The Hamilton Charm

Chapter 41

(I've just been listening to David Bowie all day for some reason so I decided to include my favourite song of his. Moonage Daydream <3 . Sooo good!)

A cloudy sky loomed above us as we walked along by the Seine. The clouds were on the verge of depositing their load upon us. The fallen autumn leaves crunched beneath our heavy boots. A few of the leaves fluttered past us in a flash of reds and yellows. The wind was bitingly cold. My face and Raoul's were red raw.

I leaned down and pulled Raoul's coat tighter around him and fixed his woollen scarf that he constantly complained of being itchy. He hated it but I promised him that if he wore it I would buy him a new game for his Xbox later. That quickly shut him up.

I watched him from the corner of my eye as he ran ahead of me at a group of pigeons who were searching for food. His curly mop of hair bounced around on his head as he jumped up and down at the sight of the pigeons flying away. His little gleeful laugh was infectious. You just had to smile along with him.

He turned towards me a flashed a cheeky little grin. The smile fell from my face. He looked so much like Iver, it was frightening. I was reminded of last night and the sleepless night I suffered through afterwards.

Raoul needed a father, I knew that. I just hoped that Iver wouldn't let him down and drop him the first chance he got to escape or at the first sign of commitment. It would break little Raoul's heart and which in turn would break my heart all over again. How many times would Iver destroy my life?

I placed the thoughts in the back of my mind as I felt the first raindrops of the day skim down my face. I called Raoul back over to me and I pulled his hood over his mop of curly hair. He grinned at me from under it. He loved pulling the hood up as it had wolf ears built into the edge. In his words, it was 'super cool'.

"Come on let's get you to your friend's house." I smiled and tucked his hand in mine. We walked slowly down the street while Raoul kicked the leaves beneath his feet away from him.

"Can I stay at Davide's until 6?" Raoul asked staring up at me with puppy dog eyes. I sighed and pushed him slightly and he giggled in reply.

"Fine, but promise me that you will be good and do everything that Davide's mother asks" I sighed.

"Of course, mama" he replied, the excitement was palpable. Davide had supposedly got a new set of Lego toys and they were going to play with them today while watching the new Avengers movie. He had been looking forward to this all week.

"Mama, who was that man yesterday that you were arguing with about superheroes?" He asked innocently as his bright blue eyes peered out at me from beneath his hood.

"Ehh...uhhh" I said as I scratched the side of my head. I didn't know what to tell him. I wanted to know what Iver was going to do before I got Raoul's hopes up. Luckily I was saved from answering as we reached Davide's building where there apartment was.

Raoul completely forgot about what he had been asking me when Davide came running out the front door and into the foyer with his mother. Davide and Raoul chatted excitedly in the corner as Davide's mother and I exchanged a few words. After a minute or two it was time for me to go.

I walked over to Raoul and pulled him into a hug. "See you later mon petit chou" I whispered as I kissed his forehead, "And don't forget to be good" I called to him as I left the foyer.

I had only stepped out onto the street when my phone started to buzz in my pocket. I pulled it out to see 'Private Number' written across the screen. I pressed the answer button and held it to my ear.

"Hello" I answered hesitantly.

"Hi Talia, its Iver." My heart dropped in my chest. I was hoping to not hear from him for another day or two. He kept talking when I didn't reply straight away "I was just wondering if you wanted to meet for coffee to discuss last night?" I knew the conversation was inevitable but it didn't mean that I wanted it to happen now.