AFFECTION

TWENTY THREE

DAVID WELLINGTON

I had a constant smile on my face as I saw my son, way too deep in sleep, sucking on his little thumb. As much as I knew I should remove his thumb, I couldn't help but adore the scene before me. I do not know why I can't get enough of my own genes.

Hope came out of the washroom and shook her head at me as she saw me bent over his crib.

"When will he wake up?", I asked.

She chuckled, "He was cranky last night. He will compensate his sleep in the morning."

I moved away from the crib, and went to where she was standing.

"How can that asshole calm him down so easily? I think he knows some black magic.", I exclaimed lowly leaning on the dressing table as she did her long fledged skin care routine.

"He's been doing this for an year. Erica got pregnant soon after they got him. So most of the times, especially at night, it was Eric who woke up with Oliver."

I nodded and asked her what I've been wondering since last night.
"Will he ever become this comfortable with me?"

She looked at me and smiled, "Don't worry. He's getting familiar with you. Soon you'll be able to tend to all his needs. But ofcourse Eric has a completely different place in his life."

I agreed, "I need to get in terms with that."

"He's your best friend and Oliver's uncle. You should become fine with this. But well, take your time."

"Best friend my foot!", I whispered nonchalant looking away from her, "That guy gave me a real hard time."

"Admit it to yourself. It was for your own good."

I sighed not agreeing to her words but not even denying them. May be, may be I wouldn't have fought like a madman if there was no prospect of loosing my son. But I guess, I shouldn't spend my time thinking about it.

Garcia has been analysing us quite closely. I've been noticing her gaze on us everytime. More on us than on Oliver.

"Garcia...what are we gonna do about her?"

She looked at me strangely, "What's there to do? We act."

"She's too clever."

She laughed lightly, "Not more than you."

Yes, I might have embarrassed the old lady by pretending to kiss Hope, while in reality, I was only poking her nose. She was standing behind me, a few feets away. Hope was baffled for a few second, redness covering her face, but she realised soon what I was doing.

I looked at her with a cheeky smile, "Let's not pretend anymore. Your lips taste like strawberry. I've tasted them on the wedding day.."

She rolled her eyes, blush covering her cheeks, "She's not here to hear you flirting."

I chuckled occupying the chair that sat between the dressing table and her.

"You know I don't pretend for this one. Girls do fall in love with smart flirting guys. You remember in school.."

She interrupted me, "I remember so many girls falling in love with you and standing in front of your apartment, that Eric threw you out and you had to come to my dorm room."

"Eric has always been a curse in my life."

She snickered, "Let's not blame the poor guy. We both know the girls started camping outside your apartment. And it turned ugly when your neighbours complained."

I squirmed a little as the memory of that time flooded in my mind. It was the peak of my admirer's toxicity. I loved that attention for a day or two, but Eric got sick of it as we were not able to attend our classes also. So eventually, he threw me out, with my belongings in a duffel bag. I escaped from there and took shelter in Hope's dormroom. When the matter exposed, Eric took blame on himself, which nobody from our family believed. But ofcourse, like always, Eric has the last word to himself.