Aiden's pov :

"Daddy!" Ouch! What the hell ... Ah, yes. "Good morning, champion!" I tried to stop Brian from bouncing on my stomach. Now I understood why Kathleen told me I couldn't sleep naked. "Mom said you were going to take me to kindergarten!" Have children's eyes always shone like that? "That's what I heard, buddy." Let me tell you, I can't resist him, he's so cute, it's impossible. Besides, he is my son, for God's sake, there is no living being who can resist him! "Where's Mom, Champion?" Aww, what a sweet face! "Sure in the kitchen" talking to a four-year-old is fun, I have to admit. Yesterday I found out where the energy for the batteries comes from! Brian is like a nuclear engine, he is inexhaustible.
"Can I take a bath?" Well, I laughed, Brian loved to command around like a real prince, just like me. "Can't we hug first?" "Of course you can, champion!" I tell you, there is no sweeter child on this earth!
"Dad?"
  "M, buddy?"
"You're not leaving us anymore, are you?"
Okay, that hurts! Do all children ask such questions out of nowhere?
"No, champion, never again."
"Mom was very sad while you were gone."
"Sad, why?"
So Kathleen has been alone all these years, has she waited for the right one, or has she just devoted herself to motherhood?
"There was a man who came often, but my mother was very angry with him when he hit me."
Murder! This is what a man thinks when he finds out that some idiot has hit his child. Is it so easy for a child to slip into my heart and begin to feel the need to protect him at the cost of my life, or is it simply because I am his father?
"I'm sorry, champion, I wasn't with you, but I'll never leave you alone again, okay?"
If I could, I would squeeze him hard enough to break his bones. I don't know what Kathleen went through to raise our son, but I swear she'll never have to do it alone again, no matter what happens between us. Do you know that children are smart, damn it, they don't show it, but they see and hear things, and we don't even suspect it. Brian is only four, and I sincerely doubt Kathleen told him she was lonely, but he still knew she was sad.
"Dad?"
"Hmm?"
"Mom told me to tell you breakfast is ready" I couldn't, I laughed and started tickling him. I bet he came for it first, and instead of telling me that his mother is waiting for us for breakfast, he hugs and we talk about things he shouldn't think about at all.
"I'm going to take a shower, and you tell Mom I'm coming down, okay?" he nodded and ran to the door. How come he hasn't broken anything so far?

Kathleen's pov :

"Where is your father, sunshine?"
"He said he was coming"
Brian is as good a messenger as I am the Queen of England. I sent him at least half an hour ago. Is it nice that Aiden is trying to pay attention to his son, or is it just that Brian hasn't been able to wake him up? Impossible, knowing him jumping on the bed when he wakes me up, they probably hugged while Brian asked for another toy.
"Breakfast cereal, or ours?"
"I want pancakes!"
"Not this morning, sunshine, Daddy will be late for work, and he has to take us because my car is in his garage."
I know, sunshine, you don't have to fuss. But you will spend one morning without pancakes, as if your grandmother ate just that for breakfast!
"I like Daddy's car more than yours"
Oh, right, well, just ride in it!
"I'm sure, sunshine"
Great, Aiden showed up yesterday after never being in his life and Brian now prefers him to me. Well, it hurts, damn it!
"Good morning, love"
Okay, I'm going to have to live with this, right? And how can I be angry when he hugs and kisses me, as if we do it every morning. Yes, we women are soft creatures, a little attention and our panties get wet. And Aiden knows exactly how to make me feel good. This may work, although I'm skeptical. Tell you what, it's nice. After Thomas, I didn't think I'd ever make breakfast for three again.
"Here, eat and let's go, or Brian will be late and you will be at work. Besides, you have to get me to get my car."
"At your service, love!"
It's very cute, isn't it? How will I deal with two such men in my life without jumping off the balcony?
"Love, we're going to visit Davis tonight, my friend. I want to introduce you to them, and Brian will be able to play with the twins."
New twenty! He seems to be serious about building a family. If he continues like this, he will shorten the story to three chapters and they will live happily ever after.
"Isn't it a little early to introduce ourselves to our friends, Aiden?"
Wow, he's careful if Brian listens to us! No, of course, the little robber stains my couch again. He doesn't care what we talk about!
"We talked about it, Kathleen, and I stick to every word I say. If I don't try to have a family with my child's mother, then there's no point in trying at all."
He is stubborn, I admit it to him.
"Aiden, I'm not saying we shouldn't try, we should just drive a little slower."
"Seriously? How slow exactly?"
Don't hint that we have a child, sir, I know!
"I'm just saying don't rush. I don't want to be divorced with two kids in a year!"
Okay, I'm exaggerating, but I really don't want to end up like that in a year or two. You know, at the beginning of a relationship, it's all sugar and flowers, but Aiden doesn't ask me what I want, he tells me what we're going to do. This doesn't build a relationship.
"Love, this is not going to happen. If we have another child, no matter now or in a year, three or five, you will never have to raise him alone again."
"Now you're talking like that, but that may change over time, Aiden. Let's see how it goes between us first, then think about the future?"
"Aren't you implying that you want us to break up?"
Look at him, he's sulking like Brian!
"That's not what I said! But you have to understand my point."

Author's pov :

Aiden set down his fork, stood up, and hugged her from behind.
"Love, I know you think I'm in a hurry, but I'm really thinking about it. Even before we got together, when you told me about Brian." she looked at him sideways and he kissed her cheek. "Let me take care of you? Is it okay?" he asked, tilting his head sweetly. "Aiden, I really appreciate your efforts and plans. But if I just leave it at that and it doesn't work out ..." he silenced her with a kiss.
"I have no intention of losing you now that I've found you, love." he whispered, and they both stared at Brian, who was commenting hard on the animated film he was watching.
"It's just hard when you've been alone for so long, Aiden, I never thought I could have something to last a lifetime. There was a man, but he ..." Kathleen paused before mentioning how Thomas, her ex, hit Brian. "I'm not like him, love. Once I decide I want something, I do everything I can to get it, and then I don't regret it." he smiled softly and turned her to face him. "So get ready, my friends are dying to meet you two." Aiden kissed her and Kathleen hugged him across the waist.
"This is not fair!" they both stared in shock at Brian, who was looking at them, standing beside them and sullen. Aiden laughed and picked him up with one hand while he still hugged Kathleen with the other. "Here!" they both kissed Brian's cheeks, and he laughed out loud, writhing like a snake in his father's arms.