What We Keep Hidden (Jai Brooks- Ariana Grande)

Bedtime with daddy

That made Ariana burst into laughter that reached the living room and Brandon's small ears. The three and a half year olds eyes lit up as he dropped the Wii controller and ran out to the kitchen, abandoning his father. "Mommy!" He exclaimed excitedly as he pounced onto her lap, hugging her legs tightly. He was definitely a mommas boy.

Ariana smiled brightly as she lifted her baby into her arms and gave him a tight hug, seeing Jai come into the kitchen. "Hi baby boy. Did you have fun?" Then, looking at Jai, "He didn't cause any trouble did he?"

Jai smiled at the two, shaking his head. "No. He was an angel."

"Jai is soooo cool momma." Brandon grinned as his mother stood, still carrying him. "He has a really cool treehouse. Can we get one?"

Ariana looked at Jai in surprise as he shrugged and smiled. She threw him a raised eyebrow then smiled at Brandon. "Maybe. Grandpa is coming on Sunday, we can ask him if he and Uncle Frankie can make one for you."

Brandon smiled brightly and laid a huge wet sloppy kiss on her cheek, making everyone laugh.

xxxxxxx

"Brandon, baby... Please settle down", Ariana pleaded to her hyper son later that night, desperate to get him to go to bed.

"No! No! No!", he shouted at the top of his lungs while jumping up and down on his bed.

Frankie popped into the room with a perturbed look on his face. "Ari, I'm trying to chronograph over here. Could you two keep it down?"

Ariana closed eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. She could feel a headache starting and her mother always swore you could stave one off by applying the right amount of pressure there - sort of like, do-it-yourself acupuncture. It didn't seem to be working.

"No! No! No!..." Brandon continued his chant like a mantra in the background.

"He won't go to sleep, Frankie." Her voice was tense and barely controlled. This must be what Mrs. Brooks was talking about when she said the terrible two's start later than advertised.

"Let me handle this." Confidently, Frankie strode into the room. "What seems to be the problem, Bran?"

"No sleep! I want Jai! I want to plaaaaay!" He twirled around on the bed and fell backwards into Frankie's arms, like he was a one-man mini-mosh pit.

Frankie sat him back down on the ground and walked back to Ariana. "Problem solved", he said as if he'd actually accomplished something. "He wants Jai."

Ariana, in the meantime, had sank down to the floor and was hugging her arms around her knees. She looked up at her brother with fire in her eyes. "I already knew that, Frankie! He's been shouting it since he got out of the tub!"

Frankie, still exuding a calm demeanor, replied, "So just call him, Ariana. You're the one who wants to get back together with him; here's another chance."

"Jai! Jai! Jai!..." Brandon droned on.

She jumped up from the floor and grabbed Frankie's collar. "I never said that." She released him just as quickly and paced away a step, trying to clear her head, which was virtually impossible with a screaming toddler in the room. She tried running her hand through her hair, the way she'd seen Jai do when he was trying to think. Instead of a calming effect, however, the opposite happened. Her hair became tangled on the many rings she wore and she ended up pulling some strands out by the roots. "Ugh! Maybe, you're right. Maybe, I should call him." Turning around, Ariana saw that her wimp of a brother had disappeared.

xxxxxxx

"Thanks for coming over", Ariana said as she closed the front door and led Jai up the ornate, winding staircase.