Kia's POV
Calming down a bit, Pierre then lead me back inside where we lounged at the kitchen, careful not to let Keith know what is going on.
"Here, have some water." Pierre said, handing a glass of water to me.
Reaching for it, our hands touched and suddenly, it made mine tremble causing the glass to fall and shatter on the ground.
"S-sorry!" I immediately muttered, quickly dropping into my knees to clean the mess I've made.
Alert as ever, Keith then checked on what just happened but seeing me kneeling on the ground when the shattered pieces are all over made him pull me up and say. "Mommy, you shouldn't get on your knees like that! what if you got pierced!" His concern totally etched on his face.
Nodding in agreement, Pierre then told him. "Maybe she isn't just feeling well again, how about you bring her back to the room for now?"
Obliging, Keith accompanied me back to our shared room and there, he asked. "Mommy, are you still sick? Maybe you should tell your boss that you will take another absence tomorrow."
Laughing bitterly, I nod. "M-maybe." Pausing, I look up to him and suggested. "Baby, once you go down can you please tell Uncle Pierre to stay tonight?"
Nodding, he asked. "Are you that not feeling well, Mommy? that you need Uncle to look after me tonight?"
Don't want him to worry, of course I shook my head and said. "It will just give me a peace of mind to know that we are not alone here, tonight."
Nodding once more, Keith gave me a quick peck on my cheek and said. "Rest well, Mommy. I hope you get better soon."
With a smile, I too give him a nod and once he's out, my tears just went down on its own, not knowing what I should do with my life next.
Later that night, I heard a knock at the door and knowing it's Pierre, of course I opened it to let him in.
"Where's my son?" I asked.
Closing the door behind him, he replies. "He's sleeping on the other room." Pausing, he sits on the bed with me, saying. "Just who made you look a mess. Was it your ex-boyfriend (Keith's Dad)?"
Shaking my head, I looked away and muttered. "I won't be crying for that man again."
Nodding and pulling me close, he asked again."Then who?"
Decided to tell him the truth, I took a deep breath and said. "I-I got fired from my job... And I honestly don't know how I can afford to pay you for this month, so ..."
Stopping me from continuing with what I had to say, he placed his index finger on my lips. "No. I won't be stopping working from here, especially now, when I know that you need me more." He states in a calm but firm tone.
"B-but why? Don't you need the money you earn from here?" I asked, totally confused.
Looking me in the eye, he then said. "I can't tell you everything yet but, know that I am not staying here because of the money you owe me for taking care of you and Keith. I just love to be a part of this family so while you're currently unemployed, all I ask is for you to let me provide."
Shocked and utterly lost for words, I just looked at him with such questioning eyes.
"Please, Miss Kia?" Pierre asked once more, his hands now holding mine.
"I-I don't know... T-that's just too much to receive..." I muttered as I bit my lip.
Caressing my face, he made me look at him and said. "No, it isn't. It's totally what you and Keith deserve."
Can't help but to overthink it all, I pushed him away and said. "I really don't think it's good."
"Then, is it a no?" He asks again.
Nodding, I just looked away and said. "This will be your last night as Keith's babysitter, so you can go and sleep with him tonight."
And just few seconds after, I heard the door opened and closed, which only means that he already left.
The next day, I just woke up with Keith shrugging me. "Baby, what's wrong?" I asked.
Shaking his head, he says. "Come on, Mommy. Let's go down."
"But mommy is still feeling sleepy, can you please eat your breakfast with Uncle Pierre, first?" I asked.
Pausing with a frown, Keith mumbles. "But Uncle already left, Mommy. He told me that he will not be working here anymore."
Recalling the things that I had said to Pierre last night, I just give Keith a hug and convinced myself that it is for the better.
Don't have a choice but to get up, I then accompanied my son downstairs and as we reached the kitchen we saw the food, all prepped up and ready to eat.
Eating his breakfast, Keith asked. "Mommy, your birthday is already coming isn't it?"
Smiling a bit, I nod. "It is." I mumbled shortly.
"What will we do then?" He asks again, obviously looking forward to it.
Don't want to spoil his fun, I looked at him and said. "How about you decide on what we should do that day?"
"Really, Mommy?" He asked for confirmation so I give him a nod. "Then can we just stay at home and just prepare some food?"
Surprised by his suggestion, I asked. "Sure, but why here? Are you perhaps thinking of inviting someone?"
Nodding ecstatically, he says. "I want to invite Daddy and Uncle Pierre!"
It was then I stood up and unconsciously bang the table in front of Keith, which immediately terrified him, causing him to pull away from the table.
Like I said, it was an impulse and I didn't mean to scare my own son like that so, I back down and immediately apologized for how I reacted but, he's just so scared that he starts to tremble the moment I reached for him.
Unsure on how I should deal with him, I decided to tell his Dad to come and pick him up. Hoping that after a week, Keith would realize that I didn't mean any harm to him.
But, what shocked me is how the events turned out because after a week, instead of bringing Keith back home, Seth, his Dad, come to me with a restraining order, forbidding me to come close nor talk to him.
"W-what?! That can't be! I am the mother and I should be the one who have his custody!" I exclaimed.
"Stop this, Kia! Both of us know that it will be better if he stays with me and my family, you barely even took care of him and if it wasn't of that guy Pierre, I could have easily gotten Keith's custody!" Seth argued, holding up the paper.
"N-no. This can't be! Keith is the only one I have now, please don't do this, Seth, please don't take him away from me!" I begged but, he swats me off by throwing the papers at me, leaving a paper cut right onto my cheek.
"Enough is enough, Kia. You don't even know how to take care of yourself, how much more if I leave my son to you." He howled, pointing his fingers at me before leaving me in despair.
Left alone, miserable and pathetic as it is, I drowned myself with alcohol, chugging each and every liquor I had at home.
Drunk and probably loss in sanity, I grabbed a knife from the kitchen and there had the thought of ending all things tonight, but as Keith's image appeared on my mind, I immediately stopped.
Dropping into my knees, I just found myself crying again and again until I just fell asleep without even knowing where I am.
The next day, I was awakened by a heavy shaking, I even thought that it was an earthquake until I opened my eyes and saw Pierre, frantically shaking me.
"C-can you please stop shaking me? I am about to..." I stopped mid-sentence, unintentionally puking at him.
Of course, I know how gross it is to be puked on so I expected him to be disgusted by the looks of me right now but, he kept calm and collected as he take me to the bath.
"Can you wash your own?" He asked, still not letting go of me.
Knowing myself, the reply I should have given him was 'yes, I can manage' but what comes out of my mouth is "no, I can't barely stand."
Nodding, he says. "Would it be okay for me to shower with you then?"
Trying not to think much, I just give him a nod so with a gentle push, he sits me on the toilet as he gets undressed.
Now naked, he then assisted me under the shower and there lathered my body with soap but, despite of his growing hard-on, he never did try to touch me erotically so the bath ended wholesomely.
"Feeling better?" He asked as he dried me up.
Nodding and leaning to his touch, I just found myself close to drowsing again, but he stops me from doing so.
"Miss, you know it's not good to sleep with wet hair. Let me dry your hair first." He says, immediately going to my vanity table, getting the hair blower.
Nodding once more, I let him dry my hair as he wish and as I literally can't keep my eyes open, I just dozed off on his lap and the next thing I knew, he was already gone and I was alone.
--
Pierre's POV
It's been roughly a week when Miss Kia told me not to work for them anymore so, here I am stuck at my office, doing the boring meetings and paperworks as a Company Director I should have been from the start.
Before I met Miss Kia and Keith, I am already entitled to be in this position but as I am nothing but a spoiled and childish young man back then, I held back to the position and decided to apply minimal jobs as I really enjoy them than sitting around and thinking.
Keith was only 3 years old that time while Miss Kia is 22. Despite of a year gap, I already find her as a pretty, kind and capable woman but the view of Seth, her ex-boyfriend, annoys me, maybe because of the fact that he obviously isn't a family man at the very least and is just someone who is riding his family coattail.
I mean, at some point I am too, but at least I am working on my degree and I do have my own money to spend.
Anyways, enough of me and that bastard...
Late last night, the person who I asked to monitor the happenings at Miss Kia's place told me that Seth went to her and talked for a while but after that, the house went dead silent and he doesn't know what is happening inside.
So, first thing in the morning, I asked for a leave of absence and then went my way to check on Miss Kia.
Coming in, I immediately saw the scattered empty cans and bottles of different kind of alcoholic beverages and not far from it are papers which reads "Restraining Order."
So, I immediately looked for Miss Kia as I can't imagine how devastating it was for her to know that she can't come close to the only person whom she values the most and worst comes to worst, she might try anything.
Frantically running around, I kept on searching on where the hell could she be until I found her, lying down at the kitchen, motionless.
Thought she had done something with herself, I shook her hard as I can and as she finally moves, she tried to speak but in her mid-sentence, she barfs it out on me.
Not that sensitive about this matters, I just carried her to the bath to let her clean herself but, said that she can't so I washed her and myself.
Drying her up, she kept on drowsing off so I just let her sleep while I went down to clean everything up and when I say 'EVERYTHING' I mean it.