Chapter Forty–Four
Ava’s POV
One second, I was hurling accusations at Kyle across that absurd rainbow–colored parachute, and the next instant, my son’s high–pitched cry pierced the air and sent my heart into a panic.
I didn’t wait for Kyle. I dashed out, nearly knocking down a toddler as I stumbled through the foam obstacle track that was designed to be “safe” and “child–friendly.” All I could see was Zareon on the floor, screaming, then Lillian moving an inch away, positioning a crying child I came to realise was hers to her chest.
My entire body shook with fear and confusion.
“Zareon!” I dropped to my knees and scooped him into my arms. “Baby, shush, baby, I’m here, I’m here, shush?
”
He didn’t stop crying. He just curled into me and wailed louder. I rocked him while trying to calm him, but when I looked up and saw Lillian still saying nothing, still not moving to help, my fear turned to rage.
“What the hell happened?” I demanded, staring her down because I couldn’t understand why she and her son were in the same place as mine when they weren’t paired together.
Lillian finally looked up, looking annoyed. “I heard the boys fighting over a toy,” she said with a shrug. “When I got there, that kid had his teeth on Neo’s arm. He bit him. Look.”
She turned Neo’s arm to Kyle, showing off a faint red mark. Kyle leaned in, his brows furrowed, concern etched on his face as he looked between both boys. Zareon whimpered again, hiding his face in my chest. Instinctively, I placed a palm at the back of his head to support his weight as he pressed his face into my
chest.
“I separated them. That’s all I did,” Lillian continued.
Why do I find that hard to believe? If her and her son’s sudden appearance in the same space as Zareon wasn’t suspicious enough, then Zareon’s painful wail was. She must have done something to Zareon under the pretence of separating her son from mine, because never has Zareon had a case of biting anyone. And even if he does, which was quite unsettling, it does not make sense that he would be crying this loud from a fall on a foam–tiled floor, for that matter.
Zareon moved in my hand, but when I looked down at him, my eye caught something that made my heart
surge.
Blood.
At first, I thought it was from me, maybe I had cut a bit of flesh on my palm in my haste earlier. But when I shifted Zareon’s head and saw the back of it slightly swollen and red, where the bloodstain had come from, my breath almost left me. Instantly, panic wrapped its cold, ugly fingers around my throat, making it hard to breathe for a moment.
“You…” I heard Kyle’s voice thundering behind me. “What did you do to him?” His voice was sharp with fury. I turned my head just in time to see him storming toward Lillian. His fists were clenched at his sides, his face contorted in a mix of shock and outrage. It was obvious they all saw the blood.
“I told you what happened,” Lillian snapped, clearly shaken but trying to keep her composure. “They were
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Chapter Forty–Four
dragging a toy. I separated them. That’s it! My son got injured too!”
+8 Points >
“That’s a lie!” I found myself interjecting, standing with Zareon in my arms, his head buried against my neck as he whimpered. “This whole area is foam–tiled, so explain to me why my son is bleeding if all you did was separate them.” My voice rose more than intended, but I couldn’t care less. There is no way he could have gotten injured in here. That was why almost all the games in here are made safe and child–friendly. So, he must have been pushed hard enough to hit his head on something….Oh God!
Lillian rolled her eyes, letting out a mocking scoff. “Single mothers and their over–imaginative drama. “Maybe if you’d raised your son with manners…”
“Shut up!” Kyle bellowed, startling Lillian, whose lips parted in shock.
He said something more to her, but I didn’t hear any of it. My full attention was on Zareon, who let out another sob. Before I could think for another minute, my legs were already moving. All I could think about was the blood and the realization that Zareon must have hit his head on something hard to cause that. The corner of the wall, maybe? Or something harder. The thought of that terrified me because I had seen a child once, just like this. A small injury, nothing visible at first, nothing serious… only for the child to slip into unconsciousness hours later.
I was dashing out of the hallway before I knew it.
“Ava!” Kyle’s voice followed me. “Ava, wait!”
I couldn’t. I was running on pure fear of a mother.
I didn’t stop until I felt his hand take Zareon from me.
I didn’t object. My arms were trembling too badly anyway, and Kyle was faster than I was. Also, Zareon had immediately stopped crying the moment Kyle grabbed him. He curled into Kyle’s chest, his tiny arms clutching at the collar of his shirt, and for once, I didn’t mind. All I cared about was that my son was safe. We rushed out of the building, not caring about the families who had stopped to look at us, their eyes filled with curiosity, nor about Lillian, who stood frozen by the play area, her face red with rage. However, I didn’t care. Not right now, when my son was my centre of attention.
Kyle’s driver had the door open already as soon as he saw us. The moment I entered the car, I reached for Zareon and cradled him tightly, refusing to let go or meet Kyle’s gaze. He sat quietly beside me, watching as I stared into our son’s face, gently tapping his cheek whenever he tried to doze off.
“No, baby,” I whispered over and over, my voice cracking. “Don’t sleep yet, okay? Mommy’s here.” I knew my actions were silly, but I couldn’t help but get scared whenever his eyes flutter shut.
Beside me, Kyle tried to say something. I could feel his eyes on me, but I ignored him. I didn’t want reassurance. I didn’t want anything from him. I just want the ride to be as quiet as it was. And as if he could read my mind, he kept whatever he wished to say to himself.
The ride to the hospital was as silent as I wanted, aside from the occasional vibration of Kyle’s phone. He didn’t answer any of the calls. Zareon whimpered once but didn’t cry again. My heart clenched tighter every time his eyes fluttered closed, and I gently shook him awake again and again.
The moment the car pulled to a stop, I bolted. I didn’t wait for Kyle. I rushed into the emergency room, shouting for help. A nurse took one look at the blood on my hands and the small gash on my son’s head and called for a doctor who appeared younger than the rest but also experienced.
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The doctor took us into one of the rooms. I lay Zareon on the narrow bed while a nurse checked his vitals
“He’s stable,” she said.
Still, I wasn’t calm.
The doctor cleaned the blood gently and examined the swelling. Zareon winced and whimpered but didn’t cry out. He was exhausted. My poor baby.
“He’ll be okay,” Kyle said quietly behind me, but I didn’t reply. My eyes were solely on my son. I watched as the doctor shaved a tiny patch of his hair, applied treatment, and then gently plastered the cut. Along the way, my poor baby had fallen asleep. He looked so small and fragile on the bed that my anger began to boil again.
That pathetic b***h.
“He’s okay. It’s a small cut,” the doctor finally said as he removed his gloves. “We’ve cleaned it up and placed a dressing. He’s a little shaken, but he will be fine.”
“Is there any sign of concussion?” I asked, my voice shaking.
The doctor paused, then looked at me properly for the first time, his eyes shifting from me to Kyle, then back to mine as if he couldn’t believe I just asked that. “No,” he said gently. “There’s no vomiting, no loss of consciousness, as you can see. His pupils are fine, and his coordination is normal. So, he’s okay.”
Tears stung my eyes as I exhaled in relief. I sat on the bed and carried Zareon into my arms again, pressing a kiss on his forehead.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart“, I whispered. “Mommy’s sorry.”
I stepped out of the hospital about twenty minutes later, Zareon still asleep in my arms, and the city’s night air kissed my skin. It should have been calming, but it wasn’t. Kyle was waiting by the hallway window, speaking to someone on the phone. He turned the moment he saw us and began walking toward me. His face was etched with tiredness, worry and maybe even guilt.
I stopped right there, holding my son close, and looked up at him with all the pain in my chest, clawing at my
heart.
“Ava,” He started the moment he was a few feet away from me.
“Please,” I said softly at first, meeting his gaze.
His brows furrowed, and I saw him about to speak again, but I kept going.
“Please, I am begging you, Kyle. Just stop showing up,” 1 said louder now, my voice trembling. “Wherever I go, you keep finding a way to show up. You keep putting yourself in my life, in my son’s life, even after everything I’ve begged you before to leave us alone, Kyle, and I am doing that once again.”
He stared at me, his lips parting, but no words came out.
“You have a family now,” I continued, my voice cracking. “You have a son. Why can’t you just stay with them? Why can’t you just let me be? Every time you show up, Zareon suffers. I suffer.”
He looked like I’d slapped him. His hands dropped to his sides. His lips pressed into a thin line.
I could see the pain in his eyes, the guilt, the regret, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t afford to.
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Chapter Forty Four
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“I’m not trying to ruin your life, Kyle. I’m not trying to take your son away from you, either. I’m just trying to protect what is mine. Protect my son’s life because he doesn’t deserve the pain that would come with your love, Kyle.” I glanced down at my son’s peaceful face. “So please, for once in your life, do the right thing… and
stay away.”
And before he could conjure up anything to say, I turned around and walked into the night, clinging to my sleeping child like he was the only thing keeping me alive and sane. Like he was the only thing holding me back from running straight into Kyle’s arms, the only reason I wasn’t pushing my emotions behind and doing the most insane thing anyone still in love would do.
Smiles, I can’t believe I just confirmed that to myself.
I didn’t look back, but I could tell Kyle hadn’t moved from where I had left him. I could feel his eyes on me as I disappeared into the night with Zareon in my arms and a lonely tear rolling down my cheek.
The oddluna
I sincerely apologize for the delay in uploading. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
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