Chapter 104
Arthur’s eyes flash slightly at the mention of Selina, but his voice is calm as he replies, “Mrs. White is aware of the situation, and has promised the utmost discretion. Furthermore, I can pay her even more to split her time between our homes should you choose to move. But if it were up to me, you and Miles would live here.”
I open my mouth to say something, but no words come out. Briefly, the image of Arthur and Miles cuddling on the sofa flashes through my mind, and it makes my heart soften.
“Well, I’ll pay for my half if she splits her time between our homes,” I finally say.
Arthur’s jaw ticks. I can tell he doesn’t like the idea of me spending a dime, but to my surprise, he doesn’t argue.
The rest of the day goes relatively smoothly. Miles needs some coercing to come out of his room, but eventually, he comes out and allows us to introduce him to the new nanny. Her strict demeanor feels out of place against Miles‘ personality, but I want to give her a chance. Perhaps they’ll both warm up to one another in time.
At dinner, however, my hopes are quickly squashed. Mrs. White insists on cooking, and emerges from the kitchen carrying plates of bland chicken breast, white rice, and steamed vegetables.
No seasoning, no sauce, and certainly nothing that Miles likes.
I can tell he’s not going to eat a bite the moment she sets his plate down in front of him and his face twists up with discomfort.
“Eat up, young man,” Mrs. White says, taking her seat across from him.
Miles is silent, but folds his arms and looks away. The nanny glances at me, and I sigh, offering her a small smile. “He doesn’t like spinach,” I say gently, hoping not to offend her. “You know how kids are-”
“I’ve never had a child refuse to eat,” she says, cutting into her chicken. “Let him get hungry enough, and he’ll eat.”
However, throughout the meal, Miles remains silent and as still as a statue, simply staring off into space. He hardly even moves a muscle, and it makes my heart twinge painfully every time I look at him.
I know this behavior well. When he’s really stubborn, he goes completely silent and unmoving. The first time, it happened, it was unnerving and frustrating, and I can tell that it’s frustrating Mrs. White now if the rapid scraping of her cutlery against her plate is any indication.
Curious, I glance at Arthur, wondering what his reaction will be. To my surprise, there’s a small smile on his face.
“Why aren’t you eating, buddy?” he asks.
No answer.
“Eat your food,” Mrs. White practically barks, making me bristle and Miles flinch.
Arthur holds up his hand, effectively silencing her in that Alpha way of his. I tense slightly as he gets up from his chair and walks away. Is he angry? Frustrated? Disappointed?
But a moment later, he returns from the kitchen with a bottle of peanut sauce. Mrs. White’s face begins to tremble with rage as he dollops some of it onto Miles‘ plate, then reaches over him and begins to cut up his chicken. He then mixes the chicken into the rice, scoops some up, and dips it into the peanut sauce before trying it himself.
“Mm,” Arthur says, smiling around the bite. “Delicious.”
Miles looks up at him. I can see his mouth water slightly now that the food actually looks somewhat appetizing. To my surprise, when Arthur scoops up another small spoonful and holds it out to him, Miles opens his mouth
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Chapter 104
and tentatively tries it.
His eyes light up as he chews and swallows. Then, taking the spoon, he begins digging into his food with vigor, enjoying the peanut sauce until it’s all gone.
I’m pleasantly surprised. Arthur handled both the strict nanny and Miles expertly, exceeding all of my expectations.
Later, after I’ve put Miles to bed, I return to my studio to continue working on my next piece. But I’m not alone for long before Arthur enters the room, closing the door behind him with a soft click.
“What was that earlier?” he asks.
I feel sick. I know exactly what he’s referring to.
For a moment, I hesitate, unsure whether to tell him or not. I still fear that he might look down on Miles if he knows the truth, and yet… Arthur does deserve to know. He’s Miles‘ father, and if I’m going to coparent with him, then it’s only fair.
Finally, taking a deep breath, I tell him. “Miles is on the spectrum.”
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Arthur stiffens. I do, too, bracing myself for the worst. But then his brow furrows, and he just looks… confused. ” He shouldn’t be like that,” he says simply.
He leaves without another word, and I can feel my heart crack in a brand new place.
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