Too Much To Hide || EDITING

c.26

      It has been a whole week since the weird ambush. After sorting out my emotions that night, Adrian proceeded to clean my cuts and applied some healing ointment on them. It really made a difference three days later and now, they're just irrelevant white lines on my arms. 

      During the past week, Adrian has been spending less time with us and more time in his study or at work. His presence around the house has been kind of foreboding since that night but I take it that he's just pissed off about it.

      Portia, James and I are basking in the rare summer heat in the garden. James, being the playful little bundle of joy he is, keeps running under the light shower of the sprinklers and screaming whenever the droplets land on him. 

      "Has Adrian talked to you?" Portia asks me as she adjusts her long skirt.

      A sigh leaves me lips. "Not really. Our conversations barely last nowadays,"

      A sympathetic grin flashes on her face at my disappointed tone.

      "He was worried about you, Liz," she says and keeps her eyes trained on James as he precariously leans over to touch a sprinkler.

      "I know but now, I'm worried about him," I mumble shyly.

      She rests a hand on my shoulder. "I know you are. Give him some time, he'll be alright soon."

      The hesitance in her statement makes me question whether she knows more than I do. When I meet her gaze, her smile is back, wide and sparkling with her eyes crinkling at the corners. I grow sceptical to her behaviour but nonetheless show her my own reassuring grin, letting my mind wonder off.

      "Wiz!" James waddles back with a small Jasmine flower in between his little fingers.

      My jaw drops open in exaggerated surprise as he shows it to me, beaming with pride. 

      "Wow! So beautiful," I hold his hand as he lifts it up to my nose, letting me get a sniff of its attractive aroma. "Such a pretty smell, isn't it?"

      James grins in response and moves over to Portia, allowing her to also smell the flower. The woman gives him her best, wide eyed smile and places a kiss on his forehead before he runs back to shower the plant with the sprinkler. 

      Adrian decided to stay home today but he's tucked away in the comforts of his study, probably sifting through files and notes regarding all sorts of things I don't really know about. Maybe if I could just bring him a coffee, I could convince him to pause his work and spend some time with his son.

      With newfound determination, I get up and dust off my back and legs. Portia looks up at me expectantly, raising her brows.

      "I thought of making Adrian his coffee," I say, "he won't mind right?"

      "That's actually a good idea," Portia nods, "go on. I'll look after James."

      An appreciative grin appears on my face. "Thanks."

      With that, I head into the house, brushing off my slippers on the mat, and walk into the pantry, hope blossoming in my chest. As well as getting him to spend time with James, I myself wanted to spend time with him. He's been so isolated and angry, none of us can approach him properly. If this goes on any longer, it won't be healthy for him.

      I push open a cabinet and grab his white mug to wash it before setting it aside. Bending down, I get the coffee beans and tea spoon and fill a kettle up to half the container. As I go to place it in its electric socket, a chorus of grumbling sounds from near the downstairs garage door. What?