Loved

Iris’s p. o. v.

Thursday night and Hunter isn’t back from work yet.

It’s actually been three days since I confronted him about the letter and ever since the motivation to bring it up again had just vanished.

I softly tucked Louisa into bed and gathered her drawing supplies from her side to keep it on the night stand.

It was already late at night and what had kept me up was proof reading a contract BellStone had sent to us.

If I’m to presume it should be eleven pm or there about and when I picked up my cellphone to be sure, I was nearly correct.

10:47pm

A yawn escaped me before I could realize and that only made me aware of how exhausted I’ve been of recent.

It even feels like I don’t get enough sleep.

I checked on Louie and used my hand to sweep away stray bangs of her hair that had crowded her face.

After making sure she was all comfortable, I placed a soft peck on her cheek in which she responded to with a sigh that attracted a light chuckle from me.

I used my eyes to run over her features and I may have realized why Hunter can’t detect his own blood.

She may have a spitting resemblance to him, but then there’s just this ‘it’ that covers it all up.

My mom used to say it’s my aura that causes it. It takes two to train a kid, but when it’s only done by one the kid takes after everything they have.

And that was how she explained it, still confusing but good enough for an explanation.

Taking a final look at her is when I notice an injury on her pinky. It looks like a paper cut and it didn’t go so deep which I’m grateful for.

It only had a red surface. So I reached for the night stand and retrieved a little jar of petroleum jelly to apply over the scratch.

Satisfied with my first aid, I stood up to go brush my teeth.

It was a short trip to the bathroom and back to the bedroom. Just in time to see a phonecall from Mr McConnell.

That is, Hunter’s Dad.

I wiped my palms on my pajama shorts before answering the call.

” Hello?” He was the first to speak and his voice sounded extremely tired.

Well it should be, it’s almost midnight.

Well it could be different over there.

” Mr McConnell, good evening” having a seat on the edge of my bed.

” Jules, it’s so nice to hear from you again. How have you been?”

” I’ve been well, what about you? How’s the business treating you?” My eyes scanning my thighs and seeing some bed lines from the way I was seated previously.

” I honestly can’t wait for you to get back here. They’re all good but it seems like I’ve just gotten so used to you that their techniques now seem foreign”

That actually got an ‘ aww ‘ from me but I didn’t say it out loud.

” What about Hunter’s previous secretary? When do you think she’ll return?” She’s taking way too much time on a honeymoon and maternity.

” I believe a month now if not less and she’ll be back. We just wanted to make sure the kid gets through colustrum stage completely”

They can actually be that considerate? When I used to work with Mr McConnell, Grace was one of my early partners and she said in her previous office her maternity leave was a week or she’ll get fired.

” That’s really considerate Mr McConnell.”

” Jules it’s called being humane. Enough about me, how’s your kid?”

” She’s good too, already gone to bed”

He chuckled into the receiver.

” What about Hunter? Any thing new?”

” Aside from the fact that he’s refused to let me touch him then no. It’s all good”

” Speaking of that. Hunter missed his therapy today and I don’t want him to go a day without it” his voice almost pleading because he knows I’m not interested in what he’s about to suggest.

” So you want me to do it for him?”

” Please. He’s on his way home”

” It’s okay sir. I’ll do that. Anything else?”

” No Jules, you’ve done more than enough. Thank you again for taking him to the hospital” his gratitude could not be missed.

” It was literally the least I could do. Goodnight Mr McConnell”

” Goodnight dear”

That was how our phone conversation ended and with a sigh I took to my feet and began threading to the living room.

Surprisingly I wasn’t the only one awake.

” Jules? Why are you still up? ” Edward asked as he was seated on the couch watching TV.

” I could ask you the same”

” Well I’m waiting for Hunter to return. It’s usual for me” the elderly man smiled at his statement.

” And I’m doing same” I matched his grin and took a seat directly opposite him.

Edwards confusion could cause an entire nation burst into laughter.

” That’s odd” he watched me like he was trying to figure out if I was intoxicated.

” Mr McConnell said he missed his therapy so I should help with it”

” Oh, that explains”

I chuckled and a comfortable silence ensued between us as we watched a reality television show display across the screen.

” Jules?” Edward called me after five minutes.

” Yes?”

” Hunter told me something about losing a kid. Did you lose his child?”

Hunter told him? How much more does Hunter talk about this?

” I did lose one. Louisa was a twin”

He stayed silent for a while.

” Hunter regrets it. You know right?”

” I guess I do” I shrugged

” A boy was it?”Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

I nodded in agreement and he smiled once again.

” You know it’s all happened for a reason?”

” I do” I sighed and laid down in the sofa to get comfortable.

I guess I got too comfortable cause the last I remember was slightly dozing off.

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Hunter’s p. o. v.

As soon as I parked up front Edward stepped out and I quietly thanked him and expressed my gratitude before walking in.

And seeing iris on the couch wasn’t what I was entirely expecting.

I didn’t realize I was frozen in shock till Edward came back in and placed a hand on my shoulder.

” Your dad informed her that you missed your therapy so she waited for you”

She waited? Why would she wait when she knows fully well that I’ll still turn her offer down.

What is wrong with Iris!?

” Thank you Edward, goodnight” I acknowledged him and he sent me a brief nod before walking away.

I took iris’s sleeping figure in by sight once again then released a sigh as I concluded on what to do.

I carried her up from the chair in a bridal position and tightened my grip to prevent her from slipping.

She released a little sigh and her eye lids fluttered open.

” H-hunter?” Her groggy voice called out sleepily and I answered.

” Hmm?”

But she only sighed once again and drifted off to sleep.

Her door was slightly open when I got there and I used my feet to kick it open.

To another surprise, Louisa was wide awake and her eyes widened even more on seeing her mother in my arms.

” Hey kid” I smiled at the girl who was still laying down in bed.

” Hello” came her tiny voice.

I softly dropped her mom on the bed and shifted my gaze to her.

” You should be asleep”

” I just woke up” she squeezed her brows together and pouted her lips.

” Try sleeping again alright?”

” But now mommy is sleeping I’ll be alone” she may have sounded afraid of the dark.

” Should I leave the lights on?”

” Can you stay with me?”

I’m afraid that’s not possible.

” Sadly, no.”

Her blue eyes clearly displaying her disappointment and little tears.

” Okay” it was almost a whisper and I felt bad leaving this kid all alone.

” You can stay with me if you want”

She jerked up from her laying position and a broad smile on her lips.

” Yes! Thank you!” She shouted in excitement and scurried over her mother and stretched out her arms to me.

I laughed at the little act and picked the little girl up before walking out the door.

I have a visitor then.