Sitting in a nearby cafe shop with steaming hot cups of coffee in front of them on the table, William kept glancing at the direction of the hos-pital with a guilty and worried expression. Anorld Barrett's expression mirrored his; shifting from Ava and Eva having moderate temperatured milk teas to the hospital 's direction.
" Dad, Will?" Eva called out softly over the cup of tea she had in her little hands close to her mouth. Her eyes bright and intelligent ;
" Yes.... Eva. What's it?" The two men responded gently, giving her their attention.
" Did we....leave Stella because of the new peo - ple that came in?"
" Yes, Eva." Anorld Barrett answered calmly. Ta- king a table napkin, he gently wiped the tea from around her mouth." You know we still must stay hidden, right....girls?" He looked between the two girls as he asked the question.
"Yes dad." Both girls responded with a nod of their heads. Looking both adorable and serious. " We understand."
" Good girls." William praised with a smile, rubbing their heads gently. I'm return, the girls smiled brightly at him and their smiling father.
" We saw big brother!" The girls said together un-expectedly, their eyes sparkling in excitement. What they didn't expect was their father and Willi-am's reactions.
They had just taken a sip of their hot coffees when the girls spoke, catching them off guard so much that they almost spat the coffee in their mouths out. But thankfully they had managed to swallow quickly. While William was fine, Arnold Barrett couldn't swallow his as successfully. The coffee down his throat decided to divide itself ; half going down his gullet and the other half am-king a detour through his wind-pipe and out his nostrils. Truely uncomfortable!
" Dad!" Ava and Eva cried in fright.
" Arnold?" William asked worriedly, taking a table napkin and offering it to him.
"I'm okay....I'm....okay. Just chocked a bit." Arnold replied, taking the tissue paper from William.
" Okay.....careful next time...you'll be okay." Ava said with a little cute worried frown on her face. Then putting her cup of milk tea down, she be - gan patting her father's back gently and rhythmi- cally. Just the way he does for her and Eva when-ever they chocked on their teas, juice or water.
Amused, Anorld Barrett looked at William who looked just as amused as he was and tried chu-kling. But in his current state brought it out as another chock - a lighter one. Regaining his com-posure, he focused on the girls and asked the question on his and William's minds. Even though he had a rough idea on how;
" How did you girls know he's your big brother?"
" Because he looks like us?" William added, his voice low. " You know there are many people who look like us in this whole big wide world."
" Yes. But not many people look very very much like us. Like he does... " Ava replied, then took a big sip of her tea. Her eyes twinkling in excite - ment.
"And we will know it from here.... " Eva continued, first pointing to her heart, her sister's, William's, and finally their father's - looking very serious as she did. "We told you big brother will come arou-nd soon. And now he's here."
A bit shaken by the girl 's sudden matured ok and the not-too-familiar shift in their cute child - ishness, William turned and looked at Arnold Barrett who just sighed then leaned forward to whisper ;
" Okay, we understand. But we still need to keep away, keep some distance from your big brother. Okay?"
"Okay.....dad." Both girls responded, obediently.
" But big brother is a really...really...very....very good person." Eva said, a little confused.Mirror- ing her sister's confused face, Eva nodded in agreement with her sister's words.
" He is?" William asked curiously. " What about his friends? Can you tell if they can be trusted with Stella? "
" Yes, yes....yes. " Ava quickly said with repeated nods.
" All are very very good too. Like big brother." Eva added with Special nods like her sister's. " They all are very very good to Stella. They like her very very much! "
" But....dad? " Ava said seriously. Her serious-ness attracting the three pairs of eyes with her." Stella will stay with us right?If she will stay...the big brother and his friends and the nice beautiful woman doctor will come see her sometimes. "
" Big brother will come many times to see Stella." Eva said, her eyes looking distant and dazed like she was in a deep thought.
Ava looked at her sister and her eyes turned distant, dazed and lighter. Seeing this all-too-familiar sight, William and Arnold Barrett subtly looked around for any observing eyes or ears. Satisfied, they looked back at the girls who were somber and seemed nervous and alert -
"Dad....Willi.Let's go home." Eva said urgently,loo- king anxiously towards the direction they came from. Her sister looking just as anxious.
Following their gazes, Arnold Barrett and William noticed a familiar tall professional looking man in a black suit, talking to an older rich - looking cou- ple across the street by a limousine. Very likely talking about business.
" Ridge's personal assistant?" William asked with a deep frown forming on his face. His eyes turn-ing cold and dark from deep seated resentment. His hands clenching firmly on the table.
"Gbert is here....we need to leave now..... William." Anorld Barrett said sternly as he moved his whe- elchair back.
Taking the girls' hands in his, he quickly brought them closer to him and adjusted their hoodies to cover their faces and hair properly whilst William adjusted his and put on a pair of glasses he had in his right pant pocket. Then they quickly made their out, keeping their faces from sight.
As they hastened away, Arnold Barrett noticed William 's angry and resentful look and sighed. Then said calmly and in a low voice, his eyes darting around ;
" I know how it feels William. Be patient. We can't do anything to them now."