Imperfect Desires

"So, who knows why we are gathered here today?" Dylan's voice rang out when he looked at everyone gathered in the garden.

"Who cares?" retorted Nora. "As long as we get to eat a home-cooked meal. I really don't care why are called here."

Dylan gave him a disgusted look, "Have some dignity, Nory!"

"What is that? Can you eat it?" Nora shot back. "And if you are so bothered by it, later don't eat anything."

Dylan's expressions changed and he immediately sat down, "Why? I'm not giving up my portion of the food."

Nora tsked at him and pointed at the ground, "Look, what is it?"

"What?" Dylan looked down carefully.

"That's your dignity," said Nora as she stuck out her tongue at him making him rage.

"NORA!" 

"Keep your voice down, my nephew is sleeping," Nora glared at Dylan as she looked down at Rowan sleeping peacefully.

Dylan was instantly like a scared cat, as he whispered, "You're becoming more and more like your best friend."

"It'd be good if you both keep my wife out of this argument," said Darren. 

"Here comes the wife protector," commented Dylan.

Darren shook his head at his best friend and looked at the new guest they had between them, "Ashley, hope you don't mind this. They all are crackheads."

Since Francesca was marrying Han Yiheng in another two weeks, Darren had wanted to become close to Han Yiheng's daughter. After all, they were about to become a family. He would never leave her out. Although she was half his age, he didn't care. He was happy to have a sister.

"What about your wife?" asked Dylan. "Isn't she the biggest crackhead around here?"

Darren glared at his best friend, "No, if anything, she is the Queen of crackheads like you."

"I can't agree more," commented Xin Xiaoli. "If anything, my sister deserves the title of the Queen."

"There you go! One wife-con was not enough, now we have sister-cons around us as well," said Dylan.

"Aren't you talking too much, Dylan?" asked Ah-Si. "It seems you have nothing better to do. Do you have too much time on your hand?"

Darren refuted Ah-Si's words, "Don't say that, Ah-Si. Actually, my best friend is quite busy these days. He isn't as idle as before."

"That means before he used to be idle?" questioned Han Bohai.

"That..." Darren seemed to be struggling with words that infuriated Dylan.

"Dazi, you leave it be. You're the worst supporter around here," remarked Dylan. "All of you only know how to bully me. And poor me is always at a disadvantage." Seeing that Xiu was coming out of the house, he ran over whining, "Xiu, look! They are bullying me."

Xiu's eyes sweep around everyone as she said, "Hey! Who dares to bully my Dylan? Only I can do that!"

That one sentence made everyone laugh out. But Dylan didn't mind it, he even cozied up to Xiu saying, "Exactly! Only Xiu is allowed to bully me. Why are you all trying to take part in it?"

Seeing how Ashley was laughing, Han Bohai rubbed her head, "Ash, I told you it'd be fun here."

"Ashley didn't want to come with you?" asked Darren.

"Yeah, she said what she'll do here with us," told Han Bohai.

"She wasn't wrong though. She must be thinking we are too old for her to hang out with," said Nora. And then she sighed out, "Never thought there would come a day when I'd call myself too old." She cringed at the thought. "I'm still young!"

"Nora is getting old. I wonder who would marry you now?" said Dylan.

"I am still here," reminded Ah-Si.

Dylan looked at him, "Oh, right I almost forgot we have another blind one here."

Xiu pulled Dylan's ear saying, "Dylan, you're definitely looking for a beating now."

Dylan grinned at her.

"If all of you continued like this, Ashley is certainly gonna label you all as mental cases," said Ying who had been on a call all this while and wasn't all that unaware of what was happening here.

"No problem!" answered Xiao Li. "I'm pretty sure we are all mental cases."

Ying looked at him in surprise, "Ah-Li, I never thought I'd hear it from you one day."

"Things change, bestie!" 

"Certainly," Ying nodded her head in reply.

Xiu moved over to Ashley's side and said, "Actually, I was a little unsure about you."

"Huh?"

"You see, we either have young babies at home or people who are too old for you to hang out. There is literally not a single person who is close in age with you."

"That's true," agreed Han Bohai. "Jackie, Asteria, Ava, and even our Rowan are too young for you to play with."

"But trust me, we old people are very young at heart," continued Xiu. "You might not come to love us but we'll be very entertaining."

"Wait! When did we start entertaining people?" questioned Dylan.

"I always thought your sole purpose in my life was for my entertainment," said Xiu as she looked at him. "How come you didn't know that?"

Dylan snickered, "So, did I entertained you enough?"

"Well, it was so-so," answered Xiu.

"If you all continued like this, my sister is gonna run away," said Darren. "Didn't I warn you all to restraint yourself a little in front of her? She isn't used to your antics."

"If not now, when will she get used to it?" questioned Dylan. He put a hand over Darren's shoulder, "Eventually, she has to get used to us. Then why not now?"

"I was really expecting too much from you all," commented Darren.

"Then you should keep your expectations in check, Darren," suggested Nora. "We are free people. Even our parents never managed to tame us."

"Oh?" Darren raised his brow at her. "Where is my phone? I should call Clara Ma to confirm this statement."

Nora instantly pleaded, "Boss! I am sorry! Don't call mom."

Ashley put her hand over her mouth and couldn't help laughing at these people who were actually older than her but none acted like it. To say they were entertaining would be an understatement here.