The convenient marriage

Chapter 12. A date?

Sitting in the doctor's office, waiting for Aria to return from the restroom, so they could leave the hospital, Zane was staring dazedly at two small pictures. The black and white ultrasound scans the doctor had printed for him, with each of them having inscribed on the bottom part Peanut A and Peanut B respectively, kept his interest even after several minutes, especially after the doctor had explained to him where the hands, feet and face were.

For some reason, he still could not feel this was reality, as his hand gently caressed the two pictures. But the two powerful heartbeats sounds that  seemed to resound inside his mind even now, affirmed for him that indeed it was true, making his heart swell with pride.

Like holding a small treasure, he took the two pictures and, taking out his wallet, he slid the two inside a small card frame, before placing his wallet once again in his jacket's inner pocket.

'I am sorry to have kept you waiting!' Aria immediately spoke as she returned, making Zane snap out of his thoughts, as he looked towards the flustered petite woman. She had certainly hurried to not keep him waiting, as he could see from the slight redness on her cheeks and the slight shortness of breath, even though he had told her multiple times that there was no hurry.

But as always, Aria tried to not impose on him, and acted as politely as possible. This considerate side of her, should have made him feel happy normally, but now somehow it irked him, making him uncomfortable, although strangely this alienation from the previous her was ideal for him and quite welcomed. 

In the past, the previous Aria had also acted polite towards him, but her politeness was not the same as now, it had felt cold then, mechanic, like an etiquette she showed everyone. 

But the current Aria, although there existed some gentleness in her words no matter who she was speaking to, her alienation was only for him. She was not like this to everyone, she did not speak so formal. 

At least towards the staff at the mansion Aria smiled more, laughed even, but towards him... she only smiled a little when they were talking about the twins or about the piano. The rest of the time she avoided him if she could.

'Are you upset?' She asked slowly seeing he did not say anything, with a caution that one would not show a person who is your family, at least that's how it appeared to him.

'No. Let's go!' Zane simply said, and rose on his feet, not speaking more.

Aria nodded, and followed him out, not insisting at all with other questions, or even repeating the first question at least, to confirm he was truly not upset.

In reality, she was somewhat accustomed to him, but there was still a difference between being accustomed to somebody and acting familiar with him. He did not seem a bad person to her, he also had never once denied doing something for her, but somehow his cold stone exterior was designed to keep people at bay.

Not to mention, although not directly, the butler had explained to her a bit their normal lives and schedules at her request. And as a conclusion from what she saw from Zane in the beginning, coupled with the butler's information... it was evident to her that they pretty much led separate lives.

The couple seemed a bit weird to her, but as she never had a family of her own, she was not exactly the best person to know how a normal family was like. Not to mention, she was grateful to live a second life with two bundles of joy, questioning the status quo between her and Zane never once even entering her mind.

She was not one to force herself inside someone's privacy, even the piano lessons had been something that he had mentioned himself otherwise she would not have dared ask him. So in regard to everything else, naturally she followed suit his way of being. If he spoke less, so would she, if he would keep his distance so would she, not wanting to upset him.