Hunter: Eclipse

Chapter 22

Laying on the playmat, Olivia's bright eyes watch me intently as I shake the little bear full of bells. A big gummy smile follows as she impatiently shakes her fists and kicks her legs. Then she's over, rolling onto her back she now looks up at me in a mixture of surprise and pride.

"Who is the cleverest little bubba in the world?" I ask her, her face lighting up once more as I lean closer to kiss her chin. "You are!"

Raya appears in the doorway, roughly rubbing her hair with a towel which she chucks towards the laundry as she comes over.

"Thank you. I needed that shower without a little person joining me. This whole, being held twenty four seven thing is exhausting. Keiran's great, but sometimes she just wants Mummy, don't you darling?" Raya sits beside me, and tiggles Olivia's stomach making her smile and wriggle.

"You keep telling me about how she screams and and is a little monster, but I think you're lying. I just don't believe it." I smirk, ignoring the look she sends my way. "You're a little angel aren't you?"

I get a gurgle sound in response that I'm going to presume is a yes.

"I'll call you at three in the morning for you to come and see how angelic she is." Raya threatens. "No Apollo today? I thought he would have come with you considering how he is with Olivia."

She's fishing for a reaction and I don't bite. Since I got here, I've been dodging her questions on how things are and what's been going on. Apparently she isn't going to give up.

"He doesn't want to compete for position of favourite," I shrug, jingling the bear for Olivia again. "Cause I win, hey Liv?"

"Elise, what's going on? You've been distant, vague, I'm not sure what, but I know you're avoiding it. Talk to me! Penny may be more into this girl talk biz, but I got your back too. Olivia as well!" She frowns.

"It's nothing," I sit up and Olivia instantly pouts. "We're just, having some difficulty with our communication. He got super, maybe even a little over the top, annoyed at me for meeting the Valkyries which I already told you about, and since then, we just can't seem to get it right. Maybe before that with all the fae crap. I don't know."

"What do you mean? Maybe you just need to talk more?"

"I try to, but he just, changes the subject or we start another argument. Like, he has an opinion on everything I do to the point where I just feel suffocated. I have been trying so hard to be good, or at least, do what I think he wants, but it's still wrong. Something is clearly going on, and I haven't even lost it at him yet. My self control is improving," I sigh. "Plus there's the fact that we've never had such, amazing sex, but that isn't everything. It's like, we get into these arguments, I end up giving in, we make up, we do it again the next day. It's actually exhausting!"

"It's never been, simple, for you guys, but you've overcome a lot together. It'll work out, these things always do."

"It's nothing right, just a stage. I'm sure you guys have your ups and downs?" I ask a little too hopefully.

"We're a bit, different, to you two. We've been married for five years, together for seven and known each other our whole lives, so I guess just got to skip all this getting to know you, awkward part?" She bit her lip as if to stop herself, but then carried on. "You met two years ago, and so much as been packed into that time. Be kind to each other. Be patient. What is meant to be, will be."

"I hate being patient."

"I know you do, so well done for how you're handling this. It's very, mature of you." Raya praised.