Tore

twenty-seven | daddy's home

Grant

"Do what?"

I could see tears welling up in her eyes.

"I can't make it back to my room. I'm in too much pain. I need help."

"Call your husband."

"Can't you just help me Grant? Damn."

I huffed.

It's not that I didn't want to help, I just hadn't been this close to her in a very long time.

"Okay, I—I got you. Stay right there. I can't lift you, so I'll need your assistance."

I counted to three and she began holding onto me for dear life.

"Not me, you asshat. I need you to carry Noa. I don't want him to get sand everywhere just yet."

As I prepared to grab Noa, she toppled over.

"I got you Leigh."

She looked into my eyes. From that moment I could not deny that I still loved her.

I snapped out of my daze and continued to lead both of them to Leigh's room.

Once they made it, I changed Noa for the first time, and we headed to the shores.
..
Kaine

I walked onto the shore as I prepared to have my first real conversation with Grant.

I could admit that I felt indifferent.

Noa's his flesh and blood, I shouldn't have overstepped his parentage. But on the other hand, he missed eight to nine months of his life, willingly.

I've witnessed his first words, first full steps, and his teething stage. I've fed him, clothed him, and took the most serene naps with him lying down on my chest.

I didn't want him to be afraid in his crib all alone.

This connection that I have with him, means everything to me, and Grant kind of threatened that.

I can understand how he feels about me.

As I walked towards the shore, Noa spotted me, practically sprinting towards me, and Grant was not to far behind him.

"Dada!"

"Hey, lil man."

I picked him up in my arms and I could see the immediate sadness in Grant's eyes.

"Wanna hold 'em', he got sand everywhere."

I handed him over to Grant, as he wailed for me,

"Noa calm down. Grant's nice..see. You gotta rub his back."

Grant calmed him down by following my directions.

Looking at me as if he was both amazed and disappointed.
..

Grant

So we sat.

"You may think I'm some coward."  I said as I watched my son hold onto another man,

"But, I never had my father because my mother made another man who wasn't my father, think that he was for twelve years. Once he found out, she ran to my biological father for support. My biological dad had written her off completely after she decided to come clean. My sister, Yvey, was his as well, and he only took care of her for awhile. I had to get it on my own. He soon left town and my sister, because he couldn't trust a word out of my mother's mouth. So my sister and I were left fatherless. It was my fault."