A Force Love Contract With GANG LEADER

The weather was getting colder each day. The city had officially entered into winter.

The baby in Kate was five months old now. Now her bulging belly was pronounced, and she was wearing maternity clothes. Vomiting and other symptoms had disappeared as Kate’s body absorbed the nutrition of all the food she took, and her weight was soaring.

In contrast, her spirits were down. She always held a book in her hands while her thoughts were somewhere else.

This evening, she was watching TV absent-mindedly. Tristan handed her a thick file.

She looked up, puzzled, “What is it?”

He sat down beside her, “Your sister came to me a few days ago. She said she wanted to study in Europe. This is all she needs, including a check…”

Kate was shocked and then frowned, “She went to see you? How could she do that?”

Tristan nodded, “It is not a big deal for me. I want to leave it up to you.”

Kate gave him back the file decisively, “No.”

Tristan raised his eyebrows. “Is it because you disapprove of her ways, or because you do not agree that she should study abroad, or that you don’t want to owe me?”

Kate had not analyzed her thoughts so thoroughly. She gave it a second thought and then said, “She is trying to take a shortcut. It is dangerous to indulge her in this way. If she wants to study abroad, she has to work her own way about it.”

Tristan chuckled, “Do you want to hear my thoughts? She is your family. If she is in danger, will you stand by her? I know it doesn’t work to indulge her, but it is worse to let her try and find some other shortcut rather than take this one, which is under our control. We can give her some heads-up at an appropriate time. That is what we can do to help.”

Tristan put the file on the table as he said that. “You don’t have to make the decision now. You can keep these and think it over.”

And then he held Kate’s hand and pulled her up, “We are done with this issue. Come with me.”

Kate followed him upstairs with a heavy heart. They went to the end of the corridor, and he pushed the door open.

She saw the dustless piano in the room. Tristan pulled up a chair for her to sit down, and then he sat on the stool in front of the piano and opened the lid.

Kate was surprised, “You can play the piano?”

Tristan was amused, “You think the piano is for Lucy?”

Kate moved her lips. She thought of “her.” He said she was talented. She covered it up by saying, “I haven’t seen you play.”

Tristan nodded and said half-seriously, “I usually play once every other year.” And then he asked generously, “What do you want to hear?”

“Can you play any songs?”

“Of course not, but I can guess all that you know.”

“Then play a lullaby.”

“Uh, you got me. I haven’t played this before. Can you hum it? I want to learn it.”

Kate wasn’t shy this time. She cleared her throat and started to sing.

Hush, little baby, don’t say a word.

Mama’s gonna buy you a mockingbird.

And if that mockingbird won’t sing,

Mama’s gonna buy you a diamond ring.

And if that diamond ring turns brass,

Papa’s gonna buy you a looking glass.

***This is property © of NôvelDrama.Org.

This was the song she always heard the auntie next door sing to her baby when she was a kid. The auntie had a gentle and sweet voice. She sang on and on in the hot summer noon and her voice seemed to drive the heat away.

Kate envied the chubby baby in the cradle and dreamed that one day if she had a baby, she would sing that song for it too.

As she recalled this, she seemed to hear the humming of the insects and the songs of the mockingbirds.

After she finished the song, she raised her head and found Tristan was staring at her. She felt embarrassed and asked, “What?”

“You will be a good mother.”

Kate touched her cheeks, and they were burning.

“Listen to hear if this is right.” Tristan started to play the piano.

It was slow at the beginning, but then it caught the rhythm and became smooth. “Right? It is simple but sweet.”

Kate nodded. Then she heard him start to sing, “Hush, little baby, don’t say a word. Papa’s gonna buy you a mockingbird…”

It was the first time she had heard a man sing a lullaby, and his deep mellow voice had a different kind of gentleness.

“Forgot the lyrics…” he stopped and turned to her for help, “Why are you crying?”

Kate didn’t know there were tears on her cheeks. She touched her face, and it was wet. She wiped her face with the back of her hand.

“Come here.” Tristan waved to her. His voice was full of gentleness now.

She didn’t move.