He Came Knocking with a Baby in Tow Chapter 02
With that, I took him by the hand and led him onto my tour bus.
My assistants Anna and Maria saw me come back with a pretty little boy.
Their eyes lit up. “Eva, where did you find this kid?”
I squeezed Echo’s hand and said casually, “My son.”
As soon as I said that, the smiles on their faces froze, and they immediately panicked.
“Huh? Oh my god, oh my god, no one took a picture, right?”
“If someone took a picture, we’re done for!”
Echo saw that I didn’t say anything.
He carefully tugged at my clothes. “Did I cause you trouble?”
Hearing that, the two young women’s anxious faces showed a little guilt.
I smiled and patted Echo’s fluffy little head. “Echo is not trouble.”
Anna and Maria quickly waved their hands. “No, no, we were just talking nonsense.”
Echo looked at me, then at the two assistants, and put down his little backpack.
He knelt on the floor and pulled everything out of his bag.
Pajamas, a yellow cartoon umbrella, a water bottle, even his own toothbrush, and a stack of cash, all laid out on the floor.
So he had prepared before coming to find me.
After laying everything out, he buried his head in his backpack again.
He pulled out two chocolate bars and handed them to Anna and Maria.
He looked at them sweetly: “Sisters, these are for you.”
The two assistants’ hearts melted right then, and they thanked him in soft, high voices.
“Aww baby you’re so sweet!”
“Auntie loves chocolate bars the most!”
Echo heard that, smiled shyly, and pulled out a bunch more from his bag.
“Then you can have all of Echo’s.”
After work, I took Echo back to the hotel.
After asking him, I found out.
This little guy had gotten up early that morning, taken a boat from London, then transferred through several different kinds of transport to get to Milan.
One of the drivers was going to call the police, but Echo paid him so much that he took the job anyway.
Echo had actually arrived in the morning, but he saw I was busy, so he waited with the fans until I finished work.
He waited until night.
When the fans left, he snuck over to wait by my tour bus door.
He was shoveling rice into his mouth like crazy, obviously starved.
Looking at him like that, my heart ached so much I wanted to say something, but I couldn’t.
I couldn’t believe a little kid had the guts to come all the way from London to Milan by himself.
Three or four hours of driving, I couldn’t even imagine how nervous he must have been.
My throat tightened: “What if you got lost?”
Echo had rice stuffed in his mouth. He held up his hand to show me his smart watch, his voice muffled.
He looked up at me and smiled: “I won’t get lost! When I got in the car I took a picture of the license plate and sent it to Mia.”
“And I’ve been on the phone with Mia the whole time!”
Not only that, he’d brought a power bank, just in case the watch died.
The calmer he made it sound, the worse I felt.
He’d planned it all so carefully. This plan to come find me, he must have been working on it for so long.
He lifted his chin proudly and chattered on about his best friend:
“Mia’s my desk mate at kindergarten. We’re best friends. I’m gonna marry her when I grow up!”
Hearing that, I laughed through my tears: “Next time if you want to come find me, you can call me. I’ll come pick you up.”
I was quiet for a second, then added: “If your dad says it’s okay.”
He nodded quickly, smiled, and said “Mm.”
After dinner, I took him to the bathroom. When he saw me follow him in, he grabbed his pants, his face turning red.
He stammered for ages and couldn’t get a full sentence out.
I knew he was shy. I shook my head helplessly: “I won’t watch you bathe. Here, body wash, shampoo, toothpaste. Can you wash yourself?”
He nodded quickly: “I can! I wash myself at home all by myself.”
I patted his head and praised him: “Good boy.”
I walked out of the bathroom, pulled out my phone, and opened a chat I hadn’t touched in ages.
[Echo’s with me.]
I sent the message, and not even a minute later, the other person replied.
[I know. He told me on his smart watch.]
Seeing that indifferent tone, my hands were shaking with anger.
But I had no right to blame him.
[When are you coming to pick Echo up?]
[I have meetings this week, no time. Let him stay with you for a couple days.]
I bit my lip and took a deep breath.
So the kid was that unimportant to him.
I’d just typed out an angry question in the input box when the bathroom door opened.
Echo was holding his dirty clothes, trotting over to me.
“Mommy, I’m all clean now!”
I deleted the message in the input box and put my phone away.
I got the hair dryer and dried his hair for him.
The little boy in the mirror squinted, smiling softly, swinging his little legs on the stool, looking totally relaxed.
I laughed and ruffled his hair.
After I finished drying his hair, I took him to bed, kissed him on the forehead: “Okay, time to sleep. I’m gonna go wash up.”
The blanket covered most of his face, only his big watery eyes were showing. He nodded.
When I came back after washing up, the little guy on the bed was rolling around happily under the covers.
When he saw me, he lay down properly again and patted the spot next to him.
I got it. I got in bed and pulled him into my arms.
The kid’s body was so soft in my arms, but for some reason, that tiny little body brought me so much satisfaction and happiness.
I pulled the covers up and gently patted Echo’s back.
Pat pat, and the little guy in my arms started quietly wiping his tears.
His little hand grabbed tight to my pajamas, like he was scared I’d disappear the next second.
