Page 34 of The Dark Elf's Secret Baby
“Did you have fun at school today?” I ask, turning my attention to Jasper as he picks around the fortisia leaves floating in his bowl with a wrinkled nose. He nods, already knowing what comes next in our conversation.
“My favorite was Kerym,” Jasper says matter-of-factly. It’s no surprise to me, given the way he’s lit up around his father, but Kerym seems touched nonetheless.
“Did you have any least favorite parts of the day?” I ask, barreling through the conversation, not sure if my heart can take any more of the obvious adoration that’s bloomed between the two of them in such a short amount of time.
“Nuh-uh,” Jasper says, returning to his stew.
“And what was your favorite part of the day, mama?” Kerym asks from across the table, his deep voice rocketing straight to my core. Maybe it’s seeing the two of them together, or perhaps it’s just all of the old feelings seeing Kerym has dragged up for me, but I’m feeling bold.
My eyes find his, challenge and something more loaded dancing through his violet eyes as I let a slow smile stretch across my lips.
“Seeing my favorite guy,” I say, letting my voice take on a suggestive tone. The spoon that was making its way to Kerym’s mouth stops suddenly mid-air, and I bite back a laugh as his eyes widen while he looks at me.
“Jasper, of course,” I add with a shrug, hurriedly standing and swiping the bowls off the table to take to the sink. Kerym lets out a low laugh, shaking his head, his eyes pinned to my back as I make my way back into the kitchen. There’s always been something about Kerym that brings this out in me- I can’t help but tease him. Even if I know where all of that teasing leads.
Trying to smother the fire that’s suddenly licking between my thighs, I clear my throat, turning back to look at Jasper.
“Okay kiddo, time for bed,” I say. Jasper, as always, has other plans. Before I can get to the table and try to wrangle him into my arms, he blinks out of existence, reappearing on the other side of the living room.
I run at him, Jasper letting out a delighted squeal as he blinks out of existence once again, only to appear by the front door.
“Jasper, it’s bedtime!” I say, letting out a frustrated huff as I change directions, running toward where he stands at the door, already knowing he’ll be gone before I get there. Kerym watches us from the dining room table, an amused smile on his face when Jasper disappears again. This time, however, when Jasper disappears, Kerym disappears too.
They reappear at the same time, Jasper giggling as Kerym catches him, lifting him off the ground into a tight squeeze.
“Gotcha!” Kerym says as he touches his forehead lightly to Jaspers, eliciting another round of giggles from the little boy.
“Would’ve been nice if you’d done that the first time,” I grumble at Kerym as we make our way upstairs. Secretly, I’m shocked at how much easier that was with Kerym here- on a normal night, Jasper would’ve disappeared five or six more times before I was able to catch him.
“It was fun watching you try to chase around a teleporting toddler,” Kerym says with a one-shouldered shrug, a wicked smile on his face. I can’t help but smile back at him, rolling my eyes.
Jasper insists on Kerym reading him a bedtime story instead of me, and I lean against the doorframe as I watch, that lingering smile never leaving my lips. I don’t know if I’m ready to admit it to Kerym, but having him here is nice. It makes everything feel more whole, in a way.
It’s not that Jasper and I don’t do fine on our own, or that I don’t enjoy getting to be his parent, but I’d be lying if I said that all of it’s been easy. Seeing the two of them together, how gentle Kerym is with Jasper and how much Jasper seems to love Kerym already, makes my heart squeeze painfully.
Kerym finishes the story and pulls the blanket up around Jasper’s chin, tucking him tightly into bed. I step forward, brushing a kiss to Jasper’s forehead and whispering myI love you’s before stepping back again and turning out the lights. We’re nearly out of the room before Jasper’s tiny voice stops us in our tracks.
“Kerym? Play tomorrow too?”
A sad smile plays on Kerym’s face before he looks at me, and I muster up a wordless nod, fighting the burn of tears in my throat at hearing Jasper’s obvious desperation to see Kerym again.
“Of course, kiddo. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Kerym says softly. “Goodnight.”
“Night night,” Comes Jasper’s sleepy reply as the door clicks shut.
For a moment, I’m not capable of anything other than trying to weather the barrage of emotions swirling through me as I stare at Jasper’s closed door, but then I feel Kerym’s eyes on me once again.
Now that we’re alone, there’s no avoiding this conversation.
21
Kerym
Ifollow Layla back downstairs, the silence between us sitting even heavier now that Jasper isn’t here to provide a distraction. Their little bungalow is beautiful and simple, every inch of the space cozy and positively brimming with love and life.
Little finger paintings of Jasper’s hang in seashell-crusted frames along the walls of the hallway, the wood floors worn and marked with what I’m sure are tracks from Jasper’s toys. The stairs lead us down into the living room, large windows dotted across the back of the house and looking out into a small patch of yard, fenced in with the same type of reed fencing as the school and littered with growths of tropical wildflowers and several multi-colored balls.
The living room is packed with small end tables and oversized chairs, a large, old couch bisecting the space and serving as a barrier between the kitchen and the living room. Layla loiters at the end of the couch, simply staring at me as I take in her home in greater detail.