Chapter Six.

Amelia’s POV.

I heard a tiny voice calling my name, “Amelia, Amelia.” I groaned, my eyes still closed, as I was pulled from my thoughts.

 I tried to open my eyes, but they were still heavy with sleep. I blinked a few times, and then squinted against the bright light of the early morning sun. As my eyes adjusted, I saw Jayden's face in front of me. He was looking at me, his face full of concern.  I smiled at him, trying to shake off the remnants of my dream. 

“Good morning,” I said, my voice still a bit groggy. 

“Good morning,” he said, but his face was still downcast. 

“What's the matter?” I asked, a note of concern in my voice. 

“I'm almost late for class,” he said, looking at me with wide eyes. 

I looked at the clock on the wall and saw that it was already 7:00 am. 

“Oh no!” I exclaimed. I quickly sprang into action, grabbing Jayden's clothes and throwing them at him. “You have to get dressed, now!” I said, my voice sharp.

Jayden started to laugh, and I looked at him in amusement. 

“Why are you laughing?” I asked.

 “How can I get dressed when I haven't even taken a bath?” he said, his laughter infectious. “And these are not my uniform, they're in my room,” he added, pointing to his mismatched outfit. I groaned, feeling like I was going crazy. 

“Oh my God,” I muttered, my head in my hands. 

I stood up and scooped Jayden into my arms, his laughter ringing in my ears as we headed to his room.

I pushed the troubling thoughts out of my mind and tried to focus on getting Jayden ready for school. I needed to get Jayden dressed and ready for school, and I needed to do it quickly. But as I took off his shirt, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. 

What if Greyson found out that I made Jayden late for school and about what I had seen last night? Would he think I was unfit to care for his son? 

I knew I had to keep my job, no matter what. I needed the money, and I couldn't let anything get in the way of that. But still, the worry lingered.

I tried to compose myself as I took him to the bathroom and quickly began to bathe him. However as we finished, and I began to look for his uniform, Jayden suddenly piped up.

 “Amelia?” he called out. I turned to look at him, a smile at him.

 “Uh, yes?” I said, my voice barely a whisper.

 “Last night, I heard you yelling my dad's name. You kept on saying Greyson harder….,” he said, his expression serious. I felt my heart stop, and my stomach dropped.

 “You…you heard that?” I asked, panic rising in my chest.

“Yes,” he said, his big blue eyes gazing up at me. “Was Daddy in the room?” he asked, his voice innocent and curious.

 I felt my heart racing, and I quickly knelt down beside him, cupping his face in my hands. 

“Darling,” I said, my voice trembling slightly. “You were only dreaming, okay? It wasn't real.” He looked at me, his brow furrowed, and then slowly nodded. “One more thing, don’t tell anyone,” I added.

 “I promise not to tell anyone,” he said, his expression growing more serious. 

“Good,” I said, relief flooding through me. “And you'll get chocolate, too.” He smiled and threw his arms around me in a tight hug. 

“That's my boy,” I said, hugging him back. After a moment, he pulled away, and I stood up, reaching for his uniform. “Now, let's get you dressed for school,” I said, helping him into his clothes.

 As I began to dress him, I couldn't help but feel a rush of gratitude for this little boy who had brought me so much joy and comfort. And I hoped that whatever had caused the sound I'd heard at night would never happen again.

I've heard people say to be careful how you behave around kids in front of you, and today I realized they were not wrong. I finished dressing him and picked him up in my arms, his body warm and snuggle against mine. 

“I can walk, you know,” he protested, a grin on his face. 

“I know,” I said, laughing. “But I just want to carry you for a little while.” 

I leaned down and planted a kiss on his cheek, savoring the moment. 

“Ugh, you're embarrassing me!” he said, but I could tell he was secretly enjoying it.

After breakfast, I helped Jayden pack his lunch bag, making sure he had everything he needed for the day. Just then, we heard the loud honk of the school bus outside.

 “That's my bus!” Jayden exclaimed, jumping up from his chair.

 I grabbed his backpack and hurried to the door, picking him up as we went outside. We walked to the bus stop, Jayden's little legs kicking excitedly. As the bus pulled up, he waved at the driver as he boarded. I gave him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. 

“I love you, Jayden,” I said, waving at him.

He smiled at me, his big blue eyes shining as he waved back. 

As the bus drove away, I turned back towards the house, my heart feeling strangely empty without Jayden by my side. When I walked through the front door, I was greeted by a sight I was not expecting. Greyson was sitting at the dining table, a serious expression on his face.

 My throat went dry, and I stood there frozen, unsure of what to say or do. I decided to play it cool, and walked into the kitchen to make some tea. I brought the tea and a slice of toast to the table, setting them down in front of Greyson.

 “Good morning,” I said, trying to sound casual.

But the next thing that happened caught me off guard.