Shedding her shoes in the entryway, she questioned, “Mom, aren't you planning to stick around in Tashkao a bit longer?"

Lettie set the chicken soup on the table.

Eyeing her daughter, Lettie sensed something was amiss and let out a small sigh. "How can I relax after what's happened? I asked around, Axell's folks returned back to their hometown. What gives?"

Jessie recounted the hospital ordeal to Lettie.

Lettie's eyebrows shot up. Albert was no walk in the park. How come he just let Axell slide and even handed his folks a cool ten million?

After a pause, Lettie mused, “Axell is no match for Albert, that's for sure."

But she believed Albert had some screws loose too. One wrong move with that knife and he would've been a goner.

Albert had pulled that stunt because he wanted Jessie to feel sorry for him.

Even if Jessie kept quiet, Lettie, being her mom, could see she was fretting over Albert.

Two days later, on Saturday, Jessie had her session with Jeslyn.

After Lunch, Albert lounged on the sofa, flipping through a magazine like he had all the time in the world.

Jeslyn, dolled up to the nines, snuck a peek from the stairwell, scrunching her nose at Elsie. “Dad's more amped for this than I am."

Elsie corralled Jeslyn upstairs to brush her hair.

Jeslyn whispered something.

Albert caught wind of it but just glanced up and kept mum.

Emma, hovering around, murmured, "Mr. Waston, Doctor Calderon's on the lookout for you."

Axell?

Albert settled into the sofa's cushions. After pondering a spell, he looked up, querying, “How's he holding up behind bars? What's the legal buzz?"

Emma hesitated. "He owned up to his deeds. As per Ms. Fowler, his due for charges and sentencing pronto. He's got a hankering to see you. That's what Ms. Fowler spilled this morning. Are you going to visit Albert rose?"

Adjusting his cuff link, he quipped, “Sure thing. Set it up."