CHAPTER 13: THE FIRST SATURDAY
975 Words
Saturday. 9:00 AM. Blackwood Family Center.
This was it. Day 60.
Sophia stood outside the door with Leo in her arms and a diaper bag on her shoulder. Her heart was pounding like it was her first board meeting.
The agreement said: `Saturdays: 4 hours, unsupervised, starting after 60 days of consistent Thursday visits.`
Ethan had not missed one Thursday.
The door opened. Ms. Carter.
"Morning, Ms. Miller. Mr. Blackwood is inside. All set up."
Sophia took a breath. "Okay."
She walked in.
Ethan was sitting on the floor. The room was different. No supervisor chair. No camera in the corner. Just toys, a small table, and a picnic blanket.
He stood up when he saw them.
He looked nervous. Hair neat. Plain t-shirt and jeans. A small backpack beside him.
"Hi," Ethan said.
"Hi," Sophia said.
Leo saw Ethan and reached out immediately. "Da-da."
Sophia’s chest hurt. "He’s been saying that."
Ethan’s eyes watered. "Hey buddy."
He took Leo. "Hi milestone baby. Ready for our first Saturday?"
Sophia set the diaper bag down. "Food is in there. Bottles. Wipes. Change of clothes. He naps at 1."
Ethan nodded, memorizing everything. "Got it."
Sophia hesitated at the door. "Ms. Carter will be in the next room. If you need anything. And... call me if anything happens."
Ethan looked at her. "I will. I promise."
Sophia walked out. The door closed.
For the first time in 9 months, Ethan was alone with his son.
---
10:00 AM. Ethan and Leo.
"Okay buddy," Ethan said, sitting on the blanket. "It’s just us."
Leo crawled into his lap. Ethan pulled out the book. `Goodnight, Moon.`
They read. They built blocks. Leo showed Ethan how he could now climb on the small couch by himself.
At 10:30, Ethan pulled out a small guitar. A toy one.
"I got this," he said. "For you."
He strummed it badly. Leo laughed and clapped.
Ethan sang. Off-key. "Twinkle twinkle little star..."
Leo grabbed the guitar and tried to play it too.
Ethan filmed 5 seconds on his phone. Then put it away. The agreement said no posting. No sharing.
Just for him.
---
12:00 PM. Lunch.
Ethan heated the bottle Sophia packed. Tested it on his wrist.
"Here you go," he said, feeding Leo.
Leo drank, looking up at Ethan the whole time.
After, Ethan gave him the banana and crackers from the bag.
He cleaned up. Wiped the table. Wiped Leo’s face.
"Your mama packs good lunches," Ethan whispered.
---
1:00 PM. Naptime.
Leo was rubbing his eyes.
Ethan remembered: `He naps at 1.`
He laid the small blanket on the floor. Put Leo’s stuffed bunny beside him.
"Sleep time, buddy," Ethan said softly.
Leo yawned. Lay down. Put his thumb in his mouth.
In 2 minutes, he was asleep.
Ethan just sat there. Watching.
He took out his phone. Opened the chat with Sophia.
Ethan: `He’s asleep. Everything is good. He ate. We played. He’s safe.`
Send.
He didn’t expect a reply.
---
1:30 PM. Sophia’s Apartment.
Sophia was pacing.
Her phone buzzed.
Ethan: `He’s asleep. Everything is good. He ate. We played. He’s safe.`
Sophia exhaled. She didn’t realize she’d been holding her breath.
She typed: `Thank you for the update.`
Deleted.
Typed: `Okay.`
Send.
She sat on the couch. And waited.
---
2:00 PM. Ethan woke Leo gently.
"Hey buddy. Time to get up."
Leo stretched and smiled at Ethan.
For the last hour, they just played. No phone. No TV. Just father and son.
At 2:45, Ethan started packing the bag.
"Almost time to see mama," he said to Leo.
Leo frowned. Like he didn’t want to go.
---
3:00 PM. Sophia came to pick up.
Ethan opened the door before she knocked.
"Hi," he said.
"Hi," Sophia said. "How was it?"
Ethan handed her the bag. "Good. Really good. He ate everything. Napped from 1 to 2. We played guitar."
Sophia looked at Leo. He was smiling, holding Ethan’s finger.
"He seems happy," Sophia said.
"He is," Ethan said. "Thank you. For trusting me."
Sophia nodded. "4 hours are up."
"I know," Ethan said. "See you Thursday?"
"Yes," Sophia said.
She turned to leave.
"Wait," Ethan said.
Sophia turned. "What?"
Ethan knelt down. "Leo. Say bye to mama."
Leo waved at Sophia. "Ma-ma."
Sophia’s eyes stung. "Bye baby. Be good for daddy."
She walked out fast before she cried.
---
4:00 PM. Sophia’s Car.
She didn’t cry until she was driving.
Not because she was sad. Because for the first time, it didn’t feel like she was doing it alone.
Her phone buzzed.
Ethan: `Thank you for today. I know it was hard. I won’t forget it. Picture attached.`
A photo: Ethan and Leo on the blanket. Both smiling. Leo holding the toy guitar.
Sophia saved it to the `For Dad` folder.
---
6:00 PM. Arthur called.
"How did it go?" he asked.
"It went," Sophia said. "No problems."
Arthur was quiet. "That’s huge, Sophia."
"I know," she said.
"Are you okay?" Arthur asked.
Sophia looked at the photo on her phone. "I think so."
---
9:00 PM. Ethan’s Apartment.
Ethan put the guitar on a shelf. Next to Leo’s picture.
He opened his notebook.
Day 1 of Saturdays: Success.
Leo ate. Slept. Played. Laughed.
Sophia trusted me.
He closed it.
His phone buzzed.
Unknown number: `This is Priya from Meridian. We need you to cover a shift next Saturday. Overtime pay.`
Ethan stared at it.
He typed: `I can’t. I have custody on Saturdays. But I can do Sunday.`
Send.
---
11:00 PM. Sophia’s Apartment.
Leo was asleep. Sophia was in bed, scrolling.
She opened the photo of Ethan and Leo again.
She opened her notebook.
Step 12: The First Saturday.
Step 12.1: It worked.
Step 12.2: He showed up.
Step 12.3: Maybe... maybe this can work.
She underlined 12.3 once.
Outside, it wasn’t raining.
- Writer
