Loved

Hunter’s P. O. V.

” Guillermo please tell Edward not to worry, I’ve done the parking for him” I say as I walked into the living room and shrug off my suit jacket.

” No problem, welcome back” Guillermo replies and takes my jacket from me.

I answer with a nod and flop myself down on the sofa, whilst putting on the television and searching for my worthy entertainment.

” Ah, you’re home”

I look to my left to sight Edward descending the stairs in a graceful manner.

He had his hand full of papers and colour pencils which I’m definitely sure aren’t mine.

” Err- Edward, is there an architectural crisis going on in your bedroom?”

His laughter boomed on the down floor as he clutches his stomach to steady himself.

” Oh goodness no. These are for Louisa” he lifts his arm in the air like it will open a spiritual portal that will enable me see it’s contents.

” Hmm, well carry on” I nudged my chin to him as he walked straight into the kitchen, leaving me to concentrate on the show in the television.

A few minutes later, soft footsteps approach and I don’t need to look to see who’s coming.

I became aware of when she entered the living room because she gasped, definitely not expecting me here.

I bit back my smirk and waited for her to retreat as usual and she did.

Only thing is she came back after only going few steps.

” You don’t like me” was the first thing the little girl said and to be honest, my shock didn’t come from the question but from the fact that she’s actually talking to me.

Looks like she had been inspired to face her fears.

” Go to bed kid” I don’t look at her as I replied, rather I change the channel once more and relapse in my chair.

” Why don’t you like me? Everybody likes me” she continues to speak and I’m beginning to see traces of her mother’s knowledge in her.

Number one, unnecessary courage.

” Then I’m the one to teach you that in life, not everyone is going to like you”

The station I decide on is a movie I think, but I’m already far from it’s starting point so I just try to pay attention and grasp the concept.

And that was interrupted by a black figure underneath my line of sight.

I slowly lowered my eyes to see why she felt it was ideal to interrupt me tonight but the sight I met with slightly cracked me.

Louisa was looking me straight in the eye like she had done something wrong, her eyes were holding back a stream of tears that was very visible and her pouted lips quivering almost in fear.

” Whatever I did, I’m sorry”

Then I felt a cord strike my heart.

She’s apologising? How? Why?

This is one thing Iris would never do in her life considering what we’ve been through in the past, but her kid is here apologising like it’s the easiest words to come across.

” My mummy told me that if you did something wrong to someone you should say sorry. So I’m sorry” she continues

A tear slipped from her left eye and on reflex, my finger came up to wipe it away.

She flinched at first when I touched her and I felt another tug.

It was true that I wasn’t a fan of children, but I didn’t necessarily hate them.

In fact, I plan to have kids someday.

The only thing I detest is their nagging and endless tears but I do love everything else about them, even their clinginess.

But there is this particular dislike I feel towards this little girl in front of me and I don’t know why.

Maybe because of her Mom?

” I won’t hurt you. I promise” I cooed to her and now she let the tears flow out endlessly.

She broke into a full soundless sob and I have never felt my heart so heavy before.

The last time she cried a little was when I scolded her for being in my bedroom without my consent.

That was entirely wrong for anyone, be yea an adult or a child.

But I guess the way I scolded her wasn’t the best.

” I-I’m I’m sorry. I’m so sorry” she managed to say in between her sobs and I couldn’t take it anymore.

I pulled her into a hug and she didn’t fight it, she just rested her head on my chest and continued crying.

I patted her hair and whispered into her ear ” I don’t hate you, okay?”

” Okay” her reply came out muffled but it was loud enough to be heard.

We stayed in that position for a while with me comforting the crying angel.

The time is eleven fifty seven and Louisa had fallen asleep in my arms.

I held her closely to my chest as she slept and released tiny sighs in her sleep.

The movie was coming to an end when two voices decided to join me.

” So it’s the mother he doesn’t like”

” Hmm, I always felt it had something to do with the kid”

Guillermo and Edward say respectively as the latter takes a seat by my side.

” Why are you guys still up?” I asked them as the credits for the movie began scrolling.

” You know regular gossip and eavesdropping”

What did I do to deserve these sort of workers?

” You heard our conversation didn’t you?” Referring to my little chat with Iris’s kid.

” Of course we did, and we also learned that you don’t hate the girl ” Edward started before he was interrupted

” And also I don’t believe you hate her mother. You guys bickering seems more like unsettled matters than hate” Guillermo finishes up.

Sure.. unsettled matters of the past.

” And judging from things we’ve seen, heard and known, you have nothing against her parents” it was still Guillermo.

They went as far to analyze her parents?

” What are you two hinting at?” I asked simply tired of them beating about the bush.

” What we’re saying is, do you have anything against Louisa’s father?”

I chuckled softly so I won’t wake the sleeping baby in my arms before replying.

” I don’t even know the guy”

” And why should we believe that?” Edward asks

” Because I know nothing about him. I don’t even know if he’s a goddamn human or not”

” So why did he leave his family?” Guillermo asks the strangest question so far.

” How do you expect me to know that?. Look, if you wanna know anything about him ask her Mom and not me” I get up from my seat and place a hand on Louisa’s back to balance her against me.This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

It’s time for me to head to bed.

” But Iris never talks about the man” Edward adds.

I scoffed knowing fully well she wouldn’t want to tell them about a guy who knocked her up from sleeping around.

” Then if she says nothing about it, it’s her choice. I in particular know nothing to tell you. Goodnight guys, see you tomorrow” I finalize and walk down the hall to hand Louisa over to her Mom.

On a sincere note, this is the first time since Iris moved in here that I’m actually walking down this direction.

I get to their door and knock softly, three times.

Yeah, I’m knocking. This is a bedroom and not an office.

No response came and I knock again.

After waiting for two minutes and no one opened the door, I decided to go in myself.

The bedroom lights were off and that only made me assume that Louisa walked out again when her Mom was asleep.

She really has to stop that.

I walked up to the bed that is a few feet away and catch a glimpse of Iris’s sleeping form.

She was putting on only the long sleeve button up collar shirt she wore to work this morning and a lace panties.

Someone’s been sexy-ing up their wardrobe.

Believe me when I say I tried to look away but it was almost impossible.

Her round ass was faced in the direction opposite to the door, which is away from me. But it’s plump figure could not be hidden.

Her shirt had ridden up her stomach to display a slim waist and a really flat belly.

And it may be the darkness of the room but I think I caught sight of a scar below her belly button.

Movements from outside pull me out of my thoughts to avoid getting caught staring at a slightly naked Iris.

Oh, what tales would Guillermo and Edward find.

I move over to the other side of the bed and gently lay Louisa down.

Like the moments I caught with my Aunt a few years ago where she would stay by the baby’s side with her hand on it’s back till she was sure he was asleep, I mimicked the same thing.

Whilst squatting, I softly ran my hand through Louisa’s hair as she released a sigh of content.

She opened her eyes only by a fraction and I had this feeling she might be scared of my presence. Not remembering what happened tonight.

So I pulled a smile on my face and used my thumb to release her creasing brows.

Then she smiled back at me and rolled over to feel her Mom, who in turn did the same.

Iris snuggled up her baby and the little girl went back into her slumber with a smile on her face.

Rising from my crouched position, I watched the two as they slept.

Iris let out a sigh which was almost similar to Louisa’s, only breathier.

I quickly looked round for the blanket and noticed it had fallen off at Iris’s feet.

I picked it up and placed it over the mother and child then I walked out of the room

I really don’t have any issues with Louisa’s dad. But I just have interest in knowing who he is.