Chapter 5
1592 Words
I think he was more suspicious than excited to be with Elias. But he didn't say anything.
He moved in all his things which was a definite hassle. He brought more stuff than my whole apartment had.
And the whole time we argued about everything. I was glad that Eli was at school. If he were here, he would for sure be terrified.
Last night I had a long talk with him that Reid would be spending some time with us. Since he is so young, I don't really think he understands the whole situation, but he knew that he would be living with us, and he didn't say much else.
"Were sharing a bed," Reid shrugged his shoulder and laid in the bed.
"I don't think so," I said, trying to pull him off. "there is a perfectly good couch in the living room," I told him.
He laughed. He actually laughed. "Who do you think I am? I am not sleeping on the couch, and besides, what's the big deal? We shared a bed before," he smirked. His stupid f*****g smirk.
"You're not sleeping there," I argued.
"Then I'll sleep here," he rolled over to the other side of the bed.
I stomped my feet. "Stop being a child,"
"I am not. If you really don't want to sleep next to me, then you go sleep on the couch,"
"This is my apartment!" I argued.
"And I’m living here,"
I can't even describe the anger that was forming inside me.
I picked up the pillow next to me and threw it at his face.
He moved it and tried to throw it back to me, but the doorbell rang, and I quickly ran out of the room.
I opened the door to find Chris standing there with a bouquet of tulips.
"Hi," he said with a sweet smile. "these are for you," he reached the bouquet to me.
"Awh, Chris," I swooned, taking the flowers and sniffed them. "Come in,"
He walked, pressing a kiss on my cheeks. "Is little prince at school?" he asked. I nodded my head. "I'll have to go pick him up soon,"
"Don't bother, I will," he said.
"Really? He's been asking about you anyway, so I’m sure he wouldn't mind," I told him.
"Ya, I've been busy at work. I am just glad to get a break finally," he sighed. "Is someone here, Anna?" he asked, looking around the apartment and noticing all the new things.
"Ya-"
"Who are you?" It seemed I didn't have to answer that question. Reid walked out of the room, his arms crossed and stared down at Chris.
"Who are you?" Chris questioned him, his own arm crossing.
I set the flowers down in the vase and moved in the middle of them.
"Chris, this is Reid. He's Elias's biological father,"
"I am your husband also, don't forget that," he said. I glared at him.
"Husband?" Chris asked, his face falling.
"Technically only in paper. But we haven't been married for years," I told him but was looking at Reid.
"Oh, sorry. It's nice to meet you. I am Chris," Chris reached out his hand for Reid to shake. "She has told me about you,"
Reid took his hand. "Only good things, I hope," Reid joked.
"Ohh, you would be surprised," Chris laughed.
"Well, anyways, Chris is going to go pick up Elias," I said.
"Why is he going?" Reid questions his tone, furious.
"Because he offered and Elias actually likes him," I told him, walking back to set the tulip properly in the vase.
"I think I'm capable of picking him up. I'll go," he stated.
I shook my head. "No, Reid, you can't go. The teacher there don’t even know you. They won't let you pick him up,"
"Well then, I'll f*****g tell them I'm his father," he argued.
I put the flowers down. "I don't even know why you're arguing right now. You can't go,"
"Then you come with me and tell them they can expect me to pick up him also,"
"It's not a big deal. The teachers know me I'll just go," Chris said.
"No f*****g way," he asserted. "I'm not letting you get my child,"
"I don't think he was your child all this while, so I think you should f*****g calm down," Chris told him.
Reid bit his teeth and his hands fisted.
"Okay, both of calm down. I'm going to go get him myself," I said, moving aside and finding my keys.
"I'm coming with you," Reid said.
"Me too!" Chris said.
I took in a sharp breath. "Fine! Why don't we all just go," I rolled my eyes, and we head out?
We arrived at the school in 10 minutes, and Elias ran to Chris right away. He smiled lit up upon seeing him. He didn't even realize I was there next to him.
"Hey, buddy!" He said, and I couldn't help but smile. "How was school?' he asked.
"Really fun, Ducky. We played a new game today," he told him as Chris picked him up. Ducky is what Elias called Chris. Since the first time we had met Chris, he was wearing a t-shirt with many ducks on it, and since that day forward, Eli has always called him that.
I looked over at Reid, who seemed not to enjoy Eli being in Chris's arms.
"Hi, Anna Hi Chris," One of Elias's teachers came up, Mrs. Moyes and greeted us.
"Hi, Mrs. Moyes. How are you?" I asked.
"Very well. Elias was amazing today like always," she said, and I smiled at her.
"Good, I am glad," I said.
"Who is this?' She asked, looking over at Reid.
"Oh, Mrs. Moyes, this is Elias's father," I said.
"Yes, and you can expect me to pick him up at times," he told her.
She nodded her head. "I wasn't aware that Elias’s father was present in his life,"
"He hasn't been," I told her a little awkwardly. She nodded her head.
"Well, it's nice to meet you, Mr. Hall," she said before leaving.
Chris walked in front of us with Elias in his arm. Eli clung to him as we walked back to the car.
Reid and I walked behind them, and I can see how much he hated seeing them together.
"Are you going to play with me later?" He asked him.
"Of course, little prince. You can maybe show me the new game you learned at school," he said.
Elias jumped in his arms as they laughed.
Reid next to me fisted his hand once again.
"They have a special bond," I said. He didn't say anything, barely even looked at me. So I took the opportunity to continue. "Chris lives next door to us, and from the beginning, Eli stuck to his side-"
"Shut up," He said before walking forward and passed them. "Give me the keys. I'm driving," he said from the car. I tossed him the key and took my seat in the back with Eli. While Chris sat in the front with Reid.
I strapped Eli in his car seat and kissed his head.
"Mommy is this who is going to stay at our house?" he whispered down to me.
I nodded my head. "We have to be nice okay," I told him.
"Mommy, you said he was my daddy. Why is he staying with us now and not before?"
To be honest, I really didn't know how to answer that.
"Can I tell you a secret, mommy?" I smiled at him, and he grabbed my head and brought his mouth to my ear. "I wish ducky was my daddy."
-
We arrived back at the apartment, and Chris had to leave immediately after getting a call from his work.
It practically took all my strength to pry Elias off of him.
Reid as well left long before this had happened. He dropped us off and took his car to who knows where.
But I could really care less. It has always been like this three years ago, so I wouldn't expect things to change now.
If anything, I would be glad if he didn't ever come back.
"Time for bed," I picked him up from the couch. His tired eyes were swollen from the crying.
He placed his head down on my shoulder, and I walked to his room, setting him down on his bed.
I bend down to kiss his head. "Good night, little prince. I love you," I said before leaving and shutting the door behind me.
I jumped to see Reid standing in front of me.
"s**t! Don't scare me like that," I uttered.
"I thought you wouldn't come back," I said, moving past him to the kitchen.
"I told you. I'm staying here,"
I raised an eyebrow. But I didn't say anything. I took the leftover food from the fridge and heated it before I began eating.
Reid came up next to me, taking a fork out of the drawers, and ate out of my plate.
"Hey! That's mine!" I yelled.
But he didn't stop. He shrugged his shoulder and continued to eat.
"When did you get so annoying?" I said, taking a bite out of chicken.
"Maybe I always was this annoying, but you left me before you could really find out,"
Was he serious?
"Please, I spend three years with you, and this is the most we've talked," I told him.
"Well, maybe we should've. At least that way, my son would be calling me daddy instead of wishing someone else was."
- Writer
