Fated Mates

56

Pran called both of them to the table and plated their food.  Pran accidentally made small portions of food so it wouldn't be enough for both Pat and him. So as a good husband, he decided to put more food on Pat's plate and took a very little amount for himself.

Pat put Owen on the high chair and Pran put the baby food in front of Owen.  Owen likes to eat mashed-up fruit by himself so let Owen try to eat alone. 

Pat noticed Pran's portion and frowned. He didn't like how Pran had been putting Pat before him throughout their entire relationship.  He didn't sit on his seat and instead, he sprung around and started baking a salmon dish.  Pran's favourite. Pran noticed it and couldn't help smiling.

"pat... Babe, I'm not hungry.  I ate a sub sandwich on my way home." Pat glared at Pran and ignored him. 

"babe.... " pran said as he got up and hugged Pat from behind. 

"you have to eat more than me... " he tried to convince Pat again.

"doesn't mean you have to starve" Pat replied. 

"hmm...  But I'm really not-" pat glared and that made Pran shut up.

"say that again and I will throw all the food out" Pran stopped talking and went to his seat to eat.  Owen was throwing his food on the table instead of eating. 

"We don't do that Owen.  Eat it like this" Pran tried to teach Owen how to eat and fix his behaviour. 

Pat sat on the seat and started eating.  Pran noticed how quiet Pat was today.  No gossip,  no ranting.

"so...  How was your day today? " pran smiled and stared at Pat.  The most beautiful man in the world.

Pat smiled as if he was blushing and nodded.

"yeah, good" Pran stood up from his seat and stared at Pat. He felt like something was wrong.  He didn't do anything to make Pat blush.

"good?  How so? " he went to the oven and took out the baked dish.

"I went to the gym and the gym was good.  No struggles and I went to a cafe today.  The americano was good there." pran brought the dish to the table and started eating. 

"yeah?  Sounds good.  Why don't you take me there tomorrow?  I don't have work tomorrow." he reminded Pat about his work holiday.

"you don't? I thought you did!" pran smirked and started eating again. Pat was hiding something.  Pat now didn't like Pran being home.

"is it bad news that I'll be at home? " Pat looked away.

"no... No...  I was just surprised that you will be at home tomorrow" Pat tried to cover up but failed badly.

"so Mr. Napat.  Take me to that caf-" Pran tried to push Pat to tell him the truth.

"Can we stop talking about that? " pran stopped eating and stared at his husband. Pat was acting unusually.  Pat did something or he is doing something wrong.  Pat avoided that topic because of guilt.  Guilt was written all over Pat. Pran nodded and finished eating.  Even though Pat made him extra food but after that...  None of the food tasted like food anymore.  He just gobbled it up so Pat wouldn't be worried.

"lemme feed my baby now?  Oh!  Owen ate a lot by himself!  All the fruits are gone! Oh my! " pran started feeding Owen his baby food while Pat ate in complete silence.  It was weird having Pat this quiet.

After dinner pran was putting Owen to sleep.  Owen was still energetic so it was hard to make him sleep. Pran was walking around the house while rocking Owen when he heard Pat's voice from the bathroom.  Thanks to the echo pran could make out what Pat was whispering.

"I can't come out tomorrow.  My husband will be at home!" followed by a complete silence.

"yeah...  I'll try... " pran bumped his head on a nearby wall and it was aching badly.   Owen was starting to fall asleep so he went inside Owen's room and waited until Owen was completely asleep to go back to his room.

He saw Pat ready for bed.  He smirked as he saw Pat's guilt again.  Pran wanted to confront Pat and ask him what all of this was about but he was a coward... Afraid to find out exactly what he is thinking.  Afraid what he is imagining will turn into reality.  Pat turned around and got to bed.  Pran stayed up reading books and thinking about his life.  It has been good.  Too good to be true...  Maybe something bad was about to happen after a lot of good things...  It's just the nature of life. 

Owen still wakes up in the middle of the night so Pat doesn't get enough sleep.  Pran decides to wake up when Owen cries so Pat can get enough sleep.  Pran wondered if thinking about Pat was about to ruin everything for him.

Owen woke up and Pran woke up hearing Owen cry in the baby monitor.  Owen was throwing his arms and legs around while crying.  It reminded him of how Pat cried when Owen was in his belly and he couldn't sleep because of it.

"oh, my baby...  Daddy is here." pran scooped up Owen and Owen immediately started searching for milk.  He rubbed his head on Pran's chest.  Which told Pran that Pat usually breastfeeds when Owen walks up at night.

"papa is a good father huh?  You seem to think I'm papa...  Or...  You are too young to understand that we are two different people." pran gave Owen a bottle and Owen started to feed. Pran stared at Owen with fondness in his eyes.  He still remembers how desperate Pat got for a baby.  He knows how much Pat loves Owen.  He still writes diaries and Pran occasionally reads them secretly. 

Owen fell back asleep but Pran couldn't bring himself to let his son sleep alone in the cold crib.  He brought Owen to their bed and put him by his side as he lay in the middle.

"umm... What happened pran?" Pat noticed Pran was too close to him and he woke up.

"Oh, nothing. Owen woke up so I brought him here" Pat closed his eyes and fell back asleep.

Pran turned around and hugged Pat. He didn't want Pat to go down the wrong lane. He wanted Pat to always do the right thing. It's not a good feeling hugging Pat when Pat is acting suspiciously.