Chapter 6
Upon entering their apartment, Hestia locked their apartment with lightning speed movement, she even looked through the peephole just to confirm that no one followed them. Seeing the corridor is vacant, Hestia relaxed. Sweating and breathing heavily she walked towards the sofa using her last energy, she never run that fast since her high school days, maybe because of age or lack of exercise her legs became numb thankfully she was already sitting on the sofa.
"Mom, you didn't need to run away from dad because he is harmless." Ichigo wants to save his dad's reputation to his mom, so he told his mom about their encounter and how loving his dad is towards him, even if they just met a couple of hours ago he felt genuinely loved by his dad.
Sighing in defeat, Hestia appreciated Damon's love for her son. "That is good to hear Ichigo but we can't just marry in a hurry, what if someday he'll meet his true love? What would happen to us then, I don't want you to be hurt when he leaves us. I hope you understand Ichigo, I also want to give you a complete family but it should be build with love and happiness. If I marry Damon now without love it may end up in a very bad ending, I don't want that to happen. I want to have a lasting relations.h.i.+p where we can grow old together and spoil both our grandchildren."
"But mom how can you find that special someone if you don't open your heart to love someone?" Hestia was rendered speechless by Ichigo's question. She tried to open her mouth but then she would close it again. In truth she was afraid to love again, her previous love brought so much pain to her heart that she begun to shy away from accepting love from the opposite s.e.x.
Wiping the tears away from his mom's eyes, Ichigo gave her a tight hug. He knows that bringing up this topic is a sensitive matter for his mom but he can no longer stay silent and leave her mom to nurse her heartache, he needs to take action and Damon is the most qualified to mend his mom's heartache. If by any chance he fails he will take full responsibility of taking good care of his mother, making sure she'll be happy for the rest of her life.
Hugging his mom tightly, Ichigo proceeds with his plan. "Why don't you give dad a chance? If by any means he can't make you fall in love with him, I'll stop calling him dad and will never bother him again."
Ichigo's question shocked Hestia to her core, it just takes a question from her son for her to realize something important. 'My son is right, yes I was hurt deeply but it doesn't mean that I can't find my true love. Love is a gamble, you'll never know if it is a win or a lose until you played the game. There is no such thing as a perfect relations.h.i.+p because we all tend to make mistakes but if both are willing to compliment each others shortcomings a good and lasting relations.h.i.+p can be achieved. For almost four years she cowers at the idea of falling in love but I think her time to rise up is now. Breaking free from her nightmares of the past is surely one of the best decision she made, she will now write a new chapter of her life, this is for her and Ichigo's happiness.'
Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Hestia pats Ichigo's head. Lifting his head, Ichigo saw his mom's beautiful black eyes, they were so calming that Ichigo felt at ease. "You're right son I can't be afraid anymore, I'm sorry sweetheart for causing you sadness but mommy is now willing to change for the better." She looked at her son tenderly while stroking his cheek. Her tender look can even melt the coldest heart. Feeling the warmth of her hands, Ichigo rubbed his chubby cheeks on it. He still wants to rub his cheeks on her hands but when he realize what his mom was indicating who looked at her with wide and excited eyes. Seeing the comical look of her son, she laughed and pinched those chubby cheeks.
"Mom, my cheeks are hurting!"
"Sorry Ichigo but your just too cute!"
Ma.s.saging his red cheeks, Ichigo narrowed his eyes when he heard the unsincere apology. "Hmmp! You are not really sorry, I won't give you your good night kiss then!"
Holding the urge to laugh, Hestia tried to console his son but when she saw how red his cheeks are she begins to giggle. 'It was bad of her to laugh but she can't stop her giggles looking at Ichigo's puffed cheeks and pouting lips she remembered the puppy she used to play with in the past.'
"Oh sweetheart
"Ha ha ha....! I give up." Seeing the happiness shown on his mom's face made him happy. Both were laughing when Ichigo's stomach growled in hunger.
"Oops...! Let me make you a light dinner ok, why don't you change your clothes first then will eat dinner." Ichigo nod his head and he went to their room to change.
"Mom I want ramen." Ichigo shouted in his room, Hestia smiled and went straight to the kitchen.
At the kitchen, the mother and son chat happily while they both enjoy their ramen. Out of the blue Ichigo asked his mom if she will entertain his dad as a suitor. "Mom can dad court you?"
Deciding to change for the better Hestia smiled as an answer. "Yes, yes, yes!" Ichigo was too excited to know her mom's approval, he jump from his sit and he rushed to hug his mom. Hestia chuckles at her son's reaction, this only shows that he really likes that Damon guy.
"Mom hand me your phone."
"What for?" Hestia was confused when he saw Ichigo brought out a piece of paper in his pants pocket.
"I need to make a call, dad should know this wonderful news! Quickly please mom hand me your phone." She doesn't want to dampen Ichigo's happiness so she gave the phone. Ichigo thanked her mom and he then happily dialed his dad's phone number, he waited for a few minutes before he heard the masculine voice of Damon.
"Who is this?" Hestia upon hearing that sultry voice cursed the man who the voice belongs to for making her knees weak.
"Dad, dad it's me Ichigo, this is mom's number so better save it."
Ichigo who is bursting with so much joy relay his mom's answer, "Yep I miss you but I did not call because of that. I called to tell you the good news dad, mom said that you can court her!" Hestia who is eavesdropping on their conversations choked on her ramen when she heard the man's reply. The man really is thick skinned.
Nodding nonstop Ichigo said his goodbye, he then hand the phone over to Hestia who had a coughing fit.
"Mom, dad wants to talk to you." She doesn't want to take the phone but looking at Ichigo's expectant look she grabbed the phone and grumbled a 'h.e.l.lo'
"h.e.l.lo to you too sweetheart, I heard the good news. Be rest a.s.sured sweetheart I will never give up until you fall for me because I'm already falling for you. You will be seeing me too often so be prepared, good night and dream of me also give our son a good night kiss. Take good care of me in the future good night." Hearing the dial tone, Hestia looked at her son. "Is it too late to back out?"
At a park, stand a man with undeniable regal aura. He was looking at the direction where Hestia run, he had this love struck look on his face. Damon wanted to go after the two but if he do, it will surely scare Hestia. He doesn't want the woman to be scared of him but be crazy in love with him, so he opted to walked towards his car parked near the entrance of the park. He was whistling a happy tune while thinking of ways on how to court the feisty lady but he wasn't that concern because he has the best help his son Ichigo. With the two of them working together, Hestia does not stand a chance. The three of them will surely be a beautiful family. Damon realizing that he mentioned the word family with him on it was a surprise, if you had asked him a couple of hours ago if he wanted to have a family he would sneer at them and he will give them a hard time that is how precious his bachelorhood is to him but now he can't wait to be a part of Hestia and Ichigo's family and he will be d.a.m.ned if he'll never take action to fulfill his desire.
Hearing a cla.s.sical music, Damon fished for his phone inside his pants pocket. Seeing the caller I'd to be his mom, Damon felt the start of a headache.
"Where are you? Do you know what time is it? Are you okay?" Typical of his mom to bombard him with questions. "I am at a park and I'm more than fine, I was on my way home when you called mom."
Damon heard his mom sigh in relief. "Thank goodness I thought something bad happened to you."
"No need to worry mom, I'll be sleeping at the mansion tonight because I want to discuss something with the family."
Feeling something good happened to her son, she bid goodbye and waited to hear a good news. Maybe Damon found a girl at the park and they fell in love, she smiled happily at her thoughts of having grandchild soon.
"What are you happy about darling?" Seeing her husbands confused look, Mrs. Gray tells her speculation to her husband.
"Lila don't let your hopes up, you know your son, he will never get married until he turns 60." Mr. Gray said with finality but their was a tinge of hope in his voice that maybe his son did found a girl at the park and fell in love.
"Hmp! Just you wait, I can feel it in my bones, Damon will give as a grandchild soon."
Not wanting to argue with his wife, Mr. Gray concedes to his wife's speculations.
Inside the car, Damon was driving towards their mansion. He was thinking on how he will tell her parents about Ichigo and his plan to marry Hestia. He was thinking of different scenarios when his phone rings, he briefly unlocked his phone and saw an unfamiliar number calling him. He mostly rejects unknown numbers but his gut feeling is telling him to answer. He then pressed the answer b.u.t.ton. "Who is this?" When he heard a kid's voice he unconsciously smiled.
"Dad, dad it's me Ichigo, this is mom's number so better save it." Hearing the excited voice of Ichigo made him chuckle. "So why'd you call son, you missed me that soon?"
"Yep I miss you but I did not call because of that. I called to tell you the good news dad, mom said that you can court her!" That was really a good news.
"So your mom did fall for my charms. It is already past your bedtime young man, you should prepare to sleep. Give the phone to your mom so I can say my good night to her. Good night champ and sleep well."
Hearing the sound of a grumbled 'h.e.l.lo' made Damon smirked, he just loves to tease Hestia. He recalled how her cheeks blush and the way she bit her lower lip when she is feeling embarra.s.sed.
"h.e.l.lo to you too sweetheart, I heard the good news. Be rest a.s.sured sweetheart I will never give up until you fall for me because I'm already falling for you. You will be seeing me too often so be prepared, good night and dream of me also give our son a good night kiss. Take good care of me in the future good night." Damon knows that he was saying cheesy stuff but he can not stop himself, he was behaving differently infront of Ichigo and Hestia. He is a whole new different person when he was with them and he doesn't mind the change at all. He can only be mushy with the two of them.
Arriving at the mansion, Damon parked his car in the garage and he went straight away to the entertainment room. Damon can hear the television playing meaning his mom is still watching the rerun of her favorite drama, he knocked three times before his dad opened the door. Damon was surprised to see his dad watching with his mom, dad never liked watching soppy dramas with his mom.
Before Damon can asked his question Mr. Gray already answered him. "Your mom insist that we wait for you, she said that you have an important matter to discuss with us."
Entering the dimly light room, Damon saw her bawling mother. She was cursing the leading man for leaving the leading lady. Damon looked at his dad with amus.e.m.e.nt on his eyes. Mr. Gray just shrugged his shoulders, "Women." That one word explains it all.
Switching the lights on, caught Mrs. Gray's attention. "You are finally here Damon," wiping her tears away she patted the sit next to her. Damon walked over and gave his mother a kiss on the cheeks and a hug. "So what do you want to discuss."
Damon took a deep breath, opened his phone before saying. "Meet my son."
It was silent for a while, then her mother screamed and fainted.
Clearing his throat, Mr. Gray carried his wife to their bedroom but before he leave he look over his shoulder and said, "your son is handsome, I want to meet him and his mother."
Ma.s.saging his temple, Damon thought that he screwed up big time. 'Oh well at least I will also have the support of my family.' Feeling his exhaustion from the entire day, he went to his room, unlocking his phone he saw his screensaver, the picture was him with Ichigo it was taken when they are waiting for Hestia to come home. Both of them were smiling in the picture. The picture looks like a happy bonding of a father and son. Feeling content, Damon slept soundly.
Meanwhile in a certain apartment, Hestia felt something big is gonna happen and it will turn her world upside down.