Aria alighted from the car and on noticing that she was right in front of Noah's mansion, her eyes glistened in excitement. Her father was staying here and what could make her happier than accompanying her father from now on. She bolted at full speed to meet her father who at that moment was busy in the kitchen preparing dinner happily. Aria could smell her father's delicious dishes from miles apart and her mouth watered just by its fragrance.
She did not have to ask around for her father, her feet took her automatically to the kitchen, to the man who had his back towards the entrance and had no idea about the sudden change in the plans. Nobody had told him about it. So, he did not know that his younger daughter would be staying with him from now.
As he added the salt while humming a tune to his wife's favorite song, his hands stopped suddenly. He could not help but reminisce Susan's beautiful face especially when she looked at him adoringly as he cooked for her. Just like his younger daughter, Susan too was a terrible cook. She could not make anything that could be eaten without making a scrunched up face. It was as though her hands and mind never cooperated when she cooked. However, she was excellent at baking. She loved to bake and on every happy occasion, it was her goodies they would eat to celebrate it.
Oliver could only sigh deeply thinking about his lovely wife. Although she was gone, she was still in his heart, mind and thoughts and she would never leave them. It was where she was worshipped and it would always be the same. Oliver was so lost in thoughts that he did not realize where his hands were reaching too. He was almost about to touch the hot frying pan when Aria pulled back his hand. "Papa, careful." She yelled, her voice a little panicked.
Her voice broke his chain of thoughts and he snapped from his reverie. He was startled to hear Aria's voice and was surprised even to see her standing right in front of him with concern taking over her calm face. "Papa, are you alright?"
"Ahh. yes. Yes. I am fine." He smiled at his darling daughter and hugged her tightly as he took another breath. There was no use thinking about the past. It would be more meaningful to lead a happy life so that his wife's soul could rest peace and she too could be happy seeing her family happy if the fact that she would be watching them from heaven was true. Moreover, his wife was never actually gone. She would always be with him in his heart. So, she smiled brightly and hugged his daughter tightly.
Aria who was enjoying her father's warm embrace stiffened when his arms wrapped her tight making it ultra difficult for her to even breathe. She could sense the change of feelings in him and wondered what had happened. "Papa, are you alright?" She asked with great difficulty.
"Yes, dear. Why do you ask?"
"Did I annoy you somehow?"
Her question made Oliver furrow his eyebrows, yet his hold on her did not loosen. He seemed to be confused by her question. "Not at all. My sweet daughter can never annoy me."
"Then Papa, why are you crushing me? It's suffocating me."
As soon as Aria said the words, Oliver released her immediately and chuckled helplessly. "Oh sorry sorry. Did I hurt you? I am sorry."
"Relax Papa. I am fine. What happened to you? In whose thought were you swimming?" Oliver did not answer her this and just smiled at her, his eyes losing its glint instantly and this was enough for Aria to guess the answer. She cursed herself for asking such a question when she clearly knew that it had just been a week since he found out about her mother's demise. The next instant she changed the topic to brighten up his mood. "What are you preparing, Papa. It smells so nice. Are you done? I am starving."
"Oh yeah. I am almost done." Oliver patted his daughter's forehead affectionately went back to see if his dish was done. "That reminds me. What are you doing here at this time of the night?"
"I have some good news to tell you. Guess what?" Aria jumped in excitement and she stared at Oliver with huge expectant eyes. Oliver could only shake his head at her behavior. Although his daughter had grown up to be a beautiful and independent lady, she still behaved as a little kid before him. It was as though all her independent nature was just for the other people and not for him. Here, she was just his daughter who relied on him completely.
Oliver's eyes fell on his daughter and he remembered the question she had fired at him. The next second, his eyes widened and he stared at her in disbelief. "Aria, don't tell me. Are you pregnant? Am I going to be a grandfather?"
Each of her questions came out like a gunshot to Aria and her excitement turned into a scowl. She could not help but question in her mind as to why everybody was wishing for her to get pregnant. She had not even had sex with Noah for damn's sake, getting pregnant was impossible for now.
Right at this moment, Noah entered the kitchen. He had been looking for Aria since the time they had arrived here. He had to receive a phone call as it was quite urgent and was related to the upcoming hotel inauguration. And by the time he had got down from the car, Aria was nowhere to be seen. On enquiring, he found out that Aria had already dashed inside to meet her father. For a second, he wondered if he should send his father-in-law away to Ian's house so that he could have all the privacy. He did not want his own father-in-law to become a light bulb in his relationship.
However, the thought vanished as fast as it had come to his mind. Aria would kill him if he did so. He went inside searching for her and just like his darling woman, he too was captivated by the delicious aroma that was lingering in the air. Now, he did not have to guess where she was and he went to the kitchen immediately. It was then he had overheard the father-daughter talk and he halted in his place immediately.
Noah blinked twice to see if he was imagining things or if he was hearing things that had not even been spoken. Why was everybody eager for a kid from him and Aria? They had not proceeded further than kissing and getting pregnant was still far ahead. However, seeing everybody's expectations and anxiousness, Noah wondered if he should do the deed with his woman and make her pregnant so that they would stop pestering them for kids.
But the next second, he killed the ridiculous thought. There was no way he would make Aria pregnant right now. No. If they were to have a kid at this time when they were still in the stage which had not even crossed the first space, he was sure that he could never get sufficient time with his woman. And that was something he was not ready for right now. He still wanted to do a lot of things with her and that included having loads and loads of sex and fulfilling all his fantasies with her. The arrival of a baby would only hinder his plans and put an end to his desires. No. 'Baby, you will have to wait another two years to pop out of Aria.'
"Who is pregnant?" Donning a calm expression, Noah entered the kitchen and looked back and forth between Oliver and Aria as though he did not know what was happening here. He looked completely innocent and nobody could guess seeing his face that he had overheard their talk a few seconds ago.
Aria rolled her eyes. Did she have less of a headache with her Dad asking her about her 'right now no pregnancy' that Noah had to enter right at this time? "Nobody is pregnant. Dad, I am not pregnant. And don't worry, your first grandchild will be from Ivy, not me." Aria winked at her Dad, telling him silently that her sister was at an advanced level than her in their sexual life.
Noah noticed her small act and he narrowed his eyes at her, his eyes questioning Aria's intentions. Why did it seem like the father and the daughter were questioning his ability? If that was the case then he had to show what he was capable of. 'Baby, I summon you back. Your mother needs to know what I can do and I promise you that by the end of two years, no three years, you will be in your mother's arms.'
Although Noah's resolution had started out strong in the beginning, his confidence faded when he realized that at the speed they were progressing in their love life, it would take months for him and Aria to reach the last step. He gave up his thoughts just like that. It did not matter who was the first one to make Oliver a grandfather. What mattered to Noah was the time he could spend with his darling girl before their lives became chaotic after the arrival of a baby.
Oliver sighed in defeat hearing Aria's denial. He had been quite excited when he heard that Aria had some good news to convey to him and was expecting it to be about his first grandchild. But it was fine. There was still for it and he could wait a few years to carry his daughter's kids. "What is the good news then?"
"We will be staying together from now on, you, Noah, and me."