Emotion

36

Chapter Thirty-Six| Eden

We've been up all night because Theo can't sleep.

He won't leave my side at all and he's barely said a word since we got out of the bath many hours ago.

I sit up and Theo tenses. I swing my legs off of the bed and stand up, Theo follows my actions, towering over me.

"Small?" He whispers and I sigh, reaching up to kiss his cheek.

"I need to pee." I whisper back and he nods his head. I turn around to walk to the bathroom an sigh again when I feel him following me. "I'll only be a minute."

He looks at me as if I'm about to jump of a bridge and hesitates, stepping back. I give him a small smile when I close the door to the bathroom.

This is going to be difficult.

•••

"Theo how are you doing?" Oliver beams as me and Theo walk into the kitchen hand in hand. I look up at Theo who just shrugs and then he helps me onto the kitchen island chair.

"We're flying home tonight." I feel my blood turn cold knowing my family and Lia are going to go ballistic.

It's been three weeks.

I put on a smile and look at Theo who is filling my plate with food. He pushes the plate closer to me and then my eyes widen when he grabs a fork and begins to feed me.

"I can do it." I smile at him and remove the fork from his hands.

He clenches his jaw but nods his head before fixing a plate for himself.

"Iris would be proud of you-" I drop my fork and look at Oliver with wide eyes. He slowly closes his eyes and rubs the stubble on his jaw.

"How do you know who Iris is?" I question, sitting up straight in my seat. I feel Theo clutch on tightly to my hand as he stares at Oliver in disbelief.

Oliver takes a deep breath and looks at Theo with a sorry expression.

"My sister, Theo's mother."

What the fuck?!

"You're Theo's Uncle?! You kept Iris away from her son and you let your nephew suffer for what?" I exclaim, sticking up for Theo who is looking at Oliver with empty eyes.

"Professor Richards threatened to kill Theodore along with his parents if I told them that their baby was alive. I haven't seen my sister in over twenty-five years, Eden." I clench my jaw at his words. "There were so many times that I wanted to help Theo but I couldn't."

I look up at Theo and squeeze his hand gently. "You okay?" I whisper and he nods his head.

"Iris and Daniel are my parents." Oliver nods.

"I'm so sorry, Theodore." Oliver apologises and  stands up from his chair.

"That's why you always helped me and cleaned my wounds after a beating." Theo says. "You felt guilty." Oliver purses his lips and nods his head, looking away in guilt.

"I hope you can forgive me one day, Theodore. I wish things had gone differently those many years ago."

"I forgive you and I don't wish anything would have gone differently because I might not of met Small." My heart warms at Theo's words. "I have a bright future ahead of me now and a baby on the way." I automatically rest my hand on top of my belly and smile.

"You'll be an amazing father, Theodore." Oliver gently smiles and then quietly leaves the room.

"Well that was all unexpected." I breathe out and shove a strawberry into my mouth.