then went
upstairs, too.
Marshall took a deep breath and went to the kitchen. Darcie put some quick-frozen foods in the
refrigerator and cleaned up the kitchen.
Marshall looked at Darcie and asked, "Did you make a deal behind my back?"
Darcie turned away and replied, "What kind of deal? What do you mean? I didn't know anything!"
Marshall smiled. "OK, I already know."
Frances went upstairs. Instead of going back to her room, she went to Katherine's.
Katherine sat on the edge of the bed and still looked sulking. They had talked much when they were
out, but those words seemed to carry little weight on her.
Frances sighed and sat next to Katherine. "Don't be mad. What's done is done. You can't possibly abort
the baby because of this, can you? We can't change what has happened, so we accept it."
Katherine pouted, "He's your son. Of course, you speak for him."
Frances glared and said, "I scolded him when we had the meal, don't you remember?"
Katherine looked sideways at Frances and said, "Look at what he has done! He would have the chance
to be with Clara if it weren't for this baby."
Frances hissed and stopped her. "Why are you bringing up that woman? This is just between you and
him. I admit that I made a mistake and didn't see her through. She has a nice family background, so I
thought she might help Marshall. Plus, I'm on your side now. If you keep accusing me of that, then I do
have a bone to pick with you..."
Frances looked at Katherine and sat upright. "You kicked me once and slapped me quite a few times.
Let's talk."
Katherine opened her eyes widely. "I did that because you mistreated me! If you want to bring that up...
I think you know how you mistreated me during that whole year."
Frances glared and didn't say a word. Finally, she stood up and said, "You're still young, so I'm just
gonna pretend that you've never said that. I forgive you for the sake of my future grandson."
Then she turned back and stepped out.
Katherine gritted her teeth and suddenly laughed out.
Sometimes Frances could be hilarious.
If she had always been like this, she and Marshall wouldn't have to end up like this.
Katherine exhaled.
Marshall finished the takeout downstairs. He smoked a cigarette before going upstairs.
Katherine was taking a shower in the bathroom when Marshall came over and read her checklist.
The more he looked at it, the happier he felt.
When Katherine came out, she happened to see him reading the B-ultrasound checklist.
She couldn't hold her anger anymore, so she snorted.
Marshall looked up at her and asked, "Next time you get checked, bring me with you."
Katherine sneered, "What does it have to do with you?"
Marshall put the paper down. He decided that it was time to have a serious talk.
He looked at Katherine earnestly. "Katherine, I'm sorry about how I treated you before, and I swear I'll
do better in the future. Now that we have a child, you may consider when we can go and get our
marriage certificate again."
That sounded like the funniest joke in the world to Katherine. She asked, "Marriage certificate? Why
would I want that? I can raise the child alone."
Marshall frowned, "Do you want the child to be born without Dad?"
Katherine paused and said, "It's not like you're dead! What's your point? Are you saying that you won't
be the dad if we do get remarried?"
Marshall was refuted and failed to find the words to argue for himself.
He stood up and looked down at Katherine. "Don't you want to remarry me?"
Katherine shook her head. "No, I don't! Do I need to be more specific?"
Marshall licked his lips and said. "Not even with the baby? I could understand and accept it before, but
now that we've got a child, how come that you still don't want to get remarried? What are you thinking,
Katherine?"
Katherine laughed, "What are you thinking? Do you think it's a mistake not to remarry you?"
She turned over, walked to the window, and stood there. "Stop being so ridiculous! You're not the only
man living on this planet! I deserve a better man, not a jerk like you. You're too calculating and
suspicious. I can't imagine what I will end up with if I remarried you."
Marshall looked at Katherine. "Calculating? When have I done that to you? I've always been honest
with you, alright?"
Katherine didn't want to bring that up again. On their way back, Frances kept breaking everything down
for her, telling her that what was done was done. It was of no use to talk about it again and again. That
wouldn't help her ease the anger anyway. She could save time and teach this jerk a lesson.
Sometimes she found Frances's words quite irritating, while sometimes they could also be compelling.
No matter how they explained or argued, that wouldn't change the fact that she was pregnant.
It was useless to talk too much.
Katherine looked back at Marshall, "I don't want to argue with you on that anymore. I need to sleep,
and I don't want to share this room with you. Now get out."
Marshall was stunned. Katherine's attitude towards him had changed so dramatically. She had never
been like this before. They were just fine when they had the meal together today.
Everything has changed since he came back. She even tried to smother him with the pillow.
Marshall stood before her and asked slowly, "What's got into you? Just tell me? Why am I upsetting
you?"
Katherine pulled a long face and replied, "Think carefully and make it out on your own. List out
everything bad that you've done to me."
Speaking of that, Katherine remembered the previous news.
Marshall took a woman away from the bar and spent the night with her.
She had to stop recalling the past, or she would find the man full of defects.
She needed an explanation for that, too.
Katherine was in a bad mood. She pushed Marshall's arms and got him out of the room. Then she
locked the door.
She stood at the door angrily and then went to bed.
She fell asleep fast. As angry as she was, she drifted off at short notice.
She woke up in the middle of the night.
Because there was a man beside her.
She didn't need to open her eyes to know who he was.
No one else would be so shameless.
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