The Child of Thames..? [TCF FANFIC]

III

~Talk~

As Cale stood in front of his family, beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and an overwhelming sense of sass bubbled beneath his calm exterior. 'Ha-now what?' he thought, his mind racing. 'Mother, father... I've found a baby who's apparently my nephew-wait, wouldn't that technically make him my cousin? I mean, he's Father's nephew... or is that how this works?'

He pondered over the complicated family connections, all the while trying to maintain some semblance of composure. Meanwhile, Deruth Henituse's face visibly paled, his blood pressure rising with every passing second. His eyes were fixed on the newborn child in Cale's arms-an infant who, disturbingly enough, bore a striking resemblance to both Cale and Jour. Panic surged within him as the worst possibilities crossed his mind. 'Could it be...? My son... did he...?'

Violan's expression remained serene, though there was an unmistakable sharpness in her gaze as she glanced between Cale and the baby. The tension was palpable, thick enough to cut with a knife.

Cale, however, was lost in his thoughts, trying to process the situation with his usual dry humor. 'Great. Just great. What's next? Do I hand this child over and say, 'Congratulations, Mother, Father, here's your long-lost grandchild. Surprise!'' He groaned internally. 'I can already hear the lecture. 'Cale, explain this immediately,'' he mimicked his father's stern voice in his head. 'What a day...'

Deruth, still in the throes of his silent dilemma, could only gape at his son, torn between shock and disbelief. 'A baby? Identical to Cale?' His mind spiraled into chaotic theories as he desperately tried to make sense of what he was seeing.

Meanwhile, Cale continued to stand there, exuding a mix of nonchalance and inner panic, one brow arched in his trademark sassy fashion, wondering just how on earth he was going to explain this one.

Deruth, trying to compose himself, cleared his throat once more, this time with greater resolve. His voice, though steady, carried a hint of tension. "Cale, my son... did you have a child without telling me?"

Cale's eyes shot wide open, utterly baffled by his father's bluntness. "Huh?"

Deruth, just as bewildered by his own words, repeated, "Huh? Isn't that... my grandson?"

"Huh?" Cale echoed again, his confusion only growing.

A frown settled on Cale's face as the gravity of the absurdity hit him, and he snapped back, his tone unintentionally sharper than usual. "What? No!"

Meanwhile, Violan, ever the picture of grace, fixed her husband with a sharp, disappointed glare. She leaned closer and whispered, "Dear, I understand you're flustered, but please refrain from such reckless bluntness. You sound like a fool."

Deruth, realizing the weight of his words only after the fact, turned away in embarrassment, the tips of his ears glowing red. His gaze wandered awkwardly around the room as he tried to regain his composure, but the damage was done. Cale's frown deepened as he shot his father an incredulous look, still trying to wrap his head around how the conversation had gone so wildly off-course.

'Of all the things to accuse me of... seriously?' Cale thought, utterly exasperated. 'What's next, a surprise family reunion where I'm expected to raise this mystery child?' He shook his head internally, his sass barely held in check.

~~~~

A while later, Cale cursed inwardly. 'Damn my intuition. Why did I agree to this?' He glanced down at the sleeping infant cradled in his arms. The child was peaceful, nestled comfortably against him. 'I can't take care of a baby! But... it's so adorable... He frowned, immediately cutting off the traitorous thought. No! No! Focus, Cale. You're not getting attached!'