Royalty Overnight

33: Neith

Having an infant again after a long time was an almost unfamiliar experience. The children were delighted to have another brother and were coping well.

Nakita suffered from mild postpartum depression and was losing appetite, but didn't even dare to miss it with Maalik always making sure she ate. Guilt and shame enveloped her heart whenever he came to take care of her. She knew it was taking a toll on him, but he never complained, not once.

The cry of Armin startled her from the endless thoughts around her head.

Nakita left the window and went to the crib where her baby lay. She picked him up and his cry died down; it seemed like he was just bored and wanted to leave the place after so long.

"Were you getting lonely there, Armin?" Her finger tip lightly brushed his soft cheeks, watching him lovingly while he became comfortable in her arms.

Hearing the door open and close, she moved her attention to the man that entered.

Maalik.

Based on his shallow breathing and almost disheveled appearance, he must have ran here when he had heard Armin's cry.

"Is he alright?"

She nodded. "Yes, he was quite bored laying there for so long."

"I see."

Their eyes locked for a moment, there was an unmistakable attraction between them. It has been growing for months now, but neither of them refused to acknowledge or make the next step. They knew it wasn't a good idea to do that. It would change their situation for the worse.

Maalik didn't want to be near her because it would set him back on his goal of moving on. And Nakita wanted to be around him, however she was the one to set the boundaries of him not getting closer than necessary.

He slowly moved towards her and their child. "He reminds me of myself growing up."

"Oh really? How so?" Her heart skipped a beat. She always enjoyed the small talks they engaged in.

He reached to hold his son's hand, squeezing it gently. "I never enjoyed staying in one place for too long, if I can help it."

"I think that is a good thing. Always seeking a sense of purpose when things get stagnant; or refusing to stay still when things get bad and want to do something about it."

A smile touched his lips at that. "Is that so? That sounded like a compliment. Was that your intention all along?"

Heat crept up to her cheeks and she averted her eyes from him. "N-no, it was just an observation. It wasn't really my intention for it to come as a compliment. Well, you can take it as a compliment, although like I said, it was not on purpose..."

Her rambling slowly ceased when Maalik lifted her chin to see her face. "I was just teasing you, it seems like you took it to heart."

Her face deepened in pink colour. "Oh, I'm sorry. I was worried that I had overstepped the boundaries."

The boundaries I put myself. The barrier was made to protect both of them from expecting more than necessary in this marriage that may or may not come to end.

"No, you didn't."

Nakita gazed into his soft dark eyes, those eyes that she wished would only look at her forever. But it wasn't possible, he had given her space, not for her but for himself too. To see if there was something worth fighting.

They didn't know who started it, but in a second their lips touched. In the next one, the kiss deepened.

And the second after that, the door burst open, and in came their other children.