𝟐𝟔

ELSIE

As soon as I felt the sun on my face, I extended my hands and roamed them on the bed next to me.

It was empty and cold.

It's like no one even slept there. Where was Fenix? Did he go to work?

I slowly started to open my eyes and looked around. The door was slightly open and the bathroom was empty.

I pulled the covers over myself and stretched my hands and legs. A blush coated my face and neck when I realised what happened before we went to bed.

We took a shower together.

Oh God...

Fenix saw me completely naked last night. I groaned and turned around, burying my face in the soft pillows.

What possessed me to do that?

I have barely kissed two people and last night, I allowed myself to strip bare in front of him.

But I felt safe with him. He would never hurt me or say something bad to me. It was just a shower and then we went to bed, nothing else.

We just did what probably most couples do, not need for me to make a big deal out of it.

After I rotted in my embarrassment for a couple of more minutes, I pulled off the covers and stood up. I walked over to the closet, took some clothes and went to change in the bathroom.

When my eyes connected to the mirror, I groaned in frustration. My hair was a mess and my eyes were puffy from crying.

Why did I have to look like someone electrocuted me every morning?

I changed, peed, washed my face, brushed my teeth and then got out.

My feet tapped on the floor as I made my way out of my room. I had to check up on Ian.

When I got closer to his room, I heard faint voices. The door to his bedroom was also slightly open and I walked quietly.

I peeked through and a smile immediately reached my lips when I saw Fenix and Ian inside.

Ian was standing in front of the mirror and Fenix was fixing his hair.

"Is it going to look like yours?" Ian asked and tilted his head slightly.

"Of course it will."

I rested my shoulder on the door frame and crossed my hands in front of me. I continued to watch them interact.

"Dad can I have a little brother? My friend in school said that he has a small brother he plays with." At his first word, my heart stopped for a second.

He called him Dad...

Ian hasn't said anything about that to me. Maybe he asked Fenix about it. Tears started to gloss my eyes.

He doesn't call me mom and I'm completely fine with it. He started calling me Eli since he was very young and that's how it stayed. I have never had a problem with it.

He was able to call me however he pleased. But hearing him call Fenix dad made painful happiness beam in my chest.

And then the rest of his sentence started to piece together as well. A little brother.

My stomach turned and flipped at the thought of having Fenix's children one day.

"Hopefully in the future. You'll have to ask Elsie about that."

"Okay." Ian nodded.

Fenix continued to style his hair and then corrected his outfit.

Seeing him with Ian made me want to be pregnant literally right now. It's no secret that he will be an amazing father to our children.

I placed a hand over my stomach.

Thoughts of being pregnant won't leave me now.

"There it is. Look at how handsome you are. You're gonna be a heartbreaker."

"No, Eli said that you shouldn't break people's hearts." Ian pouted.  He turned around to face Fenix and he took him his arms.

"She's right. You should listen to her." They began to walk towards the door and smiled when they noticed me.

"Good morning." I said to them and stood on my tip toes to kiss Ian's forehead and then Fenix's cheek.

"Morning Eli. Dad said that he was going to take us somewhere."

I arched my eyebrow and looked up at Fenix.

"We're going to my grandma's house. We'll spend the day there. If you are ready we can go, we'll buy something to eat on the way."

"Ohh okay then. I'll just take my bag." I said and hurried to the bedroom.

I packed my bag and swung it over my shoulder. I also took my laptop just in case if I have time to do some work. I ran down the stairs and caught up with Ian and Fenix. They were at the door, putting their shoes on.

We walked out and went to the car.

We haven't been to the house ever since we went there for the first time.

When we sat inside, Ian requested for Fenix to turn on the radio. He tried to sing along to the songs.

I opened the window and let the wind blew through my hair.

There was so much going on in my head with the Aiden's situation. He risked his life just to earn some money. My parents should be ashamed of themselves.

Anger bubbled in my chest. If they were able to take care of us all equally and not dismiss me and Sally, I doubt Aiden would have gone to such extent to find a job that would put his life in danger to help me and my sister.

He even worked when he got sick. Only the last few months he was in hospital.

His sickness came out of nowhere and took his life in such a short amount of time.

We didn't even had time to say a proper goodbye to him.

I felt a hand reach to my thigh and I turned my head to Fenix.

His eyebrows were knitted together in worry. I gave him a reassuring smile and placed my hand over his.

Ian sang loudly in the back, giggles filling the car once in a while.

We bought food on the way and ate the croissants filled with chocolate in the car.

When we reached his grandma's house, we got out and I took all of my belongings with me while Ian took Fenix's hand.

"Thank you for bringing us here." I said to Fenix once Ian settled in and began to exploring the living room yet again, just like the last time.

"Do you feel better?" He cupped my face and tilted my head.

"Yeah, I'm better." He leaned his head and kissed my eyes slowly, the kisses soft and light like a feather.

"Is breá liom tú." The foreign words left his lips and my eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He definitely spoke in Irish but I had no idea what the words meant. (I love you)

I placed my hands on my hips and tapped my foot on the floor.

"What does it mean?" I asked. A smirk formed on his lips and he shrugged his shoulders.

"I guess you'll have to learn Irish soon." I poked his stomach and pressured him to tell me.

When he wouldn't give in, I stomped after him and took out the phone from my pocket.

I went on google translate, searched for Irish translation and pressed on the microphone.

"Say the words again." I told him and brought the phone close to his mouth.

He shook his and crossed his hands into of him, making his biceps flex. He was trying to make me forget. Though seeing him naked last night didn't help at all as well.

"Say it." I pushed.

"Ní dhéanfaidh mé." (I won't)

I looked down at the phone and rolled my eyes playfully.

"No kisses for you today. Matter of fact, you're not allowed to touch me or get close to me." I took a step back and watched his eyes darken and I chuckled.

He looked at me with a challenge and before I was able to take another step back, I was thrown over his shoulder.

"Let me down." My chuckles sounded even funnier now that I was face down. I poked his butt and Ian laughed from the across the room.

His phone started to ring and I thought he was going to let me down but instead he picked up the call and started to speak.

He slowly walked over to the glass doors for the garden.

When he finished his call, he slumped me on the outside sofa.

I pushed my hair away from my face and looked up at him.

"Who was it?"

"Mom. Alannah is arriving tomorrow. She asked if we could go there."

"Of course we'll go." I haven't meet his sister and I'm sure he'll also want to see her.

"Alright."

🤍🤍🤍