71 : One year of struggles…

Flore was waiting in the hall of Arnold's hostel.

A long year had passed since they had their quarrel. During the first months, Arnold did not come home. Then he suddenly went abroad for two whole months and when he came back, he buried himself in work.

He wasn't really cold with Flore but he would not hug the omega or kiss him like he was always doing it before.

Knowing the situation, Gisele asked Flore to go back to the Club. Even Haru proposed him to come live with him but Flore wanted to stay near Arnold.

The only words he exchanged with Arnold this year were "Hello", "Ok" and "Goodnight".

He did not know what the dominant alpha was thinking about. For now, Flore thought he had to do something. Since the beginning, Arnold was always the one begging him for forgiveness and enduring all his tantrum. Flore thought that it was his turn now to beg the alpha. He just wanted to talk… whatever Arnold would decide, he would follow him.

His idea was to bring lunch to Arnold every days. Flore was making the lunch with Emma, Arnold's personal maid, and Nell, Arnold's mother.

To his surprise, Arnold would accept his lunch and even eat with him in his office. Things were like that for the past two weeks. But today, Flore woke up late and he had to cook without Nell.

He did try his best to be on time, but taking the bus was awful during the rush time and Flore lost the only money he had on him.

Eventually, he finally arrived two hours ago but what he saw made him froze.

Karen was there. Her arms were linked around Arnold's arm while she was talking cheerfully. They were with other people. Two mens and a woman older than Arnold. They all went upstair and during the whole time, Karen kept touching Arnold.

Flore almost choked from what he just saw and though he was mad and confused, he decided to wait. Dark thoughts were running in his mind. Maybe Arnold did not want him anymore ? Even though he knew what Karen had done to him, he was still seeing her… He promised Flore to never see her again and he…

Flore felt the tears welled up in his eyes. He went to the receptionist before he could cry and put the basket on the desk. The woman behind the desk looked at him tenderly and offered him a tissue.

" - It's probably not what you're thinking," she said then to the little omega. " You waited here for hours, why not go there and talk to him ?" She tried to soothe him.

" - She's right !" Said the other woman. They were three receptionist in the hall. " The President is faithful to you ! "

Flore nodded but he refused to follow their advise. Instead, he went home.

That day, he decided to spent his night at Haru's house and he was not surprised that Arnold didn't call or text him. To this point, Flore was too tired to even think about anything.

***

London opened his eyes when he heard an engine roaring.

He carefully stepped out his bed, trying to not walk on the mattress where three children where sleeping.

" Adagio Orphanage " was where he was staying for the past year.

He went to the countryside, and thought it would be great to buy a small house but he met Sister Leka and he helped her while she was struggling with her bags full of fruits. The old woman then told him that she was going to the neighbor orphanage to cook fruits tarts for the children.

London was bored to death and did not know what to do with his spare time. So he agreed to help the old woman. He gradually got attached to the children and now, it had been a year since he was living in the orphanage with the children.

London sat next to the three children. Gregory, Kenny and Mantha. They were all twelve years old and were all really close with London, especially with…

London looked up when he heard a soft but cute cry. He almost stumbled when he got up but managed to not fall on the children sleeping.

He went to the small wooden crib near the desk and smiled when he saw the baby.

The little one was having a bad dream in a sleep. London embraced him in his arms and cuddled him softly while humming a lullaby.

Though London named the baby Mason, the latter was actually a girl.

During his pregnancy, the doctor was sure the baby was a boy. So can you imagine his surprise when he saw the baby after the labor ?

Because London had to go through a rough procedure, he woke up from his deep coma three days after the delivery and during these three days, the orphanage had to keep the name Mason to complete the administrative papers.

To be honest, when London heard Sister Leka's explanation, he could only laugh in front of her apologetic look.

Mason was a great name, even for his baby girl. Plus Kenny had named the baby Massy when he was taking care of her.

Kenny was probaby the most attached to her. Mason would probably be an alpha but London was not sure. The baby was just a baby and almost all baby looked the same except Haru's little one, Rory. He remember how he could smell a faint scent of powdery like soft laundry and peaches. It was definitely an omega scent. Plus Rory looked like a beautiful angel out of this world just like Haru.

But London was not jealous. No. Because Mason was definitely a really beautiful baby. She was so beautiful that everyday, someone would told this to London « She's so cute ! How can she be this cute ? »

Mason had London's eyes but all her others features seemed to be Thomas, though she looked delicate like him. Her eyelashes were longs and curvy and she had big eyes just like London.

London carefully walked back to his bed and sat on the edge. After putting a towel over his shoulder, he pulled up his shirt to breastfeed Mason and hide the baby under the towel.

This was a natural process but knowing there are children in the room he felt embarrassed. Plus the orphanage was really religious. Though London was not the type to be discriminative, he hated the fact he couldn't feed Mason like that when the nuns were around. So the only moment was the morning and in the middle of the night. The rest of the time, he was feeding her with a baby bottle.

After feeding Mason, London changed the baby's diaper and put her back in her crib. She slowly nodded off before soon she felt asleep.

" - Is Massy sleeping ? " Kenny asked half asleep and half awake.

London chuckled softly and nodded.

" - Too bad… I wanted to play with her," he said.

" - I'm going to warm some water for her next milk. Could you watch over her for me in the meantime ?"

" - Of course !" Kenny replied happily in a whisper to not inconvenience the baby's sleep.

London left the room silently, trying not to wake up Gregory and Mantha.

He met Brother Mederick in the kitchen while he was boiling vegetables and making a light soup for the children.

" - Did you have a good sleep ?" He asked when he saw London.

" - Mason woke up three times and she seemed to have problems to make a doodie," London sighed concerned.

" - Don't worry too much. She will be able to relieve herself without problem soon. Let her some time. She just doesn't have enough strength yet." Mederick said.

" - I know… I don't like to see her in pain." London said as he filled a pot with water to boil Mason's baby bottle.

They both silently did their tasks without exchanging another word.

It was not a secret for anyone living in the orphanage that Mederick was crushing on London. He even told the alpha long ago. But Mederick was the type to be really stern and cold in a way. He doesn't laugh much and his smile was more rare than seeing the President in real life.

London thought the man was joking at first but then he confirmed it was true when the man asked him on a date. Of course, London refused.

Before he knew he was pregnant, he was still struggling with his mental health. Some time he would fall so deep in his depression that he would lock himself in his room and cry for hours. Some other times, he would do worst and hurt himself. Other times he would not eat anything for days or even sleep for a long time.

When he finally heard the news of him being pregnant again, he almost suffocated from too much laughing. Then Mederick showed him the ultra sound and London cried while thanking some God he did not believe about.

He tried to be better. It was hard. He was till struggling today but with the medecine and counseling, he felt less tired. And of course, he got even better when he gave birth to Mason. And fortunately, he could gradually slow down on the medication and he even started to enjoy being around others when he was sad.

However, he was not ready for any love relationship. Thomas left a bitter taste in his mouth and he wanted to take care of his own heart first before taking care of someone else's heart. And to be honest, London was sure he would not be able to love anyone else like he loved Thomas.

" - Dony !" A child shouted as he came in the kitchen running.

London turned around and smiled at the little girl, Leslie. He leaned to look into her eyes.

" - What is it ?" London asked with a sweet smile while he tucked a strand of hair behind the little six years old girl's ear.

" - Someone has come. He gave me dis for you, " she said cutely as she handed over an envelope.

She lost one of her front teeth earlier this week, so now her pronunciation was cute and funny.

London took the envelope. A letter. There was no name on the white paper and no scent.

" - He said it was for me ?" London asked, still cautious.

" - Hunm ! He said to give it to the bouyoutiful alpha living with us. And Dony is the most pretty here," she explained happily.

" - Thank you Leslie," London said before hugging the little girl. " But next time, don't talk to stranger okay ?"

Leslie nodded and went back to play outside with the rest of the children.

" - I'm going to check the surrounding," Mederick said.

" - Good idea," London replied.

Having some stranger talking to the children and hovering around the orphanage was not good in any way.

Once London finished boiling the baby bottle. He went back to his room only to find Kenny and Mason sleeping on his bed. Gregory and Mantha were not here anymore. Probably they were outside now.

London sat at his desk. He took the envelope out of his sweater's pocket and opened it. Even if he was suspicious, he was still curious.

The inside was just a simple paper folded in three. London opened it.

There were only three lines, wrote in a delicates letters. And those three lines were enough to make his heart stop :

" Your grandfather is really sick.

He said to not tell you the truth, but you need to know it. Please, come back soon.

- Haru. "