Mr. Wallis

Part 33 (Jack's POV)

Today, as orders from the sour sprout himself, was to be spent all on foot, and to be as loveable as what he deemed appropriate. A kill joy he was, of course.

"Do not disrespect her," I remember Mathew saying as if he would pounce at any given moment. I had scoffed away at his threat. How silly he was for believing I'd harm a woman's feelings like he always tends to do. Then he reminded me that I was the one who insulted Lania whenever our father would bring her up.

"You called her a tramp, a nut, a ninny, and so on, dear brother." He let every word out through his teeth, especially at 'dear brother'.

"A girl writing Father didn't sit well with me. Before leaving I had read a few letters from both, they spoke as if they were daughter and father. I realized I had been a tab bit harsh on the girl. She's a good girl. "

He looks away to face his desk. The laptop had been on all day, and silently I hoped it'd burn his fingers off.

"You went through father's belongings?" He asked while typing away on his laptop. Little brother, you should learn to make eye contact when you speak!

"Of course not, little brother, he allowed me to read a few because he wanted to change my perspective of her before leaving to America."

Mathew then checked his watch and dismissed me. Clearly he never got the memo that I was the older one, and he the younger, not the other way around.

Blowing a raspberry, I look over to Lania pushing the small stroller; eyeing me every few seconds as if I were about to surprise her. We had just arrived to a plaza she had suggested because she didn't want to run into anyone she knew. It was a bit far, but at the moment, I was to do anything for her; I hahs to behave as if I were her man, she, my lady. Then there was the little tot.

The child, Lulu, did make me nervous for a handful of reason. One, well, children were the bloody main reason my relationships could never last; the girls would talk about their future with me, and then I'd be forced into their silly fantasies of a family. Two, that commitment sounded an awful lot like something dreadful; a bigger kill joy than Mathew himself. Three, babies were demonic, little creatures from hell's ass, and I couldn't see much in them.

Too much work for a little thing.

I turned my attention to an ice cream vendor then asked Lania if she would like to have one. She waved her arms up while giving a little smile, insisting she didn't like others purchasing anything for her. The child, on the other hand, stretched her arms, pleading for a cone. Of course she would love one, was there anything with sprinkles that children did not eat?

I wiggled my finger to Lulu, then grinned at Lania's rounded eyes."Ah, but our little guest seems to want one."

As I handed Lulu one, I press another to Lania. Her lids opened wide enough to let a splendid amount of sunlight mirror back golden streaks. Times like this made me appreciate brown eyes; they were always thrown to the side for blue, green, or grey. We continued to walk while she kept pushing the stroller with one hand, and ice cream in the other.

"Are you going to eat it, or have me hold your cone forever, Mr. Wallis?" She asked.

Mr. Wallis? Ah, so this is what Mathew had meant when he said ever since arriving to America he had wished to have his name changed. Smiling at the joy it brings me for him to finally find his match, I send wider grin to Lania, who in response squints her eyes to signal she's finding me annoying.

How do you see my dear brother? Is he of anything special? I must say,  you are to him, for he has behaved rather snappy around the mention of your name, Miss Kett. Snappier than usual. I linger around my own mind before answering her question.

"Tell me how it tastes."

She seemed confused, but then poked her pink tongue and licked a side of it. Her lids fluttered once her taste buds decoded whatever flavor she had coated them in. With a smile, she said it was pistachio, and creamy.

"Ah," I then leaned over to her, and with my lips, sucked in a scoop. "Mmm, definitely is."

The look she gave me made me laugh as I wiped the bit of ice cream on her outer palm. She asked why I didn't just eat it myself first.

Walking closer, my arm spread over her, resting my hand on her sharp shoulder. "Couples give and share. If I want to give you something, just take it, it's a gift, love. And, about sharing, do try getting comfortable with it. "

If three brothers can share you, I'm sure you can share a cone.

Her body tensed up as I touched her, but I didn't see it reason enough to stop. Mathew had mentioned she had relaxed under his touch, and now Peter's, she should with me as well.

"Now, let's explore this town. I see a park ahead, how romantic, no?" I joked, and shook her till she giggled for me to calm down.

"You're funnier than the rest," Lania pushed me off with little force. I took her shoulder and pulled her back to my side. I made her move aside then took control of the stroller. It did send a shock to my bones for the first second; it made me see the future as a father get ready to surprise me one day. Ah, never. Not ever, please. Goose bumps rode over my skin. Rubbing my eyes, I then focused to what was my assignment.

As I led the way I looked over and winked to my rosy date. "Eat your treat, and relax, darling, today will be fun."

She laughed, then quickly her eyes drifted down to the cone.

"What?" I asked.

"Oh, uhm,...your mouth was on it," she replied, then gave me such innocent eyes, that flipped my stomach over.

Keep looking at me like that, darling, I might put my mouth somewhere else next time.

"Ah, but then this day will be useless if you don't learn how to share with your lover, hmm? Are you afraid of cooties?" Challenging her had to be my best bet to make her do it.

Rolling her eyes, she scoffed before taking another lick.

"Was that so hard?"

Nodding, she said, "Yes, but I have to get over it at some point, right?"

"Mathew had helped you improved a lot, if he hadn't shown up, you might have smacked me," I stated.

She sucked in her lips, "He's a teacher all right."

Noticing her emotions were heading somewhere else at the thought of my brother, I decided to steer them back to a carefree setting. I grabbed her waist, then looked her dead in the eyes.

"Well, let me teach you what a fun date feels like...Buttercup."

Lania's eyes popped, but as I smiled, she did too, getting the hint.

"Fine, ha, ha, ha,...Cream Dream."

I beamed at the name, and thanked it wasn't the same as Mathew's.

Cream dream? I suppose I can live with that. I wonder if Mathew would also like it. I grin to the thought of telling him my new, little name.