When Love Calls

Chapter 49

It was nearly 5:30, and dinner was cooking in the oven as I prepared dessert for tonight. The door opened, and a man in red walked in. "Mmm, it smells good," Gabriel smiled as he hung up his hat by the door. "Thank you. It should be almost done," I smiled back as he walked over and hugged me from behind. "What are you working on?" Gabriel asked as I put the finishing touches on my dessert. "Berry Cheesecake," I said, smiling, before turning to hug him. However, my belly made it difficult. "Baby Kinslow is growing." Gabriel smiled and put his hands on my belly, saying, "Daddy loves you," before kissing my stomach. "Oh, just so you know, Lillian and John are coming over for dinner. I'm sorry it's so last minute," I said to him. "It'll be fun." Gabriel smiled before Timothy ran to his father.

Gabriel's face lit up with joy as he scooped up his young son, exclaiming, "Mini-me! Were you a good boy for mommy today?" he asked little Timothy, who responded with an enthusiastic nod. "Is that true, mommy?" Gabriel inquired, turning to me with a smile. I couldn't help but chuckle and affirm Timothy's good behavior with a nod of my own. "I like to hear it!" Gabriel said before he started tickling him, the sweet sight made me smile. "Alright buddy, Daddy needs to get changed out of his uniform." Gabriel smiled as he put his son down. The boy was immediately distracted by Bilzzed walking by, just as there was a knock on the door.

We all had an amazing time at dinner, enjoying lots of laughter and joy. I was truly grateful to have such wonderful friends. "This dessert is incredible, Adeline. I definitely need the recipe for this," Lillian exclaimed before indulging in another bite. It made me chuckle.  "Of course," I said, glancing around anxiously. "Gabriel, have you seen Timmy?" I inquired, realizing that it had been a couple of minutes since I last saw him. "No, actually I haven't," Gabriel replied, looking around as well. "Timothy!" Gabriel said calling out to him, "Timothy ran out of the room with boundless excitement. He was wearing Gabriel's red serge jacket and hat, and with an adorable sense of pride, he proclaimed, "I'm daddy!" The room filled with the heartwarming sound of laughter as everyone enjoyed the delightful moment created by the young boy. As I made my way towards our son, I spoke, "Indeed, you are," acknowledging the similarity between father and son. Lillian smiled affectionately as Gabriel bent down to pick up our little one. As I observed the scene before me, I couldn't help but chuckle and comment, "I swear that child got all his father's genetics." My statement was met with laughter from everyone present, emphasizing the strong resemblance between the father and his child. "Alright, Junior, it's time to get ready for bed," Gabriel said to his son in a gentle, yet firm voice. He looked down at the young boy, whose eyes were still wide with the remnants of playtime. "But before we tuck in for the night, be sure to say goodnight to Auntie Lillian and Mr. John," Gabriel added, gesturing towards the two guests with a warm smile., "Goodnight." Timothy smiled before he wandered off.

"You guys have a wonderful son," John said with a smile toward Gabriel and me.

"Thank you and thank you for joining us for dinner." Gabriel smiled before making his way to his son.

"Thank you so much for inviting us. Adeline, you did an absolutely amazing job, as always," Lillian expressed warmly as John opened the door. As she prepared to leave, she turned to me, saying, "I'll see you soon. Goodnight," with a bright smile on her face.

"Goodnight." I smiled waving as I closed the door.

"My two favorite guys." I smiled as I walked into Timothy's bedroom.

Gabriel's eyes lit up as he caught sight of his wife across the room. After all these years, her presence still had the power to brighten his day. Despite the passage of time, she remained as stunning as the first day he laid eyes on her, radiating a timeless beauty that never faded.

"What are you looking at? I asked Gabriel as he looked at me.

"Oh, nothing. Say goodnight to your son." Gabriel said as I looked at Timmy who was mostly asleep.

"Goodnight, my sweet little boy," I whispered softly as I leaned in to plant a gentle kiss on his soft, rosy cheek. At that moment, it struck me just how quickly he was growing up, and I found myself wishing that time would kindly slow down to let me savor these precious moments a little longer.