Reach For You [Dad!Calum Hood AU]

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

ASPEN COULD FEEL her bones rattling under her skin in mild panic as she waited for that inevitable knock on her door. The nerves in her body were standing on their ends and she kept fiddling with her nails, her eyes darting towards the door every few seconds. Calum and Luna were sitting on the couch, lost in the world of Scooby-Doo while Aspen waited for her brother and his family to arrive up the elevator.

The second she had answered the buzz and heard her brother's voice, Aspen felt her heart drop to the pit of her stomach. She had completely forgotten that she had invited Richie and his family over for spaghetti Sunday this week, and now he was going to walk in and see Calum and Aspen could only hope that her brother could keep it together. He knew the circumstances of what happened between Aspen and Calum better than anyone, but that didn't mean Calum was in his good graces. Calum wasn't exactly liked by Aspen's family, by mere association, and she had yet to tell them that he was seemingly back in their lives. Hell, it had only happened yesterday. She still needed time to adjust.

The knocks sounded and Aspen had to take a preparing breath as she unlocked it, opening it so her seven and five year old nieces could run in. "Hey, Penny," Laila greeted with a quick hug and smile.

"Hi, sis," Richie stepped up with a kiss to her cheek, smiling as he stepped inside. "How's it goi—"

Richie's words cut off as his green eyed gaze wandered over Aspen's shoulder, and she felt her breath freeze in her lungs when the smile on his face disappeared as quickly as it came. Oh, God, Aspen let out a shaky breath as she shut the door, her body tensing as she waited for whatever the hell was about to happen.

"This is my daddy!" Aspen heard Luna enthusiastically introduce, turning around to see her on her feet as she held Calum's hand to pull him up as well. Luna was grinning widely, her gaze innocently going around at her cousins, aunt and uncles.

The scene was just. . . Awkward.

Aspen's nieces, Mariam and Nadia, seemed to be in awe at the new man in the room, smiling up at him in wonder. Meanwhile, Aspen saw the looks on Laila and Richie's faces. Saw the surprise and disbelief on Laila's, and the incredulous outrage that was scowling at Richie's features as he took in Calum. And after offering the little girls friendly smiles, Calum's gaze met the two adults, and Aspen watched as his smile left his face and his features transitioned into one of cool stoicism. His shoulders squared and chin lifted, regarding the two of them, but his gaze was hard as it settled on Richie. Aspen guessed he could sense the hostility her brother was radiating.

"What the fu—" Richie cut himself off, exhaling sharply as his glare remained fixated on Calum. He pressed his tongue to his cheek, eyes glancing at Calum then Aspen, who pursed her lips and swallowed, before looking back at Calum. "What're you doing here?"

The irritation was obvious in his voice and Aspen took a few tentative steps towards the group gathered in her living room. "Girls," Aspen hastily started, offering the three young girls a small smile. "Why don't you go into Luna's room and play until the food's ready, okay?"

They were gone with giggles and stomping of their light footsteps, taking all of the lightheartedness with them as they went. In hindsight, Aspen figured she should've kept the girls around so everyone would control their tempers—but if they couldn't, the little girls didn't need to be around for that.

Richie's sharp gaze was now on her. "What the hell is he doing here?"

"Good to see you too, Rich," Calum's smooth voice drolled, bland with a quirk of his brow. His hands were back in the pocket of his jacket—it seemed like some kind of defense mechanism to Aspen. Like he was guarding himself from those around him. Calum's eyes flickered to the dark eyed woman next to Richie. "Hey, Laila."