Protected

Chapter 38

"Where's Aden?"

I asked draining the last of my cup of tea, and standing up, placing my cup in the dishwasher.

"He's up in one of the bedrooms upstairs, I guess the room he slept in last night, he found a bunch of toys and books earlier and he's been quiet ever since pretty much, I should go and get him ready to go I guess"

Dan had decided that dinner was going to be a bit late for a school night for Aden, and probably not the right environment, so he'd spoken to his mum who was more than happy to have Aden over night and drop him into school in the morning so Dan didn't need to worry about being back until 3pm to pick him up. It also meant he could grab a change of clothes. The restaurant we were going to was pretty nice apparently and Harry's clothes as beautiful as they were weren't going to fit on Daniels broad 6'4" frame.

"It's fine, I'll go" I said, heading for the stairs.

I poked my head round a couple of doors eventually finding Aden in the California room. I slowly pushed the door open to find that he had managed to drag all of the covers and pillows off the bed and made a kind of pillow fort across a couple of chairs and the chest of draws, he was buried in amongst the huge fluffy pillows with a book in his lap. I stayed quiet for a moment listening to him chatting away, he couldn't read the words properly so he was just making up a story looking at the brightly coloured pictures on the pages.

"Hey buddy, we're home, what you up to in there?"

"Hi auntie Lois, I'm just playing stories. And look I made a fort, do you wanna come in?"

"Yeah, you know I do, scooch over" I said crawling into the little space Aden had made himself.

"Wow its really cool in here you did a great job buddy. We're gonna have to get you ready to go soon though, your going to go and stay at nannies tonight is that ok?"

"Yeah, I love it at Nannies, she always has cookies. Is Daddy coming too?"

"Daddy's going to take you but he's going to go out with me, Harry, Anne and Gemma, we wanted you to com too but its going to be too late and you have to go to school tomorrow, and Nannie really wanted to see you, is that ok?"

I could see his little mind thinking about what I had just asked him, not taking his attention from the pages in his hands.

"Yep. Will you read me this story before I have to go though, I don't know all the words?"

"Of course I can sweetie, what's it about?"

Aden grinned excited to have the story read to him

"Wow... check out that fort. Awesome work Aden, can I come in and listen to the story too, I don't think I know that one?"

The sound of Harrys slow deep drawl took me by surprise, he was stood in the doorway watching us with a big smile on his face. Aden just nodded and crawled into my lap making space for Harry to join us, he was still a bit shy around Harry some times.

"I'm sorry I made a mess in your room Harry" Aden whispered, his fingers wrapped in my hair as he rested his head on my chest, snuggled in my lap. I looked down at him and he looked really upset like he thought Harry was going to tell him off. Harry noticed his expression and smiled softly down at him,

"Are you kidding, its so much better like this, I think this room has been missing a good pillow fort, what do you reckon Lois?"

"think you could be right you know" I squeezed Aden a little tighter, as I saw him smile and relax seeing how happy Harry was.

"Harry?"

"Yes buddy"

"When you read stories, can you do the voices?" Harry and I chuckled at Aden's question,