Spoiled by Eight Uncles (Lily)

Cathy sat on the bed in a daze, unsure what had happened.

She only saw her brother cry.

She climbed to the bedside table and plucked out a tissue, climbed off the bed to Sean before getting on her tiptoes and holding out the tissue clumsily.

"Wipey tears, Sean! Don't cry, Sean!" Cathy seemed a little panicked.

Sean turned his face to the side, determined not to make a noise even as tears streamed down his face.

Cathy could only hug her brother's leg, pressing her cheek to his calf.

Along time later, Sean let go of Lilly at last. His voice was hoarse when he croaked out, “Thank you." Lilly swung Cathy's hand, beaming at Sean. "Don't worry about it, Sean!" She lifted Cathy's arm into the air, hauling Cathy into her arms in one move.

"Cathy, say thank you to Sean!” Cathy didn't understand, but obediently chirped, "Thank you, Sean!" Lilly said, “Say "You've done well, Sean!” Cathy said, “Say you've done well, Sean!” Lilly frowned. "No, say it without the first word” Cathy said, “It without the first word!” Sean stifled a laugh, forcing his face to go back to neutral.

ae Lilly put the rebel ghost into the jar of spirits. She still had to heal Cathy's sickness and get rid of the last of her bad aura, and so Lilly came over everyday to play with Cathy in the next few days.

They were all in the park. Sean had his hands in his pockets, leaning against one of the exercise facilities as he watched Lilly and Cathy play a game of freeze.

"One, two, three... Freeze!" Lilly and Cathy stopped moving at the same time, contorting into weird poses.

The two girls played together, competing on who could run to Sean first. Every round ended in Cathy charging into Sean's arms in a fit of giggles.

"You lost!” Lilly shouted, running after her from behind. "You're not playing fair!" Cathy's laughter tinkled through the park like a peal of silver bells.

"Freeze!" She hugged her brother's leg, yelling as she raised her head.

Sean froze posed like a robot, setting Cathy into even harder laughter. Sean picked her up, hauling her into his arms with ease.

"Come on, let's go home,’ he said.

Cathy was having none of it. "No, more! I'm not going home." Sean dragged her away by her armpits. "Nope, not letting you." Cathy struggled in his grasp, and Sean tickled her from the back.

"Gotcha gotcha!" Cathy let out a peal of giggles. Lilly could not help but laugh along.

Not too far away.

Cathy's mother stood rooted to the spot, staring at her children.

She had never seen Sean and Cathy get along so well...

That wasn't right.

Cathy's mother's mind was racing, and she suddenly remembered seeing Sean carrying Cathy in her ward when she was just born, pacing about and cooing at her.

Then during her confinement, she would wake up after her naps to see Cathy lying on the couch with Sean next to her, playing with Cathy with a rattle in hand.

Then after that... Cathy's mother and father thought that Sean hated his sister because she got in his way, and that was why they did their best to get Cathy away from Sean...

Then whenever anything happened, they would avoid Sean as well.

When did this start happening? Cathy's mother covered her mouth with her hand, tears streaming down her face.

It was all her fault.

She was a bad mother.

She had thought that she would be able to be a good mother to her kids, and fix their relationship.

Only for everything to be screwed up.

It was all her fault...

Cathy's mother could not stop crying, her chest aching. She wanted to sob out loud but was afraid of making a scene, and turned around to walk away at top speed.

All of a sudden, a voice called out to her. "Mom?" Cathy's mother turned around, trying to force out a smile. Yet her tears continued to fall for some reason, and she hurried to wipe them away with a smile. "Ah, this wind keeps blowing dust into my eye." She choked out a laugh, wiping at her tears as if nothing happened.

Sean held Cathy in his arms, looking at his mother quietly.

Cathy's mother could not hold it in the end, bursting into sobs.

"Sean, I'm so sorry,’ she sobbed. "I'm sorry... I'm really, really sorry." "It's all my fault, | neglected you.” "I'm really so sorry..." Cathy's mother fell to her knees on the ground in between sobs.

This was her son, who she had raised herself all the way.

How had this happened, for them to be at war with each other all the time? She had held him at some point too, she had lost sleep over him too and wanted to hit him but did not have the heart to in the end.

She had watched him learn to crawl too, then walk, then run...

He would run further, and further away from her.

"I'm sorry...” Sean's eyes reddened, and he turned his head to the side and croaked, "Come on, get up. If people see, they'll think I made you angry again.” He held onto Cathy, hurrying to the elevator and swiping his card on it.

He held the door open, calling out to his mother. "Come on, hurry." Cathy's mother scrambled to her feet. A thought came to her a few steps in, and she turned around...

Lilly, of course, was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Lilly?” She asked, surprised.

Sean said, "She just went back.” Cathy's mother did not feel the best, silently following Sean into the elevator.

He was now taller than his mother, and they stood in the elevator with Cathy. The elevator dinged, just as Sean said lightly, “Thank you.” Sean hit the close button, Cathy in his arms. "Let's go!" The elevator doors closed, and the three people disappeared from sight.

Lilly leaned against the pillars underneath a viaduct, waving a flower around leisurely.

Pablo said, "Ah, these family relations..." "So many parents just want their children to appreciate them, but their children are waiting for an apology from them instead... A lot of them will never get it, though.” Families with two children were never going to be equal. This was a challenge that every family like that was destined to face.

Even the most enviable siblings on television or the internet went through arguments and fights on their own.

Understanding was the key to a good relationship...

Just then, Blake's phone rang with a video call request from Bettany.

Blake stared at the phone.

A few days ago Bettany had called, and saw the bandaid on Lilly's cheek...

That had resulted in Blake getting an earful.

Two days ago she called again. The band aid was taken off, but there was still a dab of iodine on Lilly's cheek and looked pretty terrifying...

So Cloud had gotten an earful...

Today...

"Lilly... Grandma's looking for you,” he said.

Lilly scrambled to her feet, taking the phone and picking up the call with a big smile. “Hello, Grandma! | miss you!" Lilly understood something today.

There were several children in the Crawford family. She had three brothers, and a sister.

Maybe it was because they all had different parents, or it was because they lived together at the Crawford house.

Lilly suddenly felt very lucky to have such wonderful brothers and sisters from the start— oh, wait. They hadn't liked her at the start, actually.

But that was alright! She would treasure them either way! Bettany stared at the screen at Lilly's face.

"What are you doing, Lilly?" Bettany asked with a huge smile.