Chapter 7: A Not So Peaceful Morning With You (Part 1)

Upon hearing the hushed and muffled sounds of birds chirping and bickering outside the window of their room, Ivie's eyes slowly fluttered open, and what marveled at her sight was a small head sticking to her concertedly under her nose.

Instantly, a touching warm smile stretched on the surface of her lips as her nostrils welcomed the scent of fresh lavender crisp from the baby shampoo her child regularly uses.

As Kieran was placed on the left side of the bed, he had his right arm firmly swathed around her neck and his forehead pressed against the warmth of her lips. Under the same circumstances, his leg hovered loosely on the side of her waist, holding and tangling himself to her in his deep slumber.

A vivid warmness grew and enveloped her chest on the cold morning that slowly started to appeal to her.

Looks like someone had a goodnight's sleep.

Ivie puckers her lips, and right there, she effortlessly places a delicate kiss against the cold skin of Kieran's forehead. She pulls the cool sheets from her waist upwards to shelter them both from the chilly morning when the air conditioner was still running rampant from the distance.

It always felt too endearingly cold for her to tolerate as she prefers the warm more, but she acknowledges the fact that Kieran easily sweats, so it was vital for him to constantly surround himself with the cold wherever he goes.

Nevertheless, a little concerning part of her as a mother is that she constantly seems to overthink everything, even the slightest possibility that her child might as well feel how discomforting the coldness is.

Upon sensing her meager movements from his grasp, the young boy's lips thinned and flattened, his brows pushed closer to each other and furrows. He was wearing an upset expression with his eyes still shut close as he moved his head away, only for him to nuzzle comfortably towards his mother's neck with his grip, firm and tight, as how an infant koala clings unto its mother for dear life.

Ivie's eyes softened at the sight of his small frame as Kieran tried to squeeze himself more to her.

Under the sheets, she lifts her hand and circularly rubs his back, trying to comfort him back to sleep.

A minute and two passed, and she started to notice the adequate movements of his tiny fingers playing against her hair on the back of her head.

It appears he's awake.

She rests her chin on the very top of her child's head, and the laughter she had been restraining falters as a low chuckle finally emerges from her throat.

"Good morning, did my little prince sleep well?"

Her sweet and soft voice in the morning was a harmonious melody to the young boy's ears. Kieran persistently urges closer, not wanting to leave any space that separates and meddles between his mother and him.

"Good morning, mother. Yes, I slept well."

He whispers with a hint of drowsiness from such an incredible morning that had greeted him. There was a small secretive smile lingering on his lips but soon vanishes into thin air when his class schedule momentarily passed by his thoughts.

He has two classes to attend after lunch.

And unfortunately, one of them is Dr. Clove's AMTP class.

Kieran stiffens upon realization.

Why does it have to be today?

He wouldn't be free until six in the afternoon.

The corners of his lips curved into a deep and mournful scowl. He continues to secretly sulk under his mother's embrace, not wanting to contemplate it further which will only ruin the rest of his day.

This was one of the awful class schedules he has where he'll miss welcoming and greeting his mother home.

He doesn't want to go.

Does he really have to?

And then there's his major enemy.

His mother's crazy work.

He grumbles whiningly.

She will have to eventually get out of bed and go.

By just thinking of them separating an hour from now, he had already lost the slightest bit of interest to attend to anyone.

He will disregard the session and read the textbooks and reviewers alone while he will wait for her. It will save up more time than listening to his tutors discuss the topics poorly.

Suddenly, a new determination kindles in the wild blaze of his soul.

Yes, self-study would suffice indeed.

"Shall we get ready for breakfast?" Ivie asks him, clueless about what her little devil was thinking as she thought everything was sailing smoothly according to her plan, but she was surprised to find him shaking his head relentlessly, refusing her suggestion to get out of bed.

But not only did her astonishment stop there.

Kieran's fingers tug the front neckline of her nightwear.

"No! One more hour, mother," he says, pleading while pursing his lips.

Like how nightmares poison the soul, Kieran's eyes turned darker and furious. They can't!

After breakfast would be his mother's departure for work.

"Please stay."

Ivie helplessly chewed on her bottom lip at his sudden outburst, trying her very best to suppress her laughter.

He need not come at her like this since she wasn't planning to leave yet, and as much as she loves to laze around in bed with him all morning, that doesn't mean she will throw away the efforts she has in mind.

A present that her child will surely adore and appreciate.

She thought of surprising him for once after breakfast, but how can she do that when he, himself, is violently shaking his head and refusing to go at the moment? Haa. She sighs.

"Wouldn't my baby want to eat breakfast with me?"

Her arms encircle around him, carrying him up as she rose and sat from bed, giving Kieran the freedom to embrace her freely and more comfortably.

His other arm reaches out to wrap around the other side of her neck with his hands gripping his opposite elbows, his legs were now fully locked around her waist, and his head was tightly attached to the side of her face.

Ivie's lips quiver at his cuteness, though for a moment she was having a bit of tribulation finding a space to breathe.

He's just like a human size magnet--her stubborn magnet and he's still as clingy as she remembered when he was younger.

She pokes his side, hoping it'll tickle him, but he didn't even budge nor flinch at such contact where children in his age most likely would.

She knew he was ticklish somewhere but she still couldn't inspect where. A heavy sigh left her lips once again.

"Have breakfast with me, sweetheart."

"I'm . . . I'm not hungry yet." Kieran responded to her with nothing but a hint of incompliance in his voice.