Chapter 527

The next morning, Penelope tried to wake Julian. It took several calls before he finally sat up. Seeing how listless he was, with his face flushed red, she quickly reached out to feel his forehead.
It was burning hot!
“You have a fever!”
He must have caught a cold from being out in the rain last night.
Penelope pulled Julian into her arms, dressing him while she contacted the teacher.
Feeling awkward, Julian struggled to get out of her embrace.
“I’m fine. I can dress myself.”
But as soon as he broke free, she scooped him back up and held him close.
“I
Then, Penelope pressed her cheek against his forehead, carefully gauging his temperature.
“It feels like it’s around a hundred degrees. It’s definitely going to climb higher.”
As she spoke, she finished dressing him. Noticing his face was even redder now, she grew more concerned. She lifted him into her arms and hurried outside.
“I… I can walk by myself,” Julian whispered.
“Be a good boy and hold on tight.”
Julian pursed his lips. After a moment’s hesitation, he obediently wrapped his arms around Penelope’s neck and rested his head on her shoulder. She had a unique scent, different from anyone else’s, and it was very pleasant.
The teacher brought some fever medicine and had arranged for a car.
Penelope settled into the car with Julian in her arms. When the farmer heard what had happened, he rushed over with a cup of hot water and two freshly made flatbreads.
On the drive back to the city, Penelope first gave Julian the medicine, then coaxed him to drink some of the hot water.
“Do you want some flatbread?”
Julian shook his head and buried his face in Penelope’s embrace.
Penelope kept checking his temperature. Seeing him so weak and listless broke her heart, and she leaned down to kiss his forehead.
Julian pouted and squirmed a little.
“You’re not allowed to take advantage of me!”
Penelope smiled. “But what if I really like you?”
“Hmph, lots of people like me.”
“Really?”
That’s wonderful, she thought. So many people like my son.
“But I don’t like them.”
“What about me?”
“You?” he stammered for a moment. “You’re not so annoying.”
Penelope kissed his cheek again. “Thank you for not finding me annoying. Not annoying means you like me!”
Julian covered his face in frustration. “How can you just go around kissing people? It’s rude!”
After a bit of lighthearted banter, Julian’s energy faded, and he lay limply in her arms.
Julian’s phone watch started ringing. Penelope looked down and saw he had fallen asleep.
She lifted his wrist to see the caller ID: Theodore.
She hesitated, letting it ring. After a
dozen rings, it stopped, but a moment fater, it started again. If he
couldn’t get through, he would
worry and then he’d contact the teacher
and find out Julian Was
sick…
At that thought, Penelope answered the call.
It was better for him to hear it from
her than from someone else. He was bound to find out sooner or later that she had taken Julian to a School event.
“Julian, why is there a pair of your underwear in my suitcase?”
“You told me to bring something of yours, something about having an object to remember you Isaid no, so you just stuffed a pair of your underwear in my bag?”
“Am I supposed to hold your underwear and smell them? Don’t tell me these are a
pair you’ve worn and haven’t washed.”
Penelope pressed her lips together tightly. What in the world was this? Was this how
the father and son usually interacted?
“Say something. Cat got your tongue?”
Penelope dreaded speaking, but she had to face it.