Turning Of The Tide (Natalie and Trevon)

Chapter 599

Having extended their sympathy to the grieving family, Richard and Edward departed after a brief stay.

Edward's primary concern was Richard driving home alone, especially given the early morning hour.

After recalling his grandfather's words, Trevon stood in the courtyard and looked around. He had a

feeling that something was missing. Despite the presence of numerous people, the atmosphere lacked

the upbeat energy his grandfather had cherished during his lifetime.

After a few seconds of silence, he ordered, "Jim, set up some Euchre tables in the courtyard. Also, get

a few decks of poker cards ready."

Hearing this, Jim, who was tidying up the venue, hurried inside the villa after replying, "Alright, I will get

it done immediately."

Hackett stooped down and retrieved the trash from Jim's hands, offering his assistance in disposing of

it. "Okay, go ahead and make the arrangements. Leave this task to me and Frank," he said.

Meeting Jim's concerned gaze, Hackett sensed a hint of condescension. He furrowed his brows and

sarcastically remarked, "Hey, I've got a pair of hands, and believe it or not, I do know how to toss out

the trash."

"Sure. Please do. I will attend to my tasks now." Jim glanced at the trash in Hackett's hand before

leaving.

Hackett asked Trevon, "Why did he look at me like that? Did he think I can't be trusted?"

Trevon, who was not in the mood for jests, merely gave Hackett a brief glance. Despite Hackett's

attempt to alleviate his friend's grief, he found little success.

Hackett scratched his head in frustration, feeling at a loss. While he excelled in banter and teasing,

comforting someone in a solemn setting was not his strong suit.

Certainly, if he attempted to console Trevon so seriously, there was a risk of either giving Trevon

nightmares or him being sent to the base for a free physical examination.

Not long after.

A truck made its way slowly into the Wilson's residence. Once it came to a stop, Jim hopped down from

the front passenger seat and directed the courier to bring the Euchre tables to the courtyard. Only three

tables were delivered, as Jim believed a smaller, more intimate gathering was preferable. After all, an

excess of tables would lead to unwanted noise rather than fostering a lively atmosphere.

Natalie emerged with red eyes and noticed the Euchre tables in the courtyard. Feeling perplexed, she

approached Trevon and gently patted his arm. In a hoarse voice, she inquired, "Why set this up?"

Trevon clasped her hand, offering a gentle squeeze. His expression remained stoic, and his eyes

carried a somber tone as he uttered, "You see, Grandpa always enjoyed a lively atmosphere."

He did not arrange his grandfather's funeral service in a hotel; instead, everything was organized in the

Wilson's residence. After all, it was his grandfather's home and would be his lifelong home. As a result,

Trevon opted not to host the funeral at a different location.

Ultimately, his concern revolved around the idea that if the funeral were held at the hotel, his

grandfather might struggle to find his way home. Despite not holding a belief in the heavens or fate on

a usual basis, today, for some inexplicable reason, he found himself swayed by such superstitions.

After a prolonged silence, Natalie expressed her concern, saying, "Dad locked himself in the study and

is reading Grandpa's letter over and over again."

"Yeah, don't worry. He can handle himself," he reassured, specifically referring to Caleb.

"Trevon, don't you think the card game will disturb Grandpa?" In the distance, the Euchre tables were

set up. Meanwhile, Hackett had taken a seat and was tapping on the table, awaiting Trevon's comment.

Frank rested one hand on the table, leaning against it. He stretched his neck and sensed discomfort in

his shoulders, recognizing a noticeable decrease in his physical strength.

Despite the funeral service already being arranged, they still sensed imperfection. As a result, they

collaborated to make further adjustments, even rearranging the funeral flowers.

Seeing this, the funeral service professionals perceived a sense of disdain and experienced mild

frustration.

Meanwhile, Chris was panting from exhaustion. His sleeves rolled up high, revealing the tenderest skin.

While he was accustomed to the demands of the operating theater, this type of physical labor was a

new experience for him. Performing surgery was tiring in its own right, but the fatigue from this kind of

work was distinctly different. Despite the challenge, he did not slack off and remained busy until now.

"Let's play." With that, Trevon forced a smile. Leaning against the table, Frank lifted his hand to check

the watch on his wrist. He raised his chin and spoke, "Go catch up on sleep. We will take care of things

here. Your Grandpa won't feel lonely, okay? You still have a lot to attend to throughout the day anyway."

As dawn approached, more individuals were likely to arrive to offer their condolences. Every visitor,

irrespective of their wealth or status, whether they were the wealthiest individual in Athana or the

president, was regarded as a guest by Frank. Therefore, he deemed it essential to offer a polite

greeting to all, considering it a fundamental requirement of etiquette.

Natalie shared the same sentiment. She was convinced that Trevon had foregone sleep the previous

night, or else he would not have been able to promptly learn about Theo's passing. She feared that if

Trevon continued to neglect rest, he would inevitably reach a point of exhaustion. Furthermore, as per

Athana's custom, Theo's funeral was scheduled for five days, followed by the burial. In essence, it

seemed improbable that Trevon could endure extended sleep deprivation.

Natalie tried to persuade Trevon by saying, "Take a nap with me. Just for an hour."

Surprisingly, Trevon did not decline and instead nodded slightly. "Yes." As Trevon was about to speak,

Hackett and Chris chimed in together, saying, "Don't worry, we'll keep an eye on things."

Frank assured, "We'll ensure that everything goes smoothly."

Trevon replied, "Thanks."

Prior to Natalie and Trevon heading upstairs, they instructed the servants on their tasks and

responsibilities. They also took the time to console Mary and Gage. Amongst everyone in the villa,

Mary displayed the deepest sorrow, shedding the most tears. Meanwhile, Gage sought solace in a

corner, clutching the chess piece that belonged to Theo during his lifetime. In a hushed tone, he

whispered something, wiping away his tears as he spoke.

As the couple reached the staircase leading upstairs, Natalie inquired whether Trevon wished to visit

his father. Trevon replied that there was no need, emphasizing that his father needed time to process

the news on his own. Adult emotions, he believed, could not be easily dispelled through persuasion.

Most of the time, they preferred to come to terms with things in their own way.

In the courtyard, the clear sound of poker cards being shuffled resonated loudly, giving the impression

that each card could be distinctly heard in the air. Seated around a table were Frank, Hackett, Jim, and

Chris.

"How much do you want to bet?" Hackett inquired of the other three players as if he were flush with

cash.

Even though Theo was good to Jim, he had no intention of relinquishing his family assets at this

moment, especially since he had not yet found a wife. "I will say another prayer in a while," he

announced.

"Hey, you're openly flattering Mr. Wilson. Well, I have to bid him farewell too." Hackett stood up from his

chair and offered a solemn prayer to Theo's black-and-white photo.

Chris picked up a card and examined it. "I'll request Mr. Wilson's blessing when I have trouble winning,"

he remarked.

In an instant, Theo became a pivotal element in determining their victory or defeat that night. With their

presence, the courtyard truly came alive with vibrant energy.

During the initial round, Frank held the advantage over Hackett, who was dealt a poor hand. Whether it

was Theo's blessing or sheer luck remained unclear, but despite the unfavorable card combinations,

Hackett skillfully utilized each one. Within a brief span, the unfavorable cards turned favorable.

Meanwhile, Chris played as if his intention was to hand over every card Hackett required, facilitating

the latter's consistent victories.

Despite Frank's efforts, Hackett consistently emerged victorious despite the unfavorable card

combinations. Frank furrowed his brows and offered a smile to Chris, inquiring, "Why do you keep

helping him?"

Chris, too, discovered that his hands were exceptionally poor that night. "Jeez, I'm basically following

the cards you've laid out previously. It works particularly well when he's reluctant to take my cards.

After one round, he ends up accepting them all."

Hackett stated with honesty, "Actually, I wasn't keeping tabs on Frank's moves; I just happened to win

whenever it was your turn."

Jim replied, "What a coincidence. He keeps putting money in your pocket."

Chris found it hard to believe. He paused in the midst of the game, stating, "Hold on a minute. Let me

seek Mr. Wilson's blessing first."

A few minutes later, Chris returned to his seat and commenced a comeback. Things became oddly

peculiar. While Frank was losing on his own, the other three were consistently winning. Finally, Hackett,

who was unable to endure it any longer, suggested, "Why don't you go seek Theo's blessing as well?"

Frank had already offered prayers for Theo upon arrival. However, he had yet to seek blessing from

Theo at the beginning of the Euchre game. He glared at Hackett and remarked, "How can we all win?

There have to be some losers."

"What you said seems to make sense. Well, continue. After all, you have a lot of money," Hackett

remarked in good spirits, showing no signs of sleepiness.

Frank suggested, "After this round, I'll take a moment to tidy up the venue."

They collectively decided that whoever ended up on the losing side for three consecutive rounds would

take a break and stroll around the courtyard to tidy things up, ensuring everything was in order. After an

hour or so, the venue could indeed benefit from some cleaning and organization.

Natalie and Trevon took a nap for over an hour. Upon waking and checking, they discovered that

everything was in perfect order. Natalie looked at it in disbelief. Turning her attention to the funeral

flowers surrounding Theo's monochrome photo, she noticed there were even more flowers than before,

and they were all neatly arranged. She smiled, assuming that Theo would be very pleased. "I think we

don't have to worry."

Trevon cast a glance at the funeral flowers and then at the few people playing cards. "Yes! Oh yeah!

Don't even think about cheating. I saw what you did there. Did you think I didn't see what you just did?

Hurray! Look at me. Pay up." Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

Hackett was on a winning streak, consistently collecting money. He extended his hand, asking Frank

for money, but Frank smacked him, saying, "Feeling smug, huh? Don't forget to clean up."

"Of course. Well, you know, I'm prepared to clean it daily since Theo has showered me with so many

blessings."

He inquired of Hackett, who displayed evident delight due to his triumph, "Look at how much you're

winning, huh? Your pockets can't even hold all the money you've earned. Look at you smiling like that."

Observing Trevon's lighthearted tone, the others breathed a sigh of relief and subsequently eased up.

Frank remarked, "Take a look at the venue. Everything is in order, right? You can tell how much he's

won by how organized the venue is."

Then, he opened his drawer. "I have made quite a significant contribution."

Natalie cast a glance at the table, pondering whether playing cards held any significance for the

venue's organization.

Even though she was not familiar with playing cards, she had never heard of any connection between

tidying up and Euchre.

Standing beside Natalie, Trevon discerned her contemplative demeanor and understood her thoughts.

"Jim, when you are done, bring more flowers."

Upon hearing this, Natalie came to realize why the venue was in perfect order.

In the midst of the conversation, Frank turned the tables, securing his first victory of the night. "I won!

Pay up already. Thank you, Theo."

Hackett said indignantly, "Tsk. You lucked out, okay? It's just because I wasn't paying attention and let

you exploit the loophole." Reаd at Dramanovеls.com

Chris sighed. Despite winning a small amount, he had not achieved any significant success. The

money he had won was merely pocket change. Nonetheless, on the whole, he did come out ahead,

albeit by a small margin.

Hackett emerged as the biggest winner. Trevon raised his hand to check the time. "Time to go home

and get some rest."

Chris stated, "I have an operation during the day. I'll go to the hospital to get some rest, and I'll join you

all once it's finished."

Hackett remarked, "Then I won't go home either. I'll sleep with Frank."

Frank said, "Get lost. Go sleep in the car. I don't like sleeping with men."

Hackett clung to Frank like a band-aid, hanging one of his hands heavily on Frank's shoulder. Each

time it was swatted away, he promptly put it back again. The cycle persisted until Frank could not be

bothered to continue swatting him away.

"I'm not going to do anything to you, alright? I'm sure Theo knows my intentions. Hey, he's watching us,

okay? Let's be friendly and not make him worry."

Frank brushed off Hackett with indifference. Once again, he shrugged off Hackett's persistent hand

before making his way upstairs. Hackett followed closely, fearing that he would fall behind or be left

outside the room.

Natalie observed their retreating figures, not knowing what to say.