Temptations

32. ARIA'S DAY OUT

ELLIE

It was finally Sunday. I had promised Aria we would go to picnic on Sunday and she had been hovering around me since yesterday even though I had already assured her we were going. I didn't bother asking Nathan as he had clearly told me in the beginning he wasn't interested in joining. It's not like we can't go to a picnic without his boring ass.

Right now, I was sitting on the dining table, silently eating my egg salad sandwich. "So I've heard you and Aria are doing on picnic today?" Catherine asked suddenly. We were alone on the table as Aria was still sleeping and Nathan hasn't returned from the gym yet.

"Yes. You can come if you want." I said, realising I haven't invited her properly. But then again, she didn't look like someone interested in going to picnics.

"I'd rather not. The sun and I don't get along very well." She replied, just as I had expected. "By the way, why isn't Nathan going?"

"Why don't you ask him? I think he can give the better answer." I said in a straightforward manner. Why should I make excuses for him when he doesn't even care?

"I will." She replied briefly.

I then went to the kitchen and asked the cook to make some food for picnic. I gave him the lost of things we needed to take with us on the picnic and then I went to Aria's room to wake her up.

But to my surprise, Aria was already awake and was peeking in her closet for a dress. "Mama, can I wear this pink dress?" She asked when she noticed me.

"Sure you can. I'm sure you'll look really pretty in this." I said.

"And can you tie my hair in flench braid?" She asked. Flench? Oh.

"It's Aria's day. I'll make whatever hairstyle you want." I said, giving her an assuring smile, and asked Kelly to get her ready by 11.

Leaving her with Kelly, I then went to my own bedroom to choose an outfit for today. After searching my cupboard for 5 minutes, I finally decided on a yellow sundress with floral pattern on it. I decided to pair it with brown boots and a hat, hoping to get cute pictures for my Instagram today.

By the time it was 11, I had taken a bath and changed into my new clothes. Aria was also dressed and the cook had packed all the food items in the basket.

We were in the lounge, waiting for the driver when Nathan walked inside. He was in his tracksuit, thick droplets of sweat coating his face and bare arms, arms that looked like they could crush me in half. My hands itched to run a finger along the ridges of his arms and it made my blush.

Get it together, woman.

His eyes went from me to Aria and then back to me.

"Daddy, come with us." Aria said excitedly. I had lied to her that Nathan was busy today due to a work emergency but here he was, looking not so much in emergency.

"Daddy is busy." I said to Aria, who pouted in return.

"Not really." Nathan said and my mouth parted. "I was, but it's all managed now."

"Does that mean you can come?" Aria asked with widened eyes.

"Yes. Just give me a minute. Okay?" He said and then made eye contact with me again. I don't know why but whenever our eyes meet, something flips inside my stomach, as much as I try to ignore it.

Aria and I walked out of the house towards the parking. The weather was perfect for picnic today, cold but a pleasant cold, not the kind of cold that makes you shiver. I had half a mind to delay the plan because of that rain the other day but I'm glad I didn't.

Few moments later, husband dearest joined us. He was wearing khakee trousers and a casual white cotton shirt, a pair of sunglasses hiding his pretty eyes. Casual looks good on him. Well to be honest, everything looks good on him. Handsome son of a biscuit.

All three of us sat down in the back seat of the car while the driver revved the engine. In no time, we were off to our destination. The park was just fifteen minutes away from the house and the drive went by smoothly.

The park was filled with a lots of people gathered around for picnic. Aria looked excited while Nathan looked irritated at the crowd. He was probably not used to be at the same place with other commoners.

We looked around for an empty corner and placed the sitting rug. Aria and I set everything on the rug while Nathan helped the driver carry everything to our spot. Once everything was set, all three of us sat down.

"So what do we do now?" Nathan asked me mockingly. "Enjoy the weather?"

"We talk." I gave him a glare. "And we eat." With that, I opened the box of sandwiches.

"Mama, look, those people brought a cat. Can we have a cat?" Aria asked in an adorable manner, pointing towards the cat of the family sitting left to us.

"Cats are unhygienic. They bring diseases with them." Nathan said.

"I had a cat when I was a kid." I added.

"Hence proven. No cats." He said with a smirk and my nostrils flared. Idiot.

Ignoring him altogether, I engrossed myself in eating the food and taking pictures with Aria. We walked over to a scenic tree and clicked pictures in front of us. Nathan kept sitting on the spot, watching us with concentration.

"Look Mum, a slide. Can I go?" Aria asked when she eyed a slide in the park. The slide looked very low-risk and there were a lot of kids around so I let her go.

I went back to the rug and sat down beside Nathan, all the while keeping my eyes on Aria.

"Why did you come with us if you were going to sulk all day?" I said now that Aria wasn't around.

"I wanted to keep an eye on Aria." He said, annoying me further.

"You think I won't take care of her?" I asked begrudgingly.

"You are a kid yourself so it's difficult to trust you with my kid." He said unapologetically.

"I'm not a kid." I gritted my teeth. "And I'm certainly more responsible out of the two of us."

We were busy in our bickering when we heard Aria's cries. She had fallen from the slide and was now crying in full swing.
Both Nathan and I swept to our feet and rushed towards her. Nathan picked her up and brought her back to our seat. While he assessed her for any injuries, I coddled her and tried to pacify her.

"She doesn't have any wound thankfully." Nathan said, rubbing where she was hurt.

While Nathan looked calm, I was feeling quite shaken up. Aria was always smiling and now watching her in pain and crying out of fear was making my heart tremble.

"It's my fault. I let her go to the slide." I whispered under my breath while patting Aria's back. Her crying had started to reduce as she realized she was alright but it was now my time to tear up. Small tear droplets were starting to form in my eyes. "I'm so sorry Ari baby." I said.

Suddenly, I felt Nathan's hand on my back, drawing comforting circles. "It's okay. Children fall. That's how they learn. It's not your fault." He said in a sweet manner, complete opposite of the person talking to me earlier.

I nodded, giving him a feeble smile.
Soon, Aria forgot about the fall and went back to jumping around in excitement. While Nathan and I kept sitting there in silence, not knowing how to act around each other, whether to resume fighting or just be civil and nice.

We sat there for another two hours, eating food until our stomach didn't have any space left. We got some really aesthetic pictures and we also managed to get Nathan in some of the pictures. The sun had started to set now and It was time to go back.

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