CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE:
Kai's new babysitter
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"She'll be unconscious for a while for her body to recover, the blood loss was severe good thing the
loss did not passed 40 percent. Oh, and also, the bullet is already removed from her body." Victoria
explained in the stead of the doctors. She was sitting on the sofa next to the dozing off Kai. The
younger boy is really sleepy since it was past his bedtime. His body is not use to staying up late like
this.
Victoria is rubbing his head affectionately. The boy reminds her of Tyler when he was a kid.
Melanie nodded at her, "Thank you for making the arrangements for us, we can take this from here."
"You're welcome!" Victoria said enthusiastically. She stood up after giving Kai a last pat on his back.
"Since the two of us-" she gave the silent Tyler a short glance. "Three- since the three of us are close,
there's no harm on helping a friend, right?"
She showed off her best convincing smile. Jack, Melanie and Becca squinted their eyes to protect it
from harmful radiation of light that was coming off of her bright, big smile. Melanie tried to give her best
and also smilef widely, although it came out crooked and unsightly. "Yes, yes of course. Thank you
agai-"
Melanie was caught of by a loud ringing of her phone. It is vibrating in her pockets. The other people
inside the room looked at her, urging her to answer the phone. She fished it out from her pocket and
when she read the ID of who was calling, her eyebrows raised. It was her mother.
She smiled and excused herself. "I'm sorry, I have to take this."
It was rare for her mother to call her. If she does, it's either she has an important message or just
wanting to see how she is after a long time of not checking. Their family consists of 4 members; her
father, mother, her older brother and her. They don't hate or resent each other, they are just less
affectionate than other family. That's why after she finished highschool, she moved out from her house
and went to find a job.
This also explains her cold demeanor. Since she's moving from job to job, and she's also alone, she
learned how to handle everything by herself and become an independent woman. She's very satisfied
with her job right now. She even has a free room in the shop.
After saying that, she went out of the room.
"She must be busy, huh?" Victoria said, looking at the closed door.
"Well, not exactly." Jack answered. "That must be a personal call. She never uses her phone for
business or any other things."
Earlier was an exemption though, they had to call the boss's friend.
Tyler silently watched the people in the room, his mother and Jack were having a nice chat about
something, while Becca was only listening on the sidelines. Tyler can't understand what was their topic
so his eyes wondered on the sole bed in the room.
After seeing the face of the woman who was deathly pale earlier, his eyes wavered. Her face has
returned to it's original color after the operation and blood transfusion, but she still remained
unconscious. The surgery took a toll on her body so she has to rest. Tyler wants to talk to her though.
He wants to see her awake. Not like this.
Asied from worry, the guilt of failing to protect her from harm- that is what his original intention why he
went to her in the first place- is eating him. The feeling might not be strong as the former, but he can't
ignore it.
Tyler silently cursed himself and made himself repent. He can't believe he was that incompetent and
stupid. If he could earlier, he would catch the bullet for her. But there's no point on crying over the
spilled milk. He already made up his mind that he'll make it up to her later.
His eyes wondered back to the sofa next to him. Kai was the only one who was there since Victoria
was already standing, she was ready to leave. The kid is now half-awake, half-asleep, his sleep was
cut off short when his mother stood up.
Tyler can't bear looking at his small head bobbing just to stay awake. His posture looks painful. Without
thinking, he called out to him with a small voice that even the other three in the room didn't hear. It was
a conversation solely for the two of them. Him and Althea's kid.
"Hey...!"
"Hmm?" Hearing someone called him, he looked up with blinking and hazy eyes. "What is it?"
"..." Tyler pursed his lips, he forgot about what he has to say. Seeing that the little boy was looking at
him with drowsiness in his eyes, he removed himself from leaning on the wall and sat next to him. He
patted his lap. "Sleep."
"...?" Kai was confused. Usually, he will pick up what he meant immediately, but since his
consciousness is torn between the reality and his Dreamland, he can't process it like how he used to.
Tyler sighed. It can't be help. Gently, he raised his hand and held his head. With a small pull, he let his
head rest on his lap. Unsurprisingly, the kid did not complain nor he did refused his help. He gently laid
his head on his thigh, it was a little bit uncomfortable since it's soft but hard at the same time. His thigh
is incomparable to his mother's. Since there's no other pillow in the room and the arm rest is high to he
his pillow- not that he can even use an armrest to be a pillow- this hard but soft pillow can do it for the
meantime. It's not really bad.
Tyler shifted Kai's posture. He took off his shoe slowly and put on the floor. The room was cold, so he
get his coat off and made it his blanket. After confirming that the boy is comfortable and sound asleep,
Tyler can't stop his smile of contentment to surface on his lips.
That was the time when Victoria looked. Naturally, she saw him smile. Her eyebrows raised until she
saw what caused her son to smile like that. It made her brows raise even higher. Then, a teasing smile
begun to stretch on her red lips. "My son, you look like a father who had his stress melted away after
seeing his son. You reminded me of your father when you were young."
Tyler erased his smile, and glared at her mother. He then said coldly, "He's not my son."
Victoria frowned. "Did I say he is?!" She scoffed. "Are you stupid or something? Dear, I thought you're
my son!"
"I don't want to acknowledge you as my mother either." He retorted.
"Ha!" Victoria placed her hand on her chest while acting she was hurt then went to gently slap Tyler's
shoulder. "You ungrateful brat! Do you want me to shove you back in my womb?! I'll be sure to abort
you!"
"Can you hear yourself?" Tyler asked her while gently stroking Kai's hair. "How can you shove a full
grown man inside your womb again?"
Victoria glared at him and didn't try to spat out fire again. Gosh! She doesn't want to argue with
someone who has no sense of humor! It's stressing her out! She's not ready to have white lock of hair
yet!
As if saving her from her predicament, the door of the room opened and Melanie entered. Four pair of
eyes looked at her, and Jack was the first one to notice the hesitation and worry in her eyes.
"Is something wrong?" Jack asked. After he voiced it out, the others begun to notice it too.
"..." She hesitated, her eyes wondered to the sleeping mother and son. Then went back to her
coworkers. "I have to go back to our town for a while."
"What?" Jack asked while Becca just furrowed her brows. "Why? Did something happen?"
Melanie pursed her lips. "My father and mother were caught in a car accident, thankfully, their injuries
are not fatal, but they have to stay in the hospital for a week. My brother is out from the country and we
don't have any relatives."
"Oh my!" Victoria gasp. "Thank goodness nothing serious happened! Go and attend your parents for a
while. I'm pretty sure Althea will understand."
"Yes, I'm sure she will, but..." Her smile falter. "About the shop and-"
"Don't worey about the shop!" Becca voiced out. "Me and Jack will handle it!"
It's a rare occasion when she talks, so it took time before Jack and Melanie recovered from shock.
Seeing her determined face, Jack laughed softly before patting her head.
"Of course." He then frowned. "Although I have class tomorrow."
"Oh." Althea is unconscious and they have no idea when she will wake up, Melanie, the second
capable in yheir shop will be gone, then Jack is not available tommorow. That's not an ideal situation to
open the shop. Melanie looked at Becca. There's no way she can let her manage the shop alone.
"Then, if that's the case, lets close the shop for tomorrow. You can open it if it's okay to."
"That's okay too." Jack agreeed.
"So..." This is her biggest worry. "Who will take care of Kai?"
Her question brought silence to the room. She knew it. She wants to bring him with her but she's afraid
she can't take care of her parents and her boss's kid at the same time. Jack and Becca is out of the
options since both doesn't know how to take care of the kid. She's afraid they'll feed him something that
will cause food poisoning. Or maybe forgot about him and he'll get kidnapped.
Although Kai is matured for his age, he's still a kid. He still needs the attention of an adult. But who?
"If none of you can," Victoria opened her mouth. Melanie, who was having an headache, looked at her.
The former is smiling widely. "Then Tyler can take care of him!"
The three, and even Tyler can't help but mutter up a single shocked word.
"Huh?!"
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