Page 23 of Orlando
“Pack for you. You’re coming home with me. Both of you,” he says.
“No, I’m not. We’re staying here.”
“I have to be at my uncle’s, Aleeka. We kind of left without telling them. Which means it’s not gonna be long before they rock up here to find us. I’m not leaving without you.”
“Well, I guess you’re not leaving, because I’m staying here,” I tell him more firmly.
Orlando takes his phone out of the front pocket of his pants before sitting on the bed and typing out a message with his free hand. He then brings the phone to his ear.
“Pops…” he says and waits. I can’t hear what is being said on the other end of the call. “I’m fine. I can’t leave. I’ll explain later but I have to stay here.”
Sebastian chooses that moment to stir, and let’s just say the kid has a good set of lungs on him. I sit up and move closer to Orlando, who glares at me.
“Pops, gotta go,” he says before quickly hanging up. Then he looks at me. “Lie the fuck down, Aleeka. How are you going to get better if you don’t rest?”
“He needs me…”
“He doesn’t need you to give him the flu you have.” Sebastian wails louder and Orlando looks down at him in confusion. “Why is he screaming? What happened? Did I do something?”
I can see the worry creasing his brows. “No, he needs his diaper changed.”
Orlando’s eyes widen. “Shit. Really?” he asks, and I nod. “Okay, I can do this. Tell me what to do.”
Josie runs through the door, snatching Sebastian out of Orlando’s hands while shooting him a glare. “What’d you do?”
“I didn’t do anything. He needs a new diaper,” Orlando tells her.
“Well, this I gotta see.” Dante grins from where he’s perched by the doorway again.
“You two should go. Pops knows where we are, and he’s not too happy about it.” Orlando glances from Dante to Josie.
“I’ve got this. Go and make Aleeka a cup of tea or something,” Josie orders while practically pushing the two boys out of the room. Once they’re gone, she walks over to Sebastian’s changing table and lays him down. “How are you feeling?” she asks as she gets the wipes and a fresh diaper ready.
“I can do that. You don’t have to change him,” I say instead of answering her.
“Orlando will shoot both of us if I let you get out of bed, so just stay put. I don’t mind.” She laughs.
“I’m sorry…”
“For what? Being sick?” She raises a brow at me.
“For not mentioning the fact that I have a son,” I tell her.
“You don’t owe me an apology. That’s between you and Orlando,” she muses. “Besides, this little guy is adorable, even if he does look like Orlando.”
“You know Orlando and Dante are practically twins, right?” I laugh, and then stop when the motion sends aches through my entire body.
“Kind of.” Josie shrugs before picking up a much happier, freshly changed Sebastian.
“Thank you.”
“You’re family. He is family. You don’t need to thank me.” Josie frowns at me. “It’s what family does for each other.”
“He might be family, but I’m not,” I remind her.
“I made peppermint.” Orlando glances at Josie and Sebastian as he places a cup of hot tea down on the nightstand next to me. He then walks over and takes our son back into his arms.
“Babe, we gotta head back. If we turn ourselves in now, it won’t be as bad,” Dante says.