Lucas stilled at the sight before him, his daughter's face was red and stained with tears and her running nose oozed with catarrh. He ran across the room to her standing in her cot, she raised her hand up on seeing him which pulled a regretful smile up on his lips as he lifted her up into his arms.
Kissing her on the face and everywhere, he rubbed her hair "I'm sorry sweetie. I'm sorry. I'm sorry" he reiterated, kissing her all over. She hiccuped nuzzling into his shoulder and hair, calming down.
"Should I get the food sir?" His housekeeper asks behind him which he nodded still cradling his daughter. He kissed her on the hair before going to sit down. She snuggled into his shoulder more as he sat down on the ottoman, her hand tightening around his jacket and neck. He knew she was scared he was going to let her go as he always does.
He felt sorry for her. That was the last thing he wanted to do. Leave his daughter and went to work but his father was distraught after he knocked up a girl, saying he maligned the family name with his actions. Till now he couldn't understand everything but that was ending now and today.
He was going to hire a new nanny or work from home while also taking care of his daughter. He knew that was more tougher than working in the office but he needed to do this. His daughter had no one and he had no one, they only had each other.
His parents didn't care about him so neither will they care about a grandchild born out of wedlock—as they always say. He sighed, kissing her hair again as she hiccuped. The housekeeper brought her food and dropped it on the small table by the side of the cot, a table leaning against the wall where all her stuffy teddies are. Toys and the lists of them.
"Thank you Martha" he said rubbing his daughters back "I think I have come to a conclusion" he swallowed and Martha nodded. Martha is a very nice black woman he hired from his fathers house increasing her salary triple what they paid her. She was more like a mother to him than his mother ever will.
She took care of him while he was a kid and stayed even after what his mother always did to her so when he pleaded for her to work for him, she wasted no time in fleeing his mother's clutches and now here she was.
He wasn't going to sack her. Never. "I think I will be staying at home from tomorrow" he finally said , pulling his daughter to lean on his arms sideways to be able to feed her since she wouldn't want to sit in her high chair or let his housekeeper touch her.
"It's no problem sir" he groaned.
"How many times Martha? You don't have to call me sir. Please." She smiled and he smiled back at her, his brows and lips pulling up "and I'm sorry for hanging up on you. Too much work in the office. I'm so tired and need to sleep but that won't be happening with her" he nudged his head down to his daughter who has stopped crying now as her eyes moved around. "Crying everyday now"
"No Luke, that's okay. I will be around if you want" he nodded, raising his free hand in the air.
"That's the thing Martha. I'm freeing you and before you think I'm relieving you of your work. No. You will handle everything and your pay will still be the same. Only I will be handling my daughter, since she seems to want me everytime" sadness clouds his vision as he stared down at the now smiley red tear-stained face chewing her hand and looking up at him.
"It's okay. I'm happy just being around" he nodded and thanked her but then she stopped at the door "Should I clean up a room for your guest?"
Lucas eyes widened at that, he had forgotten a wet woman was outside he had brought home. Martha smiled at him and he shook his head "No. no Martha. I only helped her, she was standing by the side and had to help her home or anywhere she wanted. Nothing is happening" her smile dimmed and he smiled kissing down on his daughter's head once more. He didn't know why but he wanted to explain.
Martha had always vouched for him to bring someone home which he had never done even though the mother of his daughter never slept over at his house. Well, she never wanted to and he could never force her. And now she saw him willingly doing that—bringing a woman home but right now this isn't on those terms she was thinking.
"But you can arrange a room and find a cloth or go into my room and get her something to wear" she nodded holding the knob when Lucas called, stopping her in her tracks "Thank you so much Martha" she only smiled and left. He knew as much as the pay, some things done sometimes have to be done with emotions and Martha had never locked her heart to do it but opened and done it wholeheartedly and willfully.
He picked up the small plate of food, it was warm and edible. Minutes passed and Lucas fed his daughter who ate and slumbered while on it. He planned on bathing her but thought against it. She was going to wake up if he did that and cry. Cleaning and arranging everything still in his suits, he dropped her on the cot, putting the baby monitor almost close to her face.
He was trying to do things and not ask for help. He needed to learn how to take care of his daughter by himself which was what he did and left the room with the plate and lights off. He slumped down on the door after closing it behind him then leaving for the kitchen and dropping the plate on the sink.
Going to his room which was down the hallway on the second floor, he heard noises from one of the rooms and guessed it was the one given to his guest. He plodded his way to the door and saw the lights were still on, not trying to encroach though the house was technically his.
He knocked once, then the second before making up his mind to leave after the third knock and no one came out but he knocked the third time. Hopefully the door slid open to a beautiful blonde in nothing but strawberry design shorts and singlets.
He didn't want to look but his eyes didn't listen and feasted on her, her nipple poking out from the flimsy Cotton, obviously. Jesus, what was wrong with him?
He gulped running his hands through his hair as it went to her thighs and how fresh and full it was. How would it feel if he pressed down on it or touched it while spreading…
He stumbled back as his brain registered what he was thinking: where did those come out from? He stared at her, not even knowing while he knocked in the first place. What did he want to ask her again? Are you settled? Do you like the room? Do you want me to take you back? No, that was ridiculous. He was tired and needed a good sleep maybe till tomorrow by this time but that was impossible. His daughter but nevertheless what the fuck!!!
He sighed, waving his hand as his eyes skirt around hers not wanting to meet it "I'm sorry. You can go back to what you were doing" he said moving to leave when she said or whispered he didn't know as it sounded faint in his ears "wait"