The Baker's Assistant (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"I'll raise 'im like my own son if y'let me, y'know. Even if we were only friends, I'd still do it." He'd been dedicated to the well-being of Kayla and her son within the first day of her employment at the bakery, even if it took him a bit longer to decide he would do more than just ensure Kayla had a job.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You're a good man, Aleister." Kayla said softly as he promised the raise Lynndon as if he were his own son.

There weren't many men out there that would do that, especially considering the circumstances. She knew that Lynndon would have all the opportunities to be what he wanted to be and that was all thanks to the man that currently held her in his arms.

"And who knows? Perhaps one day you'll have your own son too." She said softly, her cheeks actually burning at that comment.

 

[KieranSoares]

Aleister was caught ever so slightly off-guard by that, but his soft smile turned a bit dreamy outside the surprise. "I actually always wanted a little girl," he nearly whispered, letting Kayla into a very secret and intimate part of his thoughts that a fairly shy man such as himself normally would never share.

 

[heartofcourage]

"A girl? Not a boy to carry on your name?" Kayla asked as Aleister confessed one of his deep held secrets. "A bonny little girl with your smile would certainly break hearts along the way. I'm not sure that you're up for that challenge."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I don' care if th' MacNamara name goes on, long as my children are good people an' find a good place fer themselves. Same goes fer Lynn." At her mention of what he'd face with a little girl, he shook his head with a chuckle. "I'm already angry a' th'men who'd be tryin' t'win her heart."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla laughed softly at Aleister as he swore that he was angry with the men that would try to win his daughter's heart one day. "Well, we have to get a bit closer to each other if you want that to happen." She commented, looking him in the eye with a smile at the idea.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I intend to, fool in love tha' I am," he nodded. "But we'll try t'survive yer Da first an' see if th'Ghis let go their girl to an old veteran, hm?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"I hope they do." Kayla said softly as she shared one more kiss with Aleister before she stood to get ready for bed.

If she was lucky, Lynndon would sleep for a few hours before waking to be fed. She loved her son fiercely, but his intense hunger meant that no one in the household would sleep until he got what he wanted when he wanted it.

 

[KieranSoares]

In the coming days, Aleister spent a majority of his free time, and some of his time at work, helping Kayla with Lynndon. Nosy neighbors had really begun to notice, seeing Aleister walk Kayla home so often and seeing that some evenings she didn't even leave. The rumors weren't malicious, but pleasantly surprised that Kayla had gotten so close to the man no one could seem to as much as speak to most days. What the customers noticed most was that the gruff baker had opened up a fair bit, even made friends of some regulars.

It didn't take long for Boar and Emma to hear. And even if Boar liked Aleister as an old comrade, his long-standing distrust of men began to show through again and when Durban found out about the rumors, Aleister was under serious scrutiny. Durban was the most protective of her uncles and he'd been especially close with her all her life more so than with her brothers, likely because of his soft spot for girls.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla lived a happy little life with Aleister. Nothing serious was discussed and they both seemed content to just let things happen naturally. Of course they bonded over a mutual love for Lynndon. The little boy loved Aleister completely, clinging to him when his mother wasn't around or was busy. He was a happy boy for the most part which brought Kayla a lot of happiness.

One morning while she was working in the bakery, Kayla glanced up when the bell rang and saw Elise and Durban walking in. Her cousin was a beauty who looked like her mother and she had the happiest look on her face.

"Kayla! Guess what?! I get to go to Norway!" Elise exclaimed, her excitement making her eyes shine brightly.

"You'll have fun in Aunt Kayla's court." Kayla said with a smile, knowing that Elise probably had to fight hard to be able to go and to see her Norwegian solider beau.

 

[KieranSoares]

"She's goin' t'learn so she can bring some experience back t'Brogan's court," Durban added. He didn't know about the roguish Norwegian soldier that was more a highwayman that a man-at-arms. He'd given in to Elise's pleas to join her Aunt Kayla when she'd reasoned it would serve her well in in Brogan's court. "Marri almos' wouldn't have it at all."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla glanced at her cousin as Durban mentioned what Elise had told him as to why she wanted to go. It wasn't her place to tell her Uncle that his daughter had a beau in Norway.

"What can I get the two of you today?" Kayla asked as Aleister entered the front of the shop with Lynndon in one arm and a fresh tray of scones in the other.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Marri's in love with those danishes, so a couple o' those, and a couple loaves o' tha' herb bread Al's so famous for. What would y'like, Eli?" he asked his daughter after sharing a glance of greeting with Aleister. It became clear upon that glance alone that Durban wasn't just there for bread and pastries. Aleister knew the 'I want to talk to you' look all too well just from his cousin alone.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Maybe a scone or two?" Elise asked, looking at Kayla with a smile before she caught sight of Lynndon. "Look at him! He's so handsome!"

Elise had always been the most enthusiastic person, exclaiming her excitement over everything. Kayla got the scones together as Elise took Lynndon from Aleister. The boy looked first at Elise and then at his great uncle, letting out a loud squeal as he was reminded of his own grandfather.

"Da has been inseparable from the lad." Kayla said with a grin, looking towards her uncle. "I think he's already planning his first boar hunt."

 

[KieranSoares]

"He'll 'ave Lynn out riding before 'e can walk, jus' you watch," Durban chuckled, balancing his daughter's enthusiasm with the calm and quietly content air of all Kitty's children as they grew older. "He an' Danny'll be stolen away before y'know it, 'long with Heather an' Ashelin. Marri's been missin' having babies around since Gabriel's little ones got a bit too big t'sit an' cuddle with. I'm sure Boar an' Emma feel th'same every so often, but Val an' Theo's are too young still fer them t'feel th'same."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I thought Seamus was courting that lass from Inverlochly. Surely he'll give you a few new babies to cuddle soon enough." Kayla said as Elise handed Lynndon off to Durban, the baby let out a cry of delight and snuggled against him. "Or you could just come and take this lad off my hands. He seems content enough to snuggle with everyone."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Reminds me o' Ashien when 'e was a baby. No' afraid t'speak 'is mind and ready t'cling onto anyone who'll hold 'im." Durban smiled down at Lynn and pressed a kiss to his forehead. Looking to Kayla, he asked softly, "Y'sure yer not havin' too tough a time on yer own, lass?" He'd asked her this many times, having disagreed with Emma demanding that she be independent with a baby so suddenly when she'd returned. He'd offered several times for Kayla to come live with himself and Marri.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm fine, Uncle Durban. Lynndon is a good little boy who hardly gives me trouble and Aleister is good enough to have made me his partner in the bakery, so I make a good living. With Dazu around, I get to spend a lot of time with the baby." Kayla said as her uncle worried about her. "I get to see Lucy a few times a week and Leon just about as much. I think this has all worked out for the best for everyone."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'd certainly like t'talk t'Al if 'e gets a second," Durban murmured as Aleister went back into the bake house to join Dazu in taking out a round of rolls and putting more pastries and loaves in to bake. It seemed Aleister was known simply as 'Al' by his old comrades and by at least Bell's side of his small family. "Elise, why don't you take everythin' home, I'll be along in a while."

 

[heartofcourage]

Elise nodded and took what was offered to her, saying her goodbyes to Kayla and Lynndon until it was just her and Durban standing at the front of the shop. Kayla glanced back towards the backhouse and then at her uncle, letting out a long sigh.

"Uncle Brogan has already given his blessing." Kayla said softly. "I know why you want to talk to him. He treats me like a queen and he adores Lynndon. Even if this doesn't work between us, he's promised to raise Lynn like his own."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Brogan, of all people?" Durban raised an eyebrow, hardly believing Brogan had given in when he, next to Durban, was the most protective of Kayla since her birth that kept the family together during war. "I'll believe it when I hear it from 'im myself... I'm jus' worried about you, Kay. Al's quite a bit older'n you, near fourteen years, an' even if I was proud t'call 'im brother back when we still fought t'gether, I'm no' so sure about this. Y'might not know 'im as well as y'think. Th'man's got some demons, Kay."

"Y'know I can hear ya talkin' about me, Durban. I lost an eye, no' my hearing," Aleister spoke up as he stepped out of the bake house.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla looked between the two men, knowing that they had a lot to talk about and she probably wasn't welcome in the conversation. Taking Lynndon from her uncle, she looked towards Aleister and then at Durban, letting out a sigh.

"Be nice to each other. You both mean a great deal to me." It was all she said as she excused herself and went back into the bake house to help Dazu.

 

[KieranSoares]

Dazu looked up as Kayla came in with Lynndon, and he gave her a knowing smile. "Uncles making life harder?" He'd been on the receiving end of the scrutiny recently more in regards to Lucy than Leon.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Hopefully he won't be too hard on Aleister." Kayla said as she placed Lynndon in the cradle that Aleister had placed there. "I really like him."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I can see, the way you look at him," Dazu nodded, smiling softly down at Lynndon who was still very curious about the great Lion, but too concerned with sleep to be bothered for the moment.