Chapter 191: Mom is So Hard to Coax
"I’ll get you some water." Melody got up and handed Ian the bottle of mineral water from the top of the cabinet.
Ian took it and drank a few sips.
"Alright, sweetie, it’s too late! You have to go to sleep now!" Melody said in a stern voice, taking the water bottle from him.
"Okay." Ian obediently lay down.
Melody was on the verge of a breakdown. ’Every time, he agrees as if he’s about to drift off, but then he just gets more and more energetic.’
To get Ian to fall asleep quickly, Melody gently patted him and began humming a lullaby.
After a little while, Ian fell completely still.
Thinking Ian was finally asleep, Melody slowly tried to lift the little hand that was clinging to her.
"Mommy! I have to pee!"
Melody: ...
’AH! AHHHHHH!’
"Go pee! And when you get back, you’re going straight to sleep!"
Evan Fairchild sat on the sofa, watching the scene unfold. He slowly turned his head away, a flicker of a smile flashing in his eyes.
Ian scrambled out of bed and came running back a moment later.
Melody pulled him into her arms again.
"Mommy!"
"No talking!"
"Okay!" Ian nodded. ’But Mommy is hugging me too tight.’
"Don’t move! Sleep!"
"Mommy, you’re hugging me too tight. If you loosen up a little, I can get to sleep."
Melody: ...
A few minutes later, Ian slowly raised his little hand. Seeing that his mother didn’t react, a faint smile graced his small face.
’Getting Mommy to sleep is so hard!’
’But I finally lulled Mommy to sleep. Perfect.’
Evan Fairchild stood up and walked to the bedside. The smile in his eyes deepened as he looked at the woman sleeping so soundly.
Ian was instantly on guard. "I put her to sleep. Mommy is sleeping with me tonight!"
"Then where do I sleep?"
"There’s a room by the door."
"Good. In that case, you can sleep in that little room."
"No! If you wake Mommy up, she’ll definitely leave."
’Heh. The little guy knows how to threaten me now.’
"We have to find a solution. I’ve already looked at that room. It’s impossible to sleep in." Evan tossed the problem back to Ian.
Ian glanced at the wide-open space on the other side, hesitated for a moment, then patted the bed. "You can sleep here."
Evan nodded, went to change into a pair of pajamas, and then lay down.
Ian lay in the middle, with Melody on his left and Evan on his right.
Ian glanced back at his dad, then scooted closer to his mom, leaving a person-sized gap between himself and his father on the spacious bed.
After all that fuss, he was exhausted too. It wasn’t long before he fell sound asleep.
Evan rolled over and looked at the sleeping mother and son. He picked Ian up and placed him on the far right side of the bed.
He slowly scooted closer to Melody.
As if sensing the movement, she stirred slightly.
Evan raised his hand, lifted her head to rest on his arm, and pulled her into his embrace, patting her gently a few times.
Melody sank back into a deep sleep.
...
The phone’s alarm shattered the morning quiet.
Melody groggily fumbled for her phone, but suddenly realized something wasn’t right!
Her eyes flew open. She jerked backward, and as the support beneath her vanished, she started to tumble toward the mattress!
Evan grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
Their eyes met.
Melody’s mind went blank.
’Why am I in bed with Evan Fairchild?’
’Last night...’
’I was putting Ian to sleep, and then...’
’I fell asleep!’
’I actually fell asleep first!’
The commotion also woke Ian. He sat up, eyes hazy with sleep as he looked at his mom and dad on the other side of him.
"Mommy."