Xeria’s P.O.V

Potato's barking and scratching of the door woke us up the following afternoon.

Potato leaps on top of Khaos as soon as he opens the door; he must have missed him a lot.

He then leaps onto the bed and demands my attention.

"Beryl, I have to go now, but I want you to come back with me," Khaos says, sitting next to me.

"Stay for dinner; I'll notify Dad, and then we can go," I smile at him, and he nods.

"I need to work," he says, pressing his lips and picking up his phone.

"Use my study," I offer him, and he kisses my forehead before leaving to freshen up.

"Potato, see," I say, showing him the ring on my finger. He licks my hand, and I hug him.

I see Jake's texts and realize I need to tell Khaos that I've been communicating with him.

There were a few suspicious people on the list Jake sent me, but I know it's all a ruse, and I wish it was them rather than the person I'm thinking it is.

I text Jake not to do anything else. I look through the photos from last night and post one of me sitting on Khaos's lap with him holding the hand where the ring was shining. I use a private account for close friends and family, so this will save me time telling them individually.

And before I can even keep my phone down, it starts blowing up with notifications. All from my friends and my dad too.

I get up and look for any other souls in the house; it's awfully silent.

"Congratulations," Aunt Nora comes up and wishes me.

"I guess this time I don't have to follow you to your home," she laughs.

"I don't know if I should take Potato with me this time; Dad will be all alone." I think about it and feel bad because I don't want to leave my Potato behind.

But then only Potato runs towards me, followed by our neighbor.

"Hello, ma'am? How can I help you?" I ask the old lady who lives in the neighborhood; there are only a few houses around, so I remember the neighbors too.

The old lady smiles as I ask her to sit with me.

"How have you been?" she asks me with a kind smile.

"I'm good, ma'am. Are you here to visit me?" I ask her because it's unusual for us to have guests from the neighborhood.

"Well, dear, your Potato here is going to be a father," she tells me casually, and my eyes widen in surprise as Potato hides behind the old lady.

"Well, to be precise, your Potato has been visiting my Daisy a lot these days, and thus the news," she informs me, and I close my eyes.

I adopted Potato when I was about to finish college, and I'm not prepared to hear this news.

"Potato, come here." I pat the seat next to him, and he hesitantly hops on.

"Congratulations," I hug him tightly.

"We're going to have your pups now," I smile at him, and he barks.

"How's Daisy, ma'am? Can I do anything for you?" I ask her, and she shakes her head.

"Oh no dear, I'm just here to share the good news with you. You see, I'm old, so I wouldn't be able to handle the pups. I can keep one with me, and the other will be up for adoption." She shares her thoughts with me, and I nod.

"How many pups are we expecting?" I ask her.

"Four, the kid from the next house, asked me to give one pup to him, and I can keep one pup," she informs me, and I look at Potato.

"And we'll have the rest." I offer, and she nods with a smile.

"I will inform you when the pups come out," she pets Potato and then leaves.

Well, I guess this way we can make an arrangement for us.

*

"I'm going to be a grandpa now," Dad laughs as he gives belly rubs to Potato.

"Dad?" I call him, and he looks up at me and Khaos.

"Well, this time you will have to go alone; once the pups arrive and settle here, then only will I send Potato with you two." He continues to play with Potato.

"Welcome back, son." He gets up and gives a side hug to Khaos.

"Get ready, you two; then I will be here with Potato," he releases Khaos, and we leave.

I look at my wedding dress hanging in one corner of my closet and below it a velvet box, in which our chains and wedding rings were kept safely.

"Want to take this back?" Khaos asks, hugging me from behind.

"No, I'm going to leave this here. What are you being, a miser? Won't you buy me a new one?" I roll my eyes playfully, and he laughs.

"Buy as many as you want," he squeezes me.

"I have to accompany Ivan for his fitting; their wedding date is near now." I swing with Khaos, and he nods.