Chasing the Unexpected

After finishing his dinner, Mason set down his cutlery. “Mommy, I’m done eating.”

“You’re eating so little today. Usually, this whole plate of ribs wouldn’t be enough for you alone. Is your stomach bothering you?” Nyla asked. Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

“No, I’m really full,” Mason replied.

“Okay, go play for a while then,” Nyla told him.

After dinner, Nyla played with Mason for a bit before taking him for his bath and getting him ready for bed.

Once he was in his pajamas and tucked under the covers, Nyla prepared to read him a bedtime story as usual.

However, he suddenly looked up at her and asked, “Mommy, is Uncle Oliver not visiting me anymore?”

Nyla paused for a moment before asking, “Why would you ask that?”

“Before, Uncle Oliver would call me every day, but he hasn’t called for several days now. And he hasn’t come to our house either,” Mason answered.

Although Mason was young, he was sensitive and perceptive enough to notice that something had changed between Nyla and Oliver.

After a few seconds of silence, Nyla told him, “Buddy, things between Uncle Oliver and me are complicated. I can’t really explain it to you right now, but I promise that Uncle Oliver really likes you. He has his own life too, and he can’t always focus on us.”

‘Mason’s eyes dimmed, and he lowered his head. “I understand.”

Seeing his downcast expression, Nyla felt a pang of sadness.

“If you ever miss him, you can call him, you know,” she said softly.

Mason didn’t respond. Instead, he looked up at her and asked, “Will you and my dad be together?”

“Do you want me to be with him?” Nyla asked.

“I don’t know, but I want to be with Daddy,” Mason replied.

Seeing the hope in his eyes, Nyla pressed her lips together and tucked the blanket around him. “Sleep now.

After coaxing Mason to sleep, Nyla left his room. She didn’t return to her bedroom but instead sat down on the sofa and called Damon.

“Nyla, why are you calling me so late?” Damon asked.

Taking a deep breath, Nyla spoke slowly. “Tonight, Buddy asked me if I would be with you and then said he wants to be with you. Did you teach him to say that?”

“Yes,” Damon admitted without hesitation.

“This is between us. Can you not involve the child?” Nyla snapped.

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Sensing the anger in her voice, Damon spoke softly. “Nyla, this isn’t just between us. It involves Buddy too. It’s about us as a family.”

“We are not a family,” Nyla stated.

Damon sighed. “I admit I used a bit of a trick to get you back, but my intention is to bring you and Buddy back. I can protect you both now, and I won’t let anything happen to you again.

“Nyla, I love Buddy just as much as you do. I want to give him a complete family so he can grow up happy. Even if you don’t want to be with me, you should think about him, right?” Damon tried.

“You did this on purpose. You know how much I care about Buddy,” Nyla shot back.

“Mm, you can punish me however you want, as long as you’re willing to come back,” Damon replied.

Feeling both angry and helpless, Nyla thought she could have lashed out at Damon if he had still been as stubborn as before. Now that he was so soft and understanding, it felt more like punching a pillow. No matter how much she wanted to be mad, she simply couldn’t.

After a moment of silence, she spoke calmly. “L