Stepdad

FORTY-ONE

"So what was so important that you wanted to talk to me about?" Rena asked Allie as she pushed Ryker on the swing to give Allie some space to think. Allie had been under a lot of stress lately, Rena could tell.

Allie didn't exactly know how to start this conversation. It wasn't exactly something easy to talk about. How do you explain to your best friend that your ex, who happens to be the father of your child, just shows up one day wanting to mend things?

Allie wasn't even sure if she wanted to continue to allow Blake to be in their lives. Colson wasn't exactly Ryker's father, but he was the closest thing to it that her son had. Did she really want to mess that up by allowing a stranger to change everything?

Allie had so many questions and not a single answer to any of them. She had been battling with herself on this all week. "Ryker's father hasn't been in his life at all. He left me when I found out I was pregnant and I hadn't seen him since until last week."

Rena caught Ryker on the swing and turned to look at Allie with a dumbfounded expression, finding it hard to process this huge piece of information. "Wait what? What did you say? What did he say?"

"He didn't say much. Just that he didn't want to raise a child until he had something he could support a child with. So he got a degree in pediatric psychology, got an office in Cleveland and wants to be around Ryker more."

Rena began pushing Ryker on the swing again, taking a moment to think about what Allie said before coming up with what to say herself. "Do you trust him? Do you think he's going to stick to his word and be there for Ryker like a real father should?"

Allie didn't know how to answer that either. She had no idea if Blake was being sincere or what his actual motive was. "I have no idea. That's why I'm talking to you. Maybe you can help me piece this together and come up with an answer."

Rena sighed, she was in a difficult position considering that her best friend, and a child's happiness were on the line. "Ask yourself this, who makes you and your child the happiest? Colson or this Blake guy?"

"I'm not even worried about me. I'm more worried about my son. Ryker won't even look at Blake for more than a few seconds." Allie confessed, not really blaming her son for not being interested, it wasn't as if Blake was until now.

"But he adores Colson, right?" Rena asked, Allie lowered her gaze to the dirt floor underneath the swing she was sitting in. Did it matter if Ryker adored Colson if Colson acted the way he did? It didn't seem like good role model behavior.

"Yeah, he absolutely loves Colson. I just don't know if I can trust Colson enough to act like an adult. I don't want Ryker around that kind of behavior." Rena completely understood where Allie was coming from. It wasn't just about her, a child was involved and observing everything.

"Sounds to me like you need to spend some family time with Blake and Ryker, and also talk to Colson. Be honest with both of them. Hell, if you have to, just spend time with Blake without Ryker for now. At least until you figure it out."

Allie didn't know what she would do without Rena, she was more helpful than she probably knew. Now Allie just had to figure out what she was going to say to both of them. She was stuck in between a rock and a hard place.

"Why does it have to be so complicated? Why can't boys just act their fucking age?" Allie complained, earning a light laugh from Rena. Rena knew this feeling all too well, having dated complete losers, worse than Colson, in the past.

"Because they aren't built that way. They have a few wires loose." Allie fell out laughing, her first genuine laugh in weeks. She glanced over at Ryker who was having the time of his life on the swing.

"Mommy's gonna figure this out, baby. I'll make the right choice for us. I promise." Allie smiled fondly at her child before she leaned over on the swing and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.

"Wait." Rena interrupted, looking as if she were lost in her own thoughts for a moment, before she turned that confused look onto Allie. "Does Colson know that Blake is trying to make things right again?"

"No, I haven't talked to him since we left the hospital. I haven't even told Rook yet, he will just end up telling Colson for me and I don't want that to happen." Allie didn't want any drama, but it was inevitable. She was going to have to tell him eventually.

"That should go well. Hopefully." Rena doubted her own words, she knew how much Colson loved Allie. She could see it on his face every time Allie called, came over, or when he even just talked about her.

Rena knew Colson wouldn't take this well. There was no way Allie could explain it that would make him be okay with this. To Colson, Allie and Ryker were his family next to Casie. That's all he ever talked about and all he seemed to care about.

Colson was about to have his whole world turned upside down and he didn't even know it was coming yet. She didn't want a surprise like this dropped on him. He didn't deserve it, especially with everything he's clearly going through.

"You're gonna have to tell him soon, Allie. The longer you wait, the worse it will probably be." Allie knew that already, she didn't plan on taking too long to tell him. She just wanted to figure out how she was going to say it. She had to be as gentle as possible with it.