Telling Alice {ManxMan} | MPreg

Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen:

Dinner went about as stressful as Eshe had imagined it was going to be. Quiet yet awkward glances passed around the table from everyone to anyone as they all tried desperately to make polite conversation with a large bouquet of flowers from Aiden to Alice sitting forebodingly off to the side on a nearby kitchen counter. The bouquet had been far too large to sit in the middle of the table without obscuring someone's view of someone but it was far too pretty for Alice to let out of her sight. Not that anyone blamed her, blue hydrangea, crème roses, graceful white oriental lilies, white alstroemeria, purple statice and lavender limonium with a single white disbud mum in the middle. Eshe could tell his mother was slightly upset when Aiden informed her they weren't for her but for Alice.

Eshe hadn't bothered trying to convince himself it would be over after dinner and when his mother insisted that everyone sit down in the living room around her new five thousand piece puzzle he had to resist physically patting himself on the back for not getting his hopes up. Slowly, as the evening dragged on he could feel the awkward tension trying desperately to lift, even if only barely. Truthfully he barely had time to decide if it was real or his imagination as it was so short-lived as he watched Jerome picked up an off orange colored sky piece to the puzzle.

"So Aiden, Eshe tells us you're recently divorced, how are things with your ex-wife?" His mother asked, it was clear her intent was innocent, simply trying to make polite yet meaningful conversation, also probably just being a bit noisy, but Eshe couldn't help but frown at her anyways. He didn't want to talk about Penny, it was something he'd hoped he could discuss with Alice alone, maybe with just Aiden present as well.

"We make it work, she has custody of my son so I see her quite often."

"Son?" Jerome muttered his eyes shifting to Eshe who kept his gaze firmly on Alice. Her lips twisted for a moment as she chewed the inside of her cheek clearly mulling over a question she had, her eyes darted to Maxine who shot her a quick smile and slight shrug of what Eshe assumed must have been encouragement.

"So I have a brother? How old is he?" Alice asked, the question clearly directed at Aiden, with more enthusiasm than they'd all seen out of her all night. She had spent most of the dinner just watching Aiden, her eyes occasionally looking over at Eshe and then right back. Almost as if she was trying to pick out which characteristic she'd gotten from which parent or if the things she was seeing were really happening.

"He's twelve, not much older than you." Aiden smiled at her, to which she smiled back for the first time that night. "I'm sure you two will get along when you meet"

"So he was barely a year when you meet Eshe, that's must have been int-"

"Jerome." Cyro cut him off shooting him a smile that was far less than friendly before turning a softer look towards Aiden. "Maybe you could invite him down for Alice's and Maxine's birthday party. You would be fine with that right Maxine?"

"Yeah, that'd be cool," Maxine started, leaning against Alice's shoulder before picking up a small blue puzzle piece as she continued. "but only if Alice is cool with it."

"Yeah, I'm okay with that." Eshe smiled, a small sigh of relief escaping him. He was relieved Alice was taking things well but much like any peace of mind Eshe had that evening it was unfortunately short-lived.

"Jeez, guess we should just invite him to the wedding too then huh?" Jerome mumbled under his breath, causing all the eyes at the table to focus on him instantly.

"You salty bitc-"

"What wedding?" Aiden asked cutting off Cyro, Eshe wasn't sure if he was glad or not Aiden had stopped him from the rant he was clearly about to go off on. In truth, Eshe was pretty sure he'd rather deal with the repercussions of Cyro cursing someone out in front of his mother and two young children than have to discuss his awkward engagement and off the rails wedding plan with his ex.

"Me and Eshe are getting married." Jerome replied, sending a confused look in Eshe's direction. "You didn't tell him?"

"Wow, congrats, I didn't even notice a ring I would have gotten you something." Aiden replied before Eshe could say anything, but it was obvious he didn't mean it. Eshe knew the voice his was using it was an unapologetic sarcasm and even worse he was bating Jerome. The fact that Eshe knew Jerome would fall into the trap was even more frustrating. Aiden's eyes didn't hide the fact he was enjoying making Jerome uncomfortable as he turned to Eshe reaching a hand out as he continued. "Let's see this ring, why didn't you say anything Eshe?"

"It's been a lot of moving pieces since you decided to come down here, I've been really overwhelmed getting everything together, it just slipped my mind." Eshe lied placing his hand in Aiden's, frowning at the small leap in his chest as they touched. The small smirk on his Aiden's made it obvious he was seeing straight through Eshe's lies, all of them. Eshe had been avoiding the topic like the plague hoping not to go down this road of conversation because he knew where it would end.

"It's really nice man." Aiden smiled as he finished looking the ring over before turning to Jerome and looking him over as well. "The Eshe I knew would never go for such a simple ring, ours was a lot different."

Eshe could feel all the color drain from his skin as he watched everyone around the table slowly piece together what Aiden had said, he couldn't help but stare at Aiden horrified that he'd just told everyone without the slightest bit of care. Aiden could feel all the eyes burning into him but couldn't tear his own gaze away from Jerome's as his face shifted from confused to worried. He knew it was childish bringing it up but he couldn't help but want to knock the guy down a few times.