THE PROMISE

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 4

Tori had thought that Amen would be okay with her taking Joseph to see his mother's grave. She assumed his mood was okay, why not ask now. Of course Amen was not the type of man to take anything lightly.

"I said no." He looked at her darkly. The hardest man she had ever had the misfortune of meeting.

"I don't understand." She was afraid to keep going but she needed to get through to Amen. At least to talk to him, maybe she could sway him.

"You don't need to understand. Do not overstep." He warned her.

"How am I overstepping? I am not asking you for anything more than for my nephew to be able to say goodbye to his mother. He needs to do that."

"He needs a nanny who knows her place." She felt herself tense. How dare he. He called her nanny to show her that she had no importance. That she meant nothing to Joseph.

"I am not his nanny. I am his aunt. I have as much right over Joseph as you do." She said hitting a nerve with Amen.

"You would think that..." He said giving her a dark look.

"I am not fighting you, but you can't just say no and expect me to agree with you all the time. At the end of the day I am only looking out for Joseph. He is my only concern. He is asking to see his mother. He wants to see his mother..."

"You are putting ideas in his head. I suggest you stop that right away." Tori felt her heart beating rapidly now. She was not getting why Amen always assumed she was trying to manipulate Joseph.

"You can't keep him in a bubble. He needs to be able to get through things. He needs to be able to deal with situations in life. You will not always be around to protect him. He needs to learn how to cope... To use his own devices to get through things."

"As long as I am alive he will never need anybody." Said so passionately. Amen was not listening.

"And when you are not alive? What happens to him then."

"You think he won't be looked after?" Amen tilted his attractive head as he eyed her out.

"All I am saying is..." Was it worth it? The dark way that Amen was looking at her sent shivers down her spine. "Never mind."

Before Amen had anything to add, Joseph returned looking all happy. Tori busied herself with him to give herself something to do. The tension in the air between them was thick. She didn't want to ruin Joseph's day. He looked like he was having the best day of his life.

"Uncle?"

"Yes Joseph..."

"My aunt is pretty..." Tori wasn't expecting Joseph to say that. She felt her face heat up. She was very embarrassed. Amen's dark eyes turned to her now.

"Yes she is." Oh wow... She wanted the ground to open up and swallow her. This was very embarrassing.

"I told her that she is pretty all the time. Like my mummy." Her heart ached when he would bring up his mother. He missed her so much. "My mummy, she said that aunt Tori was pretty. She told me all the time."

"She was right." Amen was just appeasing his nephew. Tori knew that Amen didn't see Tori as pretty. In fact, he didn't see her as anything more than a pest really.

"See aunt Tori, I always tell you that you are pretty. And you smell so pretty too... Like my mummy."

He was clearly missing his mother. Why couldn't Amen just let him go and see her? Why did he have to be such a downer all the time? Everything was always such an issue when it came to doing anything.