Our Little Family

Chapter 19

Gage's P.O.V.

Eden has become extremely quiet all of a sudden, and I have no idea why. I hope it is not because of mama's offer to watch Ean, and my glare at her when she went to argue with his refusal of her offer. Ean starts crying, and Eden gets up instantly to take him from mama, and walks into the kitchen to warm up a bottle of milk for Ean.

"Is Eden okay, he seems quiet all of a sudden?" mama quietly asks with a frown once they are out of the room.

"I do not think he is," I murmur with my own frown toward the kitchen. "He got quiet after your offer to watch Ean instead of him going to the hospital daycare at the hospital."

"Oh, I hope I did not cross the line with my offer," mama murmurs worriedly as we both look toward the kitchen.

"I think he has a hard time accepting help, even if and when he needs it," I murmur sadly.

Eden walks back into the room with Ean cradled in his right arm while feeding Ean the warmed up bottle with his left hand. He sits them down on the rocker with a tiny smile at mama and me.

"Eden, I am sorry if I made you uncomfortable with my offer as that was not my intention," mama gently tells him with a frown.

Eden chews on his lower lip in nervousness for a second before saying; "It is just, I do not like accepting help from others. I have learned from a young age that I cannot accept help from others without them holding it over my head."

"Why?" mama asks despite my inner hope that she would not.

Eden stares down at Ean as he eats for several seconds before whispering; "My parents would hold over my head when they bought me things I needed, or took me anywhere they were not going. If I do things for myself, then I am the only one who will disappoint myself if something goes wrong."

Mama and I frown at him, but neither of us can reply since the timer on the oven beeps, so I get up to turn the timer off, and pull the two pizzas from the oven. Turning the oven off, I cut the pizzas into slices before walking back into the living room to tell them that dinner is done. Walking back into the kitchen, I grab plates, cloth napkins, and canned drinks from the fridge as mama, Eden and Ean join me in the kitchen. Mama grabs a plate off the counter next to the oven to place two slices onto her plate, takes a napkin, and a can of soda before moving so Eden can get his dinner.

"Eden, let me take Ean, so you can do that, please?" I offer, holding my arms out toward him to take Ean.

Eden reluctantly lets me have Ean with a tiny, shy smile, so I praise him; "Thank you, Eden."

"You are welcome," he shyly replies, and I wink at him before walking into the spare bedroom to get the baby swing I bought for when they are here. Carrying both Ean and the swing into the living room, I set the swing next to the couch, and carefully place Ean in the swing, strapping him in, and start the swing on the slowest setting with soft classical music playing. Eden and mama enter the room with curious expressions.

Eden looks at me with a shy smile, and a thankful eyes; "That is very sweet, even though you did not have, too. I would have been okay with holding him while I ate."

Grinning broadly at him with another wink; "I know this, but I want you and him to be comfortable while you both are here."

"Thank you, Gage," he shyly answers as he hands me plate that I did not notice, and mama hands me an unopened can of soda.

"Thank you both," I say as I take both, and the three of us sit down around the room to eat and talk.

"This is amazing as usual, son," mama says, and Eden agrees.

"Eden, can I ask you a personal question?" mama asks seriously.

"Sure, but I might not answer the question," he honestly answers her.

"Fair enough," she chuckles before becoming serious. "Where is your family now?"

"I have no idea, I assume they are still living in my hometown," he shrugs, making me very curious. "I was kicked out of their home when I was fourteen, and was placed into foster care until I aged out at eighteen. The foster family I was living with at the time gave me money for college with what my scholarships did not cover. I have not seen my parents since I was fourteen."

Mama and I stare at Eden in shock at his revelation as mama says; "I am so sorry you had to deal with that, Eden. Your family should have never done that."

"Do not be sorry for me, my parents were mean, and hateful people long before they sent me away," he shrugs as if it is not a big deal.

Glancing over at mama briefly, and she stares at me in shock at Eden's answer.

"So, what are you doing after Ean and I head home later?" he asks mama and me, changing the subject, and letting us know he does not want to discuss his family any longer.

"I am going to spend time with Marie," mama replies with a fond smile at the mention of her niece/daughter.

"Um, I do not have any plans after taking mama home," I shyly answer with a slight blush coating my cheeks. "I was kind of hoping we could hangout for a while tonight after taking her home?"

"Um, I, um, I am not sure," Eden nervously answers, and I make it easy on him.

"It is okay, Eden, we do not have too tonight," I assure him with a smile. "I know you are probably tired, and want to sleep as much as possible. We can hangout again another time."