"Saint, please bear with me," I begged tiredly. I'd been trying to feed him for the past ten minutes, yet he's swallowed absolutely none of it. His cries were almost screams and he'd occasionally growl at me.
"You need to eat," I said as I guided the spoon to his mouth. He moved his tiny head from side to side to avoid it and I laughed softly before slumping my shoulders in defeat. I looked at the jar of smushed baby peas and carrots and cringed. It looked unappetizing, but it was good for him.
I couldn't figure out a way for him to eat it though. I tried the airplane and train method, but he looked at me blankly like I was some idiot. Seeing as there was nothing else I could try, I did something new.
Maybe he just needed to see me eat it. He was always trying to take whatever I was eating, so maybe this would help.
I swallowed a lump in my throat before cringing and looking at the small jar. I picked up a small spoonful of the food and Saint stopped crying as he saw that the spoon wasn't coming towards him. He watched me quietly as he stuck his fist in his mouth and I sighed.
It was like he was somehow testing me to see if I'd actually eat it. With determination setting into me, I looked straight at him and ate what was on the spoon. I shivered as I tasted the food, but when I tried to swallow it, I couldn't stop the gag that came out.
I rushed to the bathroom and spit it into the toilet before washing my mouth. I could hear Saint giggling from his seat in the kitchen and I rolled my eyes. How did I manage to get schooled by a four-month-old baby?
I walked back to the kitchen in shame and sighed as Saint held his arms out for me to pick him up. "Let's get you cleaned up, baby boy. I'll figure out something for you to eat afterward."
I picked him up from his seat and walked to the restroom in the bedroom I was staying in. As always, bath time with him was a struggle. I'd have to reimburse Abel for the shattered mirror and burst lightbulbs.
After an exhausting thirty minutes, I managed to get him cleaned and I wrapped him in a towel and walked back to my room. "Why are you being so bad today?"
"I'm not bad," he growled as the light flickered once again.
"You're so cute when you don't talk."
My phone rang from the bed and I set the baby down as I picked it up. I sighed when I saw Mia's contact, but I answered it and put it on speaker before putting it down and simultaneously getting Saint dressed.
"Hello?" Mia said.
"Hey, what's up?"
"Guess what?" She asked. I could detect a pang of sadness in her voice, but knowing her, I knew she'd tell me what it was pretty soon.
"What?"
"Well, there's two things," she said.
"Okay, shoot," I said as I put a diaper on Saint. He seemed to be more peaceful now that he was dry, but I was sure he'd fight me while I put lotion on him.
"Okay, the first thing is, Michelle Landry wants you to be on her show on Thursday. It'll help with the public image part of the competition and your supporters can get to know you. It could also be a good time to let everyone know that you and Syn are no longer together."
"Oh fuck," I groaned. Late Night with Michelle Landry was a popular show. I was sure that all the realms watched it even though it was physically located in Juva. There would be celebrity appearances on each episode, but she'd always ask invasive questions. Maybe that's why everyone loved it. "She's going to destroy me."
"Possibly," Mia said with a grimace. "You got this though. Just remain strong on the questions you feel uncomfortable with."
"Okay," I said. "What's next?"
"Well, the next one is about me," she said. "I'm starting therapy again."
"Is there a specific reason?"
"I feel like this whole situation with Cain and Jackson just really pushed me back a thousand steps. I didn't think that they would trigger anything, but they kind of did," she said lowly.
"Mia," I started. "What did you do?"
"I hurt someone," she whispered with a sniffle. "Like I fucked up really bad, Queen."
I slowly sat down on the bed and picked up the phone. "Mia...what happened?"
"I just wanted to talk to her," she cried lowly. "And I-...I blacked out kind of. I mean I remember what I did but..."
"What did you do?"
"After you told me that Iris was with Cain, I just..."
"Don't tell me you hurt Iris..." I said as my jaw clenched.
"I did," she cried. "I wanted her to stop her spell on Cain, but I didn't mean to hurt her."
"There is no spell, Mia!" I snapped. "You couldn't handle the fact that he just liked her?!" Saint giggled at my tone from the bed and my anger fizzled a bit.
"Queen, I'm telling you there was," she sobbed. "I got rid of it but I feel so bad."
"What do you mean you got rid of it?"
She cried even harder at my question and I asked her again. When she still didn't answer, I immediately hung up the phone and called Cain. After a few rings he picked up and I unleashed my panic onto him.
"Cain where's Iris?!" I asked.
"Am I Iris's keeper?" He teased. "You get it? That's what I said to God when—"
"Cain!" I yelled. "Mia went to see Iris and I think she did something to her."
"What the fuck?!" He said worriedly. I heard a rummaging from wherever he was and rushed footsteps. "I'll go check on her right now. How did Mia even know?"
"Fuck," I groaned. "She was telling me what happened last night and I was telling her off and I accidentally slipped Iris's name. I'm so sorry."
"You're fine," he sighed as a loud screeching noise came from the phone. "It would've come out eventually."
"Be careful driving please," I begged.
"I'll keep you updated, Queen."
"Okay, please do."
He hung up the call at my words and I fanned myself to keep from breaking down. If Iris got hurt or killed, it would be on me for telling Mia. She was such a sweet girl and I truly hoped nothing happened to her. For her own sake, mine, Cain's, and definitely Mia's.
We've excused all of her past actions and I'd always love her, but if she did something to hurt Iris...
I would no longer protect her.
I looked down at Saint who was watching me try not to cry and I took a deep breath. "This is not a sign to kill anyone."
꧁꧂
Author's Note TAKE IT AS A SIGN, SAINT!
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Did anyone think Mia would actually confess? Pfft dummy😭. Lmk your thoughts ✨
