Chapter 262 - Home in Molave 8

Everyone had already gathered at one of the restaurant's tables when Hayri walked into the room. Out in the corner of his eyes, he saw Jane with Kyle on her side. For all honesty, Jane was special to her ever since they were kids but this was the first time he ever got emotionally disturbed about her, He knew it was far from the affection he had for Allie, yet he could also tell that this was something strange.

"Good morning, everyone," Hayri greeted with a thin smile, running his eyes to each one of them while getting replies in chorus.

"Louise, here," Jane called out and gave him an awkward glance, "sit beside Kyle."

Hayri pulled out the chair next to Kyle, patted his head and smiled at him.

"Hello, boy! How's your sleep?" Hayri asked, unable to think of another question to break the awkwardness.

"I had a long one," answered the boy, passing him a shy look.

"That's good so that you will grow as tall as daddy, right baby girl?" Hayri meant himself as he moved his gaze from Kyle to Chloe.

Chloe's eyes widened and she voiced out what others wanted to ask at the moment. "My new friend's daddy is also big and tall, daddy Hayri?"

Hayri chuckled at how Chloe addressed him this time. Until that moment, she still had no fix decision about how to address her permanently. Ajie insisted on letting her call him daddy while others referred to him as an uncle.

"Right there, baby girl. From now on, don't call me an uncle anymore. Yes, I am an uncle but you can also call me daddy because the uncles care for their nieces and nephews like their daddies."

Chloe threw him a puzzled stare and Hayri got amused. "Don't give me that look, baby girl. The second reason is that I also want Kyle to call me daddy, right Kyle?"

Kyle nodded with bashful eyes and a thin voice. "Yes, dad."

Chloe's eyes shone brighter and got wider when she heard Kyle. "Oh, wow, that's wonderful Kyle! I won't be alone anymore."

Chloe earned herself a round of laughter from all of them. She pouted in shame but Ajie butted in as he shoved a spoonful of rice into her mouth.

"Who said you're alone? Baby Ralph will also do the same."

"But he is not talking yet!" Chloe started to argue just as the baby's babbling sound floated from the doorframe.

"Da-da-da..." cooed the baby that Allie held upright in her arms, exiting another round of laughter.

"Heard it, baby girl? The baby calls me dada!"

Allie laughed out loud and the rest followed. It was obvious that she had been listening throughout their conversation.

"Smart boy," Cherry commented, "he knows his big sister needs affirmation." The laughter seemed endless as all replies and shares of opinions got the same wave of laughter.

Ajie stood up and turned to Allie, reaching out his hands to take the baby from her. "Give me the cutie so that you can eat."

"No, just finished your meal first." Allie shook her head and pushed Ajie's arm gently, showing him to the table again.

'No, both of you need to eat. Give me the chubby chick. I'm already dying to squeeze him," Hayri offered and stood up, striding quickly towards Allie.

"Are you sure?" Allie chuckled, looking up at him. He was too lean and tall for a chubby infant.

"Of course, dear. You know me better," said Hayri unconsciously but regretted it the moment he saw how it changed Allie's expression. But how could he change their mutual familiarity when they were together for six long years?

Jane also looked up and cringed inwardly as she heard them. Even if she considered the possibility of Hayri and her in the future, he could never give her the kind of affection he had for Allie. And this thought made her uncomfortable, she better not take the risk.

"How about you? Have you taken your breakfast?"

Jane heard Allie asked in her concerned tone. She glanced at all of them without lifting her head. It seemed that everything was in its place and no one even raised a brow to question Allie's motive. Not even Ajie who showed no signs of being affected at all.

"No appetite yet."

"Gosh, Hayri! Why do you always rely on your appetite-"

"Alright, then. After you take yours," Hayri cut her off, it seemed she was about to start her endless lectures again.

Allie threw a glare at him before she stomped off to the table beside Ajie, making Hayri giggle.

"You see, baby boy? You should eat breakfast to spare your ears from getting hurt," mocked Hayri to a gaping child, with chubby cheeks dangling and beautiful eyes blinking.

_____

After the kids finish their breakfast, Chloe pulled Kyle over and brought him outside to play with her. Mr. Dioko did not waste a minute, he started to ask questions.

"How sure are you that this Mr. Blacksmith is not a dangerous person?"

Recently, during a campaign rally of the inc.u.mbent president and his whole line-up. a bombing incident happened across their neighboring district, leaving more than thirty people wounded and died. Investigations of this matter failed to trace the culprit, and later on, rumors had it that it came from a group led by a certain Mr. Blacksmith.

"I made my own investigation, dad."

Mr. Dioko's brows gathered into one line. "You did your own investigation? For what?" 

"Because he seems related to the Madani's, the business partner of Mr. Te in expanding Kamelyo's market."

Mr. Dioko's jaw dropped. Why are his enemies revealing themselves only now?

"And what did you find out?" 

"I find out that he leads the Velvet Fighters, an organization that trained the youth to become potential leaders of the society."

Little did they expect, that with the coming of Kyle into their homes, their lives would never be the same again. And not only were they going to know who really was  Mr.Blacksmith was but also, a certain  Mr. Anonymous.

note: unedited