A Tale of Shadows - THE OUTDATED VERSION

Chapter 23 - Affairs

While turning around to see if anyone was behind her, Melinda closed the door, letting out a sigh of relief after seeing that there wasn't. She began to open every other door in her vicinity, wondering where George could be. For several minutes, she walked with mild haste, holding her child tight. Her boots echoed against the floor as she started to grow weary, but that feeling was bested by the ease she sensed when she found the one she was looking for at last.

George was lying on the bed in the guestroom. She noticed that his eyes were closed, and also that he was not asleep despite that, for if he were asleep, he would not be adjusting himself so much at the moment. Smiling, she sat by his side, the touch of her hands against his chin making him open his eyes.

"Would you be willing to take a look at my child, sir?" she said sweetly.

"I would be pleased to do so," he responded as he was opening his eyes, immediately smiling at the girl, who was also smiling at him. He thought her drooling and inarticulate baby sounds adorable, and her innocence brought a tear to his eyes.

"Her name is Griselda Melantha Bellerose."

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Griselda," he said, shaking the child's hand. Due to her continuing to drool, he took a handkerchief out of his pocket, applying it to her mouth before she could drool on his suit.

"In nine months, I should give birth to another," Melinda announced, her eyes gleaming.

George raised an eyebrow. "And how is that going to happen?"

Melinda laughed. "You ought not to worry this much, Mister Maguire. It would be impossible for me to imagine a reason as to why I would ever break your trust."

"I suppose you are in the right," he mumbled before remembering something. "What could your statement mean then?"

"As of late, I have been pondering what needs to be done when it comes to our relationship. I am fortunate to have avoided certain struggles I was worried would arrive at some point, but now that I know they never will, our relationship is free to progress. What I am proposing is that we unite in this bed in an inappropriate manner at this time so we can signify our faith in each other in advance."

George nodded as she put the silent, grinning baby on the bed across them, running his fingers through her hair. Shortly after, he moved on to her neck, and when she gave him a long and forceful kiss on the lips, he became even faster from his excitement.

The deed was done after several minutes, and he was left breathless while she was smiling and putting her clothes back on, sitting on the sheets afterwards and waiting for him to get ready.

As soon as that was done, Melinda spent hours upon hours being busy with mundane political matters, not getting distracted from her work once. The process brought severe exhaustion to her mind, as though she was not exhausted enough on the regular already, but at least there was an end to it all, thus she smiled, heading to her next duty after retrieving her child from the nanny.

She was certain that Malcolm would be awaiting her inside of her bedroom, for she had told him to do so the night before, and he was, which brought a wide smile to her face. This time, he did not appear as stern as he tended to be, merely lying on the left side of the bed in his robe, his legs hanging from the edges. His head was facing the wall in front of him, his eyes blank and the wrinkles on his forehead emphasized at the same time, and she glanced at him before he could notice her like she was hoping that his posture and face alone would tell her the secrets of his mind. Of course, she knew that they never could, and not solely due to people like him always being stuck in thought, but a part of her believed in it, which could mean nothing other than it did, and it meant that the belief was unfounded. In the end, grasping that she was left without another option, she let out a deep sigh while sitting right next to him.