Storm and Silence Daydreams

One Shot 5: Trouble in Paradise

I'm extra happy 'cos Sir Rob senpai has noticed me! *internal screaming* for that, here's long chapter.

A financial crisis was taking over the whole Europe. Rikkard's businesses haven't been very good lately, and he's been so stressed out about it. He's been forcing himself to work for hours on end with little to no rest to make up for the money loss. His tiredness stretched his patience thin and any little disturbances would cause him to snap.

Other than that, everything else was peachy.

Our kids were growing up well. Robert was five, Raymond just turned two. They were such smart kids, and such mama's boys.

Probably because every time they go to Rikkard, he'd snap at them.

In the few weeks since the financial crisis started, my husband had been so extra focused on work that he started to neglect the boys. He's been at work all day, then when he arrives home, it's so late into the night that the boys would already have been asleep. He doesn't have time to play with them anymore.

Spending time with his children used to bring warmth to his cold blue eyes. Now, his blue eyes would grow colder if they dared approach him while he's working.

The day was Sunday, supposedly a rest day, but Rikkard's at his desk since morning working at home. I was lying on the sofa about to doze off, when I was suddenly woken up by shouting, which was then followed by crying, which was then followed by the scampering of little feet approaching me.

I peeked open an eye to see little Raymond with his baby arms spread wide open in front of me, wanting me to lift him up and comfort him. Fat salty drops of tears streamed down his baby blues. My back snapped straight and abruptly I stood up, my motherly instincts immediately kicked in, the drowsiness of sleep all but forgotten. I picked him up and supported his weight on my hip.

He must have gone to his father's office.

Like the child that he is, he craves for Rikkard's attention and he didn't understand anything that was going on in the financial world. He didn't understand why Papa was so angry with him.

My heart broke for my baby boy. He didn't do anything wrong.

"There there, my dearest, I'm sure Papa didn't mean what he did..."

I bounced him onto my other hip and continued cooing sweet nothings to calm him down. It didn't work.

A minute or two later, large heavy footsteps thundered down the stairs, mini earthquakes vibrated through the floor at every footstep. Soon enough Karim was in my view and was snatching Raymond from me, rocking him in his arms like what I had been doing a moment ago. If I didn't know better, I'd think the very masculine Karim have better motherly instincts than an actually mother such as myself.

"Ifrit, why is this little prince crying? He might disturb the other little prince from his afternoon nap. Or worse, he might disturb Sahib, he won't be happy if he gets disturbed from his work."

Karim loves the boys like they're his own nephews, maybe more since I still don't know much about Karim's family background.

The boys came to mean so much to him, I wouldn't be surprised if they start calling him Papa instead, looking at the rate Rikkard is going.

"That's precisely why he's crying. I nearly dozed off and didn't catch him fast enough before he waddled his way to his Papa's office. This time of the day used to be their 'play' time before the financial crisis."