‹ Prequel: Vital
Sequel: Different.

Times Are Changing

Honesty is key.

Things with David have been exceptionally well. A week had passed by, and I couldn't have been happier. Surprisingly.

"What's for dinner?" David questioned, wrapping his arms around my waist with his chin on my shoulder. I glanced at him from the corner of my eyes and smiled.

"You are making me dinner, remember?" I remind, with a playful grin.

"You're going to hold that to me?" he sighs.

"I told you he had a poopy, and you doubted me then proceeded to make it a bet in hopes to get sex. However, I won, don't question a mother's intuition," I snicker.

"Witchcraft!" he accuses, pointing a finger at me.

"Oh, yeah, totally," I roll my eyes and continued to smile.
"Now quit stalling, mommy is hungry."

"Mhmm," he clucked his tongue and shifted to the fridge.
"Cereal."

"A dinner for even the best of royalty," I sarcastically decline.

"Fine, macaroni and cheese. If I recall, that is your favorite," he says with a proud expression.

"Because that is so hard to remember," I laugh.
"Macaroni and cheese, it better be as good as your moms."

"Mhmm," he nods. Dominic went running around the empty house.

"Eat?" Dominic asks with an expectant look on his face.

"In a minute," David answers.

"No, now!" Great he's hitting that age.

"Aye," I scold. "Stop." Dominic narrowed his eyes and stomped off.

"I wonder where he gets that from," David teases. I roll my eyes and followed our son.

"You," I mutter under my breath. I stood in the doorway in sigh of David and Dominic.
"So, when did your mom say she'll be back?"

"She didn't, she just said she wouldn't be back tonight," David answers from the counter.

"Hmm," I grumble.

"She and my father are having some time alone," he adds, shivering. I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Hey, let's when we're older," I trail off not finishing that thought. David just sent me a perverted grin.

"Are you insinuating somethings?" he proposes, both of his brows raised.

"Oh yeah, totally," I giggle.

"Mhmm," he sighs, his shoulders slouching forward. Suddenly my phone rings.

"Hello?" I ask, staring at David.

"Monique," his familiar voice replies. I pause.

"Who is it?" David questions, glancing at me after my abrupt silence. His eyes scanned my expression and slowly he started walking towards me.

"Don't worry about it," I tell David and leave the room to better watch Dominic.
"Yes?" I reply, my eyes shifting around the room.

"When are you coming home?" Nathan questions from the other end of the phone.

"I'm not," I dryly answer.

"Monique," he sternly says my name.
"Please."

"You said you were moving in with your mom, and wanted me gone," I remind.

"I did not," he lies. Okay so maybe he didn't say it in those exact words, however same thing.

"Just stop," I plea. "I can't handle it."

"Where are you? I drove by your parents place, waited a while, and didn't even see you not once," he started to sound crazy. "Are you still on vacation? Are you even working? I called and your boss said that you were taking a much needed break. Are you okay? How is Dominic? Please, answer me."

"Maybe if you'd stop talking I could," I scowl. "I am fine, I am not on vacation, I am taking a break, Dominic is quite alright thank you, and my where abouts are not your concern."

"Can you come by so we can talk," he simply inquired. I roll my eyes and saw Dominic reach for the lamp.

"No! Aye," I swat at his hand. He giggles and runs from me.

"Can I talk to him?" Nathan sounded desperate.
"I miss my family, Monique. Please come back."

"Nathaniel," I growl.
"I will talk to you later."

"Don't hang up on-" he began but too late, my finger hit the end button.

"Oh, so Nathan is calling you?" David stood with his arms folded across his chest. I jump at his voice, and felt a little startled.

"He called, yes," I answer not feeling the need to lie.

"What did he want?" he questions with spite.

"He wants me to go and talk to him," I shrug.

"And?" he pried.

"And?" I repeat, furrowing my brows.

"Are you?" he sighs, and I could feel the hurt in his voice.

"No, David, I don't care to talk to him. He was wrong," I inform.
"Very, very wrong."

"Do you...do you still have feelings for him?" he hesitates, afraid of my answer.

"Not anymore," I honestly assure. I walk over to him, and wrap my arms around his neck.
"And no, you didn't change that." That sounded wrong and I thought to rephrase it.
"I quit liking him when he was an ass. Plus, you're more than a rebound."

"I was before that foo," David grins. I return the playful smile and kiss him.

"Eww," Dominic hacked and ran away when we looked at him. I heard his giggles all the way down the hall and back. David shook his head, removed my hands and returned to the kitchen.

"You don't have anything to worry about!" I holler. I wont ever lie to David, in hopes he wont ever lie to me. With a smile, I pull Dominic into my arms and carried him upside down to the kitchen.

"Eat?" Dominic begs.

"Is dinner ready yet?" I playfully acted as if I were impatient.

"It is now," David answers with a smile. He placed the bowl on the table.
"Bon apetite."

"Yay!" Dominic squealed, without a fight allowed me to put him in his high chair.

"Nicely done," I compliment, pecking David's cheek.

"Thank you," he smirks taking a seat. I served Dominic his bowl, then David's and lastly myself. We ate in silence for a moment when David glanced at me. I quriked a brow, stuffing a spoon full in my mouth. David glanced away at his bowl and played with his food.

"What's wrong?" I ask, taking notice of his weird behavior.

"You aren't lying about Nathan are you?" he replies, a glint in his eyes.

"Why the hell would I lie?" I retort.
"Of course not."

"Okay," he nods with a smile.
"I was just wondering."

"David, I am yours," I assure, returning the smile.
"All yours. We are a family."

"Good," he possessively replies. I roll my eyes and glance at Dominic, taking in his messy appearance.

"Bath for you after this," I tell him with a stern look before continuing to eat.

...

After dinner David offered to give Dominic a bath, and as he did that I took it upon myself to wash the dishes and put them away. I rearranged the dinner table to match as it looked before, darn near perfect. I clicked the light off and walked up the stairs. David laid Dominic to bed, after successfully lotioning him up, putting baby powder and placing a new diaper on the kid.

"Good job," I whisper, pecking his cheek from behind.

"Thanks," David proudly responds, leaning forward and ruffling Dominic's hair.
"Good night, I love you."

"Lah you," Dominic responds. I then took David's place and kissed Dominic's cheek.

"Night, love you," I say before turning away.

"Lah you," Dominic calls and slowly settles into bed. Maybe David wasn't far off when it came to our son finally sleeping alone. Maybe it was me being smoothering him. I guess I just don't want him to grow up.

"Ready for bed?" David asks, throwing me out of my thoughts. I nod and crack the door a little to Dominic's room. I entered David's room and searched through my clothes, pulling out some feminine boxers and a tank.

"David," I call. At which David nods.
"You're honest with me...right?"

"...yeah," he hesitantly answers. I assume it's because I was random about my question. Earlier he had a right, considering Nathan called. I just smiled at him with a nod of my own.

"Okay," I sigh with relief. I crawl into bed with a half naked David, at which he turned and clicked the light off.

"Good night," he cooed, kissing my lips and wrapped his arms around me.

"Good night," I reply. Wishing we would say those three words that I yearn to hear. But in due time will that come. I snuggle into him and slowly close my eyes, drifting to sleep.
♠ ♠ ♠
Hmmm.... Tisk tisk. :] Anywho, comments are loved.

What did you think of this chapter?
Do you think Monique was a little too rude to Nathan?
Do you think David is being unfair to Monique with the honesty thing?

Most of all, who is your favorite character and why? :] I would love to know!