HECTOR“Hey, Liyah Bunnie.” I tease her after opening the door and as usual without knocking.She frowns at me before making her baby bun face.“That's more like it.” I blow her a kiss, before entering her room and shut the door afterward."You do need to start knocking, very soon baby Hendrix will be all over, and picking up your bad characters, easily." She starts removing items from her lap and places them on the bedside table.I laugh so hard and it feels like my lungs would explode. "Jeez, easy.”She stands up gently walks up to me and wraps her arms around my waist. "Or you think he will remain a baby forever?”"For a minute, it never occurred to me that he is already a grown-ass man.”"Stop it." She hits me with her flexed elbow. "I want you to tell me how much you missed me, baby Hendrix’s papa.”"What? Nah, that sounds archaic.” I frown, thinking through the names coming up in my head."What? He's still a baby...”"Why do you call him baby and me papa? Something like honey or
HUDSON “Jeez! Hudson, what are you doing?” Hector’s voice breaks through the silence like a piece of thin ice. His eyes are wide, and his pace doubles, ready to jump on me. I stop to take a closer look at his face, and then back at the box I was ransacking that is suspended on top of a table. “What?” I ask and stuff my mouth with oats and milk that was dried in the form of crackers. “Do you know who those are for?” "If not you, who else?”"Thank the stars you acknowledged they're mine. You came into my room unannounced, and dug into an item without knowing how it came by?”"Oh, pardon my manners. How did it come by?”"Are you serious?"“What's the fuss about?” The door opens and Hunter joins in on our conversation. I take another mouthful of the dried oat and milk. "It's Hector, he's making a mountain out of a molehill.” I struggle to say, crumbs of the crushed oat and milk spilling from the sides of my mouth. "You're still spewing shit?” Hector jumps on me, landing me on the b
SHELLY “Just a minute, please.” I scream in the direction of the door and at the person on the opposite side of it. “Take your time.” She replies calmly. I've heard a whole lot of voices in this short visit and I've gotten it all jumbled up. Being greeted by a bunch of strangers has its own downside. But it's sort of familiar, it's calm and soothing, even though I still can't place it after critical thinking. “Hey, Lady Agnes.” I open the door to the smiling face of Lord Asher's partner. I was right with the hunch after all. She is quite aged and yet exceptionally beautiful which made it more sneaky to guess her age, not even the range. She is the kind of lady that makes you hiss at nature for being any different and not her clone. "Welcome, to my...your place.” I'm swift to correct, not sure how to relate to her yet, regardless of her kindness and jovial nature. "That's gibberish, darling. It's your place so long as you remain beneath its roof. And you're welcome for the appre
SHELLY.“Be still, darling. Moon goddess knows why.” Agnes tries to console me, her eyes are dull, and she too lacks the proper words to pacify my broken soul. “Sure.” I sniffle, quite pissed at the statement. "But I too want to know why, why lots of things have been happening to me, as innocent and humble and...and honest...” I break down in tears, sniffing all the way through. Long weeks after she last visited, I got hit by strong and painful conversations. It wasn't up to term, not exactly complete so I second-guessed it. But it wouldn't go away. The nonstop kick in my abdominal area intensifies and then it got stronger and stronger, with each duration longer than the previous and the time occurrence shorter. It didn't take long to know that it was labour signs and my baby would be part of us in a few hours.Having had Petian with just the help of a lady and in my lover’s absence, I did awesomely, this was my second and shouldn't pose much worry, or so I thought. A fine blend o
SHELLY I remain standing by the door after there isn't any response to my knock. It's a bit noisy, and I'm sure they're probably inside busy with their lives, not expecting any jobless visitors. I adjust Petian on my hip, spreading her weight evenly as I towards the side I lay her for support. My postpartum body is still robust, an evidence that it housed a baby, makes it hard to withstand too much weight, and chubby Petian isn't helping. I knock again, this time louder than the previous, and as usual, I wait for a response.“It had better be a good one, or lose your goddamn fingers.” A croaked voice cuss. I stay put, not frightened by his threat. Even though this household is renowned for their notoriety in the whole of Scorpio Villa, they've been nothing but sweet to me, the daughter of their late saint, Beta Nicholas. "Hey, dear.” The face behind the angry voice surfaces, Lord Asher. He blossoms with a smile on seeing me and he's holding a cigar.“Good day, Lord Asher.” I gree
SHELLY “I’m so sorry for your loss, I couldn't come immediately I heard of the sad news, you know I can't just opt and leave for Scorpio Villa...” He pauses. The cap of his hoodie is off his head, his mask is lifted upwards so it rests on his hair and his face is bare before me. Before coming, he had sent a note to me earlier, informing me of his visit. And when he got to the border, I was there to make his passage easy. He won't take off his mask before others and definitely, the people of Scorpio Villa are strict, not everything goes in here like in Wild Crest Pack. "My loss?” I snort. "Right.”"How's Petian doing? Where is she? I could help you with her...”"How sweet. It takes the death of a child to make you this caring...”"I don't know what you're talking about. Don't even get started. It's a simple question, requiring a 'here or over there’ response. Where is Petian?” His cold voice repeats like I didn't interrupt at all.I sneer, my angry gaze fixed on his tall frame. "Of
SHELLY “How are you holding up?” Agnes asks, concern evidenced in her voice. She came early in the morning to help me out with some chores and also care for Petian, and myself likewise, to care for my post-partum body, despite my asking her not to bother. "Okay, I guess.” My face is away from hers."You don't have to lie about it, it's obvious you're not.”"And somehow you still want my say?”She heaves a sigh. "I know where you're coming from, you don't have to be insensitive.”I press my lips together, aware I overstepped boundaries. Being rude isn't going to change a dime, and definitely not to her. “Pardon my manners.” I plea after long minutes of silence. "Not a problem." She waves me off. "Lord Asher informed me that you came three days ago to see me but talked to him instead.”"I'm so sorry Agnes. It sure wasn't my initial plan. Not like he coerced me or anything.” I'm swift to add, not wanting to leave room for misconception. "I should have waited for you, but since he o
SHELLY. Shielded from the hot scorching sun, I'm seated in the carriage with my lover beside me. When he arrived earlier, he blatantly refused to come to my place, he is obviously still pissed about the last time. It sure came as a heavy and unpleasant surprise. For one who hates surprises, seeing him throw tantrums like a child is not weird. He sent me a short note via one of his guards, demanding I come within an hour, trying to exert the control he's scared of losing through a short piece. To be honest, I did willed to turn him down, but we have unfinished business and in my game, he's going to be a petty plaything. A scared one and the other, desperate. That makes us even. For the first time in forever, I left Petian all by herself. She was sleeping when I left and I made sure to feed her before leaving and locked the door. The amount of times I opened and locked it again to be sure it was safe is creepy. Her mama is bout to get her hands dirty, she needs to be strong for me