JEALOUSY IN DEATH

13.

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13. Lucas

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When the day broke, Lucas got out of the bed and changed into his gym wear. He opened Bobo's room a crack and saw him sleeping peacefully. Lucas walked lightly down the staircase and went to his home gym. He wore his boxing gloves and started boxing the shit out of the bag.

He was frustrated in a way he couldn't explain. His friends were going to have a field day when he told them about Desiree and his attraction towards her. They'd been subtly but not intrusively trying to get him out of his depression by setting him on dates he was never interested in.

He had a wife, she might be dead but he still owed her his loyalty. She had his heart and though Desiree must have gotten his treacherous cock to rise, his heart wasn't going to be that easy. The thought of loving someone else turned his stomach, no, he couldn't betray her like that.

Lucas hit the bag harder and bounced on his feet. His tank top was soaked through with sweat so he took it off and continued. His arm started to ache but he went on anyway. Losing his control last night because of a red, lacy bra made him itch. He was considering truly getting laid, it had been years and his body was starting to betray him. He punched the bag harder as he thought of Desiree in his bed. He needed her out of his head.

Lucas threw the gloves on the floor and got on the treadmill, he was getting exhausted but he knew he had to push harder. He increased the incline on the machine and started running, his heart pounded as he exerted himself. His thighs started to throb at some point but he ignored the pain.

Lucas walked out of the gym with a clearer head. He knew there was no point sleeping with any random woman, that wasn't likely to solve his problem. The only way to make things right was to fire Desiree, but he was torn. Bobo would be crushed, he talked nonstop about her and he didn't want to take her out of his life so fast. He couldn't start breeding his kid for unstable relationships, he was too young for that sort of disruption. The only option was to go back to ignoring her, he only needed to do it in a subtler way.

He walked to his kitchen bare chested and got stuff out of the fridge for a smoothie. Desiree wasn't in the main house yet as it was just six a.m. He'd added it in the document he sent over to her that his son woke up from seven on Saturdays and Sundays. He jumped into the shower after drinking his smoothie. This time his hand didn't linger on a certain part of his body. He dried himself and wore jeans and button-down shirt.

Bobo entered his room with his stuffed monkey as he put on his wrist watch.

"Hey, little man. How did you sleep?"

Bobo yawned. "Good morning, dad." He got on the bed and dropped his stuffed animal by his side. "Are we seeing grandma today?"

"Yes, we are." Bobo usually spent his weekend with his paternal grandparents.

"Is Dee coming with us?"

"No."

Bobo sat upright. "Why?"

Lucas had explained to Bobo what a nanny did few days before hiring Desiree, but his son was still mixing it up with friendship. He had also noticed that Bobo had been on his absolute best behavior since Desiree started working, it felt as if he was trying to impress her. The only time he wrongfully suspected that she was mad at him, he'd gotten upset. It was glaring that his son wanted someone else in his life apart from his daddy and his school friends, someone like a mother. And he seemed to fit Desiree right into the empty spot. His heart ached just thinking about it. He felt bad knowing he had to explain again so he could know his boundaries and not be disappointed in future.

Lucas joined his son on the bed and lifted him into his hands. "Desiree has her own family and she has to see them."

"But she's my friend and I want her to meet grandma."

"She could meet her some other time."

"Hmm, okay. Daddy, I'm hungry."

Lucas smiled and kissed his son's cheek. "Let's get you to the kitchen then."

They went to the kitchen and Lucas poured two different cereals in Bobo's bowl. He liked to eat coco pops with fruity loops and Saturday was the best day to indulge. Lucas added milk to the bowl and pushed it in front of his son.

Desiree walked into the kitchen some minutes after and he saw her pause as she saw him and Bobo already there.

"Good morning, boss."

"Morning."

"I'm sorry I came in late, but I figured you guys wanted to sleep in today."

He was becoming exhausted with her apologies, they made him feel so stuck-up. "You don't have to apologize."

"Dee, I'm going to see grandma. Do you want me to bring you mangoes? Grandma has a huge mango tree."

"How huge?" Desiree asked and took a stool out. She sat beside Bobo and looked interested in his story.

"This huge." Bobo spread his arms to show how huge.

"You mean this huge?" Desiree exaggerated by spreading her arms so far apart. Bobo chuckled and Lucas watched as Desiree rubbed his head. "Yes, I'd like some mangoes."

"Will you come with us?"

"No, Bobo. I have to see a friend."

Lucas wondered if it was a male friend but then he realized it really wasn't his business. Plus, if she had a boyfriend, it'd make everything easy.

"Okay." Bobo continued eating his cereal.

"I have to go pack our things," he said and excused himself.

Lucas got few things from Bobo's room and as he packed, he thought about Desiree meeting his mom. She wasn't a snob or anything of that sort, but Desiree's dressing would surely give her migraine. His mom was a big time party goer and she knew the latest fashion trend. Without meaning to be rude, she'd say something inappropriate to Desiree like offer her a card to some expensive store or invite her to raid her closet.

Lucas smiled. But it wasn't going to happen. His mother had stopped coming to his house since the fire, instead they went to hers. His father followed his wife's footsteps, so if he couldn't convince her to pay him a visit, he couldn't convince him either.

Lucas went back downstairs and told Desiree she could leave. There was nothing left for her to handle and she'd done a good job the whole week. He only needed her back by Sunday evening doing the usual. Bobo decided to go with Desiree to the guest house and Lucas didn't protest. By the time the duo came back, Desiree was holding an overnight bag and Bobo was holding her hand like he didn't want her to leave.

"Bobo, come. Dee has to go," Lucas called his son.

"Will you come back, Dee?"

"Of course, I will. I'd never leave you."

Lucas almost cursed her loudly for saying that. "Stay here, little man. I need to help Desiree with her bag."

"There's no need for that," she protested.

"I need to talk to you also."

"Okay."

Lucas switched on the T.V and went to the cartoon channel before walking out of the door with Desiree. He stopped walking as they got closer to the gate and it took few seconds for Desiree to realize he'd stop.

"I need you not to do that again, okay?"

"Do what?"

"Promise never to leave. I don't want you filling his head with those kind of promises, he's been disappointed enough."

"Oh my God, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that."

She looked humiliated and Lucas nodded. "Just be a nanny, nothing more. You can leave now."

Her hand touched his arm as he tried to leave but she dropped it when he looked at the point of contact. "Lucas, I didn't mean to rile you up and I wasn't trying to hurt him. You have to know I'd never intentionally hurt him...I love him like he's my own."

"But he's not and you're not his mom. He has a mom and that's not you so act accordingly."

He cursed under his breath when he heard her sniffed. No, she wasn't getting him with her crocodile tears, especially since she knew what she was doing. She wasn't trying to be a nanny, no, she was doing more than that, she was acting like his mom. When she got a better opportunity elsewhere and left the job, she'd be leaving Bobo behind devastated. He wasn't going to sit and watch her use his son as a balm to heal whatever wound she was nursing.

"See you at work on Sunday. Don't be late."

Desiree walked out of the gate and he watched her walk down the street. Lucas went back in and got Bobo bathed and dressed for the visit. They wore matching Dior sunglasses as Lucas drove out of the driveway.