Loving Two // C.H (completed)

thirty-eight

"God I'm a sucky parent. I was basically telling him to shut up" I sighed. I felt so guilty. I literally yelled at him on the way because I was so frustrated,

"You are not a sucky parent Maddie. You have literally done so much for him. You've basically raised him on your own. I never want to hear you say that you suck again" Calum shot quickly, pulling me into a hug,

"Thanks Cal" I pulled back, "For everything"

"No need to thank me" he waved it off, "Now let's go watch lil man play"

He grabbed my chair and we walked up to the field. We didn't know any of the other parents so we went off to the side. I sat while Calum stood behind me,

"What a second" Calum grabbed my shoulders, "Landyn's playing goalie"

My eyes found my son. The coach was putting the goalie shirt on him and helping him out on gloves,

"Oh god," I face-palmed as all the kids got on the field. Landyn waved at us then got his 'game face' on.

Landyn did amazing at goalie. He didn't get scored on at all and I was relieved when the final whistle blew,

"He did good!" Calum beamed, "I think we got a goalie in the making"

"I don't know if I'm ready to be a goalie mom. That's nerve-racking" I laughed just as a mom on the team walked up,

"Hi, we're going out for a team lunch. We'd love for you all to join. We're just going to Panera"

"Yeah. We'll come. Thank you" I nodded. She smiled and all the kids started running over,

"Mommy! Did you see me? I did it Mommy!" Landyn jumped the whole way to the car,

"I did baby. You were so good!" I matched his excitement, lifting him to sit on the edge of the trunk so Calum could take his cleats and shin guards off,

"Did you like goalie?" Calum asked him,

"Yeah. It was fun" Landyn nodded and hopped down once his Crocs were on.

****

We were the last ones to get to Panera. The others were already sitting and waiting on their food. So we quickly got in line,

"If you wanna go sit with them I'll get your food," I told Landyn. He nodded and looked over at the table filled with the team. He looked at the toy truck in his hand and gave it to Calum before walking over there. Landyn was embarrassed to have the toy.

We got up to order and Landyn came sprinting back to us,

"Can I have not chocolate milk? They aren't drinking it" he asked pointing to the table. All the kids had fountain drinks. I don't make Landyn drink milk in the first place. It's usually what he asks for,

"Sure buddy" Calum answered for me and let Landyn run back.

Once we ordered, Calum and I sat with the other parents. Of course, we felt awkward. We were gonna sit off by ourselves but they insisted. We weren't paying much attention to the conversation though because we were keeping an eye on Landyn.

But what Calum and I did hear of the conversation was about how their kids are way too old for their age.

A little later, Landyn got up and walked over to us, so Calum and I gave him our full attention.

"I need to potty" he whispered. Calum nodded and got up and took him to the bathroom,

"You know you should really teach him how to wait when you're talking. You shouldn't just let him interrupt" one mom spoke to me.

I was thrown off guard,

"Yeah and he shouldn't need someone to take him to the bathroom"

I was getting mad,

"And why does he have a toy? We saw him walk in with it. He's too old for that"

I was done,

"First, we weren't even in the conversation so he didn't interrupt. Two, he's four. I'm not letting him walk off on his own. Three, again-he's four. He just happened to have it in the car and was playing with it. But he's four and four-year-olds play with toys" I spit,

"You have to let him grow up. You have to get on him. I know you had him young so I know you just want to be his friend but you can't" another mom jumped. All the dads just sat and watched,

"When I had him doesn't matter. And I don't need you giving us parenting tips"

"You need parenting tips. We're giving you parenting tips. It's obvious that's not your boyfriend's kid"

Now, I was livid,

"He is his kid. Biologically no, but in love yes. Calum is more of a father to that boy than his biological father ever was. You have no idea how hard Landyn had it before Calum came along. Just because he doesn't look like Calum, doesn't mean he's not Calum's"

I stood as soon as I finished. I grabbed our stuff and met Calum and Landyn outside the bathroom and we quickly got in the car,

"I don't like them Mommy. They made fun of me" Landyn whined,

"Neither do I Landyn" I sighed,

"I don't need my real dad Mommy" Landyn spoke. He must have heard the yelling,

"No, you don't baby" I agreed but then Landyn spoke again and I'm pretty sure made Calum cry a little,

"Because I have the best daddy in the whole wide world right now"