Loving Lucian ✅

Chapter Fifty One

***THIS CHAPTER IS IN THE PRESENT TENSE, MEANING INSTEAD OF "SHE RAN" IT'S "SHE RUNS"...kay you can continue :)***

"Lucian, I think Rosalina's still asleep, she'd normally wake us up by now," Peyton mumbles, checking her phone for the time. Rosalina is thirty minutes late, and yes, we keep track of the exact time she comes in and jumps on our bed and scream to wake us up.

Because four year olds are fucking exhausting. Especially our super smart and 'advanced' four year old. She's sweet and not a problem when she wants to be, but when she doesn't want to be...Jesus Christ.

But then the door opens and she runs to the bed. "There she is," I turn toward the edge and hold out my arms, which she gladly jumps into. "Here I am! Good morning!"

"Good morning, baby girl." I, am not tired. Peyton, is the most exhausted she's ever been. The 'James' part of Monte James has been really wearing her out and Rosalina's been feeling extra energetic lately. So I have to make deals with her saying 'if you behave for mommy then I'll give you whatever you want'. It works 75% of the time.

When Peyton only responds with light snores, Rosa repeats, but louder in her mother's ear, "good morning mommy!"

Peyton sleepily turns to pay attention to her. She brushes wisps of golden beige brown baby hair back from Rosa's face and gently pulls her down to kiss her forehead. "Good morning, my sweet girl. Sálvame, Lucían, por favor," Peyton eyes in desperate need of sleep, so much they're outlined with red and rouge, look at me, I can already hear her needlessly apologizing for being so exhausted. Save me, Lucian, please.

I kiss her cheek and sit up with Rosalina in my arms. "Okay, Rosalina, let's go downstairs and eat breakfast while mommy gets some more sleepy time. We'll eat pancakes in the living room and watch Finding Nemo, alright, baby?" I carry her out and downstairs, and to my surprise Johannes is just letting my mother in.

Which makes my daughter scream, "Mamie!" You see, Peyton sees her grandmother more often than I see mine, and so Peyton has accidentally taught Rosalina to call both of her grandmothers the French word for 'grandmother'.

"Oh look at you! You're a big girl now, looking just like your father, ooh, you're so cute!" My mother kisses her cheek with immediate joy radiating from the both of them, even more than what Rosalina already has.

"We're gonna eat pancakes!" She smiles with excitement as we head into the kitchen. "The very best pancakes your little tastebuds with ever taste, Ms. Rosa." Amos smiles, already almost finished with preparing breakfast. I sit Rosalina in her special chair, it would worry me too much to have just sit in a regular stool, I need her arms, back and legs supported so she can't fall. Just to calm my nerves? It's not a highchair, it's just a supported chair.

"I see, but I'm afraid I can't stay, dear. Lucian, I need to talk to you." My mother smiles flatly, it's the fakest thing I've ever seen and it worries me. I nod and rub Rosalina's back. "I'm going to go have a talk with your Mamie, Rosalina, I'll be back in a few minutes, okay? Tell mommy if she comes downstairs."

She nods, sipping on her orange juice through a straw. "Okay."

I lead my mother onto the balcony, its door is located far behind the staircase, Peyton didn't know about it until a few months after Rosalina was born, which I'm surprised at. She thinks for a moment, hesitant about telling me whatever it is though it's the reason she came here. "Lucian...your father is in the hospital."