Love is the Sunshine

Chapter 217 Visiting Nicholas (Part One)

"Carla, what's wrong? Are you feeling okay?" Terence asked anxiously. Carla was sitting beside him,

sweating with nervousness.

As soon as they were about to get off the car, Carla started to feel uneasy. This was the first time she

was going to visit Nicholas officially and the way she acted amused Terence.

Terence knew how important this meeting was for Carla, so he put his arms around her waist and gave

her a quick, comforting and reassuring hug.

"Calm down," he whispered to her ears.

Carla took a deep breath and nodded, too nervous to speak. She frowned and looked at the rear-view

mirror with concentration even though there was nothing to look at. Her palms sweated and she started

fidgeting around.

"Terence, I am suddenly not feeling well. I need to get out of here. I can't breathe." Carla looked even

more flustered after she removed herself from his comforting embrace, "I want to create a good first

impression. I've never met Nicholas like this before. What if he doesn't like me at all? What if I don't

know what to say or worse, what if I say something wrong! What if he'd instantly hate me for

everything?"

Terence lovingly patted her on the back.

"Hey, hey, sweetheart, look at me. You need to stop worrying about these things. It will be all right! I

promise you that. My grandfather is the kindest person in the world. You met him before and you knew

it, right? And what do I always tell you? Don't cross the bridge until you get there," Terence said

patiently. He held her delicate hands in his firm ones to calm her down. She was frantic with worry, and

this was not a good sign. Carla might chicken out again. He was not going to let that happen. He was

holding her and this seemed to calm her down for now. He could feel her ice-cold hands grew warm

again.

Carla stopped moving and let Terence help her remove the creases in her dress.

"Carla, my sweetheart. Listen to me. You are the most beautiful and wonderful woman I have ever

seen. And you will also be the most beautiful, elegant and extraordinary woman for my family. They will

surely love you. Grandpa will love you. You have nothing to worry about. Trust me on this. Do you

understand?" After saying those comforting words, Terence looked her in the eyes with a mischievous

and teasing smile, "But... maybe you do lack something important."

On hearing that, Carla panicked, "What? I knew it! I knew I had forgotten something! You have to tell

me what it was!"

Terence couldn't hold back his laughter and playfully said, "Well, the only thing you forget at home is

your confidence."

Carla blushed. "Oh you idiot! Don't make fun of me! I am so nervous!" "Are you still? You pretty little

thing, you don't have to be nervous," Terence mumbled.

Carla was stupefied. She pushed his chest playfully and got off the car swiftly.

He was right. She didn't feel nervous anymore. But she would never admit that in front of him.

"You idiot! You are such an idiot!" grumbled Carla inaudibly to herself. She would never admit that she

knew he was just trying to distract her.

Terence knew she was complaining behind his back. "Oh Carla, my sweet, sweet Carla."

Terence shrugged and got off as well.

Carla got out of the car and stretched out for a bit next to it. The journey was so tiring that her back

ached.

Terence stretched out as well. The drive was not that long; she was just too tense.

"Mr. Terence and Miss Carla! Mr. Nicholas is waiting for you." Race welcomed the couple with a voice

that was loud and clear befitting an esteemed butler of the estate.

Race presented the most elegant and restrained smiled that only a well-trained butler would have.

The moment he saw the young master and the mistress, he welcomed them humbly bowing down.

"Mr. Nicholas requests to see you, mister and miss. Please follow me in. We don't want to keep Mr.

Nicholas waiting."

Terence held Carla's hand in his firm one and led her in.

Carla looked right in front of her and tried to keep her head held high proudly. She was still quite

nervous. They walked in through the arch steadily. Race walked along side with them.

Terence asked Race about Nicholas while keeping an eye on Carla. "Race, you did a great job here. I

thank you on behalf of the family. So now tell me. How is my grandfather doing?"

"Yes Mr. Terence. Thank you, young master. Mr. Nicholas is feeling a lot better now. The doctor just left

the mansion several minutes ago. And according to the doctor, there should be nothing to worry about,"

Race responded humbly. As contrast with Terence and Carla, Race always kept his head low and they

could not even hear his steps.

Carla was a bit surprised by this, so she decided that she would be more careful about what to do and

what to say inside the mansion.

Nathan and Rainer followed them behind silently. Nathan brought with him a framed painting that was

covered by a white cloth.

Rainer asked for a maid's assistance and handed over the health care products Terence bought in

advance.

Terence nodded his approval while Carla was still oblivious to what was happening behind her.

She just followed Terence closely behind. She thought she had walked at least for a mile but it was just

the corridor and the spiral staircase.

There he was, the famous Nicholas An, an old but smart, respectable looking man. Carla's heart

skipped a beat.

Nicholas was sitting in front of the window. The old man behaved with composure. He lifted his right © NôvelDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

arm gently and drank his tea out of the cup. His face was bathed in sunshine. And there was a soft,

luxurious cashmere blanket covering his legs.

"Grandfather, it's Terence and Carla. We are here," said Terence. Carla could sense the excitement in

his voice of seeing his beloved grandfather.

But Nicholas didn't respond. "Grandpa?" Terence asked again. There was still no answer.

The old man was just enjoying the sunshine and his tea, like everything else around him was invisible.

Terence thought Nicholas didn't hear him. It might happen because old people were losing their sense

of hearing. It was quite natural.

So he walked toward him with big strides.

Nicholas, on the other hand, didn't even turn around. Not until Terence stood right beside him.

"Grandpa," he called out again.

Nicholas raised his head sluggishly. "Terry? Is it my Terence?"

Nicholas was smiling happily.

The peace and serenity that you could see in his face suddenly became the look of pure joy. He

reached out his bony hand, trembling. Terence grasped it firmly.

Terence could see that his old grandpa's skin was now wrinkled. It almost broke his heart.

Nicholas was a little surprised that Terence would react like that so he patted on his grandson's back as

if reassuring him of something.

"Good! Good! I am good and you are good. That's the best news in the world," he said.

Though he was old and retired, Nicholas was still clear-headed and even sharp-minded. He paid a lot

of attention to what had happened these past few days.

So basically the old man knew everything that mattered. He was not as useless as he appeared to be.

It was more of a camouflage, an act.

Nicholas felt sorry that his acting broke his grandson's heart.

But Terence knew what Nicholas was up to. So he didn't let the mood influence him much.

"Grandfather. I wanted to apologize to you. I said I would come home but I didn't. I am sorry. I owe you

an apology. Now I am returned with Carla, your future granddaughter-in-law. Can you please forgive

me?" Nicholas sighed. He shook his head in disapproval.

Terence didn't expect that so all of a sudden, and he didn't know what to do.

Was it a gesture of accepting his apology or not? Terence had no choice but to apologize again, this

time more seriously.

"It is my fault. I'm sorry I did not come home earlier. I'm sorry if I have let you down. I won't do it again."

Nicholas resumed his serenity and quietness.

Terence knew that it was the sign that grandpa was really mad at him. Nicholas used to look at him

without saying a word for hours. But at that time Nicholas was still in the prime of his time and Terence,

who was still a little boy, was really afraid of him.

But now, grandpa's face was wrinkly and his eyes were not as sharp as before. Nicholas An became

an old man. Terence felt sad that he didn't fear his grandfather anymore.