3. Unusual

DANTE

He had taken to having dinner with his son. The dining table was cold without Elon there with him.

The boy was recovering beautifully, Dante could tell from the way he freely swallowed the spoonsfull of beans that the nurse was feeding him. A while ago, he would have moaned in pain and spat the food out.

He even spoke more often lately, like now, he had faced the nurse with his prickly questions. At first, he had asked, "can I call you Jenny?"

Dante thought this quite unusual. Not because his son was a broody, no. But because his son was not one to give out nicknames, not even he had a nickname from his son.

When the nurse expressed her approval with a gentle nod and a smile, the kid mirrored her expression and told her, "you look more beautiful when you smile."

Another unusual occurrence. Dante could not help but frown. Aside the fact that the boy had made a habit of asking the world's most uncomfortable questions, he also loved to indulge in what he called 'roasting'. Just a few days before his accident, he had told Dante that he walked like an upright toad.

Elon was not one to dish out compliments. The last person he did that for was his mother.

Again, the nurse smiled and responded with a thank you.

"But why do you always stay silent?" Elon shot another question at the poor nurse. Dante may have burst out laughing if his mouth had not been stuffed with food. "You are like a ghost, but alive."

The nurse's cheeks flushed red as let out a little giggle. "I'm on my own here." She said to the boy. "I have nobody to talk to."

"Well, my daddy can be your friend."

Those words must have forced Dante's food to take the wrong route, as he was now coughing and desperately hitting his chest. That kid was going to be the death of him.

He closed his eyes and concentrated on his breath. In, out, in, out, he breathed. And when he could finally inhale properly, he became aware of the soft taps on his back. He opened his eyes and looked over his shoulder, and saw that it was the nurse there, her face painted with worry.

"Stop." He did not intend to sound that rough. In fact, he almost apologized, but his ego was all too large for that. And the nurse had to understand that women were supposed to keep a certain distance from him.

"You're not allowed to touch me." was the next thing he said to her. Now, he looked at the rest of his food and it reppelled him; his appetite had surely flown out the window.

The room had even gotten hotter from the awkward silence that had ensued. Dante could no longer bear it, so he stood up and announced that he had some work to get to. But he only left the room once he had placed a soft kiss on his son's forehead.

GENESIS'S POV

A strange man he was, her patient's father. One had to be very careful around the man as it was impossible to tell what could upset him.

He was one hell of an unusual man, nothing like anyone she had ever met. Her heart usually ceased to beat whenever her eyes met his dark brown ones. It looked like a swirl that could suck her in if she got too close. Looking in his eyes felt like everything scary and gruesome. She did not like it, so she did everything to avoid his gaze.

She had already put the little boy to sleep and she was preparing to depart for her home. But the sudden chime of her phone interrupted her routine, causing her to jerk. Sara. Her best friend's name flashed across the screen. That alone was enough to stretch her lips in a wide smile.

"Where are you!?" Sara was practically screaming on the other end. Genesis's smile was quickly replaced with a frown as the noise from wherever her friend was invaded her ears. "You should join me out here. Jee Spot."

Of course, Sara was out partying. She should have known.

She sighed softly and shook her head. "No, Sara, I just clocked out and I am very tired."

"You're boring." If she had a dollar every time Sara had told her that, she would have had enough money to buy her own island by now.

"I'm aware." Was the response she gave her friend, and without waiting for any response, she dropped the call. Heaven knew she did not have the strength for Sara's nonsense at that moment.

And just as she turned around, she almost let out a screech. It had taken all of her self will to not scream as her eyes landed on the man. The boy had said that she was like a ghost, but it was his father that moved like one. Because how did he get in the room without making a single sound?

He was looking at her like she had just sprouted from the floor, his brows slightly furrowed. Meanwhile, she hoped that the floor would open up and swallow her. She hated being subject to his gaze.

She cleared her throat loudly, an attempt to fill in the awkward silence. It was always that way whenever he was around: awkward.

"Why are you still here?" He asked her out of nowhere. The question confused her a little bit as she was not sure why he would be asking such. Did he suddenly forget that she was his son's nurse? She could only gape at him as she wondered what the hell was up with him.

"It's already 11pm." He let her know, and her eyes immediately darted to the clock hanging right above the boy's bed. Seven minutes past eleven.

Her shoulders slacked as she slapped her hand over her forehead in frustration. She had not realized that it had gotten that late.

"I'm sorry." she began, foundling with her fingers. "The boy found it difficult to fall asleep." The kid had kept asking her questions that almost made her pull all her hair out. She had almost cried tears of joy when he had finally fallen asleep.

"All right." The man—Dante, as she had learned was his name—gave one of his usual firm nods. "My driver and two of my men will accompany you home."

"Th—thank you." She forced a smile a briskly rushed out of the room, making sure to not touch him.

She found herself able to breathe properly again once she exited the room, that man's presence had stilled the air. As soon as she finished descending the flight of stairs, she sighted a middle aged man in all black mounted at the door.

He must have called them already. She thought.

"After you, ma'am." The man gestured out the door with a little bow.