Novel Live
Chapter 532 Wild animals
Luther had done some research before meeting with Melanie again. She was keeping the twins for that night, and he had accepted to meet them because he had the impression that it wouldn't happen too often in the future. Especially if Melanie understood his suspicions.
He knew she had called him just because avoiding him all of a sudden would have been even more suspicious, as to make him investigate the reasons for her reaction.
If he was a little more naive or trusting, he wouldn't have thought his old-time friend was trying to trick him. But he was an old fox.
Oh, foxes! Would those live in packs? He wasn't sure. But it was a possibility. Thinking about Robert, of one thing he was sure: they were carnivore. There was no way his friend had been a vegetarian.
And the twins would eat so much meat that it was a miracle their wouldn't have a stomachache later.
«Hello!» he said, offering the flowers to Melanie.
«Come in first,» she said, moving to the side. However, she accepted the gift.
They heard the steps of the running twins, and Luther couldn't help but chuckle. How could they spot him so soon? Were they waiting for him at the window?
«Grandpa!»
«Grandpa Luther!»
Their shouting made the old man smile. Even though he was suspecting those cute little things were actually sanguinary beasts, he couldn't help but love them.
They liked him, which meant they wouldn't eat him. Hopefully.
«I brought here a book to read together,» he said. «Your grandpa is too old to run all the time.»
«But you're young, grandpa!» Jaden exclaimed.
He held Luther's hand and pulled him towards the living room.
«You changed scent, grandpa,» added Scarlet.
She sniffed him, finding that new perfume interesting. Jaden paid some attention to the novelty as well.
«How did you even find me with this different perfume?» he chuckled.
Melanie was distracted by the flowers, so he took the chance to test the kids. Had they felt his presence when Melanie had opened? They seemed surprised to see him, meaning Melanie hadn't warned them.
Or maybe she had, but he was getting too old to accept he might have been wrong.
«You're still the same,» Jaden said. «You changed perfume, but your scent is the same.»
Scarlet nodded, confirming her brother's words. She could recognise grandpa Luther even with that new smell covering his usual.
«Is it good?» he asked.
Scarlet nodded. She liked his scent without anything covering it, but it wasn't bad either.
Hearing Melanie walk back to them, he promptly changed the topic. He didn't want to be separated by the twins forever. Even with their not-very-clear nature, they were adorable.
«Let's go to the living room,» he said.
The twins guided him to the couch, and they sat. They hadn't forgotten his promise, so they sat each on one side of Luther and waited for him to open the book he had bought.
«Do you remember we were talking about flowers, Scarlet?»
«Yes, grandpa.»
«Just like flowers, animals have their names. For example, there are rabbits and there are ducks. It's the same for flowers...»
«And for stones,» Scarlet added. Her daddy had explained everything about those. He also said those were a good investment, meaning Scarlet was actually working while collecting pretty and shining things.
«For example, do you know what this is?»
Scarlet observed the drawing with a keen eye, analysing every feature in fear of making a mistake. However, no matter how hard she looked, that animal looked the same.
«It's a lion,» she said. «And a lioness.»
«That's right!» Luther patted on her head.
When the little girl beamed, he felt a little guilty for investigating like that.
«And this?»
«A crocodile!»
«And... Uhm, what is this?»
«A fox!»
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He continued praising her, pointing at the animals who would eat meat. When he pointed at a wolf, Scarlet halted.
She looked up at him, worried. She wanted to be praised again, but she had also promised not to say wolf.
She pouted, visibly unhappy.
Luther blinked, trying to read more into her reaction. What good luck. He could guess they had told Scarlet not to say wolf out loud after the incident with the word pack.
«This animal here doesn't live alone,» Luther said, trying to hint her something.
«In families,» Scarlet murmured, even more unhappy than before.
«And when it has kids, it's very protective. Very cute, isn't it?»
«Yes!» Scarlet exclaimed. «Look at how pretty it is! And so little!»Nôv(el)B\\jnn
«Who?»
«He,» she said, pointing at the wolf. However, no word about packs and wolves would come out of her mouth.
«He? How do you know it's not a she?»
«Because he's bigger than his wife.»
She pointed at the second wolf, hoping Luther would realise even without using the word mate. They hadn't forbidden her from using it, but she wanted to be careful once in her life.
As for Jaden, he observed his sister and grandpa talk about animals with a straight face. He had also listened to the talk about keeping their nature secret, but he didn't need anyone to tell him
His mommy had suffered a lot every time they were discovered, so he had learned to hide it. But Scarlet was making a mess even while doing her best. She wasn't doing it on purpose, and he had no clue how to help her out of that trap.
«It's a wolf, grandpa,» he said, in the end. He just hoped his mommy wouldn't get too angry about it, but he had to say that word or their grandpa would have suspected even more. «It lives in packs and defends its pups with claws and fangs.»
«Oh, I see,» Luther chuckled, amused by Jaden's words. He wasn't expecting the little boy to counter his interrogation with such a honest reply.
«Do you know what this is?» Jaden continued, pointing at a white bear. He changed the topic, pressing Luther to tell him more about bears before turning the page. Just like that, Luther couldn't continue asking Scarlet.