2 Chapter 2

Stewart woke up from a terrible nightmare, it was the same nightmare he had the night he lost his wife eleven years ago. He stood up and took a shower and do all the usual things he does every morning. He then went downstairs and saw his eldest son, Adam, sitting on the couch reading a newspaper and his second child, Sam, making lunch for the eleven-year-old Athena in the kitchen. They all saw him and greet him a good morning. They are now happy, just like usual except for Stewart, he just can't remove the nightmare from his head. But his kids' smiles are quite contagious for Stewart, and it makes him happy as well. We could now safely say that      Mr. Stewart Chen is now ready for work. But first Adam is now sending Athena to school. Athena's age is quite far from Adam and Sam. Adam is a twenty-two-year-old businessman. And Sam is a twenty-year-old college student. And Athena is just an eleven-year-old child. Quite far but the promise that Adam and Sam made for Athena is making them love her even more. Especially for the eldest, he has money to use. He has money to spoil the young Athena, not Adam only but also Stewart. They gave all the things that she needs and the things that she wants. And efforts to give her their time. 

Sam taught Athena how to play the piano years ago, then Athena came to be interested in the violin. They were the best duo in music. They performed in galas and some contests and won together. Sometimes Athena would just walk around the garden all alone with her violin and play. It would be like walking in a paradise with a member of the "mousai". She makes every inch of the place so graceful, as graceful as she is. Not to mention her beauty, she looks so much like her mother. And that's what makes it feel right for Stewart naming her after her mother. 

Athena's beauty is so much like a British girl, like her mother, but mixed with the genes of a Singaporean man. But her overall is a British girl, she's got a beautiful white skin and red cheeks, not to mention her lips, it is very captivating. Her hair is blonde and her hands are so soft. She's like an angel sent by god. And she grew up to be as kind as her mother. To say it clearly, she's like a copy of her mother. And it made Stewart, Adam, and Sam feel like they've never lost anyone. 

One night, the telephone is ringing late in the evening. 

"Hello?"  Stewart answered the telephone.

"Hey Stewart, I'm on my way to Singapore, I expect you to pick me up," Stewart remembered that the Grandmother of these children would visit from London.

"Oh, of course, Mrs. Cambridge. I will be the one to pick you up."

"Oh I hope that you don't mind, I'd like you to bring your last-child, I'm planning to go shopping with her," 

"Of course ma'am, I don't mind it at all, I think it's going to be perfect for Athena,"

Athena is eavesdropping to the conversation. Not until her brother Adam saw her,

"What are you doing there Athena?" Adam asked her.

"umm, who was that?" She asked him curiously.

"It was just our grandmother from London. She's gonna visit here." Adam answered her with a smile.

Stewart put the telephone down and turned to see Athena and Adam. 

"Athena, why are you still awake?"  he asked her.

"I had a bad dream dad," she answered softly

"I want to sleep with big brother,"  she added.

"Sure Athena," Stewart answered Athena 

"Ok then, get ready for big brother's snore,"  Adam said jokingly, and they all laughed. 

Athena is lying down on her brother's bed, and beside her is her brother who is tired from work. She then asked, 

"Have you ever met Grandma?" She asked her brother.

"Yeah, why?" he answered. 

"Nothing," Athena answered and quickly drifted off to sleep. 

It was early in the morning and Stewart is preparing and the maids are helping Athena to get ready. It was her Grandma that she's meeting with and that's why they are trying to impress her in any way. Athena is wearing this white dress of hers, it looked perfect on her and even better when her hair is braided loose. And she is wearing her white two-inch heels. She's ready to go, she and her dad went to the airport to pick up her grandma.

"Stewart! I'm here!"  A loud and familiar voice was heard by Stewart and as he turned his head to see, he saw his mother-in-law carrying her Louis Vuitton bag and dragging her luggage.

They met and the first thing is the hugs. Her name is Mathilda, Stewart's mother-in-law.

She then looked at Athena and hugged her tight. 

"Oh you've grown, it was like yesterday that your dad was carrying you in his arms,"  She said.

Athena was not able to utter any word, but you can tell from her face that she's delighted to meet her grandma. They quickly went to the mall and had a grandmother and child time. They talked, they ate, they laughed together, bought some ice creams and bought a lot of stuff. And when they grew tired, they decided to go home.

Athena was so tired that she went to bed right away. Meanwhile, Stewart and Mathilda are having a conversation.

"I'm planning on taking Athena with me to London for her education, I heard she's pretty good at school, why not send her to a great school?" Mathilda asked Stewart.

"I believe that schools here in Singapore are enough to educate my daughter, there is no need to take her away," Stewart answered to her, trying to get to the point that he doesn't want Athena to go to London with her Grandma. 

"Oh please, there are many top schools in London, like St. Paul's Girls' School, it would be best for her," She then replied trying to convince him.

"I admit that my daughter is close to being a genius, but please, I would like to be the one to decide for my daughter,"  he pleaded.

Mathilda sighed, "Alright then, but I hope that Athena would grow as a very bright kid,"  she just said with a hint of disappointment.

"I'll make sure that Athena would grow up as a strong woman," Stewart replied trying to assure Mathilda.