WEIGHTED 31

TYRONE ROBERT.

I knew she was having a nightmare when I saw sweat all over her face, and on the sheet beneath her shoulders. I just didn’t want to make it worse by questioning what was it about, and because a part of me already had an idea on what it was - who was visiting her in the forms of nightmares.

I hated seeing her like that, but there was nothing I could do to stop her suffering - her nightmares. Those who needed to be punished lived a luxurious and suffering - free life, while the most innocent person of this whole ordeal was - is suffering to this day for something she didn’t have any Power over. Something she couldn’t have been capable of changing its outcome no matter how hard she tried since she was basically a little vulnerable naïve girl against a bunch of full - grown up people. Something she too was a victim of.

So I showed her my support in the only way I could at the moment, showering her with my love and affection.

No matter how strong she appeared, I knew there was a vulnerable side of her that still held those horrendous happenings.

I knew that she sensed something lacking in my answers, and I knew she sensed the discomfort, the subject caused me so she didn’t press it.

I hated lying to her, but wasn’t ready to disclose those details yet. They were a part of the history I wanted to bury in the darkest and deepest pits on earth.

‘Mom, is this okay?’

‘Momma, Elton go too!’

‘Mamma, Mamma!’

‘Guys, guys, one by one okay? I’ll tend to each of you, no need to surround me like that. Now let me feed your sister first.’ Our children were each grabbing a piece of Elize’s sleeping robe trying to catch her attention that was focused on little Cia.

Ethan was asking if the suit he picked for me to wear to work is alright while holding his in his other hand, Elton was asking if he could go with us to the company and Arcadia just wanted to get involved in the conversation as well.

‘You could help me you know!’ Elize shot me a glare from across the table. God her hormones are all over the place, one moment she is laughing, the next she’s crying or glaring.

‘My bad.’ I bit the tip of my tongue playfully.

‘Yeah, yeah, you just focus on your food, that’s all you care about anyway.’

‘Sorry, Honey.’ I walked towards her and kissed her lightly before taking Acacia in my arms and started burping her.

‘Come on kids, let’s see what you need.’ She called.

‘Elton!’ I warned sternly when he started running in circles around his mother almost bumping into her stomach. ‘What did I say about being careful around momma?’ I asked in the same tone.

‘Sorry, Papa.’ He gave me those cute puppy dog eyes. His mother just laughed and ruffled his hair before she made her way upstairs with Ethan and Arcadia. Elton stood still in his place since he knew I wasn’t done talking with him.

I make sure my children know who’re their elders are. They know that I would give them the whole world, punish them severely If they break the rules I put. I hate when people spoil their children to the point of listening to no one just because they have the means.

I won’t have my children disrespect their parents and elders just because they are mommy’s or daddy’s little ones. Fortunately Elize agreed to my way of raising our children when I first told her about it when Ethan was still not even a year old. She said it was the ideal way to teach them how to behave and conduct themselves when interacting with others.

‘Come here, Elton!’

‘I’m sorry, Papa. Elton forget.’ He was hiccupping slightly.

I bent to his height. ‘Son, I know you wouldn’t harm your mother or siblings intentionally, but be careful in the future okay?’ I wiped his tears and rifled his hair gently.

‘Okay, Papa. I’m sorry, Papa.’ He repeated wiping his tears with the back of his tiny hands.

‘That’s my champ, now go to your mother to get you a suit if you want to go with me and your brother.’ I patted his head smiling down at him. Not even a moment later his whole face lit up, he kissed my cheek, and sprinted upstairs. I chuckled at his enthusiasm and turned my attention to the bundle of joy in my arms who was making different kinds of noises while she giggled with herself.

When Cia was asleep I headed upstairs to our room when I was about to open the door I heard a phone ringing.

‘Speak!’ Elize ordered.

Few minutes of silence after that which I guessed was because she was listening to the other person. ‘Okay, I’m coming. Make sure he knows nothing about it, and keep him there ‘til I come. I’ll call you when I’m close, to evacuate the floor, I don’t want anybody eavesdropping.’ She ordered, then she put her phone down on the nightstand before she started drying her hair with the towel.

‘Business?’ I asked from the door, she tensed a little before she faced me. She was wearing a pale blue towel with sleeves that reached right below her elbows. And another smaller one on her head.

‘Yeah, I’m going to have to go to the company for a while. I have an important client waiting for me.’ She said before resuming drying her hair.

‘I could take care of that so called client of yours, you don’t have to stress yourself.’ I said wrapping my arms around her waist from behind, and looking in her eyes through her vanity table mirror. I took the towel that was on her head and threw it on the floor before inhaling her hair’s scent and kissing it lovingly.

However I already knew from the way she spat the ‘client’ part with disgust that this wasn’t just any business, it was her personal unfinished business.

‘I need to tend to this one myself.’ She confirmed my suspicions.

‘Hmm.’ I hummed my approval while rubbing circles on her small bulge underneath the towel, she flinched slightly when my cold hand found her hot skin.

I bit her neck slightly before letting her go. ‘That’s for disobeying me.’ I said playfully.

She rolled her eyes chucking slightly before heading towards our closet.

‘Your clothes are on the bed, the kids are the one who chose it today.’ She said, everyday our kids help her pick my clothes for work, and until this day I’m still baffled how some little bunch of kids manage to have great taste, especially Ethan, he has a great sense of fashion.

He is the one who picks his mother’s clothes all the time, and he never fails to pick the best for me each time. ‘Love you, honey have a good day with the kids.’ Elize said pecking my lips before picking up the small towel that was on her head that I discarded from the floor. She hanged it in the bathroom.

‘Love you too, Baby.’ I said kissing her forehead before closing the bathroom’s door to take a shower.