A Baby For Billionaire Knox

THEME: The clumsy mermaid

HUMAN WORLD – OLIVER’S SCOTT APARTMENT

Oliver punched in the password to unlock the door while Eretia gasped in surprised at the technology. “Doctor Oliver how did you do that?” She demanded with a wide eye.

Oliver closed the door again. “This is how you do it.” He pressed the buttons and showed her the password to his home.

“Oh! This is really cool!” Eretia exclaimed. “Can I try it?” She blinked her eyes severally.

“You can’t tell anyone the password okay?” He said.

“Okay.” She replied.

“Promise?” Oliver asked again in order to tease her.

Eretia raised her right hand up. “I promise.” And she gave him a high five.

“How did you learn to do this?” Oliver asked.

“It is my little secret.” She placed a finger on her lips.

“So you won’t tell me?” He teased.

Eretia closed the door and pressed the password and it unlocked the door. She clapped her hand in excitement.

“Let us go in.” She said.

The night they were returning back to the hospital, she had seen two high school students doing the high five while slapping their hands together. Eretia liked it so she asked Oliver to teach her but he didn’t pay much attention to her because he thought she was joking about it.

“Hello.” Ryan greeted when his older brother walked in with Eretia behind him.

“Wow!” Her jaw dropped at the beauty of the luxurious living room.

“Why is she with you?” Ryan asked arching his brows.

Oliver placed a finger on Ryan’s lips to silence him.

“Eretia meet Ryan, my younger brother.” Oliver introduced.

“Oh! You are the one that saved on the beach!” Eretia went over to Ryan with a bright smile on her face.

“Yes it is nice to see to you again.” Ryan forced a smile.

Eretia stretched her hand towards him for a handshake “Thank you for saving my life.”

Ryan shook hands with her. “You are welcome but you can also say it is nice to see you too or it is a pleasure or likewise.” Ryan corrected.

Eretia shot Ryan a confused look. “I.. was.. thanking you for saving.. my life.. on the beach.” she stuttered.

Ryan forehead creased. “Oh! Okay.” He nodded impatiently.

“Perhaps.. can.. I touch.. that thing?” She pointed to the green couch

Ryan exchanged glances with Oliver. “Eretia will be staying with us for now.” Oliver said to his younger brother.

Ryan shot his brother a what the hell are you talking about look. “Be nice to her.” Oliver mouthed.

“Oh! You are welcome to our home!” Ryan let out a feigned chuckle.

Oliver grabbed Eretia wrist and led her to the couch while Ryan did the sign language to him. “You better have a good reason for bringing a stranger into our home.”

“You can take a seat.” Oliver said to Eretia.

Eretia sat on the couch gently but stood up immediately. “Doctor Oliver! Tell me what is this thing!?! What if I drown in it? Can it swallow me up?!”

“Come on it is a couch. Sit down.. it won’t bite you.” Oliver replied.

Ryan was shocked and confused at the same time. “You don’t know what a couch means?” He asked with a wide eyes.

“Ryan.” Oliver shot him a glare.

The couch was different from the sea moss chair in her world. Eretia sat down again and sank into the comfy couch.. “Wow! I think.. this is nice. It is so comfortable.”

“I am finding it hard to comprehend what is going on here.” Ryan threw his hand up in surrender.

Eretia blinked. “I am just getting use to things in this world.” she mumbled to herself.

Oliver picked the remote on the table and pointed the remote towards the big plasma television on the wall.

Eretia was stunned at the device, she stood up and went to the television. “Doctor Oliver what is this? Is this another human world?” She brought her face closer to the screen.

“It is a television.” Oliver responded.

“Tv for short.” Ryan added as she touched the screen.

“Eretia, you shouldn’t touch it.” Oliver chuckled trying to caution her.

“Wow! Doctor Oliver this is so beautiful but who are these people? Are they like us?” She pointed to the figures in the television.

“They are actors.” Ryan replied.

Eretia soon jumped in fear when Oliver increased the volume a bit. She placed her hands on her mouth.

“He is talking to me!” She turned towards Oliver.

Ryan rolled his eyes. “No they are not talking to you.”

“How did they all get in there?” She asked when multiple people appeared on the screen too.

“Come here.” Oliver dragged her gently away from the big screen.

“He is so cute!” She pointed to the actor in the screen.

Eretia sat down calmly to watch the movie, Ryan stared at her with a surprised look on his face. “She is so dumb.” He whispered to himself.

Then the movie showed a scene where the main actor kissed the actress. Eretia clapped excitedly. “Oh they are bonding!” She knew what they were doing because she had seen one of her brothers named Fairfax kissing Nakendra his mate. And her other brother did the same during their bonding ceremony and also some other Mercouples.

“Are they getting married?” She asked no one in particular.

“No.” Ryan replied.

Eretia stood up from the couch as she pointed at the television. So “why are they kissing without bonding?” She asked in a confused tone.

In the merworld only married couples shared kisses on the lips but unmarried ones shared kisses on the forehead and cheeks since they haven’t bonded yet.

Ryan raised his eyebrows in confusion. “They are just acting.” He said.

“Acting?” She repeated.

Oliver helped her to sit on the couch again. “You must be really tired.”

“Can I do that too?” She asked.

“What?!” Oliver asked thinking she wanted to kiss him.

“Acting?” She answered.

Ryan chuckled. “She’s so funny. I bet she can consider being a comedian.” He said within.

“I am not sure but I know that you need to rest.” Oliver answered.

“I want to be inside the television too.” Eretia pouted her lips.

“You have to be an actress to be on tv.” Oliver sat next to her on the couch.

“I want -”

Ryan interrupted her. “You are pretty and I think you will make a good actress, maybe a comic actress.” Ryan laughed trying make jest of her.

Eretia didn’t find his words offensive because he called her pretty, her cheeks flushed pink and she covered her face shyly. “Thank you.”

Oliver did the click sound when she stood up from his side and went to sit beside Ryan. “You are handsome too.” she said.

“Better than him?” Ryan pointed at his brother who was now busy on his phone.

“Huh?” She looked at Oliver. “Doctor Oliver is so cool and smart, he always have answers to all my questions.” Eretia giggled and stood up from Ryan’s side.

Ryan did the sign language with his brother. “Bro why does she have to stay with us?”

“She doesn’t have a place to go.” Oliver signed back.

Eretia went to the ceramic flower vase which had the image of a mermaid imprinted on it. It reminded her of who she was in the merworld and wondered if they were all doing fine without her. To be honest, Eretia was worried about her mother and she suddenly wished that they could all move to the human world and live together but none of them liked the human world except her.

“Why?” Ryan asked.

“She doesn’t remember anything about herself or family and all.” Oliver replied.

“Too bad but why does it have to be you helping her out?” Ryan signed with a furrowed eyebrows.

“I can’t take her to the welfare center because it won’t be good for her condition, so I am going to help her regain her memory. For now she doesn’t have anyone except me.” Oliver explained.

“When will that be?” And all of a sudden Ryan felt pity for Eretia.

“Only time will tell but it definitely won’t take forever.” Oliver signed.

Eretia turned back at them and Ryan dropped his hands from signing again. “Doctor Oliver, I want to work.” she said with a serious face.

“What? Why?” He asked.

“I want to work like those people we saw on the road.” Eretia settled down beside Oliver.

He held her small hands in his large ones. “Eretia, you can’t work.”

“Why?” She asked.

“You need to get better.” Oliver answered.

“So what am I going to do?” Eretia huffed.

Oliver thought for a second. “Ryan is on holiday so you can help him with studies.”

“What?! She doesn’t even know a tv or couch and you want her to help me.” Ryan gasped out in disbelieve.

Oliver blinked at his brother to stay quiet. “Eretia will help you out with your homework like she is your tutor.” Oliver said.

“I am saying no to that.” Ryan objected.

“I can help you.” Eretia spoke up after they argued for a while.

“Really?” Ryan asked.

“Yes, I know so many things because…” her voice trailed off. “I am a special mermaid who can speak with the sea and I can speak different languages too.” Eretia wanted to say but she held her words at bay.

“Hold up… I will be right back.” Ryan stood up and motioned towards his room.

“Are you okay?” Oliver asked.

“I am fine.” She responded.

“Don’t mind my brother, he can be very naughty at times.” Oliver said.

“No I like him.” She smiled.

“Would you like something to drink? Tea? Soda? Wine?” Oliver asked.

“I am fine.” She answered.

Ryan came back with his arithmetic textbook. “So I have here with me an arithmetic textbook, so can you please solve this equation, Miss Eretia?” He opened a part of the textbook.

It was the arithmetic his teacher gave them in class as an assignment but no one could solve it.

Eretia took the textbook and notepad from him and started to write things down. Oliver peered to look at what she was writing in the notepad and it looked like she was solving the equation.

“Done!” She dropped the pencil and passed the arithmetic textbook to Ryan. “Simple as a spell song.” she said with pride in her tone.

“What?!” They chorused.

Eretia realized what she had just said and she placed her hand on her mouth. “I meant to say… simple to solve.”

Ryan collected the books from her and cross checked it with the correction his teacher gave to him. And in deed Eretia didn’t miss out on any step, she was correct!

Ryan eyes widened in shock. “She got it right.” He looked up at his brother. “But how did you manage to solve it when you don’t even know -” he trailed off.

“Are you convinced that she can help you?” Oliver asked though he was stunned that she could solve the equation.

“Yes she can coach me.” Ryan answered.

“Doctor Oliver can’t I do other things aside helping Ryan with his homework?” Eretia asked.

“Let us work with Ryan for now, I will provide you with anything you need. Just-”

Eretia interrupted him. “Books!” She screamed out.

“You want books?” Oliver asked and she nodded.

Eretia already figured out that she needed books to know more about the human world. So reading more books here could help her in some ways.

“Do you like reading?” Ryan asked.

“Yes I want books about humans.” She replied.

“I love reading too, so what genre is your favorite?” Ryan asked.

“Genre?” Eretia raised her eyebrows to think.

“I like adventure, fantasy and supernatural books!” Ryan said.

“I like human books.” Eretia smiled sheepishly.

“We have books about human anatomy in the library, Ryan will show them to you.” Oliver said.

“Human anatomy? Are you also a medical student? Oh never mind you don’t even know who you are.” Ryan folded his arms and leaned back in the couch.

“Anything else?” Oliver asked Eretia.

Her face turned red. “And I also want that thing you place on your ear and talk to it.” She demonstrated by placing her hand to her ear.

Ryan shook his head in disbelieve. “It is called a smartphone.” he said.

“Oh you mean this one.” Oliver showed her his phone.

She nodded. “I notice that everyone around here has it.”

“I will get you one tomorrow.” Oliver said.

“And can I have some shoes too?” She smiled.

Eretia recalled the look on the man’s face when she had bumped into him. She didn’t like that look of disgust he shot at her for walking around barefooted.

“Our guest wants so many things, so why don’t you go to the mall to pick some stuffs for her.” Ryan suggested.

“Mall?” She repeated.

“It is a place where you can buy variety of goods.. like an enclosed shopping centre.” Ryan explained.

“Ryan will you like to come with us to the mall?” Oliver asked.

“I would love that!” He answered excitedly.

“Then go and change your wears into a presentable one.” Oliver snapped his fingers, signifying that Ryan shouldn’t take too much time.

“Okay.” He raced off to his room.

Eretia went to the television again. “Can we go with the this thing?” She asked.

“No.” Oliver replied.

“Why? We should take it with us because I love it.” She grumbled.

“You can’t carry the television round like it a cellphone.” Oliver countered.

“But I can carry it.” Eretia made an attempt to reach for the television set but Oliver was quick enough to get out of the couch and stop her.

“Eretia, we can’t bring it with us but it will be right here when we get back home.” He pulled her away from the television.

“The actor won’t be happy that we are leaving him behind.” She said with a sad face.

“The actor doesn’t know you, he can’t even hear you now.” Oliver sat her back on the couch.

“Why?” She questioned looking at the big screen again.

“Time to go to the Mall!” Ryan announced.

“You know what?” Oliver asked.

“What?”

“You will play with the superman toy in the car.” Oliver said and her face brightened forgetting about the big screen.