Finding Contentus

Chapter 17: Bath Time

As promised, Neosa would go with Minaleese in one bathroom, and Genesia would go with Renero in the other.

Genesia and Renero submerged themselves with ecstatic sighs of relief into the steaming water. The bathroom was softly lit with changing colours of burning lights from floating bubbles that added to the magical atmosphere of those who occupied it.

To Genesia's wonderment, the bathtub wasn't so much a tub, but more of an enchanted mini indoor lake. It was enclosed in a rectangular shape, sunk into the middle of the floor, providing enough depth to move around in.

There were several taps that carried various types of bubble bath that mixed with the hot water. One gushed out with red and blue bubbles, another poured thick white foam that Genesia and Renero greatly amused themselves with by making great beards on their faces.

The bottom of the lake bathtub could be elevated or lowered depending on what the occupier wanted. Genesis couldn't complain as he floated around and swam to his heart's content, enjoying the needed moment with his father.

"Pretty cool neh boy?" Renero gloated, resting his hands behind his head with a content smile on his face.

"Is that thing over there called a shower?" Genesia asked, pointing further down the bathroom, on the other side of the linen curtains.

"Yup. Think of it like washing yourself under a rain shower, if the rain had a head. A lot quicker than taking your time with a bath."

"Oooh," Genesia awed like he had discovered new land. "When will my peni-peni be as long as yours?" He looked downwards at his own size, feeling inferior.

Renero burst out laughing. "Don't worry about such foolishness, hmm? Your time will come, not sooner and not later," he ruffled his hair and watched Genesia calculating the years it would take for him to reach such a stage of ripeness with his fingers.

Renero found fascination by observing his son's youthful curiosity. It was so endearing to witness him wince in pain when he touched the burning heat of the metal taps experimentally.

Or when he would feel his father's chest and squeeze the muscles on his biceps, wishing to grow up to be strong looking, just like him. Or how he would pop each of the floating bubbles one by one. Or how he would gather as much foam as possible and make sketches around his scarily scarred body.

"The hell are you drawing?" Renero tried peeking only to have water splashed in his face.

"Ha,eh! No looking! I'm not done yet." Genesia had a concentrated look on his face as he continued with his work like a painter.

Renero could only shake his head mockingly with a smile, laying his head back and closing his eyes. "This better be good Princie boy, I expect nothing less than a masterpiece. Ten marks out of ten."

"Neh, Papa?"

The sound of Genesia's voice opened his eyes, but only to stare at the ceiling to see the bright yellow and amber colours of the burning lights shifting into mellow and cool colours such as blue and grey.

"Hmm?"

"What...exactly is Mina to you? And what was Mama like to you? Like how do they both compare to each other?" Genesia asked tentatively.

Renero's eyes widened, blinking a few times, slowly and purposely in deep contemplation. Oh God, Gods and all the ancestors help me for I have no idea how to answer this boy.

Renero groaned, rubbing his forehead.

"A-askies," Genesia apologized. "I don't mean it like that! Well, okay I can't lie, I do, but not because—"