"Hi Mrs. McSalter" Ken greeted her in a cheered voice, he flashed a light smile and walks to her direction.
"Hi Ken, did you had a visitor last night? I saw a woman and kids getting out of the car, is that your kids?" Mary asked him, and he can see the curiosity sparkling her eyes.
Ken chuckled and shook his head, "No the woman was my sister and the three kids are my nephew and niece, they are triplets. They will stay here with me for some time since their parents are busy" he explained.
Shocked painted on Mary's face, and Ken understands it. What kind of mother is in the right mind to leave her kids to her single brother who doesn't have experience in handling kids.
"That's so great, can I see them?" Mary spoke in an excited tone, Ken's eyes narrowed, he was not expecting Mary to be this excited.
"Sure, they are in the house" Ken lead the way back to his house. When he opened the door, he prayed that the triplets are sitting or doing something normal.
"Uncle Ken where's Aunt Novie?" It was Alexandria who spoke, the little girl is sitting on the floor while Ethan and Leo were busy putting the butterfly pin on her hair.
Ken's ears turned red by Alexa's question, he looked to Mary who was also stunned after Alexa called Novie Auntie.
Ken chuckled, "These are the triplets Novie used to babysit, so I asked them to call her Auntie" Ken's shoulder lightened after he found a quick excused. He forgot to inform them about his relationship with Novie and how complicated it is for now.
"No Uncle Ken, I call her Auntie because she's your-" Alexa stops talking when Ethan went closer to her ears and whisper something.
Ken narrowed his eyes, seems like Ethan knows his situation, it's not a surprise to him. Even Daniella was praising how intelligent Ethan was compared to Leo and Alexandria.
Alexa's round eyes stretched and her small hand covered her lips, shocked.
"Please forget what I said earlier. Aunt Novie and Uncle Ken are not in a relationship. It's not like they were engaged before" Alexa blurted.
Mary looked at Ken, flustered.
"Are you the man in Novie's room last night?" Color faded on Ken's face when he heard it, seems like Mary figured out his relationship with Novie.
Ken pressed his lips together, ashamed but at the same time relief that he doesn't need to lie to Novie's Mother.
"I apologize that you need to find out this way." Ken bow his head to apologize. He was anxious about how Mary will take his confession, he lied to them by pretending he doesn't know Novie, and he's afraid that Mary might be against his relationship with Novie.
Mary asked him to straight up, which he did obediently.
Ken stared at Mary's eyes, it's the same eyes as Novie.
"I am sorry that my daughter hurt you. I know what happened between after Novie came back, but I was not anticipating it to be you" Mary said and took his hand, Ken saw the tears forming in her eyes.
"How did you know?" Ken questioned, perplexed on how Mary finds out about Novie's past relationship.
Ken felt Mary's hand tightening her grip to his hand, while her eyes stared at him. He could see the gloom and shame by the small smile on her lips.
"I read her diary" Mary returned.
Ken's jaw almost sank on the floor, shocked but also curious by what was written in Novie's diary, if Marry found Novie's previous relationship from the diary, does it mean Novie has been thinking of him since she left?
So many questions were in Ken's head when suddenly, Mary loosen her grip and capped her cheeks with her palms.
"Oh, my gosh! This only means my future grandchildren will be as pretty and handsome as you. I need to share this news with my friend Sonia" Mary fled the house without saying goodbye, leaving Ken and the triplets muddled by her words.
After Mary left, Ken stared at Alexa. The girl's eyes were looking down, ashamed. Seems like she realized what she had done.
Ethan and Leo had finished putting the butterfly in Alexa's hair, she looked like a big sunflower with the butterflies hovering around her hair.
Ken shut his eyes, he believed Daniella didn't inform the triplets about his situation and if this continues, everyone might know all his secret.
Ken walks to Alexa's direction and sits on the floor, facing her.
"It's fine Lexi, they will also know the truth, eventually." Ken sighed, Lexi's expression was still down.
To cheer her up, Ken stood and carried her in his arm.
"What about we go to the beach today? They have beautiful beaches here and white sands," Ken switched his eyes between Ethan and Leo, asking if it's all right.
The two boys stared at each other with enthusiasm, then they both raced to the bedroom and when they came back, they had their swim shorts on.
Ken shifted to Alexa, the girl's face softened and a small smile was on her lips, "Wanna go?" he asked Lexi. The girl showed uncertainty.
"But I have butterfly pin in my hair, they are so pretty and I don't want to remove it" Lexi sulked her small lips, and Ken finds it so cute. Her chubby blushing cheeks and pouty lips are so charming.
"You don't need to wet your hair, Let's go" Ken lowered the little girl on the floor and she hastened to the bedroom.
Ander's house only has two bedrooms, he occupied one and the triplets sleep in the same bed.
When Alexa came back, she had her swimsuit on under her see-through dress. Ken sighed, seems like Daniella had prepared everything the triplets needed.