Chapter 195 - Home Is Where The Heart Is (1/2)
Instead of talking to Edward's father, Claire and Orita talked to his mother who was currently residing in Paris. The woman was easy-going and very understanding. In fact, she was thrilled that Edward finally made a move and the relationship was rosy. The ditzy lady also expressed her eagerness to meet Scarlet in person as well when her son and Mrs Wilde's daughter were ready to take the next step of their relationship.
”If Edward treats Scarlet poorly, please do not hesitate to let me know. My son left me from a young age to be with his busy father so I did not teach him a lot. I will take full responsibility of punishing him if he makes her unhappy or acts inappropriately,” Mrs Bayon promised and Orita laughed.
”No, Mrs Bayon. Your son is a wonderful young man. I just hope that it wouldn't be too much trouble to accommodate Scarlet for a while. If we had another alternative, we would have arranged for Scarlet to be elsewhere but seeing as things happened too quickly, we can only ask for help from Edward. I promise to compensate accordingly and if the money for the rent and living expenses are not enough, please let us know. My husband and I are more than willing to increase the amount because we know Scarlet has been brought up a little more pampered than others.”
Edward raised a brow at that when he heard it. Scarlet didn't make a comment but Edward doubted that Scarlet was a material girl who depended on luxury items. In fact, Alex seemed more like that kind of girl. Scarlet was very humble and down-to-earth, his mother had nothing to fear.
The talk concluded swiftly and Mrs Bayon sent her son and his girlfriend kisses over the phone. Scarlet blushed and Edward looked slightly embarrassed by his mother's display of affection. Mrs Wilde thought that it was endearing. If Edward's mother was such a lovely lady, she didn't have too much to worry about. Scarlet would be in good hands and Claire can focus more on catching the pests skulking around her girls.
Now that negotiations were settled, Claire turned to Edward and started to ask when they could start moving Scarlet's things to his place. Edward looked around the apartment and was a little hesitant. Although it was an apartment that he could live comfortably in, it wasn't anything as luxurious as the one the Wildes had in Brooklyn Heights. Most of whatever that was here wouldn't fit.
Scarlet noticed Edward's troubled expression and frowned. ”Don't trouble him too much, I don't need to bring a lot of things. We won't even need a mover, I'll just bring a suitcase of clothes, a laptop and some books that I need for classes. I won't impose for too long.”
The head maid sighed. ”It's not up to you,” she told Scarlet. ”It is dependent on our jobs. If I cannot come back within a month, you might have to stay with Edward for a little longer. I can't let you and Alex stay alone together, it's not safe. Neither of you has culinary skills and you'll fight too much. Thank goodness you have reliable boyfriends so I'll be counting on them to keep an eye on the both of you for me.”
Edward raised a brow. Fighting? That didn't sound like Scarlet at all. The Scarlet he knew was meek after all with an occasional bold streak. If anything, he thought that Alex would be the more likely one to start a fight with his girlfriend but he didn't know for certain with Scarlet glaring at Claire in protest. Still, it was rather interesting to him.
Claire and Edward made plans and talked about arrangements for Scarlet's moving into his apartment.
”My apartment isn't very big,” he admitted. ”It's enough for one person and it could squeeze one more person in but that's about it. This place is huge in comparison and I'm afraid none of the furniture can be over in. I don't even have a bookshelf in the guest room, just a bed and a flimsy wardrobe. There isn't even a table in the room, the table is outside and I use the dining table to do my school reports.”
Claire nodded. ”Maybe we can do some adjustments and bring over something so that Scarlet can work on her things. Do you have a rough idea on the space dimensions and floor plan of your apartment? We'll try to fit the necessities and not go overboard.”
While Edward drew out the rough dimension of his apartment for Claire to brainstorm and negotiate what could be brought over and what she be left behind, Scarlet looked at Orita and Alex. The mother and daughter were discussing the things Alex needed.
”But I want to bring this dressing table over. It has all my make-up. Also, what am I going to do without my gym clothes? I can't be just seen wearing the same old jeans and dresses to school all week long. I need to change it up! Also, there are parties I have to attend, one suitcase wouldn't fit everything!”
Orita sighed at her biological daughter's meltdown. They were already having problems fitting all of Alex's paint bottles and canvases. Jasper didn't live in a very huge apartment either and the heiress wondered if she had been raising her daughters wrongly. On one hand, Scarlet refused to bring anything. On the other hand, Alex wanted to bring everything including the bathtub when she heard that there was only a shower stall at Jasper's apartment.
”How will I use the bath bombs without a bathtub?” Alex asked in horror when Orita told the model about the new arrangement. Claire rolled her eyes and ignored the model, leaving Orita to sort things out with Alex in another room. Scarlet didn't know what to do, feeling a little left out so Jenna accompanied the writer in silence.
”How are you feeling?” the lady butler asked and Scarlet bit her bottom lip.
”Nervous,” she admitted. ”I don't know what to do. I think I've become too spoilt by the constant company of family that moving away even for a short while feels lonely.”