Chapter 946: 947: I Don’t Like Her!

Chapter 947: I Don’t Like Her!



By the time Aaron and his group arrived at the park for their picnic, the sun was high in the sky, casting a warm golden glow over the park.

The only sounds around them were the soft murmur of the river nearby mingled with the sound of birds chirping in the trees, creating a serene atmosphere. The smell of fresh grass and the sweet scent of blooming flowers filled the air as the family settled into their spot and spread out a checkered picnic blanket.

Jamal was bursting with energy, darting around the blanket as he eagerly awaited the moment when they would open the picnic basket while Aaron watched Jamal with amusement.

"Slow down, buddy," Aaron chuckled, reaching out to ruffle Jamal's curly hair. "We've got all afternoon."

Candace sat beside Aaron, arranging the food they had brought. She glanced at Jamal, her face glowing with maternal pride as he finally plopped down beside her, a broad grin stretched across his face.

Candace understood he was so excited because he had never been out on a picnic before, and the same went for her and Andy.

Candace was happy that she was finally able to give Jamal a normal life thanks to her father.

"This is going to be so much fun!" Jamal declared, his eyes darting between the sandwiches, fruit, and treats Candace was setting out.

"Just don't eat too much too quickly," Candace warned playfully. "We don't want you bouncing off the walls more than you already are."

Andy, who was busy unpacking the cooler, smiled as she watched her family. She had always been the fun aunt, the one Jamal could count on for an adventure, and she was especially glad to be here today. This picnic was a much-needed experience for all of them.

As they settled into their meal, Aaron began to tell them stories from his childhood. Aaron's voice was soothing, full of nostalgia and warmth, and Jamal listened with rapt attention, his sandwich forgotten in his hand as he hung on to every word.

Andy, meanwhile, had her phone in her lap, her thoughts drifting to Dawn. She remembered how excited Jamal had been during the drive and how much he was looking forward to hearing from Dawn.

She decided that now would be a perfect time for another chat. Glancing over at Candace, who was now engaged in a lively conversation with Aaron, Andy smiled to herself and quickly sent a text to Kimberly to see if they could video call.

As they finished their lunch, Andy's phone buzzed. "Hey, Jamal," she called out, getting his attention. "Do you want to talk to Dawn now?"

Jamal's eyes lit up like fireworks. He quickly scrambled over to Andy, nearly knocking over the basket in his excitement. "Yes! Yes, please, Aunt Andy!" he exclaimed, bouncing on his toes.

Andy chuckled and patted the spot next to her, motioning for Jamal to sit down. She tapped on the screen, waiting for Kimberly to pick up. After a few rings, the video call connected, and Kimberly's face appeared on the screen. She looked a little frazzled but smiled warmly when she saw Andy and Jamal.

"Hi, Andy! Hi, Jamal!" Kimberly greeted them, her voice a little breathless. The camera wobbled slightly as she adjusted it.

"Hi, Kimberly! How's everything going?" Andy asked, glancing at Jamal, who was nearly vibrating with excitement.

"We're fine," Kimberly said, but there was a note of weariness in her voice. "Actually, I'm glad you called. Dawn's been having a bit of a tough day."

Jamal's smile faltered as he leaned closer to the screen. "What's wrong? Where's Dawn?" he asked, concern lacing his voice.

Kimberly turned the phone, and the screen shifted to show Dawn seated on a chair, her face red and tear-streaked, with a bandage wrapped around her right knee. She was trying her best to stop crying, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Dawn!" Jamal gasped, his heart sinking at the sight of Dawn in tears. "Why are you crying?"

Dawn looked up, her bright hazel eyes shimmering with unshed tears. She sniffled and gave a small, tremulous smile when she saw Jamal. "Hi, Jamal," she whispered, her voice wavering. "I... I got hurt."

Jamal's face scrunched up with worry. "What happened? Did you fall?"

Dawn nodded, her hair bouncing slightly as she shifted in her seat. "I fell and hurt my knee. It really hurt," she explained, her voice small.

"Oh no!" Jamal's eyes widened as he leaned closer to the screen, his voice full of sympathy. "Can I see it?"

Dawn hesitated for a moment, then glanced up at Kimberly, who gave her an encouraging nod. Slowly, Dawn lifted the edge of her dress to reveal her knee. The bandage had a spot of red seeping through, and beneath it, the wound was still raw and fresh, the skin jagged and pink.

Jamal winced, his stomach twisting at the sight. "That looks like it really hurt," he said softly. "But you're really bra

Dawn."

Dawn's lips trembled as she tried to smile. "It does hurt," she admitted, her voice barely audible. "But I'm trying not to cry."

"You're doing great," Jamal reassured her, his voice gentle and kind. "You know, one time, I fell off my bike and scraped my elbow. It hurt a lot, but my mom said it would get better soon.

And it did!"

Dawn's eyes brightened a little. "Really?" she asked, sniffling again.

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Ryan's frown deepened as he studied the little girl, trying to understand her behavior. He had always been patient with Genevieve's tantrums, but this was not something he could

overlook.

Kimberly watched the interaction with a mixture of concern and frustration. Ever since Ryan introduced Genevieve to her as his late housekeeper's daughter whom he was raising, she had done her best to take the kid under her wing, but this kind of behavior needed to be addressed.

"I will talk to Genevieve while you clean up Dawn," Ryan told Kimberly before leading Genevieve away.

Once they were safely out of earshot, Ryan looked at Genevieve, "Why did you do that?" Ryan

asked Genevieve with a frown.

"I don't like her! I don't want her in our house," Genevieve cried.

"Do you want to be punished?" Ryan asked, and she shook her head. "Behave yourself and don't ever do that again, else I'm going to send you away from here, do you understand me?" Ryan said and Genevieve nodded, her eyes wide with fear. "One day, all that Dawn has is going to be yours. So, make sure you are best friends with her and know everything she knows, okay?" Ryan said, looking directly into his daughter's eyes. Even though she didn't exactly understand what that meant, she bobbed her head. "Now listen to me, and I will tell you exactly what you're going to say when we get back

there," Ryan said, and Genevieve listened as her father told her word for word what to say and

how to behave.

When Ryan was sure she had gotten it, he led her back to join Kimberly and Dawn, and the moment Genevieve saw Dawn, she broke into a sob.

"I'm sorry."

Seeing this, Kimberly's brows pulled together as she pulled Genevieve to herself, her tone

gentle but firm. "Genny, it's okay to talk to me. I just want to understand why you did that."

Genevieve's bottom lip trembled, and she glanced up, her eyes filled with tears. "I didn't

mean to," she mumbled, her voice barely audible. "She was laughing... and... and I just got so mad."

Kimberly's expression softened slightly as she took Genevieve's hand. "Mad? Why did you get mad, sweetheart?"

Genevieve sniffled, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "Because... because Dawn gets

to have a mommy and daddy who loves her and plays with her, and I don't...." Her small voice cracked with emotion, and tears spilled down her cheeks. Kimberly's heart clenched at the little girl's confession. She exchanged a glance with Ryan as she pulled Genevieve into her arms, holding her close as she cried softly into her chest. "Oh, sweet girl," Kimberly whispered, rubbing her back soothingly. "I'm so sorry you feel that way. But you don't have to be mad or hurt anyone because of it. Dawn is your friend, and she cares about you. And I care about you too," Kimberly said, her own eyes misting over. Genevieve clung to her, her small body trembling with sobs. Ryan reached out to gently stroke her hair, "We all care about you, Genevieve. We're here for you, okay?"

Dawn, who had been watching quietly from her chair, finally spoke up, her voice soft and full of compassion. "Genny, I'm not mad at you for pushing me." Genevieve turned her tear-streaked face toward Dawn, sniffling. "You're not?" Dawn shook her head, offering a small, tentative smile. "No, I'm not. You're my friend."

Genevieve wiped her nose with her sleeve, looking between Dawn, Ryan, and Kimberly. "I'm

sorry, Dawn," she whispered, "I didn't mean to hurt you."

Dawn gave her a reassuring nod. "It's okay."

"Let's be best friends, okay?" Genevieve said and Dawn hesitated for a moment thinking

about Lucy who was her best friend.

"I already have a best friend. But we can be good friends," she said, a smile tugging at the

corners of her lips.

Ryan kissed the top of Dawn's head. "That's my girl. Now, let's get you girls cleaned up and maybe we can all have a little treat together. How does that sound?"

Both girls nodded eagerly, and Kimberly gave Ryan a grateful look, thankful for how he

handled the situation with grace and love.

So far he had shown her that he wasn't as bad as she had thought, and she was thankful that he

was a good father to Dawn. She had made the right decision in marrying him.

*****

Quick Announcement. I'm sorry, every one. Contrary to what I planned, I've been adviced by my editor to start Jamal's story as a stand-alone and fresh story. OWN will be ending at chapter 1000. I'm going to start Jamal's story immediately it ends. I hope you support me and add it up in your library. Thanks.

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