The Baby

fourteen

kalani depradine

Hiding my head in the pillow, I groaned from the sunlight shining through the curtains into my bedroom. I needed at least two more hours of sleep, but after a quick glance of my alarm clock, I knew it was time for me to get up. That and the smell of breakfast coming from my kitchen because who was in my apartment? The options were slim and it didn't take me long to figure out who it is. Grayson is the only one who has a routine of entering my apartment without announcing himself.

I dragged my body out of my bed and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth. My small shirt was half way up my stomach and my pyjama shorts were slanted. Holding the toothbrush in my mouth, I pulled my shirt over my round stomach and fixed my shorts before brushing my teeth and cleaning my face.

There was the slightest bit of excitement in me when I walked to the kitchen where Grayson was on the phone. He paced around the kitchen and I looked at the food set on my island. A stack of pancakes and a plate with bacon and breakfast sausage and sunny side up eggs. Taking a piece of bacon, I opened the fridge to pour myself a glass of orange juice. He leaned on the island and watched me move around the kitchen.

"Yeah. I'm well aware. Get my assistant to...fuck. I don't have an assistant. Okay, call my brother and get him to push my meetings back. Yes, like I just stated, I'm aware. Now do I have to repeat myself? Perfect. Thank you." His conversation on the phone ended and he finally said good morning to me.

"What are you doing here?" I crossed my arms as I looked at him. He was in his suit and despite it being the weekend, Grayson knows no schedule.

"My little sister wanted me to drop off that as a baby shower gift," he gestured towards the gift bag on the coffee table in my living room.

"Oh. That's sweet," I was hesitant to say because I'm not sure if I'm supposed to like his sister. His family is complicated and being blood apparently doesn't mean we like them. "Do we..."

"Yes. We like her. For now. She just moved into my guesthouse because her and her boyfriend broke up. As long as she's not there for long, I feel we'll be fine," he sighed, his hands going through his hair.

"You still haven't found an assistant you like?" I questioned as I went in the cabinet to get vitamin pills. "I don't want to hear 'because they're all terrible.'" It's so like Grayson to blame his lack of on someone else.

"Well then I guess you won't hear the truth," Grayson answered with a chuckle. I did feel bad he didn't have an assistant because I know his schedule can get pretty busy. If I wasn't busy myself, I would probably offer to help him, but he also dug himself into this hole.

"Is it too hopeful for me to believe you cooked this yourself?" I gestured at all the food on the table. The last time I checked, he didn't even do his own grocery shopping. It would be crazy to assume he's capable of making chocolate chip pancakes. Grayson cooked for me once and it was not terrible. It was pasta so there really was no way to mess it up. The sauce came straight from a glass bottle and all he needed to do was add some veggies and seasoning.

I smiled as I sat on the barstool at the island. "I got my chef to come and make you breakfast," he answered the obvious question at hand. As soon as the food hit my mouth, my mouth watered. This was hands down the best pancake I have ever had in my life. "What's on the schedule for today, Miss. Depradine?"

It was almost eleven in the morning so it truly felt like my day was half way gone. "I have yoga at two thirty. After that I'm all clear. What are you doing, Mr. Astor?"

"Well, my schedule today is whatever you want it to be. I can escort you to your yoga," he offered and I couldn't believe he was willing to miss a day of work for something as minimal as yoga. Especially when he doesn't have an assistant. "I can pick you up after and we can go out after for a late lunch/early dinner. I'll have my assistant make a reserva-for fucks sake. I'll get my brother to make reservations."