Chapter 19 Alice
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“Are the cookies ready, mommy?!” a tiny body hugged Alice’s leg as she finished placing the latest batch of cookies on the Blanchis‘ kitchen counter.
“Your favorites are almost ready, darling.” She took off the oven glove to stroke Millie’s hair for a moment “They just need to cool down.”
“Did you do the others I asked for?” Her daughter asked, with an expectation that left Alice confused.
“The ones with caramel and chocolate drops? Yes, I did. They’re over there.” She pointed toward the end of the kitchen counter, though her eyes were on Millie’s delighted expression Are you sure you want to eat them? I thought you didn’t like caramel that much…”
“Uh… Yes, I’ll eat.” Millie’s eyes darted away from hers, like she always did when she was trying to hide something “I can eat them now, please?” She whimpered, hugging Alice’s leg even tighter.
“You know it’s not good to eat snacks before dinner.” She sighed, but when those big green eyes started staring at her like an abandoned puppy, Alice ended up giving in “But, I suppose it’s okay, as long as you only eat one, okay?” she highlighted, approaching the pile of warm cookies to hand one to Millie, until she realized something “Oh, God, I forgot to put this pan in the dishwasher! Thea has already been so kind to let me cook here for today, I can’t risk ruining any of her things…” Alice rambled, as she took the leftover biscuits out of the pan ” Honey, could you bring Mommy a dishcloth, please? Millie… Millie?”
When the hand she had extended remained empty for too long, Alice straightened up to check what was wrong with her daughter, but found absolutely no sign of Millie around… Other than the fact that there was so much more missing than just a cookie on the tray, now.
“Oh, Millie…” Alice sighed, but still finished putting everything she had dirty into the dishwasher, wanting to leave the kitchen clean before going to have a conversation Millie about how it wasn’t polite to steal cookies when her mother wasn’t looking.
However, just as Alice picked up the almost empty sugar jar and walked with it to the food pantry right next to the kitchen so she could refill it, the sound of small footsteps caught her attention. From where she was, Alice could see Millie sneaking into the kitchen, but the same didn’t seem to happen to her daughter, as, after looking around for a moment, Millicent quickly climbed up one of the countertop chairs to reach some more cookies. However, Alice’s desire to scold her for eating so many cookies disappeared when she realized how much she was taking. Her baby liked cookies, but Alice knows very well that Millie wouldn’t just change her dislike for caramel overnight.
So who was she taking five more cookies to? For the horses, perhaps? God, Alice had no idea what the ideal diet for a horse was, but she doubted they would stay healthy eating so much
sugar.
Concerned, but also a little concerned, Alice remained where she was, letting Millie get down
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Chapter 19 – Alice
from the chair and leave the kitchen, and only then followed her, as discreetly as she could. She waited for her daughter to stop in the living room, where some of her toys were, or even in her bedroom, but Millie kept following and following, until finally stopping at…
“I told you…” Alice felt her heart freeze when she heard Massimo’s voice before she even realized that Millie had stopped by his office “You didn’t need to bring more.”
“But I asked mommy to make these cookies just for you…” Millie whimpered, looking hurt ” You don’t like it?”
“1…” Massimo’s harsh tone made Alice believe he was about to scold her daughter, but she soon realized he was just hesitant, almost… Shy liked it. It’s… Very tasty. But, that doesn’t
mean you have to bring them all to me. Here, let’s split.‘
“Mommy said I could only have one before dinner.”
“Oh…” Massimo hesitated, clearly taken by surprise “You are a child… Very well educated, you know that? I don’t remember being this obedient when I was your age, and even after.”
“I don’t know.” This time, it was Alice who was taken aback by Millie’s sad response “Mommy always says I’m amazing, but my grandma… She told me I was stupid and bothered everyone. That mommy had only stayed with me to annoy her… I think that was why she was always saying that she wanted mommy to go away and live in the trash….” Alice’s heart weighed so heavily that it almost made her fall to her knees, especially because of the guilt of knowing that she hadn’t managed to protect her little angel well enough from Kendra.
“We… We’ve been talking about this before, haven’t we? That’s… Really what she said to you? Massimo looked like his teeth were clenched “That’s a… Bad thing. I also had bad grandparents and, you know what? There’s nothing wrong with you. They are the bad people. No one should have the courage to look at a defenseless child and say that kind of shi… That kind of bad things.”
“Was your granny also mean to you, Mr. Bianchi?” Millie questioned, sounding impressed And how did you make her like you?”
“L… I didn’t.” Even from where she stood, Alice could hear the bitter smile in his tone “The old mummy died hating me, but I’m still here and she’s not. So don’t worry, one day Kendra Dawsey won’t be here to bother you and your mother anymore.”
“Uh… Thank you.” Alice felt like banging her head against the wall after that kind of comfort from Massimo, while her daughter spoke, confused “Mr. Bianchi.., Can I ask a question? I’ll give you more cookies if you answer…”
“I don’t need any more cookies.” He grumbled “What do you want to know, anyway?”
“Uh… Are you also going to end up kicking me and mommy out of your house, too?” Millie questioned, causing Alice’s eyes to fill with tears “Can’t you try to be my mommy’s special Triend? She is very cool…”
“I don’t think this is a subject a child like you should be thinking about.” Massimo interrupted
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her, now upset as Alice had expected from the beginning “What happens between me and your mother is an adult thing that won’t affect you.” He assured and, just a second after Millie’s erestfallen sigh, he ended up adding “But, you don’t have to worry about being kicked out of here either. I may not be a hero, but I’m also not the bogeyman they may have told you. I wouldn’t throw a child or a woman out on the street without them having anywhere to go.”
“Thanks, Mr. Bianchil” a little of Millie’s joy seemed to return “I hope you can find a grandma who likes you and makes you hot chocolate, like my friend Cassidy’s grandma.”
“I don’t need to find someone who likes me, just like you don’t either. It doesn’t make any difference whether you have a cool grandmother or not.” Massimo growled “Listen, kid, I’m going to tell you something I wish they had told me when that mummy was trying to intimidate me. Next time Kendra or that other daughter of hers tries to make you sad, just scream loudly for them to go fu…”
“What are you teaching my daughter?” Alice gasped, finally coming out of her hiding place and finding the two of them there, standing in front of each other, hands full of cookies in front of Massimo’s office.
“Mommy…?!” Millie whimpered, embarrassed “L. I’m sorry for taking more cookies, but I wanted to give them to Mr. Bianchi to make him happy…”
“I already said. I don’t want those cookies.” Massimo pushed the treats back into Millicent’s small hands, now scowling as usual “Take them back to where you got them, kid. And, you… he narrowed his eyes in Alice’s direction “If you don’t want your daughter talking to anyone, then maybe you should keep your eyes on her. And should also stop sneaking around my house before I need to do something about it.” He maneuvered his chair, opening the door to the totally dark office a little wider “Now, go away.”
“But…” Millie flinched, clearly not understanding what had changed in their conversation We’re not going to play?”
“I told you to get out of here, kid.” He growled “I’m not the bogeyman, but I’m not good either, so don’t test me.”
“Why do you have to be like this?” Alice faced him, quickly reaching out to pull her daughter into her arms “If this is how you treat children, then I certainly can’t let Millicent near you.”
She accused acidly, trying not to sound hurt by those words either,lly since it was the
first time she had seen him since the day Amber and Casey had paid that damn visit.
“Are you going to move or am I going to have to kick you out?” That was all he said, causing Alice to only feel resentful towards him once again, before turning her back and leaving the man’s side, taking her daughter with her.
“Mommy…” Millie hugged her neck, head down “Aren’t I nice? Is that why Mr. Bianchi doesn’t want to be my friend, even after I gave him cookies? My teachers always say that sharing a snack is a good way to make a friend…‘
“Oh, honey.” She kissed her forehead, rocking her just like she did when Millicent was just a
Chante: 19–Alles
baby “You are the most precious little girl in the is a boring, rude and bad–tempered man, just lik yesterday. With the only difference being that he not to show how knowing that disappointed her much better friends than Massimo Bianchi,” she “I’ve known this for a long, long time.
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Chapter 19 Alice
baby “You are the most precious little girl in the world. Nothing you did is wrong, Mr. Bianchi is a boring, rude and bad–tempered man, just like The Grinch in the book we read before bed yesterday. With the only difference being that he won’t be good in the end.” Alice tried hard not to show how knowing that disappointed her, too “So don’t worry about it. You deserve much better friends than Massimo Bianchi.” she bugged her daughter closer as she whispered “I’ve known this for a long, long time.”
