*A Mafia's Affair*
When Lyric Rose Martinez married her husband she vowed to love him and be faithful to him, even though she knew marrying a Mafia leader would bring her continuous danger she loved him and was ready to take upon any danger or even...
'The world is a great mirror. It reflects back to you what you are.'~ Thomas Dreier
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Chapter 6: WHO'S THE BEST FATHER
I watched him stood before the changing table, a mix of determination and nervousness evident on his face. He knew this was a task he had to conquer, but the sight of the squirming baby made him second-guess his abilities and I could read it all over his face. He was unsure whether he could do this. He tilted his head one last time to look at me, before taking a deep breath, he carefully unfastened the diaper, trying to recall the step-by-step guide he had read months ago which I had given him.
As he lifted the baby's legs, he realized that this was a whole new level of multitasking. With one hand holding the baby's legs up and the other attempting to clean and replace the diaper, he felt like he was juggling a dozen tasks at once. The baby, seemingly enjoying the chaos, giggled and kicked playfully, making his job even more challenging.
My eyes warmed at the sight before me, my heart sores as I knew what he had ruined.
Amidst the struggle, he couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of the situation. "You're laughing at Papa's struggle." He cooed at our baby who stared at him absent mindedly, unsure of what his father was saying to him. I lower my gaze to the table where diaper wipes seemed to be everywhere except where he needed them, and the clean diaper kept slipping just out of reach. Despite the initial clumsiness, his determination shone through as he persevered, determined to master this essential parenting skill.
After a few more attempts, he finally managed to secure the fresh diaper in place. Looking down at his now content and clean baby, he felt a sense of accomplishment wash over him. This small victory in the world of parenting, though challenging, brought a newfound confidence and a deeper connection between father and child.
"I did it." He expressed his excitement, lifting Luca into his arms and turning to look at me. His eyes filled with pride and love, but my scowl instantly made the smile on his face falter. Sure I was happy, just staring at the two bonding made my heart skip a beat but I did not lie when I said I was going to make him pay for his mistakes. If he wanted me-us then he would need to earn it.
"Do not get excited for accomplishing one task, he will be needing to bathe in an hour and I would like to see you try that." The look of determination appeared once again on his face, one which I had just seen moments ago when he was changing our son's diapers.
He turned his body towards the crib and gently laid Luca down, before he stood up straight and pulled his phone out. He dialled a number before placing it on his ears, "Cancel any meetings for today." His eyes did not once leave mine, as I forced myself to keep my shock hidden behind my blank face. When he ended the call and began to walk towards me, I felt my body instantly stiffen.
"You can try portraying me as a horrible father, Rose. But trust me, I will be there to prove you wrong every time." God knows how much I hope that his words were the truth, I wanted him to be the best father for Luca. Be the man Luca looked up to when he grows up. "We will see." Was all I said before settling myself down on the rocking chair, ignoring his intense stare which was glaring holes into the side of my face.
——
I approached Lincoln placing the baby bath in front of him, on the counter. His eyes darted between the small baby bather and then at me, I could see the confusion in his eyes. He cradled Luca in his arms, gently rocking him.
"You have everything you need to bath him in front of you, the tub, the shampoo, the lotion, oil, powder, two towels and a clean diaper." I listed all the items before him, some of the times where meant to be used after the shower but I was not lying when I said I would make this challenging for him. "Erm, what do I use first?" He asked rubbing the back of his neck in confusion, I could tell he did not expect all these items. It almost made me want to laugh seeing how clueless he looked.
I sighed before speaking, "You fill the tub with warm water, remember it should not be too hot." Even though I wanted to make this a challenge for him, there was no way I could allow him to make mistake especially when it involved Luca. Lincoln nodded his head, using his free hand to open the tab and get it to the temperature he wanted before he began to fill the tub. My eyebrows narrowed I inspected each and every move of his.
"STOP!" I yelled just as he was about to place Luca into the tub, he froze startled but my sudden words. I approached in an hurry, placing my elbow into the water before frowning. I grabbed the tub, walking towards the shower and dumbing the water down the drain. "What are you doing?" He called out from behind me, I could hear the annoyance and anger building up inside of him. I brought the tub back and set it in front of him.
"When bathing a baby you must check the water with your elbow, as it's the most soft and sensitive area. The water may seem neutral temperature on our finger tips but can be very hot." He listened like a student listening to his teacher, he handed Luca too me and for a moment I assumed he was going to leave and back out of his own words. But my eyes widened when he began to unbutton the shirt he had worn, my eyes darting down to his muscled chest and his abs.
I could not help myself. Even though I was mad, I always loved Lincoln's body. He had worked extremely hard for his body and only god knows how great he looked. My mood instantly soured at the thought that I was no longer the women who had seen him naked after our marriage but Talia also knew.
I quickly looked away before he could catch me looking, focusing my gaze on Luca. His eyes were wide open, as he was assessing my face. "I'm ready." I tore my gaze from Luca at Lincoln's words and nodded my head. I began to direct him, I watched him refill the tub and check the water with his elbow but smiling when he was happy with the temperature. I double checked dipping my elbow into the water and nodded my head.
I watched Lincoln's first experience bathing our 2-week-old baby was a mix of nerves and tenderness. With the utmost care, he gently lowered the baby into the bath, his hands moved with caution, ensuring every movement was gentle and secure.
Luca was so tiny and fragile, seemed to have sensed Lincoln's apprehension and responded with soft coos and innocent stares. I could see Lincoln's heart swelled with love it was written all over his face as he carefully washed the baby, taking extra care around the tiny fingers and toes with my instruction.
Despite the initial jitters, he found his rhythm, singing softly to the baby and relishing in this intimate moment of bonding. As he lifted the clean, content baby out of the water and wrapped them in a cozy towel, a sense of pride and warmth enveloped him.
"Say it Luca, Papa's the best." I shook my head watching Lincoln's childish manner, he cooed at Luca who stared at his father with a wide smile on his lips.
