Indoors, a wind whooshes and passes off in a specific direction.
Thinking back, Joell looked like she wanted to flee, but her being stuck in Sov's embrace had her feet glued to the tiles of the dining hall, frozen in time.
The two talk a lot. It's best to assume no one else here is visible, none here are more important, or rather, time apart had them obsessing for a conversation, in Sov's case, at most. Joell just looks like a face of guilt, the feelings a little too heavy for her to hide with a mask.
Looking down at my arms, baby Esden coos, drool dripping from his mouth. A smile unconsciously lifts my lips; he wouldn't let go of my finger with his small hands.
It's been a stressful couple of months since he's been happy about me holding him. The number of check-ups didn't solve anything until—my eyes looked to Joell, who was being pushed down into a chair, guilty of something I still can't point out; she looked like she wanted to run away.
The slight movement of her head had me looking back down at baby Esden faster than existence itself. I checked from my peripheral vision, the begging look in her eyes to help her out of here wasn't missed.
My eyebrows pinched into the middle at the thought. What's worrying her so mu—nevermind worrying about someone else's worry. The mere thought should not exist.
I waved a hand, and everyone in the kitchen came out with hot and ready dishes of different cultural food, just when everyone was seated.
The hall quiets down as the food keeps coming out, after every few head turns, per dish came gawking stares in my direction. Did I go overboard with the many dishes to be made?
"Are you seeing this?" I hear a whisper from behind.
"My eyes are forced open with the help of invisible matches..." I hear a reply in disbelief; a reference from Tom and Jerry.
"Do you think he requested such a big dinner because of the honorable guest? All of the different cultural buffets too!"
"You best believe!—" The exaggeration hushes deeply, "A woman who's not possibly his mother could calm his cryings with just her presence, if his father—"
"Buys him the entire world, he still won't quiet down a nibble!" The other finishes.
"Ahem." In seconds, they both shut up faster than their hunger could fill up; everyone else's eyes were on me.
"Something stuck in your throat?" I look to see Sov asking, in my peripheral vision, Joell stares at me unblinkingly, but the moment I look back, her eyes drift to Esden.
When I follow her eyes again, catching them, she looks elsewhere.
She doesn't normally avoid me.
"Yes—" I look behind me, at the ones who shut their mouths faster than the beginning of life, "I'm well." I finish my sentence, looking at Sov, turning a blink of attention to Joell, whose entire attention is on her interlocking fingers under the table.
Everyone was ready to dig in before Esden reminded, he was still here. My son slaps around me, angry for something. Looking in the direction that curiosity hits, Joell's chin is supported by her hand, staring at Esden with cute chuckles.
Esden doesn't see her, so he looked around like he knew the voice by heart. The close attention from somewhere breaks my gaze. Looking ahead, I see Sov smiling through the action of sipping her wine before looking towards her steak, cutting through it as slowly as if time was stuck, but she eats it like the present was never frozen.
YOU ARE READING
What Have I Gotten Myself Into?
RomansaA man was fulfilled with being single. He had everything, and his son filled up the rest of his heart. Someone intrudes him, welcomes a new kind of loud silence to his world, and wins his son's heart. Will he do what's best for his son or escape upc...
