Grace smiled awkwardly in response as she looked at Maria, "Would you prefer having me accompany you here, or these two little guys instead?"
"Aunty, don't worry about me. I'm not done asking Brother Gary about my questions anyway," Maria sounded very obedient. "I understand my mommy won’t abandon me, so don't worry about me Aunty, I won't cry anymore."
Grace was pleasantly surprised at how quickly this little girl adapted and accepted her current situation.
She felt much more reassured.
She looked at Gary. "He has been such a big help," she thought to herself.
"Well, Maria, I'm really happy that you' re so understanding about this," Grace smiled and praised her, "Enjoy yourself then, let Aunty know if you need anything."
"Okay, Aunty." Maria nodded.
"Then I'll leave for now." Grace pointed at the door.
"Mommy, go ahead," said Ernest, "Gary and I will be here." "Mommy, is it appropriate for you to depend on children like us to take care of another child?" Little Gary immediately guessed that Grace was planning to rush off to have a date with Old Heinz. “Oh, how romantic it must be, having a barbecue for their candlelit dinner,” he imagined mockingly.
"Aren’t you a self-proclaimed genius? Grace asked in return, "Also, you've never seen yourself as a child anyway, so wouldn't it be rude of me to not see you that way as well?”
"Mommy!" He called out.
"My dear son, I'm doing this for your own good. This is a great opportunity for you to be the best brother ever." Grace gave him a pat on his shoulder.
"Forget it. Why don't you call Lowell over and let him have a chance at being the best uncle ever instead?"
"Little Gary, stop wasting Aunty's time. I still have many other questions for you," Maria tugged at his sleeves, "You still have not explained what "problematic" means in that context."
He rolled his eyes this time and wailed as he sat on the guest room’s bed.
Grace could not help but laugh as she walked out.
It looked like there was finally someone to control Little Gary. She couldn't help but wish that Maria was truly her cousin’s child, so that she could grow up with Little Gary and Ernest.
That way, it would be perfect.
She then left the room in hopes of having her dreams come true.
Outside, Heinz found everything that happened inside funny as well. He said quietly, "Finally there' s someone who can help us deal with Little Gary.”
"That is why they say there would always be a nemesis of your own kind," Grace responded. “It looks like we should invite Maria over more frequently, so that we can rest more often."
He raised his eyebrows and smiled in a doting manner, "That's your own biological son. Is it really fine for you to bully him that way?"
"Am I not doing this for you?" She glanced at him, "If it wasn't for the fact that he hasn't addressed you as his dad, I wouldn't be hoping for this either."
"Well, thank you, my dear wife," Heinz held her in his arms.
"Oh please don’t call me like that." Grace patted his hand and said, "I'm a little hungry. Go and get me some food. I'll be waiting for you here."
"Let's go out and eat together instead," Heinz said.
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