17/07/2023

Sitting in a cafe, Kian had earphones plugged into his phone intensely, watching the footage on his phone. When he was over at Gael’s apartment and parents’ home, he had an idea to do something—that something was to stick a camera in all the right places.

Luckily, the Becker’s had a cleaning company they hired. He was able to bribe someone to put the pea sized cameras in for him. Right now he was watching Gael put on a show inside his room.

This activity of Gael’s was rather interesting compared to when he was with Troy and this show Gael put on for him was more than once a week.

“Raymond?” a girl called to him.

Looking up from his phone, he smiled when he saw who it was. Going out of the video, he locked the phone and placed the earphones and phone away.

Standing up, he opened his arms. The girl hugged him, saying, “You’re early today.”

Kian chuckled, then gave her a well-deserved kiss, then rubbed her stomach. Looking between them, he said, “I can’t help it. I’ve been looking forward to seeing you two.”

The girl looked down at her stomach, rubbing it. Fixing the dress she had on, she asked, “How do I look? I bought it with the money you sent me.”

“Give me a spin,” he said as he looked at the beige maternity dress she modelled.

“As beautiful as every Eliana,” he complimented her sincerely.

He helped her sit down, then sat down opposite her. The waitress came over and they placed their orders.

Holding her hands, he asked, “How are things at university?”

She sighed, shaking her head, “I’m being judged. I was called in for counselling, too. The counsellor asked me who the father of my child was and wanted to know what major he was in. I told her you’re a working citizen and you have a good job and that she shouldn’t worry about me, but it looks like my sponsors are digging for information through her.”

Squeezing her hands he said, “I’m really sorry about this, but you know I want this child.”

She looked at him with a helpless smile. Raymond wasn’t that much older than her and when she met him, she fell immediately in love—it was obvious he was in love with her, too.

“They’re just wanting to know what’s going to happen to the orphan they took in after the child is born,” she said.

Kian shook his head with a smile, “Just don’t let it all get to you, we wouldn’t want it affecting my child.”

Eliana raised a brow. “Don’t you mean OUR child?”

Kian chuckled, “Yes, OUR child.”

The food came over, and Kian watched her as she ate. When she messed, he’d help her clean up and even helped her with her drink.

She sighed as she rubbed her stomach. “I’m so full.”

“Don’t explode,” Kian chuckled as he folded the napkins.

Looking at him, she asked, “So, how was work? All we’ve been talking about is me.”

He shook his head. “I’m curious about your daily life, that’s all.”

“I know, but I can handle myself,” she said with a grin.

“And how have things been with your roommate?” He asked.

She shook her head, “She makes it sound as if me falling pregnant is a bad thing when she brings strangers into the dorm and goes for hours. We had an argument the other day because the man she recently brought home walked into the bathroom while I was still in there. He told her he didn’t mean to, but I know he did. He looked at me oddly when he saw me in my underwear.”

The smile on Kian’s face fell. Looking at her, he said, “I told you to not get yourself into situations that’ll harm my child.”

She slumped in the seat. “There you go again with ‘my child,’ I swear. It’s like you only see yourself as his parent.”

“I’m serious, Eliana,” he said, and she could see it in his eyes that he wasn’t joking.

“Alright, alright. Well then, should I move out? And where to? You know I don’t have the money,” she said.

He sighed inwardly as he looked at her stomach. ‘If only this could end sooner.’

Kian remained silent, not answering her. He knew what she wanted. He had been providing for her since they got together, and she was starting to take advantage of him.

First, her bed wasn’t comfortable enough for the baby, then she needed pillows, blankets, warm clothes, comfortable clothes and shoes. Now she wanted to move out of the apartment and into his so that she could be with him and eat everything she wanted.

He limited their spending together to once every two weeks. At some point, she suspected he was cheating on her. He knew about it and let her go through his phone. When she found nothing, he gave her something memorable, reminding her never to cross that line again.

*

They walked hand-in-hand along the beach, something he enjoyed doing. The sound of the water cleared his mind, and this beach was very memorable to him.

Eliana looked up at him and saw that he seemed at ease. Taking this chance, she looked down at her stomach asking, “Have you thought of any names for him?”

Kian looked down at her then at her stomach and shook his head, “It hadn’t crossed my mind.”

“Did you tell your father yet?” She asked.

Kian turned to the sea, saying, “This has nothing to do with him.”

“But you said your father was an important part of your life. I don’t have any family members apart from the ones I know from the orphanage. You lost your mother too and I want our child to grow up knowing all of us,” she said.

Glancing down at her, he nodded his head with a smile. “You worry too much about nothing.”

Eliana stood in front of him and held his arms, saying, “It’s not nothing. A child should grow up in a loving home. I want to give him everything I never had, and I think you should do the same.”

Kian hugged her with a smile, saying, “He will have everything. I’ll make sure of it.”

Nodding her head, she pulled out of the hug, saying, “I think we should get married.”

Tilting his head to the side, he said, “We will, just after you are done with your studies.”