Side Story 4 This Family Night
Killion glanced at the wall clock and jumped to his feet as he checked the next document. It was already nine o’clock.
“I think we should postpone the next agenda item until tomorrow.”
“What? Ah… time has come and gone, I see.”
Windler checked the wall clock, closed his notebook, and stood up. Phew, finally off work. ‘I’m alive!’ Windler’s earthy face brightened a little at the thought of finally leaving this office.
“Good night, then, Your Majesty.”
“You too, rest well.”
With Windler’s polite bow, Killion hastened his steps.
He’d skip dinner, but he’d make his nine o’clock shift no matter what. There were more important things waiting for him than the piles of paperwork on his desk.
***
“Ah… Haah, I love it there… So much.”
“You mean here?”
“Yeah, yeah. There. Ah… Cool.”
On the bed, Veronia was lying in a moro, and Killion was rubbing and massaging her spine and lower back.
This was why he made sure to get off work at nine o’clock no matter what. Massaging his pregnant wife was a schedule he didn’t want anyone to take away from him.
Killion’s large hands moved slowly, pressing into Veronia’s spine and the muscles alongside it.
“If it hurts, you should tell me, not hold it in.”
“Yeah, it doesn’t hurt yet, so it’s okay. Ahh…”
During the massage, Killion’s main concern was controlling his strength. He shouldn’t use even half the force he used to wield his sword.
The sight of Veronia’s face relaxing under his touch made Killion feel immensely proud.
To make her laugh. It was a task that paled in comparison to creating new policies for the Empire and then managing and overseeing their implementation.
The only time that task was made easier was during massage time, and Killion had made it a point to guard it for a reason.
He was working his way down her back, then her calves, then the soles of her feet. Veronia called out to him in a languid voice.
“Killion, thank you so much again today.”
“I’m glad I could be of service to you again today.”
Kilion laughed softly as he finished the massage and wiped his oiled hands on a towel. Veronia blinked sleepily and looked up at Killion.
“I think I’d be happier if you kissed me.”
“Oh, wait, let me wash my hands.”
“Quickly.”
Sleepy-eyed Veronia was mostly impatient.
But she was also adorable in Killion’s eyes, and it made him feel smug to know that she was the only person in the world he could take off with ease.
“Don’t look at me, just give me a minute…”
“I said being pregnant made me less patient.”
“Veronia…”
It was a random word, something Veronia said just to see Killion struggle.
But it was enough to stir Killion to action. He wiped his hands roughly on his face and cupped Veronia’s face, and soon their lips met in a heated kiss.
It was a long time before the entwined lips parted. Looking wistfully at Killion’s lips as they pulled away, Veronia asked.
“You must sleep with Jediel tonight, mustn’t you?”
“… Yes. It is my goal to be a faithful husband to my wife and a faithful father to my son.”
“…Yes, of course.”
The wistful pout at the corner of his mouth was almost too cute to resist. Killion’s lips brushed over Veronia’s again.
***
Jediel’s gaze was fixed on the black kitten lying on the fluffy cushions. His eyes were filled with love as he watched the kitten sleep, breathing evenly.
The vet told him that there was nothing wrong with him, but that he had been fed poorly since birth, which made him weak. He said that if he ate well, took his medication, and slept well, he would soon be healthy.
“Jerry, I’m going to make you healthy. Your mum trusted me with you, so I’m going to make it happen, just trust me.”
He was whispering to his sleeping kitten in prayer.
“Jediel, are you sleeping?”
“Oh, no, Dad, not yet…!”
Jediel jumped up, startled by the sudden sound of Killion’s voice. Jediel rushed to Killion’s side and bowed his head in greeting.
“Dad, did you have a good day?”
In private, it was acceptable to call him ‘Dad’. But he’d decided to use ‘Father’ for his first greeting, figuring that the more practice he had, the less likely he’d make a mistake in public.
“Today was another busy day, but it went well. You went to the clinic with your mum during the day, didn’t you?”
“Yes. I was a little surprised when I pestered mum to stay with her longer and she said yes, so it was nice.”
Killion opened his arms wide to Jediel, and Jediel swooped into Killion’s arms. Killion immediately picked him up and lifted him into the air.
“Ugh, my son, you seem to have grown heavier overnight!”
“That’s because I’m eating a lot of breakfast, lunch and dinner, just like Dad!”
“That’s right, that’s good!”
Killion, who had been holding the child and rubbing his cheeks together, said as he put him down again.
“Dad knocked on the door several times, what were you doing that you didn’t hear?”
“Oh… sorry, I was putting Jerry to bed and didn’t hear.”
“Jerry?”
“Yes. He’s a kitten I picked up off the side of the road today, and I named him Jerry. It’s Jediel and Jerry.”
Jediel tugged on Killion’s hand and led him over to the kitten.
“The vet took care of him all afternoon. He’s only a week old, very, very young.”
“I see.”
“He said it’s not eating very well right now, so it’s a bit scrawny, but if it eats well, it’ll be strong.”
“That’s good to hear.”
Father and son’s blue eyes locked on the sleeping kitten. Killion whispered in a worried voice.
“But you know, Jediel.”
“Yes.”
“He’s still a kitten, so I think we should put up a small fence around him.”
“A fence? Won’t he get frustrated?”
Jediel asked, scratching his head.
“I suppose it would be a little stuffy, but I think it would be safer.”
“Do you think… would?”
“Well, Dad had a puppy when I was a kid, and I lost it in my room the first day I came home.”
“What? How do you lose it in your room?”
The child’s eyes widened as if he couldn’t understand.
“The puppy wandered off for a moment and got stuck between the wall and the furniture. The room was so big and he was so small, I had to look for him for a long time, and I thought he was really gone…”
“… Were you crying?”
“Yeah. I used to cry a lot when I was a kid. It still makes me giddy to think about it.”
A moment of sadness flickered in Jediel’s eyes as he looked at Killion. Then his eyes widened and he spoke again.
“I think we should build a fence.”
“Isn’t that right? We’ll have the servant make a proper fence tomorrow, but for today, we’ll make a makeshift…”
Killion looked around the child’s room for something that could be used as a fence, and then he saw something that looked pretty good.
“Ah! This will do!”
Killion walked over to the bookshelves that filled one wall. Jediel followed him eagerly.
“Books have many uses,” he said, “and one of them is that they can be used as weapons, and another is that they can build walls.”
“… I see!”
Jediel grinned broadly and nodded vigorously, understanding Killion’s meaning at once. The two men began pulling books off the shelves and carrying them over to the table where the cat was sleeping.
“It’s a good thing you have so many books in your room.”
“Mum says I should always have a book with me, so even if it’s a difficult book that I can’t read yet, I should keep it in my room.”
“Mum’s always right, and look at now. All those difficult books I can’t read yet have made the fence even stronger.”
“Exactly!”
The two rich men locked eyes and grinned at each other. Soon there was a high wall around the cushion where the cat was sleeping.
“I don’t think Jerry will be able to climb over this wall, no matter how hard he tries.”
“Yeah, I guess we can rest easy now.”
“But he must be in a lot of pain because he doesn’t wake up when we make a lot of noise.”
“The vet said he’ll sleep better now that he’s on medication.”
“I hope he gets well soon.”
“I’m sure he will get well, I’ll try, and the vet said he’ll help me.”
“I know. Dad will pray that Jerry gets well soon, too.”
Killion gently stroked Jediel’s head. Jediel’s eyes closed in half at his father’s loving touch.
“Now, shall we go to bed, then? We’ll need to get a good sleep if we’re going to nurse Jerry well tomorrow.”
“Yes.”
Jediel opened his arms wide to Killion. Killion scooped him up in a quick hug and trotted over to the bed.
“Good night, sweetheart.”
“You too, Dad.”
Lying side by side, they kissed each other on the cheek.
