A Child's Choice

Chapter 10

 The months wore on, and before they knew it, another year had passed, then two. Ebony noticed that Alex was no longer dating anyone, despite Ebony fielding calls for him at home, since he never gave out the office number to his women.

Alex spent the years falling more in love with Ebony, just as she did him. Jacob and Dakoda knew what was happening, and each kept telling their parents to just get married, but never in front of the other parent, and things came to a head one night at the dinner table.

"When are you getting married, daddy?" A now eight-year-old Dakoda asked.

"What?" Alex spluttered, only just keeping himself from spitting out his mouthful of food. "Married?"

"Yes. To Ebony." At this, Ebony turned a bright red, and picked up her water glass, taking a sip, trying to hide.

"Why would I get married to Ebony, sweetheart?" Alex asked, swallowing his food.

"Because you love her." Dakoda said, calmly eating some more. Jacob was watching as an interested bystander at this point.

"I can't marry Ebony." Alex said, not seeing Ebony put her glass down and look at the table. "I haven't asked her."

"Then ask her." Dakoda said, putting down her knife and fork, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I'm waiting." She said, impatient, as all Alex did was look at Ebony, an apologetic look on his face.

"Dakoda, darling, it doesn't work like that." Ebony said, setting her own things down and coming to squat next to Dakoda, "He pays me to be here, which means he's my boss. I can't marry my boss. It wouldn't be right."

"Then he can stop paying you." Dakoda said.

"Yeah!" Put in Jacob, "We can move out, and then he can come and ask you!"

Alex coughed, trying not to laugh, "I can marry Ebony, even if she does work for me." He said, ignoring the look Ebony shot him, "I just have to ask her. Which won't be happening at the dinner table." He looked pointedly at his daughter. "Now, finish your dinner, then bed. You have school tomorrow."

After dinner, when they could hear the two children crashing around upstairs as they got into bed, shouting at each other from their own rooms, Ebony and Alex did the dishes, silently loading them into the dishwasher before sitting on the couch for a few minutes. When they stopped hearing the children laughing and giggling so much, they would go up and put them to bed. It was only 7pm, so they still had some time before they had to be asleep.

"I'm sorry about Dakoda." Alex said, turning to face Ebony. "I don't know what's gotten into her."

"She wants a mother." Ebony said, turning to face him, "She told me last week. Jacob wants a father too. They both want to see us married."

"Well then, why don't we?" Alex said, grinning, wondering what Ebony would say. He figured she'd say no.

"I can't Alex." She whispered.

"Can't?" he asked, reaching out for her hand, "Or won't?"

"Both. I keep telling you, you're my boss. It wouldn't be right." She said, looking at him.

"What if I wasn't your boss?" He asked, curling his fingers around hers, "Would you say yes if I asked you then?"

"Yes, but." She stopped, realising what she'd just said, "Oh."

"You'd marry me if I wasn't your employer?" He said, frowning, "So I should fire you?"

"Alex, you,"