Our Second Life

Chapter- 5

Winter POV

It was almost 8 O'clock in the evening. Aiden had gotten up from sleep. He was playing by himself with some toys on the bed while I was cooking some fried rice for dinner. Honestly speaking Aiden was a very well behaved kid. He didn't talk much and mostly played alone by himself.
I was looking at him and wondering what his everyday life was like....maybe he was always alone by himself so he became like this.

Suddenly my phone dinged with a notification. There was a message from an unknown number. I clicked on it without contemplating much...

>>>"Hey its me Ian. I got your number from our house agent...
Mmm Adam told me that Aiden is still at your place and I really wanna thankyou for having him."

I had just finished reading and was about to type back when another message popped up.

>>>"Tonight I'll be a little late as I am stuck at the hospital due to some emergency. So could you please keep him with you till I return. I promise I'll try to come back asap. So please till then...."

I quickly texted him back this time.

<<<"Hey it's no problem. Aiden can stay with me. Please do not worry about him...it's absolutely fine."

As soon as I sent the message, it was instantly read and Ian was typing again.

>>>"Thank you so much Winter. It means a lot...I am really thankful to you."

I typed back again.

<<<"Hey it's nothing...Aiden is a very nice kid and I really enjoy his company....So you don't need to worry."

This time Ian saw the message after a few minutes and replied back.

>>>"Okayy then...take care and thanks once again :)"

I kept down the phone and contemplated for five more minutes about what should I reply. But failing to frame one in my head, I decided better to let it go and went on with my work.

**************************

It was around 10.30 at night when Ian came back. Aiden had fallen asleep by then after I fed him some fried rice for dinner while watching cartoons on my phone.

Ian looked very exhausted with his hairs messed up and shirt loosened. He held his work bag in one hand and a paper bag in the other.

"Hii.....", he said in a tired voice while leaning on the door.

"Hi....You wanna come in this time?", I asked him while making space for him to come through.

He just nodded his head lightly and followed me inside like an obedient child.
After coming in, he closed the door silently and looked at me with his weary eyes.

"So you have 12 hr shifts on Sundays as well...??", I tried to break the silence.

"Yeah...its depends", he paused for while and then continued...."I had three OTs today..."

So he really works hard.

"Do you want some water??" I asked him.

"Yeah sure... and by the way I got some blueberry cheesecake for you on my way back. Though most bakeries were closed by then...still I saw this one open... U-Umm I don't know your favourite flavour so I got what I like", he spoke while handing me the paper bag.

I looked at him for a few seconds before I replied back.

"Blueberry is my favourite flavour..."

And then there was this awkward silence. It was like none of us knew what to say after that.

"It's my favourite as well....", Ian finally admitted after sometime.

I just awkwardly nodded my head and took the packet from him.

"I have cooked some fried rice...Do you wanna have it?", I asked him.

"Has Aiden eaten something??"

There goes the fatherly concern.

"Yes....He has eaten his dinner and then went to sleep."

"Thankyou Winter....I can never really tell you how much this means to me", Ian's voice was low and incredibly soft this time.

I gave him a smile and questioned, "It's okay. Is Adam alone at home?"

"No...he went to his friends house for a sleepover..." Ian paused for a while. It was evident from the look on his face that he was really worried about something that has been bothering him since a long time. His eyebrows were creased and he moved his hand through his hair once before he finally continued, "I don't really understand why Adam is this much irresponsible. I tried so many times to make him understand but it seems like I can never really get close to him.... It feels like all my efforts are in vain and we are only becoming more distant from each other."

Okay...so they do have some internal issues among themselves. From Adam's behaviour earlier to Ian's words at this moment....it quite makes sense that something is seriously messed up between them. At this point I really want to know about what happened to his wife. But I don't think its the right time to ask Ian something. Firstly because we are not much known to each other...and secondly because it may seem I am prying way too much into his private life.

Suddenly my thoughts got interrupted by Ian's voice..."Did you have dinner?"

"No....I was waiting for you", I replied in a low voice finding it hard to really look at him in the eye right now. I don't know whats wrong with me...but everytime I see him there is a certain unknown feeling that makes me crave for more of it. I don't know what this feeling is...but I certainly do know that its euphoric to me.

"You were waiting for me ???" Ian asked in a quite surprised voice as if he was very unaccustomed to the fact that somebody could wait for him.

I nodded my head slowly still without looking at him, "Yes you said that you'll come... so I figured out that you wouldn't have had your dinner as well... Soo I waited for you so we could have dinner.. together."

Honestly speaking I don't know if I did something over the board but I just followed what my heart wanted. My heart wanted to wait for him and so I did. And as I mentioned priorly that I am very awkward and weird sooo when it comes to admitting things...I just do it straight away without feeling much emotions.

Ian cleared his throat awkwardly indicating that he clearly felt uneasy with this sudden confrontation of mine.

I looked up at him only to find him staring sharp into my eyes.

"And how were you so sure that I wouldn't have my dinner alone??".. He said in his husky voice while coming closer towards me.

I stared back at him and finally when he reached my closest proximity I looked down. I could feel his breath on my forehead but I didn't dare to look at him.

"Tell mee.....", he said in a deeper voice this time.

I looked up right into his eyes and had a strong feeling sting into my heart.

"I just knew you won't..... my heart could feel it.."