Hi Ex, Your Uncle Is My Hubby Now - Chapter 87: Chapter 87

Early that morning, Irene received a call from Maisie.
"Rini, what time are you heading to the Barnes family?"
"I've got all the gifts ready for you. Noah is off today, and Austin just returned to Eldraeth City last night. I'll have them bring the gifts over and go with you to the Barnes family—how does that sound?"
"Austin's back?" Irene asked, surprised.
'Why did Austin come back from Viremont City on just an ordinary weekend?' Irene wondered.
"Tomorrow is Nevaeh's birthday. Austin is so devoted—he made a special trip back just for this," said Maisie.
Nevaeh was always sickly, falling ill several times a year—hardly the picture of good health. Given how devoted Austin was to his mother, it wasn't surprising he'd made a special trip home for her birthday.
Irene made a mental note of Nevaeh's birthday, planning to pick up a gift for her later.
"I don't want to bother them," Irene said tactfully. "They finally have some time off—let's not trouble them."
"We're all family—what's the big deal? Besides," Maisie told her, "this was Gwen's idea."
Gwen's arrangement served a strategic purpose.
Anyone keeping tabs on the Jackson family knew full well that Irene had severed ties with her parents—and that she'd personally seen to it that Shelby ended up behind bars.
Would a woman who personally sent her own mother to prison ever gain the Barnes family's approval?
The Barnes family was one of the city's most powerful and prestigious families.
If Irene went to the Barnes family alone, she'd likely face their condescension and deliberate humiliation.
Gwen had Noah and Austin accompany Irene to the Barnes family to have her back.
Meanwhile, she was to send a clear message to the outside world.
Regardless of how badly things had soured between Irene and Henry, Irene remained an integral part of the Jackson family.
Irene was never one to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Realizing Gwen was paving the way for her, Irene gladly accepted the kind gesture. "Maisie, please have them pick me up. And do thank Gwen for me."
After a moment's thought, Irene added, "It's Nevaeh's birthday tomorrow. I'll come over for dinner too."
Maisie responded eagerly, "Oh, great! Nevaeh will be overjoyed to hear you're coming."
"What kind of cake do you like?" she asked. "Nevaeh can't eat anything too sweet, so I bake her birthday cake myself every year."
"Blueberry," Irene said without hesitation.
Maisie beamed. "Great! I'll make a blueberry fruit cake then!"
After hanging up, Maisie, beaming with joy, hurried off to find Nevaeh and Gwen to tell them that Irene would be coming to the Jackson family dinner tomorrow.
An hour later, Noah called Irene. "Hey Irene, we're at your apartment gate. Come on out!"
"I'll be right there," Irene called out.
Irene went downstairs and, from a distance, spotted a Jeep parked outside the apartment complex.
Austin leaned against the passenger side door, head bowed as he scrolled through his phone. The rolled-up sleeves of his black shirt revealed his lean, sinewy wrists.
His fingers were long and slender, with cool, pale fingertips. Still young, he hadn't yet developed that stuffy, bookish air.
With his looks, he resembled a manga aristocrat more than an academic prodigy.
Noah wore a charcoal-gray T-shirt, casually propping his left foot on a concrete bollard by the entrance of the apartment gate, a bottle of mineral water in hand.
He had thick eyebrows and bright eyes, with clean-cut features—the kind of look that would instantly win over elders.
As a cop, Noah could always win people's trust without even trying.
Irene called out, "Noah, Austin."
Hearing Irene's voice, both boys looked up at her.
In unison, they called out, "Irene!"
Irene handed the insulated food container to Noah and said, "These are peach pies my grandmother made. Want to try them, you two?"
Noah beamed as he took the food container, leaned in for a sniff, and exclaimed enthusiastically, "Wow, that smells amazing!"
Noah grabbed a peach pie with his bare hands and stuffed it into his mouth, only then belatedly remembering to offer one to Austin.
Austin eyed Noah's grubby fingers with obvious distaste. "Did you even wash your hands?"
Noah's cheeks bulged as he tried to speak through a mouthful. "Mm-mph-mmm..." was all anyone could make out.