Solitude

Bonus #2

Alexander King

I used to love work and by love I mean it stole me away from the loneliness that secretly inhabited my life. It was my entire life. I worked and worked and then worked some more because there simply wasn't anything else for me and I didn't want anything else. I hated people and I still do, it's just that my hate rule has an exception.

That all changed a few months after I met the dumb smart, tiny brunette woman. Now work is a part of my life and every single time I leave our cottage to go to work I dread it. I try and do as much work as I can from home, wanting to spend as much time with the love of my life as possible but I have to be in the office a few days a week, making sure everything is running smoothly, sitting in meetings and doing stuff that can't be done from home.

Those are the days I dread, the days where I have to leave my family for hours, feeling irritated and agitated and not feeling any peace or happiness until I see her with my eyes and feel her in my arms.

When I stepped inside our cottage, having to duck slightly because of my large height, searching the kitchen for both a quick snack and Oaklee. My search for her continues after grabbing a crossaint from the pack of eight, finding her in the living room.

I enter quietly and press a kiss to my wife's forehead who's currently on the phone. She mouths 'publisher' to me and I nod in understanding. Her face tells me everything I need to know:

She's been on the phone too long, she's starting to get anxious and uncomfortable and she wants my crossaint.

I can help with two of them. She's not having my crossaint.

"-A new book series? Well... I can have a think but... yes... yes... okay." She sighs and deflates.

Stroking her back to help calm her, my gaze settles on the three dogs that are also calming her. Dionysus has his tiny head over one thigh, Loki had his on the other while Zeus is in the middle with his nose to her stomach.

They've been even more protective than they used to be, always having to touch her if they're with her. They don't even like it when I touch her.

My free hand heads to her swollen belly, snatching it back when all three of them growl at me, Zeus trying to nip my hand.

A glare settled on my face. "She's my wife and it's my child. I'm going to touch her if I damn well want to!" I say in a hushed whisper.

"Yep but I have to go now, Dionysus is scratching up the carpet... okay bye!" Exhalling, she throws her phone to the other end of the sofa and collapses in to the cushions. "They want more books. An entire new book series."

"That means they love your writing." I smile, picking up Dion so I can sit next to her and placing him on my lap to curl up.

That little Dachshund really loves sleep.

Sighing, she leans in to me and I embrace her. "I know but I have you, the dogs, a baby on the way. How am I supposed to find the time or energy when the baby arrives?"

"You'll find the time and energy because I'm here." I kiss her temple. "We're in this together, it's our baby meaning I will be wanting quality father-child bonding time. It's us Oak, you are definitely not alone. Plus we have our family and friends who will love to look after a baby. We'll find time for both alone time and book time."