Axel inhaled slowly, controlling his urge to kiss Evelyn again. He opened the door, stepping out with composed dignity.
Oliver immediately ran toward him. "Daddy, what are you doing in there?"
"Talking," Axel calmly replied.
"For so long?" Oliver asked, his little brow knitted.
Axel was speechless as he watched his son interrogate him. Suppressing a laugh, he calmly responded, "Yes."
Silent.
But the suspicion still flashes in his gaze before he continues to ask, "Daddy, are you sure you are not hiding my snacks?"
"I’m pretty sure I’m not, buddy."
"Is Mommy inside, too?"
"Yes."
"Then why talk in the car? The house has couches that are very comfortable for talking."
Axel sighed and picked him up, ignoring Oliver’s little gasp. Their eyes met as he said, "Buddy, because sometimes your mom and I need a private moment."
Oliver blinked innocently. "In a car? Why?"
"Because we do."
"That does not make sense."
"No, it does not," Axel agreed.
Evelyn, who was watching her son, Oliver, interrogated his father like a detective... couldn’t help but laugh.
Not wanting to see Axel become more intimidated by their four-year-old son, she hurriedly stepped out of the car to rescue her poor husband.
For a brief second, she feared Oliver would notice her swollen lips, but luckily, he was too busy staring at Axel’s face.
Oliver swung his legs lightly before announcing loudly, "Mommy, Daddy is acting weird again." His round eyes blinked, staring back at her.
Evelyn laughed briefly as she said, "When is your daddy not acting weird?"
Her words were enough to make Oliver giggle, "True..."
Axel is utterly speechless.
As Axel was about to speak, Evelyn gently interrupted with a warm smile, saying, "Sweetheart, I have a snack for you."
Evelyn handed him a snack box that contained a single banana muffin, ready to brighten his day.
"Muffin..." Instantly, the suspicious glint in Oliver’s eyes disappeared. He grabbed the snack box and opened it.
Axel rolled his eyes at both of them but held Oliver securely with one arm.
With his other hand, he reached back and intertwined his fingers with Evelyn’s.
"Let’s get inside..." Axel said and started to walk.
Evelyn smiled as she walked beside him. She was excited because they were going to share the good news with their son.
As they entered the house, Oliver suddenly twisted in Axel’s arms, struggling to break free. But, of course, he didn’t succeed.
"Dad, can you put me down? I can walk on my own now," he protested, crumbs still stuck to the corner of his mouth as he finished the last bite of his muffin.
Axel leaned in and gently ruffled Oliver’s smooth hair, saying, "You’re going to be a big brother next year."
Oliver froze. Completely frozen.
If someone had dropped a pin, it would have sounded like an explosion.
His eyes went even wider, his mouth parted slightly, and he stared at them as if trying to load new information into his tiny brain.
"Big... brother?" he repeated. His eyes remained fixed on his parents.
"Yes," Evelyn said, stroking his cheek. "There will be a new baby in our family."
Oliver stayed silent for another second, and for a moment, Evelyn worried he might burst into tears or panic, and hated the idea of having another sibling.
Instead, he suddenly clapped his palms onto his cheeks.
"Really? A baby? Like... a real one? A living, breathing one? Not the talking doll Aunt Stella bought me?"
Axel chuckled. "Yes. A real one."
Oliver blinked rapidly again, then a slow smile spread across his face. "Yay! I’m happy..."
Evelyn’s heart swelled. "You are?"
He nodded hard. "Yes. I’m happy." Then his expression suddenly turned serious. "But... if I’m the big brother, does that mean I need to share my muffins?"
Evelyn laughed into his hair. "Eventually, yes."
Oliver sighed heavily, as if accepting a lifelong sacrifice. "Alright. But only if the baby is nice and kind."
Evelyn kissed his forehead. "We’ll make sure the baby is nice and kind."

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