When he finally turned off the light I took off my glasses and turned my back to him. He came into bed and hugged me from behind , I wasn't in the mood.
"Mali, what wrong?"
"Nothing."
I exhaled sharply and closed my eyes,but opened them when I felt his warm hand gliding up an ad on my legs. I should have worn longer tights, and dated some of these strawberries while I was making them, damn i wanted some strawberries, you know what I'm going to make some, no one is stopping me from enjoying valentines day. I got up out of bed, slipped on my shoes and walked out of the room without a word. I went down to the kitchen, heated up the leftover melted chocolate, grabbed the strawberries and a plate. Minutes later the hungry hungry hippo entered the kitchen.
"What are you eating this late?"
"Why am i eating this late? Really, if you have forgotten you ate a whole platter of fruit not even an hour ago, the strawberries were supposed to be mine, not all yours. You aren't going to ruin my day, it's bad enough my efforts were wasted, I am not going to bed craving those sweet berries."
"What effort?"
"So you're telling me you didn't notice the rose petals leading from your office to the bed were invisible and the heart shape in the middle of the bed was invisible too. And I was in these short tights and tanks the entire time."
"Weren't you?"
"Don't make me dip you in this hot chocolate."
"Relax."
I began dipping ten of the strawberries in the chocolate, put them on the plate then in the freezer. I didn't have the patients to put them in the fridge. I sat on a stool and waited.
"Then how about we do a do over?"
"Ok then , but after I eat these, I only ate an apple today, and no you aren't getting any."
"Dang it."
After eating all the strawberries we went back to the room. Finally we are going to do this at last. He held me by the shoulder, looked me in the eyes and..
"happy valentines Mali, goodnight."
I was standing there expecting a kiss at least. Oh fuck it, i went to bed and didnt talk to him for the rest of the week. I began looking in the newspaper for a job, I can't stay in this house forever. Just as i found an add for a violin teacher Dominic walked in.
"Am i still getting the silent treatment?"
"No, because I need to ask you something."
"So you talk to me when i'm useful?"
"Not entirely, i need to stop talking to Tabatha , i'm scared she might answer back one day then i will cry for weeks when i have to bury her."
"Do you think you should have said that in front of her."
"Don't fuck with me like that."
"You left yourself open, now what did you want to talk to me about?"
"I want to take the job I found to be a violin teacher."
"Are you qualified?"
"Yes I have the proper documents."
"Don't you want to stay home with me?"
"No not really, to be fair you are always busy and I want to be busy too, plus I am used to being busy. Plus getting some money couldn't hurt."
"Would you have a male or female student?"
"I don't know, I will have to contact the publisher of the ad. Why does it matter?"
"No reason, just curious, not like I would care."
"Oookay then that was weird, I am going to call the publisher now."
*phone call
'hello is this the publisher of the ad for a needed violin teacher?'
'Ah yes, are you qualified?"
'Yes of course.
'Well thank goodness my son needs one desperately.'
'Oh how old is he?'
'19'
'i'm the same age'
'how wonderful, can i interview you tomorrow by any chance?'
sure, may i have your address?"
'yes, 2657 larper drive building five.'
'ok is three pm ok with you?'
'Wonderful'
Yay at least it isn't a three year old kid, god i hate kids, they are so mean and cruel. Ha if my grandmother could hear me now, she would smack me senseless. Dominic was sitting on the bed looking at me all suspicious.
"So is it a boy or a girl?"
"The woman has a son."
"How old?"
"Does it matter."
"I dont care."
"Then why ask?"
"Just tell me the age."
"19."
"Really that old and they are just learning to play an instrument?"
"You can start at any age really, plus at least he won't be a pain in the ass, if it was a five year old i wouldn't have even accepted to come to an interview."
"Why not?'
"Kids and I don't get along."
"How so?"
"They tend to torture me and try to give me heart attacks by jumping off of high places, trying to grab my violin or Tabatha, and other annoying things."
"Don't you want any when you are older?"
"Not likely, i might change my point of view as i get older but for right now hell to the fucking no."
"How much older?"
"Don't give me that look , I want to enjoy my young life while I still can."
"But still like when you are mid twenties, early thirties."
"Maybe early thirties."
"What do you think about adoption."
"I'm not worried about birth if that's what you are wondering, I am looking forward to the pregnancy , it's the crying, hair pulling, spit slinging, I am not looking forward to. Plus who want to tell their kid how babies are really made, not me."
"Well I'm sure your mother felt the same way, when you were young."
"She didnt raise me, she raised my brother, my grandmother raised me, and i'll have you know i was a quiet child, well mostly because all i wanted to do was sleep all day."
"But still no child is perfect."
"I know that, wait why are we even talking about this, you little sneak, why are we on the baby topic?"
"Oh i feel so tired all of a sudden."
"Coward."
"I'm not a coward, I am just jumping ship, I'm not the captain you are."
"Oh please tell me the real reason you pushed me into this topic."
"Fine , my niece came by looking for my sister and she got me thinking."
"YOUR SISTER HAS A KID??!!"
"yeah"
"Wow didn't see that coming, like at all."
"Why?"
"No offence but your sister seems to at like ,well -"
"A child?"
"Yes."
"I know, she got knocked up when she sneaked out and went to a bar a while back, little Emily i only 2."
"Oh that makes sense."
"Yeah she is a little sweetheart, but father was furious that he couldn't auction my sister off."
"I bet, so where is Emily's father?"
"He was a drunk, the fool got so drunk one night that he was convinced that Emily was my kid, and not his. She has blonde hair and blue eyes like my sister and i so there is that but he didnt know i was gay, so he came after me one night when i was taking a walk in the garden. My sister was calling security while we fought. He pulled out a broken beer bottle but was so drunk that he missed me by a foot, fell and the bottle went right through him."
"Oh god that must have been horrible, absolutely horrible."
"Yeah, well not really Emily was only a few months old."
"Did your family get into trouble."
"No there were video cameras outside with night vision so there was proof that i didn't kill him."
"That's good."
I got up from the armchair next to the window and walked over to the bed, I hugged Dominic and sat next to him. I still cant believe Bella is a MOTHER, i feel sorry for Emily. I got up,put Tabatha away, turned off the lights, took off my glasses then crawled into bed. We both just laid back looking at the ceiling when he said something.
"I saw"
"Saw what?"
"I noticed the roses and what you were wearing."
"Then why did you let me give you the silent treatment?"
"Because I was......."
"Scared?"
"Not really nervous, I just wanted to get to bed as fast as possible."
"*chuckle so i'm not pretty enough for you?"
"No it wasnt that, I just didn't think things would go this fast."
"You could have just told me so, trust me i am in no rush, the more often you do it the greater chance for accidents to happen."
"Is that how you look at it?"
"Sometimes."
"What about other times?"
"I think of it as fate."
"I like that better than an accident."
"Who doesn't."
"Do you really want to do that job, the pay isn't going to be that high?"
"I checked out the family, it's going to be high. I am not going anywhere, you got me remember."
"But you're not claimed."
"The time will come, if it makes you feel better you can come with me if you want to, it's at three."
"That would make me feel better, I'll drive you tomorrow, since father isnt due back until another week so I will be free."
"Good."
I rolled over onto my side facing him and rested my head on his chest. I heard his heartbeat quicken and I got comfortable. He is usually the one who does the hugging but it's my turn tonight. I take his arm and wrap it around me. I heard his heartbeat slow down and listened to the steady beat, that slowly lulled me to sleep.
*Morning 8am
When I woke up and checked the time, I kissed Dominic on the forehead and slipped out of bed. After a nice warm shower, I got dressed for the day, tuned my violin,and went to go make breakfast. When I got downstairs I heard pots and pans falling. When I went inside there was a little toddler, I guess this is Emily.
"Sugar, you ok?"
"Mama."
"Huh , i'm not your mother."
"I want my mama."
"Oh well, I don't know where she is, how about uncle."
"Uncle nick, yes yay."
"Ok then , how about I make us some breakfast so you can go to uncle nick?"
"Ok"
I made some oatmeal with blueberries on toast while I made three fluffy pancakes for Dominic and two cups of orange juice.I grabbed a tray and put both our latest and drinks on them, then her bowl of warm oatmeal. She sat on the stool quietly, waiting, she reminded me of myself a bit.
"Thirsty."
I looked in one of the cupboards and found a green sippy cup, after filling it up with milk from the fridge I placed it on the tray as well and went upstairs.She followed behind me. When we got to the room she silently crawled into the bed then dumped directly into poor Dominic's stomach. He flew up and began looking around.
"Morning uncle Nick."
"Jesus Emily, how many times have I told you not to do that?"
"three."
"I told you kids are cruel."
I placed the tray on the bed and sat on the edge. Emily sat back on the pillow and waited for her bowl. I pulled out the legs of the draw so it was standing on the bed. She scooted up close and began eating her breakfast. Dominic rubbed his stomach, kissed me on the cheek and began eating. When we were all done Emily fell asleep with a full stomach, all curled up into a little ball with her blonde pigtails. She Was actually pretty cute, I just wanted to eat her up. I pulled down the tray and picked her up, she clinged to my shirt and tucked her little golden head under my chin, she was so warm and smelled like baby powder.
When I looked up Dominic had a smug smile on her face and he looked back and forth between the two of us.
"This means nothing to you little....You know what I want to call you. Where is her room."
" Three doors down from the kitchen, she likes to be sung a lullaby."
"Not happening."
"We will see, face it you want a baby."
"N-No i don't stop it, i'm going to put her down, go take a shower and get dressed, its half an hour to three."
"Ok then."
He hopped off of the bed still with that look on his face and went into the bathroom.
*ten minutes later
FUCK ME. I was now laying on the bed wrapped in a blanket with her sleeping in my arms cooing to nothing every now and again. When he came out of the shower he had to contain his laughter.
"You did this to me."
"I did nothing, it's just your instinct."
"Your in stinks."
"How mean, i didnt even do anything."
"Grrrrr."
"Shh you'll wake up the baby."
"Fu-"
"uh uh uh there was a child in the room."
"Fluff you."
He got dressed , brought Emily to her room and we were off. I rested my violin and papers in the back seat of his car Mustang, called the publisher and got more specific directions. When we arrived, it was a beautiful orange house with tall beautiful pillars holding up a lavish balcony sporting lime green curtains. Dominic stayed in the car while I went to the door with the papers on my hand and the violin on my shoulder. I knocked at the door and a guy my age opened up. He was a few inches taller than m e, maybe five foot seven, he had light brown hair and brown eyes. I smiled, introduced myself and extended my hand, he huffed and left the door open. I stepped in and closed the door behind me. I heard someone coming down the stairs, it was who seemed to be Mrs. Miller.
"Hello i'm Mali, nice to meet you."
"Oh finally, Hi, I'm Andrea Miller. I'm guessing you met my rude son Nicholas."
"Oh yes I did."
"Sorry about that, he isn't all that excited about your male."
"Oh, i see, well at least then he will focus."
"How so?"
"If I was of his interest he wouldn't pay attention to the instrument, but to me since he didn't get what he wanted he will want me gone as soon as possible so he will be motivated to get this over with."
"Oh I guess you right? You have got your noggin in the right place. My home office is this way."
I followed her behind two sliding wooden doors that hit her office modestly. I took a seat, handed her my papers and sat quietly while she looked over them, after reviewing them she seemed pleased. She rose up and extended her hand, we shook then she yelled for her son, oh yippee.
"You know Ali, I might just recommend you to a few more of my friends."
"Oh that would be lovely, and my name is Mali."
"Oh right sorry forgive me i am a huge fan of Muhammad Ali."
"It's fine."
Her son came into the office and leaned against the sliding doors. He looked at me then at his mother.
"Are you sure there were no hot chicks or at least class 1 teachers available."
"Darling all those women didn't even have half of the talent to play the instrument, also Mali is a class 1."
"oh is that so?"
"I'll leave you bth to talk for a bit, I just remembered I was making scones."
His mother left the office and closed the doors behind her. I can already tell he is going to be a pain in my ass. He took threee steps towards me all while keeping eye contact, ho does he think he i s, i dont care if he i sa class 2 i am already taken so i dont have to give a fuck what he thinks.
"So what is it like being a class 1?"
"Why would you care, I am not here to share my life with you, only my knowledge and skills."
"So you're taken then. How much did you go for, I'm guessing ten, maybe twenty thousand."
"Well i will see you Monday morning, excuse me I am going to tell your mother I'm leaving."
"Why you went for lower."
"Much higher."
"Oh and where is your proof."
"I don't care what you think, a few weeks ago i would have but now, it's different."
I walked past him, told his mother I was leaving and walked out the door. Dominic was in the car waiting for me. When i put my papers and violin in the back seat and hopped in the front he looked worried.
"So how did it go?"
"I got the job and she says she might recommend me to some of her friends."
"Oh that's good what was your um.. student like."
"A dick, but all the better the more he wants me gone the faster he will learn."
"Alright then home we go."
"Yup."
When we got back to the house, his sister was waiting at the front door looking pissed as hell with Emily standing beside her. What is her deal?
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