Role Reversals
His hand roamed down his cheek, then his jaw line. Then he combed his hand through his hair and let out a deep breath. He was standing before the large mirror in the bathroom of the master bedroom. He took a long look at his reflection in the mirror.
He saw a man dressed comfortably in a black tuxedo; the chiseled face framed by the smooth cut short hair, his ice blue eyes scanned for something different; something that could tell him he was a different person. After his errant years, he had matured into a man he was proud of: he was a husband, a father and he was working hard to prove to everybody that Carter Baizen was no longer synonymous with deceit and scam. He turned abruptly and paced the room, fingers rubbing his chin. He couldn’t figure out why he was so nervous. He told himself it was a Christmas party exactly like every year. Well, maybe not exactly. He could still remember all the Christmases he had spent alone in some distant places. But that had changed the day he received the most stunning news of his life, that he would become a father. Why was he feeling so anxious and worried then? Hearing a distant laugh and a shriek for “Mommy,” he remembered he knew exactly why. Tonight for the first time he would be taking his family to spend Christmas with his side of the family, the Baizens. That meant being in the same room as his father, the man that was making him work hard for his trust. He didn’t even want his approval and respect if it wasn’t for his family: Serena, Hunter and Connor, his two sons. For them he wanted to make amends. He was giving his best but he was slowly finding it very hard to continue pretending he would succeed anytime soon.
Carter tried to calm his clenched muscles. He rubbed his face with his hands and stretched his neck then arms. He heard Hunter yell for him, asking if he was ready or not. He smiled and moved to leave the bathroom, but he didn’t get past the room when Serena stepped into the doorway, gazing adoringly at him.
Carter stopped shortly and looked her up and down, examining every aspect of her features. As normal, she looked radiant, beautifully adorned in a form-fitting black halter dress.
Carter smirked and thought that his day had just gotten better.
“The picture doesn’t get any better the longer you look at it.”
Carter walked to her, his hands wrapped around her waist to bring her closer to him. “I think it very much does. She gets more beautiful every day I see her lovely face.”
Serena blushed like she always did when he talked to her like that, hiding her face with her hair. “Carter…” she whispered.
Carter lifted her head up and slowly drew her lips to his and captured them in a soft kiss. He moved, pulling her with him and pressed her against the wall, pinning her.
“Do you…think we…could…you know...before we go?” Carter panted through kisses on her lips.
She shook her head and gasped as Carter’s hand slowly began to slide down lower into her dress. “Hunter…Connor...”
Almost unwillingly, Serena pushed Carter off of her: “I’ll make it up to you tonight, I promise”, she murmured.
Carter stared down at her. “I won’t let you forget.”
“Tonight.”
Carter swept past her, grasping her hand to lead her into the hall that led to the living room where Hunter was waiting patiently, staring at his untied shoes. He looked up as his parents entered the room. Carter released Serena’s hand and kneeled in front of son.
“What do we have here?” he asked.
“I can’t remember how to tie my shoes.”
“Well, that’s okay. Daddy will teach you. Tell you what, I’m going to tie these since we are already late, but tomorrow, you and me, we’re going to tie these shoes together. Okay?”
Hunter smiled and nodded his head. Carter quickly tied the shoes then scooped Hunter up in his arms, supporting him.
“Is Connor ready” he asked looking at Serena.
“We’re ready to go. He’s sleeping in his stroller.”
Once in the elevator that would carry them down to the lobby, Carter set Hunter down and the young boy talked excitedly with the porter about the model airplanes he had built. Serena watched amused as her son invited the porter to play with him when he returned home. She eased closer to Carter and looped her pinkie with his. He glanced at her and secured their two fingers together.
***
“Ah, man! Look at this traffic.” Carter shouted, running his hand over his face. It was late afternoon and they were being driven to his parents’ house.
“Carter, we’re going to be a little later than we expected, but it’s not the end of the world... Call your mother and tell her what’s going on.”
He dug out his cell phone and searched for the number of his parent’s house. He waited as the other line rang before a woman answered with a cheery hello.
“Mom, hey, it’s Carter.”
“Carter! Darling, where are you? You’re late.” Abigail Baizen said.
“Sorry Mom. The traffic is impossible. We’ll be there as soon as possible.”
“Okay, you better. I want to see my grandsons.”
“Oh thanks, Mom. It’s nice to know your own son is not the one you want to see.” Carter joked with a chuckle.
“Carter, I love you too. I miss all of you. We have to talk about you coming back to New York.” Abigail smiled.
“We’ll talk later Mom. We’ll be there in no time.”
Carter clicked the phone off and smiled over at his family. Hunter was playfully messing with his mother’s cell phone, while Serena was trying to calm Hunter down as he was pulling her hair. It still amazed him that he and Serena had finally come together and were building a life together.
He suddenly realized Serena was gazing at him. He placed a hand on her left cheek and kissed her lovingly. He pulled away beaming and she licked her lips. “What was that for?”
Carter shrugged. “Just because I should never stop kissing you.”
They kissed again. A little voice broke the kiss. "Eww, daddy’s kissing mommy!” Hunter screamed.
“Daddy’s gonna kiss you too! Come here kid!”
Hunter squealed as Carter made kissing noises, and started tickling him and he erupted in laughs and screams.
The remainder of the ride was held in a joyful talk. As they were finally in front of the door of the Baizen penthouse, Serena cuddled close to Carter and whispered “I love you, everything will be all right” before the front door swung open and Isabella Carter opened the door.
“Brother!” Isabella shouted. “Finally! Merry Christmas! I was beginning to think you had let the old man get to you.”
“It was an option, yes, Merry Christmas to you too”, Carter led Serena who was holding Connor and Hunter inside and hugged his sister warmly.
“I’m glad you’re here Carter. Seriously, you two have to stop this. It’s breaking Mom’s heart; she wants to be a part of your life.”
“She is a part of our life, she spent two weeks with us three months ago”, Carter talked while helping Serena out of her jacket, then giving it to the maiden behind him.
“Serena! You look ravishing.” Isabella kissed Serena while looking her up and down. “Ah, my baby Connor. Give him to me.”
Serena handed her Connor. Carter felt Hunter tug on his pant pocket. “Is Sophie here?”
Carter smiled: “Sophie? Yes, I think she is running around somewhere.”
“Daddy, can I go find her?” Hunter stared up at his father. “Sure. But first go and find Grandma and Grandpa and give them a kiss”, Carter said as Hunter ran off through the crowd.
Carter watched his son then looked back and Isabella was gone, replaced by his mother walking down the hall. “Carter! Serena! Merry Christmas my dear.”
“Hey Mom. Merry Christmas.” Carter warmly enveloped his mother. “How are you?”
“Fantastic.” Abigail’s eyes fell on Serena, beaming and radiating confidence. “Serena!”
“Evening Abigail. Merry Christmas.”
The two women hugged. “So, what happened? Carter said it was the traffic.”
“Yeah.” Serena confirmed, nodding and looking at Carter. “You know, and there was someone who took a long time before he was ready to come... Then the traffic...”
“Ah, Carter, have you noticed you’re stubborn like him? But today promise me you’ll leave the quarrels, the business for another day, will you? Now, where are my grandsons?”
“Hunter went looking for Sophie and Isabelle took Connor”, Serena replied.
“I’m going to find Dad” Carter said without answering to his mother. Before he hurried off to where he saw his father, he kissed Serena.
Blushing, Serena watched him walk and she prayed this night would end well. Abigail glanced in between Carter and Serena. She reached out and grabbed Serena’s arm. “Let them talk; let’s go and find my boys.” She led Serena to the living room.
Serena could still hear Carter when he said: “Hello father. How are you?”
He saw a man dressed comfortably in a black tuxedo; the chiseled face framed by the smooth cut short hair, his ice blue eyes scanned for something different; something that could tell him he was a different person. After his errant years, he had matured into a man he was proud of: he was a husband, a father and he was working hard to prove to everybody that Carter Baizen was no longer synonymous with deceit and scam. He turned abruptly and paced the room, fingers rubbing his chin. He couldn’t figure out why he was so nervous. He told himself it was a Christmas party exactly like every year. Well, maybe not exactly. He could still remember all the Christmases he had spent alone in some distant places. But that had changed the day he received the most stunning news of his life, that he would become a father. Why was he feeling so anxious and worried then? Hearing a distant laugh and a shriek for “Mommy,” he remembered he knew exactly why. Tonight for the first time he would be taking his family to spend Christmas with his side of the family, the Baizens. That meant being in the same room as his father, the man that was making him work hard for his trust. He didn’t even want his approval and respect if it wasn’t for his family: Serena, Hunter and Connor, his two sons. For them he wanted to make amends. He was giving his best but he was slowly finding it very hard to continue pretending he would succeed anytime soon.
Carter tried to calm his clenched muscles. He rubbed his face with his hands and stretched his neck then arms. He heard Hunter yell for him, asking if he was ready or not. He smiled and moved to leave the bathroom, but he didn’t get past the room when Serena stepped into the doorway, gazing adoringly at him.
Carter stopped shortly and looked her up and down, examining every aspect of her features. As normal, she looked radiant, beautifully adorned in a form-fitting black halter dress.
Carter smirked and thought that his day had just gotten better.
“The picture doesn’t get any better the longer you look at it.”
Carter walked to her, his hands wrapped around her waist to bring her closer to him. “I think it very much does. She gets more beautiful every day I see her lovely face.”
Serena blushed like she always did when he talked to her like that, hiding her face with her hair. “Carter…” she whispered.
Carter lifted her head up and slowly drew her lips to his and captured them in a soft kiss. He moved, pulling her with him and pressed her against the wall, pinning her.
“Do you…think we…could…you know...before we go?” Carter panted through kisses on her lips.
She shook her head and gasped as Carter’s hand slowly began to slide down lower into her dress. “Hunter…Connor...”
Almost unwillingly, Serena pushed Carter off of her: “I’ll make it up to you tonight, I promise”, she murmured.
Carter stared down at her. “I won’t let you forget.”
“Tonight.”
Carter swept past her, grasping her hand to lead her into the hall that led to the living room where Hunter was waiting patiently, staring at his untied shoes. He looked up as his parents entered the room. Carter released Serena’s hand and kneeled in front of son.
“What do we have here?” he asked.
“I can’t remember how to tie my shoes.”
“Well, that’s okay. Daddy will teach you. Tell you what, I’m going to tie these since we are already late, but tomorrow, you and me, we’re going to tie these shoes together. Okay?”
Hunter smiled and nodded his head. Carter quickly tied the shoes then scooped Hunter up in his arms, supporting him.
“Is Connor ready” he asked looking at Serena.
“We’re ready to go. He’s sleeping in his stroller.”
Once in the elevator that would carry them down to the lobby, Carter set Hunter down and the young boy talked excitedly with the porter about the model airplanes he had built. Serena watched amused as her son invited the porter to play with him when he returned home. She eased closer to Carter and looped her pinkie with his. He glanced at her and secured their two fingers together.
***
“Ah, man! Look at this traffic.” Carter shouted, running his hand over his face. It was late afternoon and they were being driven to his parents’ house.
“Carter, we’re going to be a little later than we expected, but it’s not the end of the world... Call your mother and tell her what’s going on.”
He dug out his cell phone and searched for the number of his parent’s house. He waited as the other line rang before a woman answered with a cheery hello.
“Mom, hey, it’s Carter.”
“Carter! Darling, where are you? You’re late.” Abigail Baizen said.
“Sorry Mom. The traffic is impossible. We’ll be there as soon as possible.”
“Okay, you better. I want to see my grandsons.”
“Oh thanks, Mom. It’s nice to know your own son is not the one you want to see.” Carter joked with a chuckle.
“Carter, I love you too. I miss all of you. We have to talk about you coming back to New York.” Abigail smiled.
“We’ll talk later Mom. We’ll be there in no time.”
Carter clicked the phone off and smiled over at his family. Hunter was playfully messing with his mother’s cell phone, while Serena was trying to calm Hunter down as he was pulling her hair. It still amazed him that he and Serena had finally come together and were building a life together.
He suddenly realized Serena was gazing at him. He placed a hand on her left cheek and kissed her lovingly. He pulled away beaming and she licked her lips. “What was that for?”
Carter shrugged. “Just because I should never stop kissing you.”
They kissed again. A little voice broke the kiss. "Eww, daddy’s kissing mommy!” Hunter screamed.
“Daddy’s gonna kiss you too! Come here kid!”
Hunter squealed as Carter made kissing noises, and started tickling him and he erupted in laughs and screams.
The remainder of the ride was held in a joyful talk. As they were finally in front of the door of the Baizen penthouse, Serena cuddled close to Carter and whispered “I love you, everything will be all right” before the front door swung open and Isabella Carter opened the door.
“Brother!” Isabella shouted. “Finally! Merry Christmas! I was beginning to think you had let the old man get to you.”
“It was an option, yes, Merry Christmas to you too”, Carter led Serena who was holding Connor and Hunter inside and hugged his sister warmly.
“I’m glad you’re here Carter. Seriously, you two have to stop this. It’s breaking Mom’s heart; she wants to be a part of your life.”
“She is a part of our life, she spent two weeks with us three months ago”, Carter talked while helping Serena out of her jacket, then giving it to the maiden behind him.
“Serena! You look ravishing.” Isabella kissed Serena while looking her up and down. “Ah, my baby Connor. Give him to me.”
Serena handed her Connor. Carter felt Hunter tug on his pant pocket. “Is Sophie here?”
Carter smiled: “Sophie? Yes, I think she is running around somewhere.”
“Daddy, can I go find her?” Hunter stared up at his father. “Sure. But first go and find Grandma and Grandpa and give them a kiss”, Carter said as Hunter ran off through the crowd.
Carter watched his son then looked back and Isabella was gone, replaced by his mother walking down the hall. “Carter! Serena! Merry Christmas my dear.”
“Hey Mom. Merry Christmas.” Carter warmly enveloped his mother. “How are you?”
“Fantastic.” Abigail’s eyes fell on Serena, beaming and radiating confidence. “Serena!”
“Evening Abigail. Merry Christmas.”
The two women hugged. “So, what happened? Carter said it was the traffic.”
“Yeah.” Serena confirmed, nodding and looking at Carter. “You know, and there was someone who took a long time before he was ready to come... Then the traffic...”
“Ah, Carter, have you noticed you’re stubborn like him? But today promise me you’ll leave the quarrels, the business for another day, will you? Now, where are my grandsons?”
“Hunter went looking for Sophie and Isabelle took Connor”, Serena replied.
“I’m going to find Dad” Carter said without answering to his mother. Before he hurried off to where he saw his father, he kissed Serena.
Blushing, Serena watched him walk and she prayed this night would end well. Abigail glanced in between Carter and Serena. She reached out and grabbed Serena’s arm. “Let them talk; let’s go and find my boys.” She led Serena to the living room.
Serena could still hear Carter when he said: “Hello father. How are you?”