Love's Cunning Ruse

Julie's hand hovered over the doorknob, frozen in place. She had been about to enter when the explosive news hit her ears, right at the threshold of
the room.
Her hand stilled, Julie stood by the door, eavesdropping on the conversation inside.
Kieran, cradling the little tyke in his arms, asked in a voice as soft as velvet, "So besides seeing Camilla leave the music room, did you see anything
else?"
Ivan shook his head, refusing to let Kerry explain, his voice filled with righteous indignation, "Just tell me if you're the one who stripped Camilla's
dress?"
Kieran was speechless. How on earth was he going to explain this? True, Camilla's dress malfunction was related to him, but it wasn't intentional.
Seeing his dad hesitate, Ivan stood up and pushed Kieran away, "I don't care, Kerry, I'm telling you straight, I don't like Camilla one bit. I only
recognize my mom. If you cheat, I'm taking Mom and we're hitting the road. Don't expect us to ever come back!"
Ivan's face was flushed with anger, and he pouted in a mix of anger and hurt, "Mom said we gotta be respectful, I... I'll still take care of you when
you're old, but I won't love you, hmph!"
Ivan, about to storm off, was pulled back into Kieran's embrace, "Think about it, if you take off with your mom, how are you guys gonna get by? Can
you support her?"
The little boy felt even more wronged, glanced at his tiny arms and legs, and said sorrowfully, "Mom's taken care of me for ten years, and when I grow
up, I'll take care of her. I've seen it on TV, you'll go find Camilla behind our back. Later you and Camilla will have babies. Once Camilla's pregnant,
you'll stop loving me, and you'll kick mom out and marry Camilla. I won't let you hurt my mom! You kicked my mom out when I was born, and now
you're still picking on her. Maybe I'm not even your real son!"
In bits and pieces, the little boy spilled his heart out. Kieran managed a laugh through his concern, reached out and ruffled his son’s hair, "Who let you
watch those shows?"
"Let go!" Ivan tried to shake off his dad's hand, but the saying 'the arm is no match for the thigh' proved true.
After numerous failed attempts, he got mad, lowered his head, and bit down hard on his dad's hand. Unexpectedly, the little boy had quite the bite.
Kieran didn't pull away, but Ivan let go, feeling the hurt himself.
Then, with reddening eyes and a look of guilt but relentless in words, he said, "That was for mom. I didn't dare tell her, but if you... if you really... don't
make mom sad, okay? I look so much like you, I must be your own flesh and blood! For the love of that, please don't go see Camilla tonight, okay?

Dad... is it because mom didn't give you a daughter that you're seeing Camilla?"
As he spoke, the boy burst into tears, heartbreakingly sobbing, "Look... I don't have a sister either, but I still love my mom. Kerry... you're heartless. It
hurts so much, can't you and mom just stay together? I'm not a tadpole who found a mom and now needs to find a dad, waaah..."

Julie stood outside, gripping the doorknob, not intending to go in.
But hearing her precious son cry so heart-wrenchingly, her brows furrowed, she steeled her heart and pushed open the door.
She walked straight to Ivan, and with a strength that seemed to come from nowhere, lifted the little rascal up and headed for the door.
"Mom..." The little boy kept sniffling, feeling utterly pathetic, yet unable to stop the tears.
Trying to hold back, he said with a bubble of snot, "Mom, Ivan's not crying..."
Kieran, shaking his head helplessly, strode forward and closed the study door, blocking the apparent escape of Julie and Ivan.
"Move aside." Julie's tone was unprecedentedly calm, perhaps because holding Ivan, she felt the courage to kick this man she loved into outer space
if necessary.
Ivan felt uncomfortable, realizing his mom had heard everything...
As Kieran made no move to step aside, Julie, still holding Ivan, turned and sat on the couch. The kid was heavy...
"Kieran, come here!" Julie set Ivan down and grabbed a cushion from the couch, hurling it in Kieran's direction.
Quick as a cat, Kieran caught it, and then obediently walked towards Julie.
Julie was just a bit angry, and whether she believed him or not, at least what Ivan had seen, Kieran sneaking around with Camilla in the music room
late at night, was a fact.
Just as she turned her cold gaze on Kieran, before she could speak, he threw the cushion to the ground and knelt on it with a thump, "Honey, I was
wrong."
"...What?" she questioned, her brow furrowing.
Julie's voice was unexpectedly calm, "You're admitting you're wrong, what does that mean?"
Was he admitting he stripped Camilla's cloth last night? Was he confirming that everything Ivan saw was true? Julie felt her breath tighten.

Kieran, with a posture of utter contrition, said, "Camilla's dress just wasn't well made, I didn't mean for it to happen. It's my fault for causing this
misunderstanding with you and our son."
"So you're telling me you did strip Camilla's cloth, but it wasn't intentional, is that it?" Julie's tone was eerily calm.
Kieran shook his head, earnestly explaining, "It wasn't stripped, it was accidentally torn..."
"Wow, must have been quite the scuffle! You're trying to tell me you had a brawl with Camilla in the music room in the dead of night? It got so intense
you tore her dress? Do you think I'm as easy to fool as Ivan?"
Ivan felt like he'd taken a stray bullet while lying down, his heart aching.
Kieran knelt upright, a mischievous grin playing on his lips. Truth be told, he relished the sight of Mrs. Hernandez getting jealous because of him. The
room seemed to swell with her deep, unspoken love.
Julie caught Kieran's eye, noting his lack of remorse and, instead, his evident pleasure. She nearly choked on her exasperation, slapping the sofa
cushion as she barked at him, "Done explaining yourself, have you?"
Kieran immediately reached for his wife's hand, shaking his head. "No, I haven't finished. Camilla and I are not what you think..."

"Oh, well, I’m all ears!"
Ivan, seated meekly beside his father, chimed in weakly, "Mom, let’s listen to Kerry’s reasons."
Julie could feel a headache coming on. Yanking her hand away from Kieran's grasp, she made her fury clear. Although Kieran enjoyed Mrs.
Hernandez's jealousy, too much vinegar could spoil the broth, and he knew it was time to lay the truth bare.
He started to rise to take Julie's hand, but she whipped around and roared, "Kneel!"
With a thud, Kieran found himself once again on his knees.
Kieran's face turned serious as he looked at Julie and began, "Camilla and I first met at..."
"Get to the point!"
"Last night, I was the one who led her to the music room..."
"Mom, catch!" Ivan had somehow found a duster and thrust it into Julie's hand before plopping down next to her on the couch, crossing his arms with
the air of a judge presiding over a trial.

Julie, looking at the duster in her hand, couldn't help but laugh through her frustration.
No matter how angry she was, the thought of swatting Kieran with a duster was absurd. After all, if she really wanted to express her wrath, she
wouldn't need a duster – she'd go for the kitchen knives!
Julie then settled on the couch, mimicking Ivan's posture, her eyes fixed sternly on Kieran, "Go on!"
Kieran explained the previous night's events, then stood up and retrieved two torn-up plane tickets from his desk drawer, "She rejected my suggestion
to head back to Switzerland ahead of time."
Julie didn't indicate whether she believed him or not, instead she probed, "So Camilla moving out of Noblewood Retreat this morning was your idea?"
Kieran shook his head, honestly replying, "It wasn't."
After a pause, Julie turned to Ivan, "Honey, you're going to be late for school. Have Noah take you."
Ivan reluctantly glanced at his father and then, touching the feather duster in Julie's hand, said with earnest, "Remember, Mom, you're armed. Ivan's
got your back!"
Kieran couldn't help but feel a twinge of betrayal. Great, now he's starting to doubt his own flesh and blood. But seeing his protective streak, he let it
slide.
Once Ivan had left for school, Julie closed the study door and faced Kieran, "Kieran, swear on your heart that you haven't lied to me!"
Without a moment's hesitation, he touched her chest solemnly, "If I've told a single lie, may lightning..."
"Can you be serious? Women stopped believing in those kinds of vows centuries ago!" Mrs. Hernandez was full of disdain.
Mr. Hernandez, looking innocent, said, "I never made a vow..."
After a moment's thought, he asked, "So, what kind of vow would you believe?"
Julie's lips curled into a sly smile, "If you've uttered a single lie, may you be cursed with no daughters for life!"
He was at a loss. His wife was like one of those scratch cards that never won a prize...
He solemnly began, "If I have..."
"Say 'I, Kieran'!" Julie corrected.

Kieran dutifully corrected himself, "If I, Kieran, have told a single lie, then may I never have... mmm..."
Before he could finish, Julie had wrapped her arms around his neck, stood on tiptoe, and silenced him with a kiss...