Page 14 of Kaya's King
“Sounds like a good idea. Are you sure you guys are good?” I ask, seeing as all of them are older than me, yet I’m the one who’s dragging my ass.
“We’ve got it, Kaya-girl,” Shamus divulges, smiling at me. “You’re tired, lass. Go take care of yer boy, get off yer feet, and get some rest. I’m sure we’ll have news of a wee little bairn by the time you get up in the morning.”
Leaning down, I kiss my granny then wave to the other two. “Granny, which set of rooms are ours?” I ask, since we literally came in and sat down to eat.
“Child, just go down the front hall and yours are on the left, mine are on the right. I’ve got your key, too, but since we had just sat down to dinner, I left your door unlocked for you. You know what? I don’t think I would worry about bathing Noah tonight because I’m sure he had a hard day especially riding back home with his braces on.” I could get by with giving him a sponge bath since we weren’t out of the car much today.
“You’re right. He had one last night and did nothing to get himself dirty. I need to grab my purse, too, because I’m going to give him one of his pain pills since I saw him wince a time or two while we were eating,” I impart.
“I put your purse in your room, Kaya,” Mary notifies me.
“Thank you. Again, good night, you guys. If you need me to come help, please don’t hesitate to come and get me, alright? I remember first babies can take their sweet time when it comes to being born.” Granny chuckles when I say that because I was in labor for nearly twenty long, arduous hours before Noah decided he was going to grace us with his presence.
Leaving the three of them with their hands full, I make my way back out to the common area, expecting to find Specks and Noah playing a game on the large television sitting in one corner. Instead, I see what looks like Mario Kart up on the screen, paused, with neither my son nor the handsome biker nearby.
“Use your head, Kaya, he wouldn’t let Noah just go off by himself. They’re probably in the kitchen,” I mumble to myself. Since I know where that’s at and also that my son might possibly attempt to talk Specks into a late-night snack, I head in that direction.
Seeing the spotless kitchen with no evidence of my little boy or the man who’s managed to capture my attention, I turn and head down the hallway where Granny said our rooms were located. Maybe he got tired? Fuck, I don’t know right now but I’m pushing the fear that wants to claw through me down, especially since I didn’t see Noah’s wheelchair just sitting around anywhere. With my heart in my throat, I approach a door that’s slightly ajar and step inside, immediately recognizing my things spread around the room.
“Damn, this is nice,” I murmur in awe as I look around the wide-open space. “Specks? Why are you in here?” I question, seeing the object of my dreams standing near a closed door.
He turns around to face me and smiles, causing my knees to weaken. “We were playing Mario Kart when I noticed Noah wasfidgeting in his chair. He finally admitted he had to go to the bathroom and since I knew y’all were all still tied up, I brought him in to go. He told me how y’all do it, and I’ve been waiting out here for him to let me know he’s done.” He must see something on my face because he slowly walks closer to me and reaches out to stroke his hand down my cheek. “Are you okay? You look as pale as a ghost, Kaya. Fuck, I’m sorry. You probably freaked out when you couldn’t find him.”
I take a few deep, shuddering breaths in an effort to calm my racing heart before I nod. “Yeah, I might have panicked a little bit, which is stupid. There’s nowhere for him to go that someone wouldn’t know about around here.”
“Still, I should’ve texted Shamus or something and that’s on me,” he apologetically states. “I’m so fucking sorry, Kaya. My only goal was to see to his immediate needs. He had to go so I got him to y’all’s bathroom where his things are, nothing more and nothing less.”
“It’s okay, Specks. The past few days have apparently caught up with me is all.”
Before he can reply, I hear Noah yell out, “I’m all done, Mr. Specks!” just as the toilet flushes. I knock lightly on the door then open it up only to watch Noah’s face fall at seeing me. “Does this mean I have to get ready for bed now? Me and Mr. Specks were playing Mario Kart, Mommy.”
Hiding my smile, I have him loop his arms around my neck so I can pick him up then pull his underwear and pants back up. Backing up slightly, I then gently set him on the wheelchair seat before pushing him over to the sink. “Go ahead and get your teeth brushed too, monkey. It’s been a long day for both of us, don’t you think?”
“Can I still play?” he asks while washing his hands.
“I think you can finish your game another time, sweetie. It’s getting late, you’re hurting, and I’m sure Mr. Specks has things he needs to do.”
“Mommy, that’s not fair!” Noah whines, which lets me know exactly how tired he truly is because he seldom acts out. Unless he’s overly tired, hurting, or getting sick. Since I’m pretty sure he’s not ill, I think it’s a combination of the first two.
“Well, life’s not fair, monkey, and you know it,” I retort. “Now, get your teeth brushed so we can get you into your pajamas.” My voice is firm enough I can see his little lip tremble, but I refuse to back down.
When he begrudgingly begins to brush his teeth, I step out to find the dresser they set up for him so I can pull out some pajamas. I briefly notice our bags are stacked by the door, but those clothes need to be washed, so I bypass them. “What can I help you find?” Specks asks, startling me because honestly, I forgot he was still there during my interaction with Noah.
“His dresser so I can pull out some pajamas,” I instruct. “I’m actually kind of impressed at how big this whole suite is, to be honest. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one with separate bedrooms.”
“This particular suite was apparently for the headmistress of the boarding school and her family,” he advises, moving toward the one door I haven’t checked behind yet. Opening it, I see Noah’s twin bed, along with his dresser, toy box, and wall hangings all set up. It’s all organized and easy to maneuver around.
“And it was handicap accessible?” I question.
“Apparently so as her husband developed Lou Gehrig’s disease and was bound to a wheelchair during his last years of life. We’ve found this whole place was renovated to widen doorways, add stability bars in the restrooms that are out near the common room, that type of thing. Honestly, the fact the club was able to purchase it was a blessing and a half for all of us,” he says, turning down Noah’s bed as if he’s done it every night of his life.
It warms my heart. It’s such a simple action, one I’ve performed myself so many times it’s rote at this point but seeing him do it has a fluttery sensation running through my body. I’m not really sure what to think about it either, because I’ve been so busy all these years, I haven’t dated or been with another man.
There’s only ever been Foster in my life.
He never gave me butterflies. I never felt my belly flutter when he walked into a room. He was my best friend, my only lover, and Noah’s father, but he never filled me with wonder when we had sex. I always knew what he was going to do next, and as guilt fills me over my behavior during those times, I push it away because Foster never knew I didn’t orgasm; I learned to fake my response so well, he’d go to sleep with a smile spread along his face at having satisfied his wife’s carnal needs.
Shaking my head, I grab a pair of pajamas from Noah’s second dresser drawer then head back to the bathroom so he can get changed. From my peripheral vision, I catch Specks turning on the small night light Granny insists on so we can maneuver around his room in the dark if we need to and I smile because it’s such a parental thing to do. It seems to come so naturally to him that I wonder if he’s ever dated a woman with a child.