Loved

Iris P. O. V.

The moment we arrived at Hunter’s house, I was already groggy with a sleepy soul.

But the house never stops leaving me in awe.

Everything is just so perfect, I really don’t want to calculate the money spent on it.

Hunter parked up front and almost immediately, Edward emerged from the house to carry out his regular job.

I hopped out as soon as the car came to a halt and stylishly ran indoors.

Shower then sleep.

Those were the mantras I chanted to myself as I made my way to the room.

I was expecting Louisa to be asleep but who am I kidding? It’s just slightly to ten and I met my happy baby scribbling on Cheryn’s face who had fallen asleep beside her, probably while she tried to get the kid to shut her eyes.

” Mummy!” Her movement was quick. From crawling on the bed, to jumping off it, to running into my arms.

But that’s just another thing that makes me love her more.

” Mummy, you were gone for sooo long ” She whined as she gripped my knees and her head rested on my thigh.

Yeah, long but not long enough for Hunter’s taste.

” I know baby. I promise to not go away for so long anymore ” I lifted her up and balanced her on my left hip.

She just gave me a light squeeze and pushed her head into my neck to inhale my scent.

Call it strange, yeah I know. But I believe it’s part of her little ways of adapting to people or showing concern.

I diverted my attention back to Cheryn and remembered why I had in mind to scold her.

” Why are you drawing on Aunt Cheryn’s face?” I mumbled into her ear that was few inches from my mouth.

She raised her head and spun to check on the victim.

” It’s not drawing. Aunt Cheryn called it uh… She said it’s uh….” She shut her eyes to wrack that big brain in such a tiny head for the answer.

” Yes! Make up!” She wriggled in my arms and I let her down so she could run back to the bed.

” Make up?” I questioned as I took of my shoes to approach the bed.

” Yeah. You forgot so many color pencils on the bed when you had to go and I wanted to use it for my drawings but Aunt Cheryn said they are for the face and not paper, so I asked her if I could try them and she says ‘sure go ahead’ so I did” She shrugged and I barked out laughter at her imitation of Cheryn’s soprano pitched voice when she said sure go ahead.

” Was Aunt Cheryn awake when this happened?” Because that could be the only explanation as to why she would let Louisa make her up.

Poor lady must have been too tired to handle the kid.

” She answered me, so yes” Louie peered back at Cheryn with a wide smile on her face that made me curious to see her handwork.

So, you know when Louie said Aunt Cheryn told her the eye/lip liners I left on the bed were for drawing on the face?

The kid took the word drawing, very seriously.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

There were triangles, circles and squares all over her chubby cheeks.

I suppressed my giggle and went to get a tissue from the bathroom.

Louisa follows with barely audible steps but stands by the bathroom door.

” Soo.. What do you think about my makeup?” She grinned like a Cheshire Cat with an incredibly bubbly attitude.

I’m too worn out to deal with this but if I can’t handle her, who will?

” It needs a little more practice but you’re good” I replied as I picked the tissue and took her by her hand back to the bedside.

” Mr Gulimo said he ordered cupcakes! Can I have one?” That’s the only possible way for her to pronounce Guillermo without eventually biting herself.

She peered up at me from her long lashes and cerulean blue eyes. Bearing an extra wide smile.

How are her cheeks not torn up from all the smiling?

” Louie, it’s late ” I sighed as I climbed onto the bed to wipe off Cheryn’s ‘makeup’

” Oh, okay ”

She agreed!

Louisa never agrees, how do you expect me to be firm towards her if she always says yes to me?

” I don’t know how you did it, but I’m permitting just one ” I looked at through narrowed eyes.

” You’re per.. Perm.. Uhm”

I forgot. Big Words.

She tries to produce the word permitting so she can understand my instruction, but has no such luck.

” Go ahead and take one ” I state in the simplest way I can think of.

” Thank you!!!” She screeches and bolts out of the room.

I chuckled at her before remembering I had someone to call.

Hunter’s P. O. V.

” Mr Gulimo!!” The sound of Louisa’s voice filling the entire hallway as she came nearer.

I was by the counter eating a cupcake from the box I saw in the refrigerator, while so many thoughts were running around my head.

I’m definitely expecting Mr Luigi’s call but then what?

I can’t apologize to him. Heck, my dad will behead me if I did.

And I can’t shun his calls.

Judging from his childish personality, he’s probably going to barge into my office someday or possibly hold a grudge.

I’m hoping for the latter.

” Mr Guli-” The small girl halts before me as she notices my presence in the kitchen.

Her blue eyes become darker as the aura around her simply smelled of fear.

I’m not on who likes causing little kids to tremble, but louisa’s reaction to my presence only moves me the least.

I eyed her from head to toe like a wild animal scanning his prey, and her features were coming into focus.

Blue eyes, olive skin and black hair.

These were the first things you would unknowingly catch on her body even if you don’t want to.

Come to think of it, you’d never believe Iris and this girl were related if not for the hair and facial build up.

And her mom is currently sporting a black hair.

Every other thing present on this kid looked somewhat different from her mom, but because of their closeness you can tell the relationship.

The little girl began backing up to run back the same way she came in, but she smacked into someone.

” Oww, sowie-” She finally looks up to see who she walked into ” Mr Gulimo ”

Honest truth? The kid’s cute.

Guillermo laughed and ran his hands through her almost waist length hair before replying.

” No worries kiddo. You summoned me your highness?” He faked a bow in her direction and earned himself a giggle.

” Oh yes, I require a cupcake please ”

I almost laughed at her amateur British accent, but I’ve learned a thing or two about self control.

But Guillermo didn’t hesitate with his own chuckle and response.

” What did the queen say?”

The queen? I’m having this feeling he’s referring to Iris.

” She per… Uhm.. Perm… Er- she allows just one ”

Someone tell me it isn’t permitted she tried to say.

” Fine, just one it is. Come on lets get it ”

Guillermo made his way to the fridge but the girl stood outside without moving a step.

Possibly because she’s aware and standing in the room.

Her little eyes were fixated on me and I matched her stare.

When my right hand man noticed she wasn’t behind him, he picked the cake and walked back to where she was standing.

” Here you go”

After opening her tiny hands and collecting the cake, she passed him a weak smile then ran off.

” Should I presume you dislike the kid or her mother?” His back was in my direction while he watched the child run off as he asked the question.

” I don’t know what you’re talking about ” I scoffed and went to get a glass of water from the fridge.

But first, to retrieve the glass from the cupboard.

” Don’t think I’ve been blind to your irritations around miss Jules and unnecessary strictness towards her kid. So who’s your problem? The child or her mother?” He turned to watch my movements.

Smart man.

” I still don’t know what you’re talking about ” I selected a small glass and headed for the refrigerator.

” You don’t love children in particular but I’m very sure you don’t hate them ” One hand inserted into his right pocket as the other swung freely when he stepped towards the counter.

” Your assumptions are baseless ” I poured myself a cup of water and gulped it down in seconds.

” Considering your insistence of our visitors name being Iris, I believe there’s a history we’ve not known” .

Guillermo was a smart man, but he was also one to go snooping into things that aren’t his business.

I decided not to answer his question and returned the glass cup to the shelf.

” Hunter, I may be old but that makes me only wiser. I’d find out either way or the other ”

I walked up to the counter till we were directly opposite each other and picked up my wallet I had placed at the side.

” Fine. If you insist. Your ‘Jules’ and I went through the same high school and let’s say we weren’t really the best of friends ”

He kept silent and I’m sure he’s thinking thoroughly for more explanation into the story.

Which he’ll not be hearing from me.

I snatched up my wallet I had dropped during course of my answering and began walking out.

” Goodnight Guillermo ”

Nearly out the door when his voice came out again.

” So one could say you guys were rivals?”

More like Bully and victim.

” Yeah, sure. If you put it that way ” With a rigid stance

I was off to bed.