Obsession, Madness & Love (#6)

Prologue

I was three when I first met her.

I clung onto dad's neck as he walked inside the hospital with me in his arms and mom beside him.

"Okay, buddy." Dad patted my back when we entered the elevator. "Get down now. You are getting heavier day by day."

I held him tightly. "No, dad."

"C'mon, I am tired!"

I buried my face in his neck. "No."

He groaned and turned to mom. "Do you want to hold him instead, baby?"

I peeked to see mom's reaction as she shot a glare to him and placed her palm on her baby bump. "I'm already carrying a child inside me, idiot. And you are getting old if you can't carry a kid."

"Geez, fine."

Mom said I was going to have a baby brother/sister soon and it makes me as excited as I was to see another baby today. Uncle Westly's daughter. Dad's best friend.

Knowing I was troubling dad, I slowly slid down him for which he ruffled my hair and smiling down at me as I held his hand instead.

The elevator doors slid opened and we walked out and towards the direction of the room where dad said uncle Westly was with his wife and daughter.

Dad knocked before going inside and uncle hugged him immediately. "Congratulations, brother." Dad patted his back.

Smiling, uncle pulled back and side hugged mom and kissed my forehead.

I stood there watching as mom and dad gushed over how cute the baby was and mom picked her up in her arms.

I tugged at mom's dress. "I want to hold her too."

"You will drop her, Calix."

"I won't." I said firmly and tugged at her dress repeatedly. "Please."

She sighed and pointed to the couch. "Okay, sit there first."

Grinning, I sat down on the couch cross legged and mom slowly lowered her to my arms instructing me to support her head with my palm.

She was so small and fragile, her rosy cheeks and little fingers. She was sleeping but I wanted to see her eyes.

I brushed my fingers over her little palm and suddenly she gripped my finger firmly and I watched her in awe.

"Her name...?" I asked uncle.

That caused him to smile sheepishly. "Um...we wanted to keep the gender a surprise so we didn't think of a name."

"Oh..."

Dad smacked him on his head. "She was born yesterday and you couldn't decide a name for her?"

"It's not an easy task!" Uncle complained rubbing the back of his head.

I glanced down to her and was surprised when her eyes fluttered opened, bright blue in colour and so beautiful.

She stared up at me for a minute before she fell asleep again.

Dad and uncle were still arguing over names.

"Althea." I whispered and looked up when they stopped arguing.

"What did you say, Calix?" Uncle asked softly.

I think I had heard this name somewhere and I liked it. "Althea." I stated firmly. "Please name her Althea."

I was just three and not old enough but when I look back, I realise that from that moment onwards, she was mine.

Prologue completion on: 18/8/22
Published on: 25/9/22