Wednesday
“Is it okay that we delay the baptism of Milan, Emma?” Aunt Calla asked me from the other line.
“It’s okay,” I answered her, “We are not yet ready to share him with everyone.”
“Is Bram at work?” Aunt Calla asked again.
“Yes,” I responded to her as I watched Maria make Milan burp.
“Can I visit you today?” Aunt Calla sounded like she was whispering.
“Of course!” I quickly replied.
“We need to discuss Bram and Credence’s birthday,” Aunt Calla reminded me.
My jaw dropped, “Thanks for reminding me. I totally forgot!” I stared at Maria with wide eyes.
“Your welcome, dear,” Aunt Calla commented, “I will hang up now, I’ll be there in an hour or two.”
I took a bath and changed into black leggings, a plain white shirt, and my house slippers. Maria assisted me with my abdominal binder so I could walk with support. We waited for Aunt Calla in the living room. They installed the extra crib for Milan near one of the long sofas. Then the maids brought down his baby bag for supplies. When Aunt Calla arrived, she requested for a private conversation, so I took her to Bram’s home office.
“Bram was born on Christmas day, so we only need to worry about Credence’s on December 16. I already have three options for her but I needed your help with the budget. By the way, how’s your mother?” Aunt Calla told me as soon as she got seated.
“I think she’s busy with the restaurant,” I answered her, “She saw Milan via video call.”
Aunt Calla nodded and crossed her legs, “How many weeks is Milan now?”
“Um… eleven days,” I answered her with a smile, “Almost two weeks old.”
“Have you heard from your brother?” Aunt Calla leaned in my direction.
“I have not heard back from him,” I answered her. I was seated on my pregnancy chair, at the right side of the room. My smile disappeared. I was wondering why Aunt Calla was suddenly interested in my mom and Roland? I was about to ask her but someone knocked at the door. I swallowed and said, “Come in.”
“Pardon me, madam,” Maria said when she opened the door, “Milan is crying.”
“Oh! Can you bring him here please?” I asked Maria.
“Right away, Madam,” Maria bowed her head as she closed the door.
I turned to Aunt Calla, “I’m sorry about that. Um…going back to Roland, he has not visited me yet since I got home from the hospital.”
“Do you want to know why?” Aunt Calla rested her hands on her knees.
My lips parted, “You know the reason?” I asked Aunt Calla. I was getting confused.
“You see we could have filed a case against the culprit but Bram said no?” Aunt Calla told me.
My eyebrows met in the middle. Then there was a knock on the door again. I told Maria to come in and she was carrying Milan. She quickly handed him to me. I inserted my hand under my loose shirt and unlocked my nursing bra. I placed Milan under my left breast, “Excuse me,” I told Aunt Calla.
When Maria closed the door Aunt Calla stood up and smiled at me, “My dear if Bram told you that he loves you. You should believe him.”
My frown deepened, “I don’t understand?”
Aunt Calla just shook her head and asked, “Can I kiss my grandson?”
“Yes, of course,” I answered her. Aunt Calla was acting really weird.
“Don’t stand up dear.” She bent down to kiss Milan’s head. Then she turned to me again, “This is the third time that your brother escaped jail time.”
My jaw dropped, “Oh my God! What did he do?” I was not able to finish my sentence because I had a hard time breathing.
Aunt Calla shook her head as she straightened up, “Bram made him swear to never show himself to you, ever.”
I felt Milan let go of my breast. I looked at him and he was already sleeping. I fixed the front of my nursing bra then I cradled Milan properly, “Why didn’t Bram mention anything?”
Aunt Calla grinned at me then she walked back to her chair and picked up her handbag. She came to me then she kissed my head, “Maybe he loves you that much.”
I wanted to call Bram after Aunt Calla left, but I stopped myself. I called Maria and asked her to sit on the chair where Aunt Calla was seated earlier.
“I want you to be perfectly honest with me Maria. Do you know all the details of the fire at the ancestral house?” I asked her. I placed Milan on his bassinet near my chair.
Maria sighed and nodded, “Yes, madam.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked, frustrated.
“Master Bram told me not to, madam,” she answered straight away.
I massaged my forehead using both my hands, “All this time?”
“I’m sorry, madam,” Maria bit her lower lip.
I took a deep breath, “Please help me get Milan upstairs,” I told her.
“I will get the wheelchair, madam,” she said, then she walked out of the office.
Maria woke me up around dinnertime. I did not realize that I slept that long. Milan was still asleep on our bed. I requested Maria’s assistance in locking my bra at my back.
“Where is Bram?” I asked her.
“He’s in his office, downstairs, madam,” Maria answered me. Then she turned our room’s ambient lights on.
“Have you eaten dinner?” I asked Maria after I checked the time. It was eight in the evening already.
“Not yet, madam,” she answered me while she stood by the door.
“Please bring my dinner up here then tell everyone to eat as well,” I told Maria.
“Yes, madam,” Maria responded then she went out of the room.
Bram was just avoiding me. I was certain, Maria told him that I knew what Roland did. If Milan was awake I would probably bombard him with questions. He should be thankful that Milan was sleeping. And my wound too, was another thing. I could not move freely because of this.
When Maria came back, Bram was with her. The maids were carrying two foldable tables and two food trays. They placed mine near the bed where I was still seated. I glanced at Milan if he was bothered by the noise of everyone’s movement, but he was still asleep.
Bram and Maria watched as I started to eat. I did not say anything. Now I know why some people turn silent. There could be a lot of reasons but hurt was on my top spot. Roland broke my heart again and Bram did not trust me enough to tell me the truth. So I would rather be silent. Silence was better.
After dinner I fed Milan then Maria made him burp. I started to get ready for bed. I tied my robe and started brushing my teeth. Bram went inside the bathroom. I ignored him and just continued brushing my teeth. I heard him flushed the toilet then he washed his hands on the sink. Our eyes met in the mirror.
“Just say it!” Bram told me.
I frowned at him and rinsed my mouth, “What?”
“You’re giving me the silent treatment,” Bram turned to me, “Just say what you want to say.”
I shook my head and finished brushing my teeth. I walked out of the bathroom slowly. Bram followed me to the walk-in closet, “Stop following me,” I told him with a glare.
I was scanning my pajama cabinet when Bram spoke again, “I don’t deserve your silent treatment, Emma.”
I released a long breath, “Fine, why didn’t you tell me?”
“If I told you that your brother tried to burn our family’s ancestral home. How would you feel? You just got out of surgery, Emma.” Bram reasoned to me.
I looked down because my eyes were pooling with tears. Then I looked up to Bram again, “You didn’t think that I could handle it?”
Bram crossed the space between us then he wrapped his arms around me, “I know you can handle it. What I could not handle is to see you cry, like what you’re doing now.”
“I’m so ashamed,” I whispered to Bram’s chest, “What did mama Credence say?”
Bram loosened his embrace and looked down at my face, “She was mad and hurt.”
I shook my head, “I don’t know how to face your mom after what my brother did.”
Bram nodded, “Do you want to know what mum said when we found out it was Roland?”
I looked up so I could see Bram’s facial expression, “What?”
Bram looked directly into my eyes, “She said: “Don’t tell Emma.”