Not His Type Of Mate

Nora's

POV

It was late already, but I knew he wasn't sleeping. I walked toward his bed and sat beside him, and as expected, he opened his eyes and turned to me. "Mum..." he called softly, and my heart melted. "Yes, my baby," I replied, happiness brimming in my voice. He opened his eyes wide and gave me a curious glare. "Hope you are not here to sing me a lullaby. I'm sure you know I'm not a kid, right? I'm a grown-up big boy now, and I can sleep without lullabies," he said and pouted, which made me so surprised that I couldn't help but chuckle. I stared at him for a while with a big smile on my face. Seeing my son so mature and smart was a big win for me, and it warmed my heart every time it popped up in my mind. I tucked him in well and inhaled. "Hope you are comfortable here? You haven't slept in another place except our home before. Are you okay here?" I asked him as I was worried. We never left my home in London since I gave birth to him, and I was worried that the sudden change of environment might affect him.

Julius shook his head and smiled at me. "No, Mum. I love it here. I'm comfortable here, and it feels like home too. Grandma is nice, Uncle Maxwell is sweet to me too. I love it here, Mum," he said to me, and I sighed in relief. It would have been a problem if he wasn't comfortable here because I wouldn't have a choice but to return to London, which mustn't happen yet.

But, my mother is a nice person. I felt like laughing at that compliment. If only my son had known what kind of grandmother he had, he wouldn't have said it like that, and I wished I could correct him. But then, was it not okay to think she is nice, so he could at least live happily here for a month? I was still deep in thought when Julius tapped my hand, and I looked at him. "Mum, who was that man?" He asked, and my heart raced. "Which... Which man?" I stuttered. I already knew who he was asking about, but I was too taken aback. "The man you were speaking to this afternoon. You didn't reply to me yet, and I want to know," he asked, and I could see the curiosity in his eyes. I knew he wanted to know who the man was, and he must have been thinking about kinds of stuff, but there was no way I could tell him the truth, and I felt guilty about that. "He is a friend. I told you earlier. He is just a friend," I replied to him, hoping he would stop talking about Maddison. But he sat up in his bed and looked at me. "Mum, that man... are you sure he is just your friend?" He asked me, and I nodded. "I've been dreaming about him, Mum. I've been seeing him in my dreams even before I saw him today. That was why I recognized him the moment I saw him, and I wanted to know who he was and why I saw him in my dreams," he said, and my eyes twitched. I looked at him with a squinted eye. "What did you see in your dream? What was he doing there? Did..." I stopped myself, closed my eyes, and breathed in to calm myself before I revealed a forced smile. "Tell me, son. What was that man doing in your dreams?" I asked him, and he frowned. "I always see myself playing with him. He would buy me ice cream, bake with me, train me, and do all sorts of sweet and happy things with me. That man in my dreams acts like my father, and he cherishes me so much like a father would. Is he my... Dad?" He asked, but I quickly waved my hands. "No... No. He is not your dad. He is never your dad, and he can't be. He is just a friend I knew here in Francisco before I gave birth to you." I tried convincing him, but the only word that came out of his mouth was "Oh!" Before he looked away. He didn't believe me, and he wasn't happy with me either.

Seeing the situation, I decided to change the topic, and I thought about what to talk about until something came to my mind, and a smile appeared on my face. "Yes, Julius. What would you want Mum to give you on your birthday? Your birthday is in a few days from now, and I'm sure you want something from Mum, right?" I asked him, and he turned to face me. He was in deep thought for a while. I waited and waited, and I had already thought he wouldn't answer me because he was angry before he opened his mouth. "You will give me anything I want?" He asked me, and my eyes lit up. "Of course! I can get you anything for your birthday because you are my pretty boy!" I said with a big smile on my face. What could a four-year-old son want that I couldn't give him? I was confident I could get anything he wanted for him until he opened his mouth. "I want my dad. I want to see my dad on my birthday, and that's the birthday gift I want from you, Mum." He replied, and I froze. I couldn't talk as I just continued staring at him. "Just once. Even if it's just once, can you please let me meet my father?" He asked again, and my heart sank. I had tried so much to keep him hidden, thinking I was only doing the right thing by keeping him away from Maddison and he would never have to see that bad father of his forever, but he wants to see him now? For his birthday? I was speechless, nothing was coming out of my mouth even when I opened it. "Mum, please. Let me see my father. I just want to see him, even if it's just once." He pleaded again, and I opened my mouth. I wanted to talk, but my words got stuck in my throat again. "Can't you do this for me? Can't you let me see my father? Mum, please, can I see him just once? One time is enough for me. I just want to know who he is," he continued pleading, and I had had enough. I was done listening to him, so I held his shoulder and made him lay back in his bed. "Go to bed now. We will talk more about this tomorrow. It's late already," I said to him, as I found it hard to stay with him any longer. My mind was a complete mess, and I had a lot to think about. So much that my head was already pounding. "Sleep tonight, and we will talk about this tomorrow," I said again as I covered him up with the duvet.

He nodded his head, and I kissed his forehead. I cupped his face with my hands and smiled at him, saying, "I'm sorry." In my heart, I walked out of his room and returned to mine. I was restless, and I started pacing around the moment I entered my room. The dream he said had refused to leave my head. "He acted like my father. He cherishes me like a father would do," Julius's voice kept ringing in my head, and it felt like I was going to lose my mind. He wanted to see his father, and I knew my son well enough; he wouldn't give up until I showed him his father.

"What you are doing is not right, Nora. How could you deny Maddison from seeing or knowing about his son? He has every right to know about him, and you know this. Why are you acting like this?" Lolita scolded me, and my blood boiled. I was angry. How could she? How could she not be on my side too? How could she not know my pain, even if others don't?!

"What do you mean? Am I the bad person here? Did you not know when Maddison pushed me then, and I nearly lost my child?! What if the baby had died? Would he have come back to me to demand the dead child, or would you all have told me to hand over my womb to him when the baby was gone?! Would you?!" I yelled, my eyes moist with tears. I was frustrated enough as it was.

I expected Lolita to reply to me, but she didn't say a word. She didn't reply to any of my questions, and a single tear rolled down my eyes. I hated the way everyone was trying to make me the bad person when they clearly knew what Maddison did to me four years ago.

With a groan, I walked over to my bed and was about to lie in it when I heard a familiar voice, and I frowned. Was that a voice? Maddison's voice? "Nora," the voice called again, and my eyes widened. It was Maddison's voice! It was the first time I would be hearing his voice in my mind since I left him four years ago, and it was a bit strange. "What's it? What do you want?" I asked him coldly.

"Have you forgotten that we made a deal? I want to see you tomorrow," he demanded, causing me to frown. I was frustrated and bit my lower lip, with my eyes closed, forcing out the answer, "Okay." I groaned and ended the mind link.