"I love you Klas"

Part 3

Mickey's pov:

Realizing the potential complications arising from Ethan's lingering feelings for my husband, who was now our daughter's teacher, left me uneasy. The prospect of Klas's ex being so intimately connected to our family was unsettling. One morning, aware that Klas had already gone to prepare breakfast, I entered Willow's room and gently kissed her cheeks, coaxing her awake.

"Wakey wakey, little pie," I greeted, and she smiled, slowly opening her eyes. "Is it time to go to school, Papusha?" she inquired. I shook my head playfully. "How about we skip school today and get some ice cream?" I suggested, widening my eyes with a smile. "But Dada said no skipping school," she pouted, looking at me with hesitation. "I'll talk to Dada," I assured, and Willow eagerly nodded. "Go back to sleep now," I instructed, and she laid back down, closing her eyes.

Entering the kitchen, I found Klas still cooking breakfast, surprised by my early awakening. "Morning," he greeted, plating our breakfast on the table. Seating myself, I grabbed a fork and broached the delicate topic. "How about Willow skips school today?" I proposed. Unsurprisingly, Klas frowned. "No, is she sick?" he inquired, sipping his coffee. I explained, "No, I just don't think it's fucking safe for her with Ethan there."

Klas sighed, sitting beside me and placing his coffee on the table. "No, Willow's going. She's not skipping school for unnecessary reasons," he declared firmly. My frown deepened. "Ethan's fucking dangerous." Klas questioned, "How?" I shrugged, expressing my discomfort. "The way he fucking looked at his student's father is just creepy," I explained, but Klas shook his head, dismissing my concerns. Left with no choice, I pressed further, "Is he your damn ex? Loved one?" He abruptly left for our bedroom without responding.

I observed Willow pouting as Klas settled her into her seat for breakfast. "Papusha said I can skip school today," she announced, casting a hopeful glance at her other father, who responded with a frown. "You're not sick, honey; you should never skip school," Klas insisted, gently feeding her toast. Sensing an opportunity for light banter, I quipped, "Maybe your dada is making excuses to see his loved one." Willow looked at me with confusion, and Klas, clearly upset, intervened. "Not now, Mickey. Daddy's going to send you to school, okay?" he reassured, placing a kiss on Willow's head.

After Klas had showered Willow and gotten her ready, I reluctantly prepared her lunchbox. "Alright, say bye to daddy," Klas prompted Willow, who ran over to me, hugging my legs. Bending down, I lifted her up, showering her with kisses. "Be a good girl, okay?" I instructed, and she nodded before scampering back to Klas.

As I awaited my customary kiss from Klas before he left for work, he walked up to me, pressed his lips to mine, and softly murmured, "I love you." With that, he walked out with Willow, leaving a tender moment lingering in the air.

I resolved to visit Anthony and Mary to inquire about Klas's past relationships, specifically his history with Ethan. Something about him didn't sit right with me, and I felt the need to uncover the truth. After showering and tidying up the breakfast dishes, I drove to Anthony's mansion. On the way, I received a notification from Klas reminding me to pick up Willow later after school. I chose to leave it on read, as responding with a simple "ok" felt awkward, and I preferred not to reciprocate the action.

Upon arriving, Mary welcomed me in the living room, where she was playing the piano. "Mickey, good morning," she greeted with a smile. Curious about my visit, she asked, "What brings you here?" Approaching her, I explained, "I just wanted to visit and find out if you know anything about Klas's past relationships before me." Mary hummed, deep in thought. "I don't think so, dear. He came out to us the year he met you, so he wasn't really open about his relationships at that time," she shared. Nodding, I accepted her response as it made sense.

Heading to the garage, I posed the same question to Anthony. He mentioned that he was unaware of any guys Klas had dated, only girls. "How about asking him directly? Communication is crucial in a marriage," he suggested, and I agreed. Determined to get to the bottom of things, I decided to prepare dinner for Klas that evening.

Klas's pov:

During lunch, Mickey called, suggesting a dinner outing, and naturally, I agreed. After work, I returned home to find Mickey and Willow ready, waiting for me. After a quick shower, we sent Willow to Natalie's, and I kissed her head, reminding her not to be naughty. Willow held her tiny pink finger, intertwining it with mine, making a promise. With goodbyes exchanged, I joined Mickey in the car where he was patiently waiting.

Mickey drove us to a cozy restaurant, and as we held hands on the way, a warm smile played on my lips. He had chosen a lovely place. Mickey gallantly opened my door, and we entered, finding our reserved table. When the waiter asked for our orders, I requested steak and a glass of wine, while Mickey perused the menu and settled on beer, prompting a perplexed look from the waiter. I intervened, asking for the same order, avoiding any potential Mickey-induced waiter intimidation.

As the food arrived, we delved into discussions about Willow and my day at work. However, the mood shifted when Mickey broached the subject of Ethan. Unprepared to revisit that painful past, I shook my head, but Mickey persisted. "Tell me about him," he urged, whispering-yelling. Upset by the revelation, I realized Mickey had brought me here not for a romantic dinner but to dig into the unsettling past.

"So, you brought me here just to ask about Ethan and not because you really wanted to have a nice romantic dinner with me?" I frowned, and Mickey, scratching his brow, confirmed my suspicion. Disheartened, I stood up and left the restaurant, leaving Mickey behind.

Stupidly, I hadn't taken the car key from Mickey, forcing me to wait for him to settle the bill and return. "What are you doing? I was still eating," he spat out, annoyed. "You're too much, Mickey. How could you make me come here expecting a nice dinner, only for Ethan to dominate our conversation? I don't want to talk about him, not yet," I explained, and he frowned.

"He's an ex, right?" he asked, clearly upset. "Yes, ex, Mickey. Not a current boyfriend, not a scandal," I said, rolling my eyes. "Yeah, soon, he'll be!" Mickey yelled, startling me, as he got back into the car, slamming the door shut. Tears welled up, and I couldn't hold them back as we drove to Natalie's house to pick up Willow. By the time we arrived, my eyes were puffy.

Mickey's pov:

I knocked on the door, and Max opened it, handing over a sleeping Willow. As he glanced at the car and back at me, he questioned, "Why's Klas not coming out?" I knew he understood the situation. "He's just tired," I replied, bidding him goodbye before driving back home. After parking, we entered the house, and I carried Willow in my arms as Klas, clearly upset, stomped to our room.

After gently laying Willow in her bed and bidding her goodnight, I found Klas grabbing a pillow, heading to the couch. "What are you doing?" I asked, pulling out my tie and belt. "Sleeping here on the couch," he retorted as he laid down. "Get back in, stop being a kid," I insisted, frowning. "Me? It's you being a kid," he countered. Too tired to argue, I returned to our bed alone.

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