Chapter 38

Day 2 at the villa.

When Amelie opened her eyes and noticed that the space next to her was cold and empty.She blinked a few times and for 15 minutes stood in the same position trying to process the fact of waking up.

After that she stood up and started fixing the bed and the clothes that Aiden had casually dropped around.

Just as she went to her luggage to find the clothes for today,she heard the door of the bathroom open.

Amelie turned her head and made eye contact with the man.Aiden was silent.

"Good morning!" Amelie said.

"...."

She still stared at him.

"...Good morning." Aiden said and made way to the door.

"Wait a bit for me.Let's go out together."Amelie said as she picked her clothes and made way to the bathroom.

Aiden didn't say anything and just waited on the bed.He looked around and noticed how the room was organised,compared to the mess he had done last night.He then remembered that this wasn't the first time this happened.

She said she wasn't an organised person,but the way she kept the room she stayed in said something different

After a bit more than half an hour,Amelie got out.She put her neatly folded clothes in the same place she had put the other ones from last night.

"Let's go."

"Mmm."

....

In the afternoon,everyone was hanging around the pool in the villa.The pool was so big,that for a moment Amelie felt she was in a water park rather than a private pool.

The children were playing together in the shallow area and had their grandparents that were playing while supervising them.Daniel,Louis and Aiden were sitting and talking together with bottles of beer,while Vivienne and Aurora were talking together.Aurora had her 5 months old baby boy in her arms. Albert and Jeanne were on the shade watching everything happily.

Amelie for most of the time had been hanging around with Pierre and Lesley as they were taking care of the children,but now that they entered the pool to play with them she had no choice,but to retreat to the shade.

After looking at this image she finally understood how lost and out of place she actually felt here. Everyone around her was basically a stranger and she was in a foreign place,with a foreign language and with foreign people.

Amelie just looked at the people playing absentmindedly.For once in her life she had taken a rash decision without thinking it for days and just that decision had completely diverted her course of life.

She hated it when things were out of her control. She hated it when the future was uncertain and unpredictable just like it was now.

Neither her nor Aiden knew how long this would last.Neither of them knew where they were headed.Right now, they were just walking together in the dark,trying to figure out the right path.

But Aiden didn't seem to feel as lost as her.For everything he acted so naturally,while she was the only one who felt like she was stepping on knives and sitting on pins and needles.

Aurora's loud voice broke her out of her trance.

"Louis!Can you hold Bibs for me?Me and Vivienne are going for a swim in the pool!"

This was her chance to not look so out of place and just like a lonely dog.

Amelie raised her hand.

"I can hold him if you want!"

Aurora was surprised,but refused.

"No,I don't want to trouble you!He's quite a handful!"

"It's okay,it's okay!I've taken care of my younger cousins since I was 10 and I also babysit my nephews and niece from time to time!"

"Are you sure?"Aurora asked.

"Positive!" then she added "But if you're too worried then it's okay!"

"No,no it's not that!Here you go!"

Amelie went and took the little baby in her arms. Bibs,whose real name was Liam,stared at her with his big blue eyes wide open.

OMG,he's so adorable!!!Ahhh!

"Hello there Bibs!" Amelie greeted him with a sweet smile.Bibs immediately giggled.

Aurora finally calmed down when she saw the position Amelie was holding him.It was definitely a skill from a veteran.

"Well then,we'll be heading to the pool.If he's too fussy then just call for me."

Amelie nodded and went to sit down on the shade while she gently played with the baby.

When Amelie raised her eyes she made eye contact with Louis who raised his beer bottle as a thanks and she returned the thanks with a smile.

Surprisingly Bibs wasn't as fussy as Aurora described him to be.Amelie had an easy and fun time taking care of him.

Bibs was really excited and played a lot with her,trying to grab her clothes,then hair,then face and would giggle at each reaction Amelie gave.

Amelie had always been a natural with children and though she didn't try too much,the children always said that she was their favourite.Amelie also liked children,to her they were more easy to deal than with adults.During family gatherings she would escape from the heavy adult conversations by using the excuse to take care of the children.She hated how she had to be careful with each word and facial expression around them,while with children she was more naturally relaxed and nice.

After playing for a while,Amelie noticed how Bibs was a bit tired and she went close to the pool to tell Aurora.

"Should I put him to sleep?Or will it ruin his sleep schedule?"

Aurora blinked and barely held her smile.

"If you can,please do!"

Amelie nodded and let tired little Bibs rest his head on her shoulder.She went around the shaded area with trees and slowly walked around while gently caressing his back.

Amelie then softly sang a lullaby and continued doing so for some time,occasionally checking if he had finally fallen asleep.

After Bibs fell asleep she made way towards the sunbeds under the umbrella,but when Bibs moved from her arms he would slowly open his eyes and make a bit of a fus.Amelie had no choice but to lie herself down while Bibs was on her chest and stayed like that without moving while occasionally patting his back when he flinched.

Jeanne and Albert had their eyes on her and were smiling as they whispered something to eachother.Lesley and Pierre were also doing the same.

Aiden also had his eyes on her.Louis and Daniel looked at eachother and smirked.

"If you want, you can go to her." Daniel said as he drank a sip of beer.

Aiden immediately shifted his gaze and said nonchalantly.

"Bibs is asleep.I would wake him up if I did."

"That kid rarely sleeps,but when he does not even a bomb can wake him.Don't blame my son just because you're too shy!" Louis said while he smirked.

"Then go take care of your son before my sister drowns you."

Only after Aiden's words did Louis notice Aurora's glare and gesture.

He finished his bottle with a breath and went to Amelie.

"I can take it from here."

Amelie carefully rose up and Louis took Bibs from her arms.Bibs made a few cries,but when he felt his father's scent, he calmed down again.

"Thank you!"Louis said as he patted sleeping Bibs.

"Not at all!" Amelie smiled.

"Did he bother you much?"

"No.He was so sweet and cheerful the whole time."

"What a surprise?" Louis raised his eyebrows and lightly pinched the little baby on the back."What about the big one?"Louis smirked."Is he a handful?"

For a moment, Amelie just looked at him, trying to

to process the question.After a minute, she finally understood who he was talking about and couldn't help but laugh.

"Him?He doesn't compare!"she exaggeratedly said.

"Even with you, he's the same?"Louis laughed with her.He had thought at first that she was a bit too uptight and reserved,but apparently, she also could joke around like that.

"Probably...But I guess...it's alright." she stared at the pool with a slight smile.

Louis noticed that look and raised his eyebrows.

"Oh?"

After a few more words together,Louis had already a bit of an idea about Amelie's personality and could easily tell that she was an extremely shy person who just needed a little push.

"Aiden will be going in the pool now.You should go join him."

"Ok,I will."

"Again, thanks for taking care of Bibs!"

"Anytime!"

Louis walked away while whispering sweet words to his baby.