Baby Makes Four
Title: Baby Makes Four
Author: ME
Overall Rating: PG-13
Summary: In the midst of a divorce, only love can see them through.
Disclaimer: I own no one
I run a hand nervously through my hair, wincing as my finger catches in a tangled lock of hair. As I survey myself in the mirror, it’s apparent that I have some work to do. I sighed. My morning reflection glared back at me with malice in his wrinkled brown eyes. I loathed this strange man in the mirror. This old, ugly brute who dominated my body overnight. But I can control him. I have to control him. Sighing, I prep myself for my amazing transformation from aging man to the Australian hunk the world knows me as.
No one knows what it costs me to keep up my lively appearance. Not even Stacey, though I doubt she would notice anything lately. It’s come down to the point where I am considering filing for divorce. The only thing that stops me is tiptoeing down the hall at this very moment.
“Daddy?”
I turn and face my four-year-old daughter, Grace, who is standing at the threshold of the bathroom, her big blue eyes staring up at me. I can’t help it as my heart melts and all of my anger washes away. She gives me her sweet smile, completing her beautiful angelic face. I smile back at her. I pick her up and hold her against my hip. “Good morning, Gracie,” I greet her. I give her a kiss on her cheek. She pulls back and giggles.
“Daddy, you’re scratchy!” She rubs her tiny hand across her cheek, still laughing.
“Oh yeah?” I said and attacked her cheek once again. She let out a screeching laugh and tried to push me away.
“Daddy!”
I laugh low and menacing, which always makes her eyes light up. “Are you hungry?”
Gracie’s eyes grow wide and she nods excitedly. I carry her down the stairs and into the kitchen.
As I make her favorite flavor of oatmeal, Gracie asks me a question that I hoped I would never hear her innocent voice proclaim.
“Daddy,” she says quietly. “Are you and mommy fighting again?”
I close my eyes and hope to God that she hadn’t heard us screaming at each other last night. This, I know, is a lost cause*. My mind immediately splits into two. Tell her the truth, or lie and protect her. I immediately opt for the latter.
I turn towards my daughter, sitting at the counter with her hands folded on the table, and I wonder where she learned to look and act so grown up. “Of course not, honey.” As I say this my heart breaks. Gracie, I know, understands that something hasn’t been right these past couple of months. However she seems to accept my answer as I put her breakfast in front of her, and quiets.
I hear the door pound open and can only look to Gracie and say, “That must be David and Jason.” Gracie smiles and bounces up and down in her chair.
“MJ!” David calls from the foyer. “Your knights in shining armor have arrived.” It’s only a millisecond before David appears in the kitchen, his arms raised above his head, Jason right behind him. I give him a warning look and smile. “Hey guys.”
“Davey! Jason!” Gracie screams from her chair. She stretches her arms up as David goes over to pull her into a hug. “How’s my Gracie?”
“I’m cool.” She says and gives him two thumbs up. I can’t help but laugh.
“You’ve corrupted my daughter, Cook.” He winks at me and pulls a can of soda out of the fridge. In one smooth motion he pops open the tab and hops up onto the counter where Gracie is sitting.
Jason reaches Gracie and pulls her into a gentle embrace. “Hi, sweetheart,” he says. Gracie smiles and giggles as he places a soft kiss on the side of her head, and for a second I could have sworn she was blushing. I smile at how gentle Jason is with my daughter, as if she was his very own. Not that David isn’t gentle, just, well, they’re different.
“Stacey’s left for work, then?” Jason says, looking at me with his baby blue eyes.
“Yeah.”
“Let’s party!” David bursts out, taking another huge drink.
“Yay! Party!” Gracie screeches and starts to bounce again.
“Thanks, Dave.”
“Please, Daddy?” Gracie says quietly and looks up at me with her big blue eyes, batting her eyelashes at me. David and Jason lean down on either side of her.
“Please, Daddy?” They say simultaneously, giving me a look identical to Gracie’s, eyelashes and all. As my heart melts I feel I have no choice but to give in to the three puppies in front of me. I groan in defeat. “Okay, okay. Go get dressed, Gracie.”
With Jason’s help, she gets down off of her chair and runs upstairs. As soon as Gracie is out of sight, David hops onto the counter and crawls towards me.
“Mikey, Mikey…” He coos.
As he draws closer and our breaths mingle, I lean forward and press my lips hungrily against his. Twenty seconds of bliss later, I receive a tap on my shoulder.
Looking over my shoulder, I see Jason staring at me with his big blue eyes. “Aw, are you feeling left out?” I ask. He replies by pushing out his lower lip. I laugh and pull him towards me, my lips exploring his and my hands exploring his dreadlocks. I feel David’s hands on my hips, squeezing them gently, and his hot breath on my neck.
“Daddy!” I hear my daughter call me and the boys and I jump apart.
“Yeah,” I say, trying to catch my breath.
“I can’t find anything to wear!”
I sigh. “I’ll be right there.”
David chuckles. “A daddy’s job is never done.”
I give Jason and David both a quick peck on the lips and rush upstairs.
End Part 1