A Deal With The Billionaire

EPISODE FORTY SIX

THEME: Her little wise son

RAVEN MCKENNA HOME

“Hey baby!” She whispered.

“Hi… mom.” Rowan smiled as he sat up gently and he rested his head against her bosom.

“Are you really getting married mom?” Rowan asked innocently as he stared at his mother’s bewildered look.

Questions could be asked obviously, but having a seven year old who has been on the hospital bed for days and had to undergo an intense surgery that went on for about twelve hours; ask something as intense as, “Are you really getting married mom?” had Raven going into a fit of cough.

Rowan stared at her in confusion even with his eyes still laden with sleep. He patted her back with his little hands just the way she does whenever he coughed consistently like that. The little boy hoped that his mother wasn’t in such condition because of him.

“Are you all right mom?” He queried in a concerned tone. “You could tell me later if you can’t now… because you look unwell.” He kept on.

Color rushed through Raven’s face as she felt mortified having to act in such inconsiderate manner. She had gotten herself so carried away and didn’t stop to think Rowan might need to be aware of the situation on ground. She had refused to note that her little boy would be concerned about her absence when she doesn’t come home to sleep after work.

Raven shook her head lightly. And thankfully a jug of water was next to Rowan’s bed side. Not bothering to be polite, Raven put the jug at the tip of her mouth and swallowed the content till the last drop.

Raven didn’t realize how thirsty she was until she returned the jug back to its previous position.

“Are you okay mom?” Rowan asked again.

“Baby!” Raven muttered softly when she finally found her voice although she didn’t know where to begin.

Rowan has never had a father figure in his life and the one which he might be getting an idea over was only going to exist in his world for a few months. However, thinking of how cold Christopher was to her she wouldn’t want her son next to such a person. Still Rowan deserved to know what was going on.

Rowan had always been a thoughtful child. He never made his mother have to cook up stories of the whereabouts of his biological father.

Raven recalled years back when there had been a Father’s day presentation at Rowan’s school when he was around four years old. He had come home crying that he needed his father to be at the school. Raven had panicked and wondered what she could tell him and at the same time she didn’t want to lie to him and tell him his father was dead. But her mother had come to her rescue and said his father was far away at the other side of the world and might never come back.

Almost like he understood really well, Rowan got to school the next day and explained it to his class mates. No one could bully Rowan because he always stood his ground and would never let anyone trample over him. He never let the issue of non-male presence in his life bother him.

“Will he be my daddy?” Rowan queried eagerly.Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.

His words surprised Raven. “How did you know he would be your daddy if I did get married to him?”

Rowan smiled shyly. “Mom… my class mate at school Elaine, her dad got married to a woman and she became her mother. Yeah, her step mother. So, I felt if you are getting married to a man, then he would be my stepfather.” He explained.

Ruffling his hair as she smiled. “That’s so smart of you my baby.” Raven took in a deep breath as she looked at him in the eye. “You know how much I love you right?”

Rowan shook his head in agreement. “Yes I know you love me and I love you too mom.”

“This marriage is important for the both of us and grandma. Let’s say it is what I need to do and I really do not want to involve you that much. I want you to stay here with Grandma.” She noticed the sad look that crossed his expression.

“Come on, it would be unfair to leave her all alone. But I promise to come visit you every time I get baby.”

“Will you come back home?” Rowan questioned.

“I would baby and it is only a matter of time.” Raven answered.

“But mom… why can’t I live with you?”

Raven shut her eyes tightly, trying hard to construct the right words. “I just explained to you baby, you can’t stay with me for now. But I will always be present honey.”

Rowan held on to his mother. “I don’t think I want you to get married if I don’t get to see you every time.” He pouted.

Raven placed kissed across his face. “Listen baby, no one can separate the both of us. Don’t doubt that okay? Mommy will always be here for you. And you will like him… I mean my husband. He is a nice man.” She assured him. Although Raven hoped that for her son’s sake Christopher would always play nice.

“Ok mom.” Rowan nodded while still holding on to her.

Raven rocked him slowly for some minutes until she noticed his little snore sounds. Tucking him into the bed, she kissed his forehead and stepped out of the room.

When Raven checked the time it was already late in the evening. Getting into the kitchen she tried to fix something, just in case her mother or Rowan wakes up hungry.

Thoughts of the discussion between her and Rowan bothered her. After walking back and forth, she decided to take the bold step of reaching out to him. And to her surprise, he picked on the first ring that one would think he had been expecting her call before now.

“Isn’t it too late? We aren’t lovers so you shouldn’t be calling me anytime you deem fit.” He bellowed into the receiver with his voice groggy.

She wondered if he had been sleeping off. Although his annoyance was awakening hers but she needed to ask him a favor and decided against giving him a deserving response.

“I am sorry. I know we already had a contract, but please can my son come visit us on weekends?” She bit on her balled fist praying and hoping he wouldn’t disagree to the question.

“Rowan?” He asked.

Raven wanted to ask him who else was her son but she knew better than to act too bratty.

“Yes.” She slurred.

“Oh… of course, he can always come over. My nephews and nieces come around most times so it will be nice to have him play with them.”

Raven almost danced at the response. To be honest, she had expected him to argue and then she coming up with different sort of explanations and reason why her son needs to be close to her.

“Thank you.” She sounded excited over the phone and he noticed it too.

“Is that all?” He asked. But before she could respond the line went dead.

“Asshole!” She glared at the phone.

Not too long, Raven heaved a deep sigh as she patted herself mentally. She was glad about the discussion with her son because she had little to worry about now. All that mattered was getting over with the fallacy of the marriage and get on with her life.

Noting that, Raven moved around the kitchen in delight.