11. A tall, handsome baby.

A voluptuous woman entered, wearing a dark orange color dress and high heels. Her neck was decorated with three layers of peals hanging one under another. She had brown curly hair reaching her shoulder. Narrow long eyes, a sharp nose, and thin lips. With a swift moment, she was in front of me. I turned towards Loren. He disappeared. Where?

I looked around to find him. He was hiding in the narrow space between the shelf and the wall. And was gesturing some actions towards me.

"What are you telling?" I asked out loud which made him sighed.

What?

I turned my gaze back to the women and said. "Knock before you enter."

"I am sorry dear. I don't think it's necessary to knock for meeting my nephew." She said calmly.

Nephew??

She couldn't see where Loren was hiding the main door and the shelf was on the same wall. I gestured my hand towards a settee on the left side of the door and ask her to sit.

"Have a seat. I will call him."

She did as I said and didn't bother to ask whether I know her nephew or not. I handed her a magazine to make her busy and walked towards Loren who was beckoning me. As soon as I reached, he pulled me into the narrow space too close keeping an air distance between us. My heartbeat raised by his action. Flicking away the sudden proximity, I asked.

"Is she your aunt?"

"Yes. Wife of Mr. Jaffery." He answered.

"But she is too young for his wife," I asked keeping as much as the distance I can.

"Second wife." He corrected and sneak through my shoulder to look where she was. This made him further close causing the level of my heartbeat to increase, where my hands turned cold and sweaty. Ruining all 'keep distance' thing.

"Why did you ask her to sit?" He didn't move and spoke near my ear causing the hair on my nape to raise.

"Should I have let her stand?" I kept my voice calm whilst my heart was racing. As soon as I address those words his hand moved to my lips making my mouth shut. I could feel the warmth of his hand on my cold lips and his warm breath against my ear.

"Shh! Keep your voice low."

My hand automatically moved on his and I affirmatively nodded. Already raised heartbeat was increasing by each second. And I could feel my cheeks getting warm. Sure they turned red.

"Are you feeling cold." He asked, by the touch of my hand.

"Umm-hmm," I replied and quickly distant my hand from his.

"Oh sorry." He said and stepped back.

I was breathing heavily while rubbing my sweaty hands on my trousers.

"Ask her to leave." He said coldly.

"That's rude," I said keeping my voice and expression serene.

"Look who is saying this." He said playfully.

"What? You mean I am rude?" I asked.

"No, you're the telling that." He said while leaning against the shelf with his hands crossed over his chest along with a usual smirk.

"I am not rude." I snapped at him in a low voice. He chuckled making his chest rise and fall.

"Stop laughing." My words turned his chuckles into silent laughter.

You!! Wait, Mister.

I walked out of the narrow space and called the woman while pulling Loren out by his hand.

"Wh..at are....you..." He was trying to say something while balancing on his feet.

Holding his hand, I pulled him closer and tiptoed beside his shoulder to reach his ear. "This-is-for-calling-me-rude," I whispered in his ear.

He gave me a cold look and I quickly stepped back with a grin reaching my ears.

She walked towards him with her hands stretched in the air for a hug. "Oh! My baby why didn't you come to pick me up from the airport yesterday." She said and hugged him tightly.

"What? Baby?" my mouth agape by her words and I burst into laughter then quickly covered my mouth with my hands.

Oh my God! She sees a baby in a tall, handsome man.

Wait did I think he is handsome? 
No, I didn't.

I couldn't control my laugh when she took him by his hand to the same settee. They both sat and she started to ruffle his hair while kissing him on his cheeks.

"I haven't seen you for two years. You have grown into a fine man."

He was a man even 2 years back. Did he suddenly turn it into a man from a 10-year-old?

Phup!

I walked closer and took my seat, not to miss any scene. Loren was throwing daggers at me and I was chortling on my chair.

Better to dodge these daggers or else I'll be dead.

I sat there watching. She was asking him questions about his food, health, and was examining him with her hands. Stroking his head, his back with words. "You have grown up." Where Loren turned red either by embarrassment, anger or shyness, I am not sure which one of these caused the redness. He rested his forehead on the thenar space between his index finger and thumb, hiding his eyes. She cocked her head in my direction and asked.

"Who is she?"

Her words alert me and I stood on my feet attentively.

"Daughter of Troustkey." He replied without moving his hand.

"I see." She was back on Loren.

After complete 34 minutes, she left. As soon as she left, I burst into laughter making myself stable on the chair from falling. Loren walked towards me with boiling anger in him. Oh no! Daggers gonna hit me now.

"Stand up." He said, standing exactly in front of my chair.

I tried to stand but fall laughingly. Tears were clouding my eyes. "On your feet Levy." He said while pulling me by my arm.

Since when he started calling me by my first name?

He bends close near my face. My laugh vanished and changed into worry. He tightened his grip on my arm and spoke. "Why?"

"I- I..." I don't know what to say. "Yo..your fa..ce." I just abrupt these words on his face and again started laughing. He tightened his grip more which begins to hurt now.

"You are hurting me." As soon as I said those words, he loosens his grip, pushed me back on my chair and walked away. Away in a sense, left the cabin.

Oops.

After some time I left too. When I got home, I took a bath thinking about Loren, I stayed under the shower for a long time. The moment I recall the word baby, I would laugh at the scene. I dressed in a T-shirt and shorts, which I usually prefer during the night and went to look for Adam. Maybe he is scared of me. So, I walked into his room and ask.

"Why are you here?"

"I can sleep alone." He replied

"Really?" I slid onto his bed and yawned while stretching my hands above my head. "Finally the weekend. Do not wake me up by slaps or kicks." He smiled and cuddled beside me and we slept.

I was awake by the cold air impinge on my bare limbs. "Off the AC," I shouted under the pillow.

"Don't. You're burning me, Levy." A familiar voice said. I cocked my head in the direction of the voice and saw Jacob holding my blanket.

"Give that back." I pulled it from him and covered form. My action made him laugh. I search for a clock but didn't find any so asked Jacob what time it is. It passed 11 and Adam was already awake.

Guess I completed my missing sleep.

"Go out of my room," I said to Jacob so that I can dress.

"It's not your room Levy," Adam said rubbing his hair with a towel.

Jacob laughed and left the room. I quickly went into my room, got fresh and dressed in dark blue jeans paired up with a black T-shirt with a black and white cardigan. I took a bowl of cereal and sat beside them on the couch.

"Aren't you guys eating?"

"We did," Adam replied.

"So why are you here Jake?" I asked.

"Can't I visit you without any reason?" He questioned my question.

"No-no. I didn't mean-" I stopped when Jacob waved new game series in front of me.

"Wow! How did you get this?" I asked. 
"Brother." He winked at me.

His brother brings him new game CD's and mine will ask me to join the office.

I kept the bowl on the side table without even finishing and we started playing.

"That's not fair." I snapped as they both teamed up and was beating me in the game. I snatched Jacobs' joystick he caught my hands but I was not letting it go.

"Leave or die," he said.

"None," I replied.

"Adam tickle her until she frees the joystick," Jacob said and tightened his grip on my hands were Adam started tickling me. I dropped the joystick. "Give up, I give up."

I stood on my feet giving Adam a narrow glare. "Traitor."

Our Telephone rang. I picked up the receiver and saw it was displaying my mobile number.

"Miss. Troustkey?" Uncle said from the other side of the phone.

"You left your phone in the office yesterday."

"Oh!" I didn't realize it.

"You have to be here at 3 Miss. Troustkey." He said.

"But it's the weekend." I don't want to go and I don't want to face him after how he left yesterday.

"I know. But it's important." He said.

"Fine."

Sighing, and looked up at the clock, I have an hour. Time passed quickly when I am with them I thought while looking at Jacob and Adam.

Giving a fake excuse to Jacob, I left half an hour before and entered the cabin with a hope not to see Loren. He isn't here. I quickly made my way to the washroom to dress as I couldn't do it at home.

I wore my trousers and shirt were the top two buttons of my shirt were undone and the cuffs were hanging loose. I was searching for my fake glasses but unable to find it.

When you search for something, things disappear and appear when you least bother about it.

Leaving my search, I begin to tie my hair while holding hairpin in my mouth. The door to the washroom swiftly opened and Loren entered.

"Huh!" I turned towards him. He was holding a doorknob with eyes wide at me.

•••••••••••••••

H.LOCKHART.