Bab 299: Chapter 299
"Pearl! How did it go with the doctor?" Frances asked as they walked into Highgrove House.
"She says I have severe depression and wants to treat me for a few weeks in Scotland. Sebastian was kind enough to offer his home for us to stay while I'm in treatment." Pearl said.
"Oh how lovely of you, Bash. Will Erik be joining you?" Frances asked.
"Yes. If he ever comes home." Pearl said with a dry smile.
"Yes. I hope he talks some sense into that brother of his. Anyway. I am heading back to the palace. Thank you for letting me spend some time with my grandson, dear." She said, kissing her cheek and leaving.
Sebastian nodded and smiled. "Good job, Pearl. You're a natural at this."
"What? Deceit? That isn't a good thing." She said.
"No. Being strong and brave." He said.
"Oh." Pearl said, feeling bad about her sarcasm.
He walked upstairs to the nursery and Pearl followed. Christian was in his crib, staring up at the mobile and cooing.
Sebastian looked back at Pearl and then down at him again.
"He looks so different now that I know he's mine." Sebastian said. He reached into the crib and picked him up, cradling him tightly and bringing his face to his. He kissed him and whispered, "I am your father, little one. And I am so happy I am." He said. Christian cooed and shrieked. It was the most adorable thing Pearl had ever seen. Sebastian was right, he did look different now. They all did.
They packed up as much as they could and drove back to the jet.
"We need a plan." Pearl said. "We can't let anyone know that we are onto this. Or anything. We need to keep going like we were."
"Spending every waking second together and enjoying the baby at Erik's command to do so? Sounds good to me." Sebastian said. Pearl smiled. "Yes. That. We need to play up the depression so we can have time together alone. Here. Is Gail as trustworthy as she seems?" Pearl asked.
"Yes." He said.
"Then let's include her. We may find her incredibly helpful in all of this." She said.
"Agreed. And Jim. He's in." He said. "And we do this together. We have to trust each other, Pearl."
"I trust you completely, Bash." She said.
"Good. And a warning, I don't know what we are going to expose here. It could be terrible. There could be things that are difficult to know." He said.
"I've been through pretty much everything in the last year. I got this." Pearl said.
"I can't wait until you are free to just live and enjoy your life. I hope to see it." Sebastian said.
"I think you will." Pearl said, wanting to see it too.
"When Erik comes home, I want you to be in Scotland. I will be a Highgrove and will talk with him. I don't want him to think I am there with you right away. I want it to be his idea." He said.
"Yes. That sounds good." Pearl said.
"And when you see him again, and you will see him again, he will want to come to Craigowan and you can't let on that you know about his cheating."
Pearl felt her throat tighten. This was going to be the hardest part. Not throwing a chair at him when he walks in the door.
They got back to the house and they set up Christian's bassinet in Pearl's room.
"He's going to need a crib here. And a changing table. I'll have one of the staff get some things for him." Sebastian said.
"That sounds great." Pearl said.
Sebastian carried him around her room for a few minutes while he fussed and then handed him to Pearl. "I think he's hungry." He said.
"Yes. He is, I'm sure. She carried him over to a chair in the room and began to nurse him. Instead of looking away this time, Sebastian watched her and felt his heart fill with joy and pride. She was feeding his son. Pearl was the mother of his child. He sat on the bed and the overwhelming joy consumed him and he sobbed. Pearl looked over at him and he tried to cover his face in embarrassment.
She finished feeding the baby and put him down in his basinet and went to Sebastian, hugging him and sitting next to him on the bed.
"It's alright. You don't have to hide from me." Pearl said.
"Seeing you like that, with him. It's so beautiful. But I feel robbed of something. I don't remember." He said. "I don't remember conceiving him. It's not right, you know?"
Pearl looked at him. She took his hand and put it on her breast, still exposed from nursing their son. He looked at her with uncertainty. She leaned in and kissed him, putting her arms around his neck and pulling her body closer to his. She could feel him trembling.
"I'm nervous. I am unsure about this being real. Am I dreaming?" He asked. She reached down to his bottom and pinched it hard. He winced. "No. Not dreaming." She said. He laughed.
"Pearl. I want to wait. I want to wait until you know for sure what you want. I don't want to be some regret. I know I sound like a hypocrite with us having a child together, but I want the next time, if there is a next time, to be something real. Something... "
"You want the fairy tale?" Pearl asked.
"Why not? I am Lancelot, after all" he said.
"Bash, you are more than that. So much more."
She said, smiling. He pulled her into his arms and held her, laying them back onto the bed. He continued to hold her as they talked about their past, their childhoods, silly things like their favorite color and song, and how amazing their son is going to be.
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