bKing /bTiki looked like Baymax, always wearing ba /bpermanent smile. After introducing itself, it started sting music and breaking into a bgoory /bdance

King Tiki: [You are the Dancing Queen, young and sweet, only seventeen. Dancing Queen, feel the beat from the tambourineb. /bOh yeah)

Joshua was speechless. That secondhand embarrassment hit hard.

After the dance, King Tiki scooted into the study and happily got to cleaning.

The dance was over, but the music kept going.

King Tiki: [You’re just too good to be true. Can’t take my eyes off you. You’d be like Heaven to touch. I wanna hold you so much.j

Then it started talking again,ughing while it sang. I’m gonna clean up all the dust. Don’t believe me, just watch.”

The robot had gotten so annoyingly loud, and there was no way it was still the same one. Joshua pressed his lips together, looking vaguely resigned.

There was only one person who could’ve reprogrammed it like this–Shermaine.

Joshua thought, ‘So what does this mean? It means Shermaine can code. And before that, she said she knew medicine and even tried to treat my grandpa. That’s a lot of skills.‘

Just as he was mulling it over, some noises came from downstairs.

Shermaine was dicing tomatoes, her hand steady as the knife glided cleanly through each oneb, /bcreating neat little cubes. The de tapped rhythmically against the cutting board–sharp, precise, and crisp.

On the stove, the pot of water was bubbling with steam curling upward. She dropped the spaghetti straight into the boiling water.

Once it was done, she drained the water and tossed the diced tomatoes and fresh green spinach into the pot. Then, the pasta was ready.

Shermaine dished up a te of the pasta when Joshua’s voice rang out. “You didn’t have dinner?”

Shermaine turned around and saw him standing a short distance away, tallb, /belegant andposed like he’d stepped out of a painting. She exined, “They had sushi. I’m not into that.” She pulled out a chair and sat down. “There’s extra pasta. You want some?”

“I’m good. Not hungry,” Joshua replied. But the pasta smelled pretty good.

“Okay,” Shermaine said, then looked down and started eating.

Under the lights, her skin looked wless and radiant, her features sharp and stunning, that mix of innocence and allure impossible to ignore.

Joshua asked, “You rewrote the robot’s programming?”

Shermaine nodded as she chewed. After swallowing, she said, “It’ll perform way better now.”

“You’re better than I expected,b” /bJoshua said.

Shermaine looked up, her expression full of pride.“I told you I’m quite impressive.”

Being “good” and being “impressive” were twopletely different things. To Joshua, impressive meant dominating a field–like bsomeone /bbwho’d /bbeen ranked first in math for years. That was impressive.

He thought, ‘Still just a kid. Augh slipped out. He changed the subject. “Where did Mrs. Jean take you today?b” /b

“Basterel University,” Shermaine answered.

b1/4 /b

b“/bbWhat /bbfor/bb?/bb” /bbhe /bbasked/bb, /bbslightly /bbconfused/b.

She bsaid /bit bwas /bbto /bbbroaden /bbmy /bbhorizons/b‘ bor /bwhateverb,/b” Shermaine said, bslurping /bbup /bba /bbstrand /bof bspaghetti/b, Some bof /bbthe /bsauce identally bindes cheek. “I bmight /bbbe /bstarting school in a few days.b” /bShe reached for a napkin to wipe her face.

Joshua bthought/b, ‘School? Makes senseb. /bShe’s only neen. Perfect age to study.

He, on the other hand, was already thirty–eleven years older than her. He couldn’t imagine what the two families were thinking when bthey /bbarranged /bbthat /bengagement back then.

Still, Joshua had no regrets. It was a mutually beneficial deal. And it wasn’t like he had any interest in robbing the cradle.

He said, “In that case, let’s have the engagement party in December. Once you start college next year, we’ll go ahead with the wedding. bDoes /bbthat /bbsound /bgood to you?”

Hearing about the engagement party and the wedding, Shermaine, the bride–to–be, didn’t feel the slightest bit of joy.

Maybe it was because she knew it was all just for show–there was no way she could actually look forward to it. “You make the call,” she saidb. /b“I don’t mind either way.”

Seeing the bit of sauce still on her soft cheek, Joshua handed her a napkin. “Alright. Did Mrs. Jean give you a hard time todayi?/ibi” /i/b

Shermaine took the napkin. “Thanks. She switched tacticsb./bb” /b

Joshua’s phone suddenly rang. Without even ncing bat /bthe caller ID, he knew it was his grandfather. This time, Owen had gone straight for a video call

Joshua tapped the answer button, and Owen’s voice came through. “Where’s my future granddaughter–inw?”

At that, Joshua turned the camera toward Shermaine. She smiled and greeted Owen, “Hi, I’m here.”

Owen hadn’t expected the two of them to be together, and he was instantly over the moon, thinking things must be going well between them. “bSheary/b, settling in alright?”

Shermaine answered honestly, “It’s morefortable than living at the Jean residence.”

“That’s good to hear.” Owen gave a warm smile.

Shermaine asked, “Sir, did you take your medicine today?”

Owen nodded. “I did. Just started.” Before taking it, he had actually asked Darius Newmanb, /bba /btraditional medicine doctor, to check over the prescription. It was Joshua’s idea, and Owen couldn’t say no to his grandson.

After looking it over, Darius said the form wasn’t harmfulb, /bbut it wasn’t going to help much either, so he didn’t rmend it.

But Owen still took the medicine she prescribed. Today was the first day, and he actually felt like his appetite had improved for the first time since he started taking any medicine. “I even had an extra half bowl of oatmeal.”

Shermaine nodded. “If you keep taking it, your health will definitely improve. Living to a hundred shouldn’t be a problem.”

That actually made Owenugh. He replied warmly, “Then I’ll take that blessing, Sheary.”

He didn’t really believe he could live to a hundred. After all, the doctors had said he wouldn’t make it past btwo /bmore yearsb. /bbHe /bdoubted ba /bbfew doses /bbof /bShermaine’s prescription could actually fix all his issues.

Shermaine definitely had some skills, but Owen wasn’t about to get his hopes up.

They chatted for about ten minutes. bJoshua /bhad been holding up the phone the entire time without saying a bsingle /bbword /bbto /bbhis /bbgrandfather/b. bOwen /bbhung /bup after cheerfully saying goodnight to Shermaine,pletely ignoring his own grandson.

Joshua let out a quiet sigh. “Goodnight.”

Shermaine replied, “Goodnight.”

Full and satisfied, she went back to her room and got back to work. It wasn’t until midnight that she washed up and went to sleep.

The next morning, just as Shermaine got up, Ruth called

and said over the phone, “Shermaine, have you made up your mind?”

“Yeah, I wanna go to school,” Shermaine said, her voice still gro

with sleep, a little husky with that early–morning rasp.

Ruth cut straight to the chase. “Then tomorrow morning, you’ll re

to

Brightwater Academy.”

Shermaine replied, “Got it.” Then her phone battery died right after she said it, and the call cut off.

Ruth was fuming, thinking, As expected, she’s got no manners. I wasn’t eve

I even done talking, and she just hung up? So rude.

After plugging in her phone and powering it back on, Shermaine saw a message on WhatsApp from Danielle.

Danielle: [Mr. Barker’s awake. He said he wants to see you.]

Shermaine thought, ‘I already took the money. What’s the point of meeting nowi?/ii‘ /iShe replied: [Good to hear he’s awake. As for a meeting, I’ll pass.]

Danielle sent back aughing emoji and typed: [I already turned him down. Are you free tonight? Let’s y.]

By “y“, she meant billiards.

Shermaine: [I’m in.]

Danielle: [9 p.m. Silverwood Avenue. See you there.]

After replying to her messages, Shermaine followed the same routine as yesterday–she went for breakfast.

a

run, then took a shower beforeing down for

Joshua was still seated at the dining table.

Breakfast was a full spread, and Shermaine’s eyesnded on a mouthwatering veggie scramble.

The veggie scramble had carrots in it–Shermaine didn’t like them, so she picked them out and set them aside.

Joshua frowned slightly. “Picky eating’s not good.”

Shermaine paused. “You’re saying you don’t have foods you won’t eat?” She thought, ‘Come on, everyone has something they can’t stand.‘

“I don’t,” he said. That just wasn’t a problem he had.

Shermaine shrugged. “Alright then.”

Joshua said, “Eat the carrots. Don’t waste them.”

Shermaine was at a loss for words. The way he said it felt like he was scolding a kid. She thought, ‘Why is he talking to me like bI’m /ba kid? I don’t hate it, though. It just feels oddly nice.‘

? Chapter 24