<b>Chapter </b>126
During the lull, Zachary hurried over, a sheet of paper in hand. He <b>paused </b><b>when </b>he saw Alessia, then broke into a smile.
“Hey, how are you settling in? Everything okay?” Alessia waved at him, realizing–almost absently–that somehow, she’d slipped into an easy <b>closeness </b>
with the Morton family. She hadn’t even noticed it happening.
“I’m good. When did you get here?” Zachary asked.
“Just now. Mom made some shortbread, told me to bring it over for Father Benedict to try.”
“How’s Ivan doing?”
“He’s alright,” Alessia replied, lifting her chin with a hint of pride.
Zachary found her adorable and ruffled her hair. “You’ve done well.”
“Zachary, have you signed off on that list yet?” Six’s voice echoed before he appeared, loud as ever. The reminder pulled Zachary back to his task, and he grinned sheepishly.
“Sorry, Father.”
“You’ve been running around all day. Let’s wrap things up and have dinner,” Xander said, taking the pen and paper from Zachary and signing his name with a flourish.
“Alright.” Zachary headed off, and right on cue, Six strode in.
“Well, if it isn’t our dazzling, brilliant Lessie.”
“Getting prettyfortable using my full name, aren’t you?”
“My bad.” Six pressed his palms together in mock apology, not the least bit hesitant.
Alessia, long used to Six’s antics, gave him a light smack on the head. “Go on, have some shortbread.”
“Homemade by Lessie’s mom herself–tastes just as good as anything from Blossom Bakery.”
“Then I’ve got to try it.“/Six took a bite, his eyes lighting up. In no time, he’d polished off most of the te.
“Hey, hey, I said you could have one piece, not the whole tray! Show some respect
<b>11:54 </b>
<b>for </b><b>your </b><b>elders</b>, will <b>you</b><b>? </b><b>That’s </b><b>enough</b><b>–</b><b>leave </b><b>some </b>for <b>the </b><b>rest </b><b>of </b>us! <b>blocked </b><b>him</b><b>, </b><b>but </b><b>Six </b>kept trying to <b>sneak </b>extra <b>pieces</b><b>, </b><b>one </b><b>with </b><b>each </b>hand
<b>The </b><b>courtyard </b>buzzed withughter and chatter. Alessia didn’t <b>try </b><b>to </b><b>stop </b><b>them</b>, she just watched, her own smile softer than she realized–so gentle it <b>made </b><b>you </b><b>want </b><b>to </b>shower her with every good thing in the world.
When Zachary returned, this was the scene he walked into. He knew Alessia <b>was </b>doing well, but moments like this always tugged <b>at </b>something tender inside <b>him</b>. Ordinary as it was, it felt precious–maybe because Alessia, for all her breezy confidence, cared deeply for those around her. Anyone who paid attention <b>could </b>
see it.
“Come on, let’s grab the tables,” someone called.
Lost in thought, Zachary didn’t notice Six appear beside him until he was being pulled toward the main hall.
“That room over there–it’s for Alessia. If she wants, the whole clinic could be hers,” Six said, pointing to the biggest, sunniest room in the house apart from Xander’s. “Is there something you’re trying to say?” Zachary heard the undertone clearly.
“If Alessia hadn’t brought you here, you wouldn’t have made it to your twenty–fifth birthday.”
The words made Zachary freeze.
Six nced at him,pletely unruffled. “Not that you’d know. But if believe me-”
<b>you </b>
don’t
“I believe you,” Zachary cut him off. He knew his own–body–had always figured he was buying time, at best. He’d never told his family, never let himself hope for more. But the way Six said it… it was more than hope. It was certainty.
Six noticed the surprise on Zachary’s face and shrugged.
“Doesn’t matter if you know or not. What I’m saying is: you’re capable, I’ll give you that. But if Alessia ever gets mistreated in your family–even a little–I won’t wait for Father Benedict to kick you out. I’ll be the first one to throw you out myself. Preferably after rearranging your face.”