Will You Love Me?: Something Beautiful

Chapter 8

"Well, I would say this Christmas was a success," Ben said as he slid into bed with you. He wrapped you up in his arms and held you close against him. "I would say so, too," you told him. "I think the kids really like Rob." He noticed the smile on your face and couldn't help his own. 

"I think they do, too," he told you. "Him and Scar got on quite nicely. Obviously the smart gene runs from you." You softly elbowed him for that one and he laughed. "Seriously, though, he's a great kid. I'm glad you had him, [Y/N]."

You turned to face him as you asked, "You really think that?" He gave you a sweet kiss, then said, "I really do. Besides, he's almost exactly like you in so many ways. How could I not like him?" You hugged him around the waist and put your head on his chest. 

"Oh, Ben, it means so much to hear you say that. Thank you." He placed a kiss on your head and rubbed your back. "Of course, my darling," he said. "I love you." You sighed contently, then told him, "I love you more."

**

"Do you think he'll stay asleep tonight?" Em whispered to Chris as they watched Mason sleep with one hand holding his blanket and the other in his mouth, gently sucking at his thumb. "I don't know," Chris yawned, "but we better take advantage of it. Come on." 

He pulled Em into her bedroom and got them into bed. They were staying at your house tonight, as you insisted on it, and were dead on their feet. Mason was the biggest ball of energy and it took a lot out of them, especially Em. 

Just as they were about to drift into a much need sleep, there was a banging on the front door. Em jolted up, but Chris didn't budge. Sighing, she waited to hear you or Ben come out of your room, but neither of you did. 

So, she got herself up and went downstairs. She tried to look through the peephole, but it was too dark for her to see who it could be at this time of night. Even with the porch light on, it didn't help. She hesitated to open, even debated on getting Ben, but decided to just do it. 

She truly wished she had gotten Ben. 

"Tanner," she gasped. "What...what..." She was so confused! How was he here? Why was he here? 

"Hey," he sheepishly said, his feet nervously kicking at the ground. "Um...I was...I was in the neighborhood and I just thought I'd stop by." Em gave him a nervous look over. He actually looked really good since the last time she saw him. 

He had more meat on his bones, no more piercings and didn't come off as the douche he used to be. He seemed...fixed. 

"You were in the neighborhood?" She asked. "At midnight? Tanner, if my dad sees you..." He quickly and quietly told her, "That's why I'm here so late. Look, Em, I've had some time to think. A lot of time, actually. I, erm...I just got out of prison."

Well, that didn't surprise her and he could clearly see it. "Look," he continued, "I know that's not a shock to you, but everyday that I was in there, all I could think about was doing right by the people I've wronged. Yeah, being bad seemed cool, but once I got in the slammer, it suddenly wasn't. It was scary and I told myself I'd never be in this situation again. I wanted to start by righting my wrongs and, Em...you are the rightest person I ever wronged. I am so sorry."

She didn't know what to think of this, how to take it. He hurt her too much for him to be easily forgiven. This isn't something she can just forget and she knows that he knows that. 

"Tanner," she sighed, "you can't just do this. You can't just show up after nearly five years and expect me to forgive you!" He took a step towards her as he said, "But I don't! I don't, Em. I just wanted you to know that I've changed, or at least I'm changing and that everything I've done in the past is something I deeply regret. That includes...well, that includes not wanting to meet my kid."

Now this was an overstep. "Don't you dare say you want to meet him," she warned. "He's got a father who loves him deeply and would do anything for him. He doesn't need someone like you." She could tell that stung Tanner a bit, but he was quick to compose himself. 

"Well," he said, "I would like to meet him one day. After all, he is my son. I hope you can find it in your heart to let me one of these days." She scoffed at him. "Seriously?" She asked in a high pitched tone. "You denied that he was ever your's in the first place and now...!"

She shook her head and crossed her arms. "It's going to take a lot for you to meet him," she continued. "I do mean a lot. As a matter of fact...I don't know if I ever want him to know who his real father is. He calls Chris his daddy and I think that's enough."

Tanner suddenly hit the doorframe and shouted, "But he's my son!" Em could immediately hear your bedroom door open and the familiar stomps of Ben's feet coming down the stairs. "Em?" His voice struck with sleep called. "Em, baby, is everything alright?"

He came closer to the door and opened it all the way to see who was there. He clearly didn't like who he saw. 

"Oh, you have got some fucking nerve," Ben growled. "You need to get the hell out of here before I call the police." Tanner simply nodded, then said, "Fine. Sorry about the shouting. Em, think about what I said, yeah?"

"Fuck off, Tanner," she scoffed. Once again, he nodded, then turned around and started walking away. Ben slammed the door shut and turned to Em. "What did he tell you?" He asked. By now, you had come down, along with all of the kids. Chris was coming down with a wide awake Mason. 

"He told me he just got out of prison and that he's changed and some other bullshit. He said he wanted to meet Mason, but that will never happen." Ben was ready to convince her not to give this asshole another chance, but it looks like he didn't have to. 

His little girl was no longer a little girl. 

"Good," he told her, "I'm proud of you. Why don't you kids get some sleep. I'll stay up with Mason." He took his grandson from Chris as Chris weakly fought, "Ben, really, you don't have to." Ben already had Mason wrapped up in his robe against his bare chest. 

"Go on, you two," he insisted. "I've got it from here." Em thanked her dad, then kissed Mason goodnight. Everyone went back up to bed except for you and Ben. "Want some company?" You asked. He shook his head as he told you, "I'm fine, love, I've got all the company I need. I used to do this with the twins when they wouldn't go to sleep. I didn't have the heart to wake you, so I would come down here and just cuddle while watching some telly. It's some of my best memories with them."

You smiled at your adoring husband and placed a loving kiss on his cheek. "Don't wake me when you come to bed," you playfully warned. He chuckled, "I won't, love. Goodnight." He watched as you went up the stairs, then took Mason into the living room. 

"Alright, kiddo," he said as he sat down on the couch. "What are we going to watch? Hm?" He turned on the TV and sighed when he saw it was reruns of Sherlock. Mason, however, gasped as he said, "Shewock!"

Ben gave him a double take. "Oh, not you, too," he chuckled. "This is what your mum would want on when she was your age. Christ, that seemed like yesterday." He begrudgingly kept on the channel and had to smile at how engaged Mason was with the show. 

He ran his hand over his grandson's blonde hair and quietly said, "I'll be damned if I let anything happen to you. Especially when it comes to your father."