“I hope that means that you brought Delinda,” she says sternly. “That poor child must be so confused.”
“Yes, of course I did,” he replies. “She is with Marguerite.”
“Good,” she says. “Before I see her, there is something I need to ask you.” The wary tone of her voice immediately puts him on edge.
“What is it?” he asks, trying for indifference but knowing he failed.
“What did I do or say to you while under Sebastian’s influence?” she says to him, catching him completely by surprise. He wasn’t expecting that at all.
“What makes you think you did anything?” he asks carefully.
“I know you; you are being a bit…off,” she says, looking him dead in the eye.
“Off?” he asks, merely as a stall. He doesn’t want her to know her actions caused him so much pain and doubt. She needs his support, and this will crush her. “How so?”
She lets out an angry huff. “If I knew that, I wouldn’t have used the word ‘off,’ you arse.”
“Insults as well. How ‘you’,” he says but with no malice.
Aefre sticks her middle finger up at him and he grabs it and kisses it. “It matters not,” he says.
“Yes, it does,” she says. “Whatever it was, it upset you. Please just tell me so that I can make it right.” The desperation in her voice gives him pause. She is really upset, and he doesn’t want that, but he can’t tell her that she was going to abandon their baby.
“There is nothing to make right, Aefre. It wasn’t you,” he says gruffly.
“So, there was something,” she says sadly, looking down at their linked fingers.
“There is nothing you can do or say that will make me say anymore on this subject,” he says in that tone that ends conversation dead.
Usually.
“But–” his infuriating wife says.
“Nothing,” he reiterates. “I love you and you are back, and we are having this precious miracle and that is all that matters now.”
“Do you mind if I see Delinda now?” she asks in a small voice.
“No,” he says with a frown. “Why would I mind?”
“You know,” she says, indicating the vast bed upon which he laid her down.
“All in good time, my sweet,” he says, kissing her hand. “I want you completely focused on me and us so I can wait until you are ready.”
She gapes at him and he knows he is acting out of character. He has been all day and she has seen it more than once. He doesn’t want her asking about it. Not yet. He isn’t ready to tell her until his thoughts are perfectly clear, as there will be no going back.
“I will get Delinda,” he says and Teleports out before she ca
n say anything else.
He returns shortly with the child and she screams, “Mama!” so loudly it hurts his ears. He sets her down and she leaps on the bed with Aefre. “Are you better now?” she asks.
“Yes, I am just fine,” Aefre says, smiling down at the daughter that looks so much like her and giving her a big cuddle.
“When are we going home?” she asks.
Aefre gives him a nervous look but answers the question. “We are staying here on Earth for a while, sweetie. There is so much here that I want to do with you and show you.”
“Like what?” she asks.