Have you ever heard of the parental 6th sense? That gut feeling that something is wrong, and you don't know what, but something is definitely wrong? Kinda like your stomach dropping on a roller coaster? Yeah, well, as stood at the island of the kitchen preparing dinner, I got that feeling.
"Paxton?" I asked, even though my 3 year old would not answer me, walking towards the play pen where my son had been playing. When it came into view, a sudden rush of panic washed over me. "Paxton!" I called out louder this time, rushing around the kitchen looking for the sight of him. As I passed by the pantry, I caught sight of a powdery mess on the floor, and in the midst of it, sat my son.
"Paxton Woods!" I scolded the baby, picking him up out of the mess of flower. He gave me a look representing a smirk almost, as if it say 'you caught me, but what are you gonna do about it?'
"You almost gave me a heart attack! You cannot do that to me, pumpkin." I said kissing his flowery, soft, brown hair that resembled mine uncannily.
"I sorry daddy" he said giving me the puppy eyes... This kid knows all the strings too pull too make my heart melt.
"I know pumpkin but you made such a big mess. I have to give you a bath now, but you'll have to wait till I clean up the mess. Don't even try and leave the play pen because I'll find you, ya little punk.'' I said with a sigh.
He let out a long , dramatic, sigh and flopped down on my shoulder. "No daddy!" He whined which turned into a pout.
"This is your own fault, little man. It will only be two minutes or so, then daddy will come get you and give you a bath, okay? I asked.
"Otay!" He said with a smile as I sat him back into his play pen.
I smiled at his toddlers language before, going to go clean up his mess. He's a messy boy just like his other dad, -who's name shall not be mentioned-. Thankfully, he had my hair, nose and face shape. Except his crystal blue eyes are a trait from the other.I heard the song of my phone go off as I dumped the last bit of flower into the trash can.
"Dadaaaaa!!" Pax cried, hearing the timer go off.
"Im coming pumpkin!" I called out to the baby, making my way over to his playpen.
I dusted my hands off, getting rid of the flowery mess as he began to cheer when he saw me. He lifted his arms up motioning for me to pick him up, and I did, resting him on my hip.
"Hi baby, lets go take that bath I promised you!" I smiled, tickling his belly.
"Otay!!" He giggled, as I continued my way upstairs.
I walked into the bathroom, careful not to get any flour on the bath rug as I attempted to dust some of it off his clothes. "Mosic!" He started to chant, pointing towards the small radio that was sat on the counter.
"One minute, Pax. I'll turn it on once we get you in the bath." I said, pulling off his messy shirt.
"Otay." He said once again as I continued to undress him. I grabbed a couple of his toys from his little bin hanging from the door before checking the water, making sure it was a perfect temperature for him, before sitting him down in the bath.
He let out a giggle as the warm water hit his powdery skin. I did as I promised the toddler and turned around to turn the radio on before rolling back my sleeves, preparing to wash his hair when that song began to play. It was the song that was written about me. I couldn't help roll my eyes at the disgustingly catchy tune as I continued to bathe my son.
"And the way their green eyes just light up the room," I heard Luke sing softly to the strum of a guitar.
"It's nothing i've ever seen before-" I heard Casper sing. "so baby take my hand and we'll keep dancing."
I sighed and shook my head. Funny how things turned out. Paxton did a cute little dance to the song , which took my mind off of... him. I started to laugh quietly at the dancing baby, before his voice started up again.
"You know, I do miss the guy that songs about..." He said and I made a pft noise, making Paxton laugh. "I made a big mistake and I wish I could have him back, but I don't think he wants me back." He said, his voice was steady but i'd you knew him, you'd be able to hear the undertone of sadness.
"Hell no I don't." I muttered, rubbing soap into my baby's hair. I was lucky he didn't hear me curse as he was too busy playing with his rubber duck's. A couple more songs played through as I finished washing him and allowed him to play for a couple minutes.
I heard my phone buzz from the toddlers room, but I left it alone knowing I shouldn't leave Pax in the tub without supervision. I listened to him babble along to the beat of a song that sounded like he made up... He had a musical gene, and I figured he'd do something with it in the future.
"Alright Pumpkin time to get pjs on and eat dinner." I said getting a towel out of the cabinet.
"Piza!" He said smiling and raising his tiny fist.
"Not tonight pumpkin, I made spaghetti." I smiled as his face lit up and he clapped.
I lifted him out of the warm soapy water and wrapped him in the soft pale yellow towel. "You want your footies baby?" I asked him opening the drawers.
"Yeah!" He giggled.
"Pick a pair and then we'll put them on." I smiled, laughing a little. He looked so concentrated on trying to figure out if he wanted the blue pair with ducks on them, the red pair with the race cars, or the lion. "Pick a pair Pax so we can go have dinner." I said switching him to my other hip.
"I finking!" He said, putting his tiny hand to his chin. I chuckled as he looked at the pajamas in the drawer. "I not know!" He finally cried out, his head flopping down on my shoulder.
"You want me to pick pumpkin?" I chuckled. He nodded letting out a sigh in defeat. I smiled rolling my eyes picking up the blue duck pair because those were my favorite on him.
With a fresh diaper and some pajamas, we headed back downstairs "I ducky dada!" He giggled kicking his feet.
"Yes you are a ducky!" I smiled. He began making duck sounds as I buckled him into his high chair, making me smile. I loved this boy more then life itself.
"Ducky!" Paxton sung kicking his feet and pulling on his hood
My phone buzzed again, but once again I ignored it to make my hungry toddler some dinner. Whoever it was could wait. I made Paxton a bowl of noodles with butter, since the little booger was picky and didn't like sauce, before I made myself a plate.
"When Ashy come over?" Paxton questioned as I brought him his food.
Asher...My best friend and The first to know about Paxton... Ash was like another son to my mother and an uncle to my son. He was always at our house when we were growing up and we stayed friends all throughout the roughest points in our lives. Now he just randomly shows up at my house at crazy and irrelevant times, eats all the food and my fridge and brings things Paxton shouldn't have.
"I don't know pumpkin" I said sitting down in the chair next to him. "I'm sure you'll see him-"
I was interrupted when the grey garage door came flying open, revealing the one and only Asher. "We were just talking about you." I smiled as he waltzed in.
"I'm flattered." He smiled running his hands through his blonde hair and making his way towards the happily giggling child.
"Ashy!!" Pax shouted, clapping his hands together.
"Hey little man!" Ash smiled walking over to the high chair and showering Paxton's face with kisses.
"There's some extra spaghetti in the kitchen it's yours if you want it." I said putting another fork full in my mouth.
"Sweet, I'm starving." Ash smiled walking towards the kitchen.
"Ash!" Pax called out looking quiet annoyed as Asher walked away from him.
"I'm coming back little man I promise! Cool your jets!" Ash called. I smiled watching Pax crack up in a hysterical giggle. Ash came back out a few seconds later, holding a bowl of pasta.
"So how have you been." He asked, sitting across from me and next to Paxton.
"Busy" I sighed. "I worked a double shift on Wednesday at the bar and then tomorrow's a normal day... I might work an extra shift on Saturday. I just need to call the sitter-"
"I can take him Saturday if you want." He offered, taking a bite of the pasta.
"Seriously? If you can that be great." I smiled.
"Yeah, He can come hang out with Uncle Asher" Ash smiled, looking over at the baby.
"You're actually my life saver. You want a beer?"
"Anytime bro. And yes. Have you met me?" He laughed. I smiled and rolled my eyes, standing up to get a couple beers.
"Dada!" Pax yelled, grabbing my attention and holding up his cup. "Juice!" He smiled.
"What do you say Pax?" I asked, walking over to him. Trying to teach a toddler manners is like trying to teach a monkey to paint. Not impossible, but harder then it seems.
"Peas!" He said.
"Pl- please Paxton, please." I said holding out the L.
"Pl-peas! Juice peas!" He repeated, holding out his cup.
"Close enough." I smiled, ruffling his hair and taking the red sippy cup and heading into the kitchen. I set his cup on the counter and grabbed the apple juice out of the fridge, filling up the red sippy before putting the juice away and grabbing a couple beers. With my hands full, I headed back over to the little table where Paxton and Ash sat, handing a beer to Ash and flipping over the sippy cup to make sure it wouldn't spill before handing it too Paxton. "Here you go pumpkin."
"Tank you!" He smiled brining the cup to his lips.
"You're welcome baby." I smiled sitting back down.
"You're bond with him freaks me out." Ash said, cracking open his beer.
"What do you mean?" I laughed.
"It's just weird as hell."
"It's not that different from other parents." I shrugged.
"Oh yes it is bro. He watched you the whole time, and asked me a good 5 times when you'd be back. That was a span of 4 minutes."
"It's probably because I'm the only parent he has." I said looking at the toddler playing with his little plastic fork.
"Still weird."
"Done!" Pax smiled looking at the almost empty bowl.
"Wow! Good job Paxton, you are all your food!" I smiled.
"Just out of curiosity..." Ash started, as I took Pax out of his high chair, settling him on my lap. "Did you hear the radio... today... this afternoon..." he asked.
I let out a 'pft' . " I sure did" I said rolling my eyes. Pax just played with the necklace around my neck.
"What do you think about that." He asked me.
"That's he's stupid. I don't know if he were to show up or something and be like, 'I'm sorry I'm an idiot and please forgive me' then maybe we could talk about it, MAYBE." I shrugged.
"Honestly I wouldn't have even given the bitch the time of day." He shrugged, sipping his beer.
I rolled my eyes. "The only reason I would do it is for his sake. I think it be nice for him to have 2 parents." I shrugged.
"Yeah I get that, but there's nothing wrong with being a single parent either."
"Well duh i've been doing it for a couple years now."
"Really? I would have never put that together." Ash said with an eye roll.Before I could say anything, Ash's phone went off. He picked it up, mumbling a hello.
"What! Mom! Oh hell. Yes! Yes I'm on my way. Did you call the fire department? THEN WHY ARE YOU ON THE PHONE WITH ME!? No! I'm on my way!" Ash said, chugging the rest of the beer. "Wish I could stay bud but my mom lit the kitchen on fire."
"She what?" I laughed, making Paxton giggle.
"I don't even know. I'll call you later." He said, giving me a hug before kissing Paxton on the cheek and running out the door. Paxton started cracking up when he nearly tripped over his own feet.
With Paxton on my hip, I cleaned up the dishes and the kitchen before Paxton and I settled down on the couch in the living room, watching movies together before I took him upstairs for bed.
"Alright pumpkin time for night-night" I smiled picking up the half asleep toddler with a binkey in his mouth.
"Nigh- nigh" he yawned hugging my shoulder. I picked up the blue and white blanket, made by my mother, and draped it over my sleepy baby, carrying him upstairs.
"Goodnight Pax daddy loves you" I said softly, putting him down in the crib.
"nigh-nigh dada" Pax mumbled, his voice trailing off as he hugged his blanket. I smiled and turned on the nightlight and the monitor, hearing his little snores as I left. God he was so cute...
I quietly cracked his door shut before heading into my bedroom, sitting on the edge of my freshly made bed and rubbed my eyes. My phone buzzed again and it reminded me I had a text from earlier that I had never read. I pulled the phone out of my pocket and instantly fought the instinct to throw it across the room seeing the name of the devil appear on the screen.
Casper: Hey it's been a while, I want to talk to you.
Casper: Please Flint I know I was a jerk but I want to at least talk to you.