Falling for Mr Innocent

Mom

Luke grabs Chris's tshirt in his tiny fists. Chris grins at his action. We both came here a while ago when Luke started crying.

"He is so cute." He cooes. I chuckle.

"Let's take him to the nearby park. He has not stepped out of the house since he came here." I suggest, taking Luke back from Chris.

"Sure why not." He answers.

We both go downstairs and ask for Aura's permission. As expected, she said yes. I put Luke in his pram and we set out to the park.

Once their, Chris takes Luke's pram from hand and begins pushing it. We both walk and talk for an hour and I can't help but admire how easily I can be myself with Chris.

After a while, we both sit down on a bench with Luke in my lap, drinking milk. A middle aged lady sits beside us.

"Child at such a young age? You both must really love each other. First child is always difficult to handle." She says to us.

Chris chokes on his own saliva while a devilish plan forms in my brain. "Why yes, we totally are." I reply, lacing my hand with Chris's. His eyes widens. "And this isn't our first child, it's our fourth."

The lady's eyes widen with shock. "First I had twins, both boys, then another boy and then this little devil. I am now pregnant again. Three months. A daughter. We couldn't have been more happier, isn't it Chris?" I can.

All the colours from the lady's face vanishes. She hurriedly gets off the bench. "Well congratulations... I have.. I must leave now." And she runs away from us.

Chris and I burst out laughing once we are sure she is far enough. Luke giggles too, as if he understood.

"Did you look at her face?" I say between my laughs.

"That was so wicked. I love your sense of humour." He replies. "Do you really want to have five kids?" He asks teasingly.

"God forbid no. Do you know how much painful it is. I'd rather adopt a child." I truthfully reply. Pregnancy is definitely one of my biggest fears.

Chris simply nods. We both stay silent after that and watch the sunset. I lace my hand with Chris's, something I've grown fond of.

"It was really nice spending the day with you. I loved it." I say.

"Me too. But something is still missing." He says.

"What?" I say turning my head towards him.

"This." He says as he leans forward and kisses me. My eyes widen for a second before I give in. Chris's arms slide around my waist and just then Luke starts crying. I chuckle as I pull away, totally forgot that we are not alone. Chris sighs. "I guess I heard right."

"What?" I raise my brow.

"That brothers don't like their sister's boyfriend."

My heart beat stops when he calls himself my boyfriend. "Boyfriend?"

He nods. "It shouldn't have come out like this. Katherine Greene will you come with me.. on a date?" He asks.

My lips curl into a wide and kind of creepy smile. "Yes. Yes, I will." And I hug him. Again Luke screams. We both laugh.

"I guess we should take him back home." Chris says.

"Yea we should. It's getting late, your parents must be waiting for you."

"Maybe." He replies dryly. Something is really not right between him and his parents. His mom was nice enough.

At home, after Chris leaves

I can't help the smile that curls on my face everytime I think about Chris's words. What is happening to me? I smile a lot, chuckle a lot, behave properly... This is not me. Is Chris worth all this? I think he is.

"What's up with the creepy smile?" Aura asks when I help her to set the dinner table.

"Chris asked me out!" I squeal without thinking. I don't feel the need to think when I am with Aura, I can tell her anything.

She hugs me tightly. "That's awesome. Congrats baby."

"Did you just call me baby?" I ask teasingly.

"I may not have witnessed your childhood but you still are and will be my baby." She says in a motherly tone. I look away, unable to take in her nice words. No one says that to me. Aura holds my chin and turn my head to her.

"Katherine, I know you've been through a lot. It's really hard for you to trust anyone. I understand. Just know that you and Luke both are equal to me. In the short span that I've got to know you, I have always looked at you as my daughter. Wanna know why?"

I nod, moved by her words.

"When I was twenty years old, I got pregnant. It was a girl but unfortunately I miscarried and she died. Just five months later. Isn't it ironic that you were also born in that same year, in the same month? It was like God has just placed you somewhere else so that we could meet again.
I see my that daughter in you. You are my firstborn, be it indirectly. You are my daughter and I love you" She concludes.

And I hug her. "I love you too mom." I blurt out. Mom freezes.

"Did you just call me mom?" She asks as she pulls away.

"I am your daughter, doesn't that make you my mom?" I try to make a joke but I suck.

"Yes, yes it does. Come here." She pulls me into a hug again. I feel her tears on my shoulder. I pull away. "You don't know how happy you've made me today."

"Me too. It feels good when I call you mom, even though Aura is an awesome name." And we both chuckle.