“You’re going to keep saying it, aren’t you?”
He nods once. “Yes, yes I am.”
Sigh. “Whatever. Out please.”
“But…”
“Out.”
He grumbles under his breath as he leaves the room. It’s then that Dillan finally starts smiling.
Quickly pulling on some clothes, I braid my hair over one shoulder and add a little mascara to my long lashes. I can hear Dillan crying again, so I quickly dart down the stairs and take him from Nathan, who looks perplexed about what to do.
“Maybe we should take him to the doctor?” Nathan suggests, but I shake my head and reply,
“We’ll give him some gripe water and he’ll be okay. Can you make him a bottle up; there’s some gripe water in the cupboard next to the fridge, top shelf. It’s a grey bottle. Just a couple of drops.”
He gets to work immediately as I put Dillan over my shoulder and pat his back. It does little to soothe him. My poor baby.
Two hours go by before he finally sleeps. I’m starting to wonder if it’s my breast milk that’s upsetting him. I’ve been eating the right foods as far as I’m aware. Maybe I should put him onto formula.
No, all babies get colic at some point. I’ll speak to Dillan’s doctor tomorrow and see what she says.
“Relax.” Nathan murmurs, running his gloved fingertips over my still damp braid. I feel it all the way to the base of my spine and let out a little shudder. Nathan, taking this response as permission, pushes it out of the way and shuffles closer. I feel his warm breath on my neck before I feel his lips.
Exquisite.
Carefully leaning forward, I place Dillan back in his chair and turn towards Nathan, tilting my head to the side so my neck is exposed to him. He strokes the delicate skin on the opposite side of my neck to where he’s kissing, with his glove free hand.
This should feel weird, I mean… it’s Nathan. But it doesn’t, not in the slightest.
He pulls back an inch, his pupils dilated and his cheeks slightly flushed with a tinge of pink. I move my hand up to caress his face and marvel at the heat coming from him.
I stare at him for a few seconds, my breath coming out of me in pants. His is the same and it gives me a thrill knowing that I’m doing that to him.
“I brought pizza!” My mum shouts as the front door swings open.
“Bloody hell,” Nathan sighs and we separate quickly.
Mum walks in and places two pizza boxes on the coffee table in the centre of the room. She smiles at me, but that soon fades when she sees Nathan. “Sorry, I didn’t realise we’d have company.”
“Yeah, I was going to call.” I chew on my lower lip for a moment. “Dillan’s poorly. Nathan picked him up from nursery for me.”
My mum nods and shrugs a little. “There’s plenty. How’s Dillan now?”
I look at him resting in his vibrating chair and smile when his big, round eyes come to me. “I gave him some gripe water and his stomach has settled. He’s a bit snotty though. I’ll take him to the doctor tomorrow.”
“How’s Eric?” She pointedly asks, giving me one of those looks that only Mums can give you.
My mouth falls open. She just ratted me out! Of course Nathan already knows, but she doesn’t know that. “I don’t know. How’s my new step daddy?” Two can play at that game.
Her mouth falls open and her eyes narrow in horror. “You know?”
“That you still make out in public like a hormonal teen saying goodbye to her boyfriend at a bus stop? Yeah, we know.”
Her eyes go to Nathan, who quickly pretends to start looking for something in his jacket pockets.
Letting out a sigh, she runs her fingers through her hair and a dreamy smile touches her face, “He’s lovely. You’ll like him Gwen.”
“Don’t get pregnant,” I order, earning me a scowl.
Nathan chuckles beside me but stops when my mum turns her scowl his way. He starts searching through his pockets again.
Sigh.
For some reason, this action from him reminds me of how young he is. He always holds himself so confidently, so proudly. I forget that he’s only twenty five. I think… hell, I don’t even know when his birthday is.
We eat pizza in an uncomfortable silence. It would be comical if there wasn’t so much tension in the air, although I do almost laugh when Nathan eats his slices with a knife and fork. After I stare at him for a few seconds, he gives me the most adorable look and says, “What?”
This makes me laugh.
I clean away the empty boxes as Mum and Nathan wash their hands.
Then I make us drinks and again, we drink them in an uncomfortable silence. All that can be heard is our slurping every few seconds.
I’m wondering what to tell my mum. I told her I’d chosen Eric and now I’ve got to tell her I’ve chosen Nathan, but haven’t yet told Eric. I was actually hoping I wouldn’t have to say anything to her and she’d just get the message after a while of seeing me with Nathan but not Eric. This won’t be the case, I can tell by the looks she’s giving me every so often. She wants me to explain and I don’t blame her.
“You’re staying here?” Mum breaks the silence as I’m rocking Dillan side to side on my knees.
I close my eyes briefly, keeping my head down. Maybe they won’t see me.
“If I have your permission to do so,” Nathan politely says. I don’t look at him; I’m too busy clapping Dillan’s hands together and making him smile.
“That’s fine. Gwen will make up the couch?” Why’s this worded as a question and not a statement?
Then Nathan says something that makes me squeeze my eyes shut and mentally start punching him in the back of the head. “No, I’ll be staying with my girlfriend, Gwen.” There’s that damn label…
It falls eerily silent again.
“Anybody want dessert?” I jump up, startling Dillan who I immediately hand to Nathan. “I have jam roly-poly I can heat up.” I look at Mum. “Do we have custard?”
“I feel like I’m missing something.” My mum’s words make me freeze on the spot.
“Nope, it’s exactly like he said.” I smile. It’s forced and completely fake. “Pudding?”
“Maybe you should explain.”
“Or not.”
“Gwen.” I hate that tone.
“Yes?” I try for sweet, but she only gives me that look again. Sigh. “Isn’t it obvious?”
She shakes her head. “No, actually it’s not.”
I glare at Nathan. “This is your fault.”
He smiles alluringly. “Are we having a tiff?”
Throwing my hands up in the air I let out a growl and walk out of the room, grumbling the entire way.
“Would you like to explain?” Mum says to Nathan.
“Certainly,” he states. I wait for him to continue. He doesn’t.
My mum loses her patience. “Well? Go on.”
“Go on what?”
“Explain.”
“Explain what?”
My mum lets out a growl similar to the one I just did only moments ago. “Explain what the hell is going on with you and Gwen.”