“Uh, kids like cartoons right? Um…. Let’s see, I don’t know the channels here uh…here, the Simpsons, you like the Simpsons? It’s a cartoon, here you go, you watch that I’ll uh…I’ll be right back just sit here and don’t go anywhere okay?”
Looking up at me from his perch on the edge of the bed, Cooper blinked.
“Stay.” I said slowly, holding a hand up as I backed away from him.
Watching me curiously, he stared after me as I backed up to the bathroom door and knocked.
“What?” Grace called out.
“Let me in!” I hissed, glancing over my shoulder at Cooper, “It’s an emergency!”
“Calum you’re twenty-three not three I think you can hold it.”
“Not that kind of emergency Grace! Open the door?”
I heard her sigh, followed by the click of the door unlocking before it swung open revealing Grace stood there in a towel.
“What?” she demanded.
Glancing over my shoulder to make sure the kid was still in place, I pushed her into the bathroom, hurriedly entering behind her and pushing the door closed behind us.
“Cal what the hell are you doing?” Grace demanded.
“Shit.” I breathed, the severity of the situation setting in, “Shit fuck, damn!”
“Calum?” Grace said slowly.
“I fucked up.” I whispered, tugging at my hair, “Royally.”
“What did you do?” she asked.
Walking past her I sat down on the closed lid of the toilet and buried my face in my hands.
“Cal?” she pressed, “What’s wrong?”
Opening my mouth I tried to form words however feeling bile rising I promptly closed it.
“Calum what did you do?” Grace asked, kneeling down infront of me and placing a hand on my knee, “You can talk to me, you know that.”
“I had a dog once.” I whispered.
“Okay.” Grace said slowly.
“It died.” I whimpered, “It ate the chocolate out of my Easter basket and died.”
“Oh my God.” She breathed, “That’s horrible.”
“I had a fish.” I continued, “I forgot to feed it, and it died.”
“Cal….”
“I had a guinea pig, and I took it outside and left it when I went in for lunch and a hawk took it.”
“Wow, okay so… pets are not your thing.”
“Exactly!” I cried, “I can’t handle a gold fish! I can’t take care of a kid!”
“You don’t have to.” She replied, “I’m not pregnant thank God, and we’re young things will change and someday if you want kids we’ll have th….”
“Grace.” I choked out, “There’s a kid outside.”
“Outside?” she questioned.
“On the bed.” I whispered.
“What Ashley or a lost kid? You can’t just let strange kids in your room Calum they can charge you with ki….”
“My kid.” I interrupted.
“Wait, what?”Grace asked.
Tears rolling down my cheeks I handed her the letter. Frowning, she snatched it from me, her eyes widening with each passing line. Raising her hand up to her mouth when she was finished she lowered it.
“I’m sorry.” I whispered, “It was before you… before us I….. I had no idea.”
“You have a son.” Grace said slowly.
“Apparently.” I mumbled.
“Do you know for sure he’s yours?” she questioned.
“He has to be.” I replied, “He looks just like me.”
Frowning, Grace straightened up and crossing over to the door opened it a crack and peered out. Biting my nails nervously I watched as she inhaled sharply before closing the door again.
Her eyes wide, she slid down the door and sat down on the tile floor.
“You have a kid.” She said slowly.
Chewing my lower lip I nodded.
“I don’t know what to say.” She laughed sadly.
“Me neither.” I admitted.
“What are you going to do with him?” she demanded.
“I don’t know.” I groaned, “I guess try and find his Mom, I’ll give her some money and we’ll both be on our marry ways.”
“So you’re not going to keep him?”
“No….No I don’t think so.”
“Good.”
Surprised, I watched as Grace rose to her feet, “You can’t raise a kid Calum.” She muttered.
“I know.” I whispered.
“We’ll figure this out.” She muttered.
“So you’re not leaving me?” I questioned.
“No.” she said slowly, “Why would I leave you?”
“You’ve said you don’t want kids.” I mumbled.
“You’re right.” She sighed, “I don’t, but this is temporary, he’ll be gone before we know it so leaving when you need me would be stupid.”
Looking down I nodded.
Leaning down, Grace kissed me lightly on the cheek.
“What do I do now?” I asked.
“Take him to the boys.” She sighed, “And then we’ll try and find this Heather chick after I get ready.”
Nodding I stood up and shuffled past her opened the door, however stopped and turned to face her before leaving.
“Grace.”
“Yeah?” she sighed.
“Thank you.” I mumbled.
Forcing a smile, she nodded.
Shoving my hands into my pockets I left the steamy bathroom, closing the door behind me.
Cooper was sat in exactly the same position I’d left him on the bed, clutching his Barbies and staring blankly ahead at the Television.
“Hey.” I greeted.
Ignoring me, he stared hard at the TV.
“You’re not very talkative are you?” I muttered.
Still nothing.
“You know it’s rude to ignore people.” I informed him, bending down and pulling a sweatshirt over my head.
Nothing.
Frowning I stepped infront of him and snapped my fingers in his face.
“Earth to Cooper.” I said loudly, “I’m trying to talk to you.”
Looking startled, he looked up at me. Immediately I felt bad, the poor guy looked terrified, with her shoulders balled up near his ears, and his large eyes wide with fear.
Dropping his Barbies in his lap he raised his right fist up to his chest and moved it in a circular motion infront of it.
Frowning, I watched in confusion.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
Looking up at me confusion, studying my face carefully, he made the motion again, then held out his left palm and moved the fingertips of his right hand, facing down on top of it.
“What are you doing?” I repeated.
“Mommy says you’re my Daddy.” He said slowly and deliberately.
“So you’ve said.” I replied.
“Mommy says you’re my Daddy.” He repeated.
“I know, geez stop.” I grumbled, “What is wrong with you?”
Shaking his head, Cooper then repeated the two hand gestures.
“I don’t know what you’re doing!” I cried, “God are you like? Simple? Is that it?”
“Mommy says you’re me Daddy.” He repeated.
“Yeah okay, I can’t deal with you.” I muttered, “Let’s go find Ashton.”
Taking him by surprise I bent down and picked him up. Clutching his Barbie’s tightly, he stared at me in confusion as I walked us out of the room and down the hall to Ashton’s room.
Raising my hand which wasn’t holding Cooper on my hip I pounded on the door until it was thrown open by a shitless Ashton, stood with his toothbrush hanging out of his mouth.
“Hello.” He greeted, with a mouth full of toothpaste.
Pushing past him I entered the room and spying Ashley sitting on the couch watching SpongeBob, on Luke’s lap, dumped Cooper on the couch beside them.
“Well hello buddy!” Luke cooed.
“Who is that?” Ashton asked spitting out his toothpaste .
“Cooper.” I replied.
“Hi Cooper!” Luke said softly, “How old are you?”
Cooper stared hard at the floor.
“Don’t try talking to him!” I laughed, “He won’t answer.”
“He’s probably just shy.” Ashton replied, “Ashley make him feel comfortable.”
“Hi.” Ashley said looking over at Cooper, “Your name rhymes with Pooper isn’t that funny?”
Ignoring her, he picked at a hole in his jeans.
“You see!” I laughed, “He doesn’t talk the only thing he says is Mommy says you’re my Daddy.”
“What?” Ashton and Luke demanded in unison.
“Yeah!” I cried, “That…. Is mine apparently.”
“Whoah, whoah, whoah, wait what?” Ashton asked, “This is your son?”
“Apparently.” I snapped, tossing him the letter.
Putting on his glasses, Ashton raised the piece of paper and read it carefully.
“Where did he come from?” Luke questioned.
“He showed up outside my door this morning.” I grumbled.
“Where is his Mom?” Ashton asked, lowering the letter, “This…Heather.”
“I don’t know.” I replied, “I need to find her so I can give him back.”
“You’re going to give him back?” Luke asked sadly.
“Yes!” I cried, “What did you think I was going to do with him keep him? He’s a total weirdo!”
“Calum!” Ashton chided.
“Who cares!” I laughed, “He won’t answer me anyway!”
“Calum he is a little kid.” Ashton chided cool it.
Frowning I watched as Ashton stood infront of the couch and kneeled down so that he was at Cooper’s eye level.
“Hi buddy.” He said gently, “I’m Ashton, and this is my daughter Ashley, she’s about your age I think, she just turned five. And this is my friend Luke.”
Looking at Ashton’s mouth, Cooper frowned.
“How old are you?” Ashton asked softly.
Cooper leaned closer and squinted his eyes.
“He’s four.” I muttered.
“I’m asking him not you.” Ashton sighed.
Rolling my eyes I flopped down on a chair.
“You’re safe here.” Ashton said softly, “I know it’s probably scary right now, but we won’t hurt you, I have kids, like Ashley so you can trust me okay? And Calum, and Luke and Michael when he wakes up.”
Shaking his head, Cooper once again repeated the hand motions.
“See!” I cried, “He just keeps doing that.”
“Calum.” Ashton breathed, turning to face me.
“What?” I demanded, watching as Cooper repeated the motions.
“I think it’s sign language.” Ashton said slowly, watching the little boy infront of him, “I think he might be deaf.”
I'm on a roll today 10 am and I've already worked out and wrote this.
In other news, the pictures in 5sos arriving in Japan made me cry tears of pride. My tiny giant sons are being all unpredictable and taking on the world.
Thank you for reading. <3