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Anthony was sitting in the morning room, drinking his second cup of tea when he heard the sound of tiny footsteps coming towards him. He broke into a wide smile as he watched his three-year-old son toddling towards him, his dark, curly hair bouncing, just like his Amma’s.
He set aside the teacup and walked towards Edmund and picked him up, "Good morning, buddy! Slept well?"
Edmund nodded mutely, his hands wiping his sleepy eyes.
Anthony chuckled softly, "Ha, you're still feeling sleepy, huh?"
Edmund nodded once again and he leaned against Anthony's shoulder, his tiny fingers clutching the collar of his shirt.
Anthony felt his heart brimming with love and affection for his sweet boy as he drifted back to sleep on his shoulder. He carefully sat down and lied back on the couch with a fast alseep Edmund lying on his chest.
The room was warm and there was a light morning breeze coming through the open windows and soon he drifted off to sleep, listening to the sound of his son's steady heartbeat vibrating on his chest.
Kate walked into the morning room, her hair still wet from the shower and saw her husband fast asleep, snoring softly with their son sleeping on top of him, a string of drool spilling onto Anthony’s shirt.
She felt her heart skip a beat and she wondered how she got so lucky. She stood there silently, her eyes brimming with tears and her chest aching with love as she watched her son wrapped in her husband's arms, sleeping contently.
After a while, she wiped off her tears and tiptoed softly towards them. She kneeled on the floor, besides the sofa and softly kissed Anthony's forehead. She ran her hand through his chestnut hair and felt him waking up.
"Hey!" She whispered softly as he opened his eyes.
Anthony smiled sheepishly at Kate, "Hello! We were having a father-son bonding naptime."
He sat up on the sofa, his hands still wrapped around Edmund and looked at Kate, "Did something happen?" He looked worried as she started tearing up again.
"No. Nothing happened. I just-" Kate laughed through her tears, "I love you so much. Both of you and I just can't believe how I got so lucky."
Anthony tugged her to sit next to him with his free hand and wiped her tears, "I love you too, love." He pulled her closer and whispered, "You are wrong about who's lucky though. It is me who got lucky, and I bet if Eddie is awake, he will agree with me."
Edmund suddenly raised his head from Anthony's shoulder as if he had heard them talking about him.
"See? He's agreeing with me." Anthony spoke gesturing wildly at Edmund.
Kate rolled her eyes and giggled, "Yes, of course."
She took Edmund from Anthony's arms and peppered kisses on his cheeks, "Papa is funny, isn't he, Eddie?"
''Yeah!" Edmund giggled and Kate smirked at Anthony.
Anthony and Kate were walking through the Aubrey Hall gardens with Edmund, like they did most evenings. Edmund walked in the middle, holding hands with them while an excited Newton walked beside them, wagging his tail excitedly.
Newton mostly stayed with them unless a rabbit or squirrel grabbed his attention in which case, he would leave them behind for sparring with his rivals.
Anthony and Kate would play games with Edmund during the walks as he got bored if they simply walked. They would point at different things and ask him what it was, and he would look at them and say what it was in a way only a 3-year-old could.
If it was something he was not familiar with, he would furrow his eyebrows in concentration and stare at the thing until one of them gives him the answer. He would nod his head seriously and repeat it.
Most of the time, Kate would have to bite her lips to stop herself from laughing at the expression on his little face because it was an exact copy of Anthony's.
Today they were walking towards the lake and Kate pointed at a huge oak, "Eddie, what is this?"
This was a simple one for Edmund and he shouted excitedly, "It's a T-wee!"
""Yes, that is tree. Well done, Eddie!" Kate smiled at him.
Edmund smiled widely in return, "Thank you!"
"Okay, now can you tell me what that is?" Anthony pointed towards a canoe on the lake.
"That's a Lake."
Anthony realized his mistake and crouched down and pointed again, "Yes, that is the lake. But what is that?"
He scrunched his eyebrows and a few seconds later shouted, "A Boat!"
"Good job, buddy! That is a boat. Aren't you clever?"
Edmund giggled cheerfully. He loved Anthony's exuberant reactions the most and he would giggle madly whenever Anthony praised him. "Thank you, Papa!"
The trio continued with the game, leaving a trail of the sounds of laughter and giggles behind them.
Almost forty minutes later they were back at the front footsteps of Aubrey Hall, Anthony carrying Edmund in his arms. They walked into the drawing room and was welcomed by a sad Newton lying on the carpet, disappointed at his yet another failure.
As soon as Anthony dropped Edmund on the ground, he tottered towards Newton and crouched next to him.
"Aww Newton, you poor boy!"
Newton brightened at the attention and wagged his tail as Edmund patted his head.
Kate gave Edmund Newton's treats as he liked to feed Newton himself.
Edmund cooed, "Good boy!" as Newton obediently sat down and ate them.
Anthony and Kate watched as Edmund and Newton played, smiling softly at their sweet, little boy.
Anthony playfully asked, his face screwed up in faux hurt, "Newton gets compliments for eating and poor Papa who carried you back gets nothing, huh bud?"
Kate who had her arm around Anthony's waist, pinched him, watching his antics and laughed as he let out an unmanly yelp.
Edmund spoke without even looking away from Newton, "You are duwiful, Papa!"
Anthony laughed, "Thanks for telling me that I'm beautiful, Eddie!"
Edmund looked up at his Papa's mistake, "Not beuwiful, Papa! It's duwiful!"
Kate bit her lips hard, trying not to burst out laughing as she watched the familiar crease on her husband's forehead became prominent as he frowned.
He removed his hands from Kate's waist and went to Edmund. He crouched down and whispered, "You don't mean dutiful, do you?"
Edmund nodded his head vigorously and patted Anthony's shoulder, "Well done, Papa. You got it. It's Duwiful!"
Kate lost her last string of control as she watched their toddler son imitating Anthony and complimenting him and burst out laughing.
It was far, far better than she had imagined the scenario when she had schemed and kept telling her son how dutiful his Papa was and the look on Anthony's face was worth the penance of involving their innocent child.