Mummy is not Elaine
1261 Words
Getting out of the car, he opened the door and carried the sleeping Seth out of the car, grabbing his bag with his free hand, he closed the door and walked towards the house.
“Daddy..”
“Mhm?”
Asher answered, as Seth raised his head, he looked around hoping to catch a glimpse of Kayla but he wasn’t seeing her anywhere.
“Daddy..where is mummy? Didn’t she follow us?”
Asher sighed as they got into the house, the house keeper immediately coming to their aid.
“Welcome back sir, may I take the child?”
Asher nodded as he handed Seth to the woman and requested to be put down a second later.
“I can walk on my own” he said, leaving the house keeper in an awkward spot.
Asher loosened his tie, wanting to take a seat on the couch when Seth stopped him.
“Daddy where is mummy, why didn’t she follow us? Did you drive without her?”
“Elaine is not here..” Asher replied as he moved Seth to the side, taking a breather on the chair.
“I’m not talking about my nanny, mummy is at the office, she has brown hair and black eyes like Seth..”
“She’s not your mother, she’s daddy’s assistant. She’s not here to play..”
Asher’s voice was calm but firm, though a flicker of unease crossed his features as he looked at Seth. The boy’s insistence on calling Kayla “mummy” was starting to gnaw at him, especially now that Seth seemed utterly convinced of this notion.
“But she’s my mummy,” Seth said stubbornly, his small face scrunching in defiance.
“Seth, listen to me,” Asher said, his tone softening as he leaned forward to meet his son’s gaze. “Kayla is my assistant, not your mother. You need to stop calling her that.”
Seth’s lower lip trembled, but he refused to back down. “But she is. She’s nice, she talks to me like mummy would, and she hugs me when I’m sad. Why can’t she be my mummy?”
Asher ran a hand through his hair, his frustration mounting. He didn’t want to upset his son, but he also couldn’t encourage this idea. Kayla was just his assistant—a capable, intriguing one, yes, but nothing more.
“Seth,” he said after a moment, his voice measured, “Kayla is kind because she’s a good person. But that doesn’t make her your mother.”
Tears welled up in Seth’s eyes, and Asher’s heart sank. He hated seeing his son like this—so small, so desperate for something he couldn’t give him.
“Go with Mrs. Harper,” he said gently, nodding toward the housekeeper. “She’ll take you upstairs, and we can talk more tomorrow.”
Seth hesitated, clutching his small hands into fists. “I don’t want to go,” he mumbled, his voice breaking.
“Seth,” Asher said firmly but not unkindly, “you need rest. We’ll talk in the morning.”
Reluctantly, Seth allowed Mrs. Harper to guide him toward the staircase. Asher watched them go, the sound of his son’s sniffles echoing in the quiet house.
Once they were out of sight, Asher leaned back on the couch and exhaled deeply. His thoughts drifted to Kayla—her calm demeanor under pressure, the way Seth gravitated toward her, and the strange pull he himself felt in her presence.
He closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. There was something here—something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
And as much as he wanted to ignore it, he knew he couldn’t.
“I didn’t think it would be this early for me to run a background checkup on my assistant, but this strange closeness between Kayla and Seth should be checked on..”
He loosened his tie further as he grabbed his briefcase and headed upstairs to his room, he was craving a drink and the mini bar in his room would do the trick.
Asher entered his bedroom, tossing his tie onto a nearby chair as he approached the sleek mini bar nestled against the far wall. He poured himself a small glass of whiskey, the amber liquid gleaming under the soft light. Taking a slow sip, he let the warmth spread through his chest, trying to drown out the emotions Seth’s words had stirred.
“Why does this keep coming up?” he muttered to himself, setting the glass down with a soft clink.
He leaned against the bar, his eyes drifting to the faint city lights visible through the large window. Seth’s words echoed in his mind—She’s my mummy.
It wasn’t just Seth’s insistence that bothered him. It was the conviction in his son’s voice, the unshakable belief that Kayla somehow fit into that role.
And then there was Kayla herself.
She’d been nothing but professional, never overstepping, never acting out of line. Yet her natural warmth and patience with Seth had created a bond that seemed to transcend some logic.
Asher rubbed the back of his neck, frustration bubbling to the surface. He was a man of reason, of calculated decisions, and yet this entire situation felt inexplicable.
Finishing his drink, he placed the empty glass back on the bar and made his way to the bathroom. Splashing cold water on his face, he stared at his reflection in the mirror.
“Get it together,” he muttered, the firm tone directed more at himself than anyone else.
He straightened, taking a deep breath before heading back to the bedroom. Tomorrow, he’d handle things properly. He needed to get to the bottom of this—whatever this was.
Asher stepped into the bathroom, unbuttoning his shirt and sliding it off his broad shoulders with practiced ease. His frame was lean yet powerful, his physique sculpted by years of dedication to maintaining peak fitness. Each movement revealed well-defined muscles, his chest and arms taut with strength, while a faint sheen of sweat glimmered in the light, evidence of a long, taxing day.
He reached for the towel hanging nearby, unbuckling his belt and shedding the rest of his clothes until he stood in nothing but the towel wrapped low around his hips. His waist was narrow, his toned abs chiseled into a perfect V-shape that led down to where the towel rested snugly.
The bathroom’s warm light cast soft shadows across his body, emphasizing the hard planes of his abdomen and the curve of his obliques. The lines of his muscles were sharp yet fluid, a testament to the balance of discipline and natural athleticism that defined him.
He ran a hand through his dark, slightly tousled hair as steam began to rise from the shower. Pulling the towel from his waist, he hung it on the rack before stepping into the glass enclosure, letting the hot water cascade over his skin.
The tension from the day began to melt away as he tilted his head back, water streaming down his neck and shoulders, tracing the contours of his body. His mind, however, was far from relaxed. Thoughts of Seth, Kayla, and the strange dynamic between them refused to fade, lingering even as the heat of the shower worked to loosen the knots in his muscles.
Asher leaned against the cool tile wall, his eyes closed, droplets of water trailing down his face and chest. What am I missing? he thought, the question echoing in the back of his mind.
- Writer
