Chapter Eighteen
Sera woke up early next morning to find the space beside her empty. Did Zach leave already? Or was it a dream? Then she saw his luggage on her bedroom floor.
No it wasn't a dream. She went to the ensuite to freshen up and then went to the kitchen to get Zion's milk. She carried his bottle to Zion's room.
She went inside and saw Zach struggling to open Zion's soiled diaper. He had a cloth pin stuck on his nose as he tried to figure out how to change him. Zion also had a similar expression on his face as he tried to figure out who this new character was.
A laugh escaped her. Like father, like son. Zach glared at her. He was trying wasn't he? Sera went inside and Zion gurgled with happiness.
"Mmummm," he mumbled in his baby voice as he squirmed to be picked up. Zachary removed the cloth pin from his nose and stared at them with jealousy.
Sera changed Zion and cleaned him. And picked him up to feed him. Zach took Zion from her arms and sat down on the floor with him. A wide grin on his face. He stretched his hand towards Sera for the bottle. She handed it to him wordlessly.
He gave him the bottle and Zion drank happily. Zach looked up triumphantly at Sera. Sera smiled at his efforts. Dad and son stared at each other.
After he was done Sera burped Zion and said to him. "Zion, this is daddy. Say daddy, baby, " she said, patting Zach, trying to introduce him to his son.
"Ddaadaaa," said Zion and Zach grinned.
"See he's learning," he said excitedly. He held out his hands to Zion but he simply glared at Zach's beard.
"You too don't like it, Zion?" Said Sera and Zach quirked his eyebrow at her. She blushed to the roots of her hair. She put Zion into his stroller and pushed him with her as she went to make breakfast for everyone.
She cooed and chatted with Zion as she made Zion's fruity oatmeal smoothie and egg and ham sandwiches for themselves along with granola parfait topped with berries.
"Zion let's eat baby? Now where did that daddy of yours run off to, " she said with running actions and Zion gurgled with laughter.
"I'm right here. Are you missing me?" Asked a clean shaven Zachary from a pillar upon which he was leaning and watching them.
Sera looked up and again coloured. "No, not at all. I was just, I mean. Well, breakfast's ready. Let's just eat," she stammered and Zachary's face brightened and his grin widened. She was still so innocent and open as a book.
He went closer to his son and picked up his grubby hand and touched it to his smooth stubble less cheek and chin. "Zion, say daddy, d a a a d d y," he said and Zion gurgled happily and touched his cheek again and again.
"Daadddy," he said and Zach did a happy dance.
Sera giggled as she brought the food to the table. "Was that a silly happy dance?" She asked. Zach glared at her.
"It wasn't silly. Yes it was a happy dance. Zion called me daddy, he's learning. He even loved my smooth cheek." He said. Then going closer to her, he looked into her eyes "Do you like it now, Sera. Will you touch it like Zion did?" He asked, his eyes blazing with the fire that was burning within him for the last two years without her.
Sera lowered her eyes, not wanting her feelings to be seen through her eyes. "Zion's hungry. I've got to feed him," she said with her cheeks flushed. Zach felt glad to be with them at last, but he knew that he didn't have much time. He needed to take them back home with him as soon as possible.
Sera fed Zion as well as ate her own food. Zach observed her closely. She had put on a little weight. Her breasts were more deliciously rounded and the ample cleavage which showed over the v shaped neckline already had him crave for a taste of her.
Afterwards Sera washed the dishes while Zach folded the washed laundry with Zion playing beside him with his toys. He was chatting with Zion and he was responding in his baby way. As Sera came into the room, Zach picked up her black lacy bra and looked at it with awe. He picked up her matching panties too to fold but gaped at them instead as if they were some treasure that he found.
Sera rolled her eyes. He had to find the exact naughty ones that River gifted her on her last birthday. She had worn them yesterday and washed them. She snatched them away from his hands and hid them inside a drawer as Zachary grinned mischievously.
"Zion, tell daddy to mind his own business," she said, annoyed and embarrassed.
"But I'm doing just that. Tell mummy to start packing everything, Zion," said Zachary.
"Why should I start packing?" She asked him in confusion.
"Because you're going back with me and Zion, " said Zachary.
"I'm not going anywhere with you. I've got a good job here," she said.
"Fine, you can stay back. Zion's going back with me," he said, not looking at her. He knew that she couldn't leave Zion alone with him. She would have to go along.
"No way, Zion's not going anywhere," said Sera, glaring at him.
"He needs a father Sera and I need my family. So you both are coming with me," he said, solemnly like an order.
"Zion will have a father. I'm engaged to River's cousin Rhett Wilson. He has helped me since the time I came here, two years ago. He has taken me for check ups, he has looked after my medicines, my health. He has taken care of Zion since the day he was born. So I'm marrying him and he will be Zion's dad," said Sera.
"You now love Rhett, do you? I thought you were a one man woman. Did you lie to me that day? " asked Zachary in a pained voice as his eyes glistened with unshed tears. She has moved on? She didn't love him anymore. "You don't love me," He whispered brokenly.
"No, I didn't mean that. I don't love Rhett. He's just a friend. I am still a one man woman," she confessed and his eyes sparkled.
"Are you saying you still love me?" He asked, hopefully.
"I I, that's out of the context. We can't go with you while I'm still engaged to Rhett," she said with finality.
"Then break off your engagement. You don't love him," he insisted.
"I can't. River's family has done a lot for me," she said truthfully.
Zachary got up and walked towards the main door. He wore his shoes. "I'll be back soon, " he said and opened the door and went out, closing it after him.
Sera sat dumbfounded. Where did he go off to in such a haste?
She got up to complete her work and then went to bathe Zion.
