Defying Fate: The Unstoppable Eileen



Eileen stood there, dumbfounded.

"What the...?" she muttered to herself, her eyes wide with astonishment.

But to everyone else in the room, it seemed like not a big deal.

Blake and Chad marched down the stairs, their smiles wide as they greeted her, "Hey, you made it."

Scrambling for words, Eileen managed, "Hey, Blake, Chad."

At that moment, Chad slung an arm around Carlson's neck, introducing him, "This is your brother, Carlson."

Eileen turned to look at Carlson in the middle. In contrast to Blake's cool composure and Chad's commanding presence, not to mention Terrence's scholarly vibe, Carlson was the epitome of rugged charm.

His skin was tanned from years in the field, his posture arrow-straight, eyes like piercing stars. Just standing there, he radiated a sense of security that was palpable.

He was the spitting image of a soldier.

Eileen gazed up at Carlson and felt a familiar pang in her heart. She was reminded of Derek. He possessed the same commanding presence, and whenever she stood beside him, she felt like she was in the safest place in the world.

Carlson gently shrugged off Chad's hand and approached Eileen. He looked down at the petite girl before him and softly patted her head.

Looking up, Eileen tried to read the rare smile on Carlson's face. It was stiff like he wasn't used to smiling, but he managed, "You've grown so much." A sudden lump formed in Eileen's throat, the resemblance to Derek overwhelming her for a moment. She fidgeted with her fingers before taking a deep breath and saying, "Hey, Carlson."

His smile softened, and he nodded, dropping his hand back to his side, "Good girl."

From the kitchen, the housekeeper called out, "Mrs. Roberts, shall we serve the meal now?"

Rosalind quickly responded, "Yes, let's eat. Eileen must be starving. Come, everyone, dinner's ready."

Soon, everyone was seated at the table. Eileen glanced across the table at Egbert, feeling a desire to be closer to him. She playfully remarked, "Can Egbert even reach the dishes from over there?"

Rosalind was taken aback, looking between Eileen and Egbert on the other side of the table. Frowning slightly, she asked, "Egbert, are you having trouble serving yourself?"

Egbert was silent for a moment, about to reply when suddenly everyone's eyes were on him.

Blake removed his glasses and set them aside. Carlson was toying with his fork as if it were a weapon. Chad leaned back in his chair, his knuckles cracking ominously. Sonia was holding a steaming cup of coffee. Flossie had pulled a bottle of hot sauce closer to her.

The younger relatives were also restless, watching intently.

Egbert let out a weary sigh, "I can manage."

Immediately, the tension at the table dissipated, replaced by a warm and harmonious atmosphere.novelbin

Eileen just shook her head, bemused.

After lunch, Sawyer tugged at Egbert's sleeve. Egbert looked at him, and Sawyer sighed reassuringly, "Egbert, count your blessings. At least you get to sit at the table. Derek has to eat in his study."

Egbert just stared, wondering if that was supposed to be comforting.

Post-lunch, Karin took Eileen to the tranquility of the garden.

Away from the crowd, Eileen relaxed, hugging Karin, "You always get me."

Karin's shy smile lit up her face, "Tea, Eileen?"

"Sounds perfect," Eileen said with a smile.

They headed to the open-air tea pavilion in the garden, surrounded by an array of tea sets.

"Are these all yours?" Eileen asked as Karin prepared the tea.

Karin shook her head, "No, these belong to Derek."

Eileen paused, "Dad?"

Karin nodded, "He loves his tea. He taught me everything about brewing it." She handed a freshly steeped cup to Eileen.

Eileen took a sip, savoring the taste, "Not bad at all."

Karin continued with the tea ceremony while Eileen glanced up at the windows above, "Which one is the study?"

Pointing at one, Karin said, "That one."

Setting her cup down, Eileen leaned in and whispered, "What's Derek's favorite tea?"

Karin thought for a moment, "Earl Grey."

Eileen jumped up, located the Earl Grey amongst the various tea leaves, and cracked open the lid.

Karin gasped in alarm, "Eileen, even if you don't want to acknowledge him, you don't have to poison him."

Eileen rolled her eyes and gave Karin a tap on the forehead, "What are you thinking?."

Laughing it off, Eileen took a clean tea set and began to prepare the tea with precision and grace. Karin watched, amazed, "Eileen, you know the art of tea?"

"Just a bit," Eileen replied casually.

She had learned to brew tea at a young age, as it was one of Derek's passions.

Once the tea was ready, Eileen handed the cup to Karin, "Take this to Derek."

Karin looked at her Eileen, a smile breaking across her face, "I'll tell him you made it."

With that, Karin took the tea and disappeared into the house.

Left alone in the tea pavilion, Eileen picked up her unfinished cup and strolled through the garden, enjoying the peace of the moment.

Eileen trekked up to a small knoll, from which she could gaze down upon a serene footpath threading through the landscape. She took another sip of her coffee.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed from behind. Eileen thought Karin had returned and turned around, but instead, she found Egbert. Her face lit up with a smile, and she playfully called out, "They let you out without a fuss?"

Egbert strolled up beside her, and with a masculine grace, he brushed a stray lock of hair from her face, arching an eyebrow as he teased, "Taking delight in my misfortune?"

Suppressing a giggle, Eileen leaned casually against the stone balustrade.

A gentle breeze, fragrant with the scent of blossoms, caressed them.

The noon sun was just perfect as they locked eyes. Just then, an elderly couple meandered down the path.

Egbert glanced their way. The old man sat in a wheelchair, pushed along by his wife. They chatted and laughed. When something amused them greatly, the old man would turn and affectionately pat his wife's hand, prompting her to look at him and share a knowing smile.

Their intimate manner, though aged, radiated warmth and romance.

Watching them, Egbert turned to Eileen and pondered, "Will we be like that someday?"

Eileen paused, her gaze following the elderly couple.

After a moment of silence, she quipped, "Are you saying you want a wheelchair too?"