Lost Her Heart(Book2, the Heart series)

Chapter Fifty-Seven

"Good morning" Alfred greeted with his arms around a skipping Kaitlyn as they walked down the stairs into the dining room.

"Alfred?" Mia asked. "We didn't hear the door bell this morning" the mischievous glint in her eyes made Kaitlyn roll her eyes at her as her Aunt walked into the dining from the kitchen.

"Oh. Alfred. What a pleasant surprise" despite her attempt to hide how surprised she was, her voice betrayed her. "Didn't you see you walk in"

"Would you all please stop asking how he came in?" Kaitlyn asked "he came in through my window. Happy?"

"But why? I mean-"

"He slept over. He was here since last night. After everyone went to bed, he snuck in. Happy?"

"I knew I was hearing some noises last night" Carlos teased as he sat down, earning a dirty look from his wife.

"Nice try, Uncle Carlos. But the walls are sound proof!"

"Ha! So you did do something"

"Carlos!" Lia scolded him as he glared at Alfred who cleared his throat.

"I think I'll be leaving now. Mum would be looking for me" Alfred announced, looking around the table as Nia walked in with a tray of coffee cups.

"Why don't you stay for breakfast?" Lia suggested.

"Yes, Al" Kaitlyn added. "You don't want to be rude now, do you?" She threw a brief glance at her Uncle and her boyfriend understood what she was implying.

"I'll stay for breakfast since you're all insisting" he said and took out a chair for Kaitlyn before settling down himself.

"We have a teeny tiny problem though. Alfred's diet is different from ours"

"What do you mean?" Lia asked as Mia and Nia set the food on the table. "We're not eating junk"

"I know" Alfred turned to her and she shook her head. Her Aunt and Uncle were unaware of  Alfred been a cancer patient. She gulped as she turned back to their questioning eyes. "Actually, Al has heart issues. And Cancer"

"Cancer?" Lia echoed and threw him an apologetic look. "I'm so sorry I didn't know about your condition seeing as Kaitlyn never tells us anything"

"I was going to tell you" she quickly jumped to her defense "but when I found out, Al was getting married to Tori so I figured it wasn't our business anymore and we didn't have to interfere"

"But I'll be fine. Don't worry" Alfred assured them. "I'm undergoing chemo so I should be fine. The cancer was cured the first time. It would be cured this time too"

"I hope so" Carlos mumbled and Alfred rolled his tongue around his mouth knowing what he was implying.

"So what would you like to have?" Mia asked. "We'll get it ready in no time"

"Nothing special. Just maybe some toasted bagel with peanut butter"

"Would be ready in five minutes. Would you like some coffee before then?"

"Yeah. Sure" She smiled and offered him a cup before disappearing into the kitchen. Kaitlyn smiled at him to ease his discomfort before glaring at her Uncle who was keenly watching Alfred's every move.

"Where's Jayden?" Lia asked and Kaitlyn was glad she spoke as she had broken the unnecessary tension her uncle had created. "He isn't one to sleep till the early hours of the morning"  Alfred offered Mia a curt nod as she dropped his plate of bagel toast and left.

"Maybe it's just the headache" Kaitlyn offered a rational reason. "Else he would have been down here like the rest of us"

"Do you think we should send him breakfast up there instead?" Lia asked.