Chapter 107—Grounded!!

Henderson had plans to go tell the school authority that he wasn't fine with Maya being a teacher in the school but Lena convinced him to let it slide since she wasn't Itzel's and Trent's teacher. Henderson dropped Lena back at the mansion before heading to the office. "Lena, Lena." Madam Carmen called Lena's name repeatedly but Lena was so deep in thought that she didn't realise Madam Carmen was standing in front of her. Worry took over Madam Carmen's features, for days now she had taken notice that Lena was bothered about something. She tapped Lena on the shoulder making her jolt out of her thoughts. "Yeah, Aunt Nana." Lena managed to put a smile on her face as she hoisted her head to gaze at Madam Carmen. "Are you ok?" Madam Carmen's voice with concern, her eyes scrutinising Lena's face. "I shouldn't even be asking that. I know you are not okay." Madam Carmen let out a sigh and sat beside Lena. "What is it that is bothering you so much? Is it Henderson?" She asked. Lena shook her head and drew in a sharp breath, "No, it's not Henderson. But right now I wish it was. I mean I would have just spoken to him and it would be okay." "it's the kids, right?" Madam Carmen arched a brow at Lena and she nodded in response. "Yes, the thing is they don't even know how much this is affecting us. They keep fighting, I and Henderson speak to them and they make up and in no time they are back to quarrelling. I don't know what to do anymore. Henderson thinks it's normal for siblings to have issues like this but right I think it's much more than just that. Now I'm starting to think it wasn't very wise of me to leave the kids for a month." Madam shook her head in disagreement. She didn't think that way, but she could understand Lena. She could remember vividly that Trent and Itzel never had to fight this much except the time when Lena and Henderson were yet to get married. And then it was because Itzel felt that Trent was getting all of Henderson's attention. Madam Carmen put her hand over Lena's and gave her a small smile. "Don't say that Lena. What's not wise about going on a honeymoon with your husband? I know all of these happening right now is affecting you but I assure you that soon it is going to be over. Cheer up, okay and put a smile on that beautiful face of yours. I'll speak with the kids when they return, I'm hopeful that things will be back to normal and even better soon." "Thank you, Aunt Nana. Honestly, I feel better after talking to you." Lena smiled hugging her. Lena was done making lunch. She wanted Henderson to eat with them after they returned from picking the kids up from school before he would return to work. Madam Carmen wouldn't let her cook at first since she felt Lena needed a lot of rest at the moment but after a lot of convincing, she decided to let Lena do her thing with the condition that she was going to give her a hand. "You are an amazing cook." Madam Carmen praised as she untied her apron and took it off. "Thank you but I would never match up to you. Honestly, I'll be the happiest if you give me some tips and recipes," Lena smiled. "Don't flatter me, Lena. You should get ready Henderson will be here any moment from now so both can go pick up Trent and Itzel from school." Madam Carmen chuckled. Lena nodded after putting her apron and the hair net away she ambled out of the kitchen. Just when she was about to walk past the living room and go upstairs the door creaked open and Itzel stepped in, she was in tears behind her was Trent and he had this gloomy expression on his face he looked like he was trying so hard to stop himself from crying. Henderson who had just walked in looked very pissed. She knew there was a problem, it wasn't even time for school to close and the kids were back home. "Mommy," Itzel cried as she wrapped her arms around Lena and burst into tears. "Don't do that, Asanel! It's not going to work, do not bring Mommy into this," Henderson scolded walking over to where Lena was he stood beside her. Lena gave Henderson a look of disapproval considering the way he was speaking to Itzel but it didn't stop him from voicing out the next statement. "If there's anyone who should be crying, it's Trent, not you. So don't think these tears are going to stop you from getting punished, I think I and your mom have been tolerant enough." Henderson stated. "What happened, sweetie?" Lena crouched in front of Itzel and cupped her cheeks. Itzel moved away from Lena and ran upstairs before Lena could say a word. Lena made to go after her but Henderson pulled her gently stopping her. "You shouldn't go after her. It's going to make her think that her actions are right." Henderson mumbled letting go of Lena's hand. "Mommy, Daddy are my a bad boy?" Trent's questions made Lena refrain from giving a response to Henderson. She was taken aback by the question. They turned their attention to Trent. Henderson squatted in front of Trent and put his hands on Trent's shoulders. "No, you are not. You are the best boy, my sweet boy. I love you. Your mommy loves you." Henderson pulled Trent into a warm embrace. Lena on the other hand was yet to say anything to Trent, she couldn't think of a word to say to him. She didn't even know why he was asking that question. "Trent come on. Let's go upstairs so you can get changed." Madam Carmen spoke as she strode into the living room. Trent nodded in response, Henderson gestured hifor him to go. "Hello Aunt Nana," Henderson mumbled. "Henderson," She smiled before turning her attention to Trent and extending her hand to him. "Good afternoon Aunt Nana," Trent greeted as he took her hand. "My dear boy," she gleamed hugging him before they left the room. "Honey, why are you so mad at Itzel? The poor girl was in tears and that didn't stop you from scolding her." Lena heaved a breath taking steps to Henderson. "I think she deserves to be scolded even more. Now that I think of it, I spoilt her too much. I'm pretty sure that if you didn't come into our lives she would have grown up to be rotten and I would have to deal with that for the rest of my life." Henderson sighed in frustration taking a sit on the couch behind him. Lena sat beside him and took his hand in hers. "Babe, don't say such things. It can't be that bad, Itzel is a kid." "A kid? Trent is also a kid but he doesn't act that way, does he? Didn't you hear the question he asked us? It's all because of Itzel." He let out expressing a deeper sense of frustration. The one thing Henderson wanted to avoid at all cost Trent to feel that he wasn't loved and now Itzel was making the poor boy feel that way. Initially, he thought that with time Itzel was going to come back to her senses but from the call he received today he realised if something was done things were never going to change and it was going to cause a huge scar in the family. "What happened? I didn't expect to see you guys back by this time." Lena mumbled. "I didn't as well, but thanks to Itzel. I was on my way home to pick you up so we could go pick up the kids from school when I got a call from the school and I was told that Itzel picked up a fight with Trent. She insulted him and said he was trying to steal her dad away. Can you imagine I even got a call from Maya about it? I was beyond disappointed in Itzel, how could she do something like that? It's the height of it. I went to the school and had to bring them home, school wasn't even closed yet." Henderson looked over at Lena when he noticed that she was yet to say a word. "Baby, I'm sorry about all of this." Henderson purred. "Why are you apologising? It's not like you told the kids to torture us by always quarrelling Lena joked. "You should calm down Henderson. I know that you aren't happy with what Itzel did but scolding her harshly wouldn't change a thing rather it's just going to make her feel like..." "Feel like we don't love her?" Henderson chipped in calmly shaking his head in disagreement. He understood Lena's point but following that was going to mean putting only Itzel into consideration which would be biased. She wasn't his only kid, he had two children and he needed to treat them equally. "I get your point babe but right now, I need to make sure that Itzel comes back to her senses. Trent has tried enough, I'm pretty sure that he's tired of having to be the peacemaker every single time. He has been so patient, can't you see that he is starting to feel bad and it's all because of Itzel? I Can't just sit back and turn a blind eye to that." After Henderson was done talking, he got up and ambled upstairs. Lena didn't bother to say any words to stop him because she knew he had made up his mind so she just got off the couch and went after him. "Daddy, I'm sorry." Itzel apologised softly. Tears streaming down her cheeks as she spoke. Lena had just walked into the room. Madam Carmen was seated on the bed with the kids and Henderson was standing in front of them. "I'm glad you are sorry but you are still going to face the consequences of your actions. What you did was not right and I'm not the one who deserves an apology, it's your brother who does." Henderson stated with a straight face. Itzel sniffed in tears and shifted her gaze to Trent who had tears streaming down his cheeks. "I'm sorry for calling you a bad boy, for saying your real Daddy is dead and for saying you are trying to steal my Daddy.. Please I'm so..." Itzel didn't get to complete her apology because Henderson interjected. He had a displeased look on his countenance. "You said all of that to him. How could you? Who taught you all of that?" Henderson moved his eyes to Trent. "Why didn't you tell me that she said all of that to you when I asked?" "Daddy....I'm....sorry...Trent....Please...Forgive.......Me," Itzel stuttered bursting into tears This was the first time her dad was this mad at her. Even though his voice was calm as he spoke his face expressed his disappointment. "Itzel you are grounded, no TV, no games, no toys until I see that you are really repentant and remorseful." Henderson mouthed with a serious expression after saying those words, he sauntered out of the room. Lena went after him but stopped in front of the door when she heard Madam Carmen calling out her name. She turned around and found Madam Carmen behind her. "Lena, you should let Henderson handle things. I think it's best that way. Trust me, I love Itzel but I'm not in support of what she did. I know that little girl, pampering her won't change a thing. I'm not sure she even meant the apology. When I was speaking with her and Trent, she refused to admit that she was wrong, she kept putting the blame on but when she saw Henderson walk into the room, she suddenly burst into tears. I'm glad Henderson saw through her and I didn't have to say a word."