“Hey babe,” I said as Grace smiled her way into my room. It was a Friday night and we had movies planned. But, I admit, I didn’t have watching movies on my mind.

“What are we watching?” Gracie asked, plopping herself down beside me on my bed.

“I know what I’m watching tonight,” I gave her a smug smile.

“And what’s that?” she asked me curiously. She was so naïve sometimes. I loved it.

“I’m watching over my beautiful babe of a girl,” I purred, pushing my lips against the smooth skin of her neck and twisting my arms around her waist. I heard her breathe in and out airily. I knew she wanted me. I knew that when I asked her to be my girlfriend.

“Andy…” she breathed, so sexily even though it was unintentional.

I didn’t answer, just placed my hands on the sides of her innocent face and pulled her closer. I smooched her, trying to be as romantic and caring as I could. I worked my lips against her with passion. It wasn’t long before she was letting out cute petite moans. I told you she wanted me.

I stared into her eyes and gently pushed us against the batman covers of my bed. I crawled on top of her and continued kissing the sides of her mouth and down along the sides of her neck.

“Andy, I know what you’re getting at,” Gracie said, fidgeting a little under my figure.

“Mmm, and what’s that?” I said, pushing my lips gently under her ear and pecking her.

“You want us to… Y-You know…”

“Don’t you…?” I practically moaned against her neck.

“I don’t know…” she said bashfully.

“Do you love me?” I stopped kissing, stabled myself on my knees on the bed around her and looked at her, waiting for her to answer.

She blushed, “yeah, but…” she trailed off.

“Gracie, I want to show my love for you,” I told her, gazing into her chestnut brown eyes. “All you have to do is let me.”

Her eyes left my figure for a second before returning. They glinted back at me, along with a deep flush of red from her cheeks. She bit her lip, before pressing her own lips to mine. I kissed back willingly and pushed us under the sheets.

- - -

“So… What are you doing here exactly?” Grace asked me, sitting across from me as I flashed back, noticing I had been staring at ‘Ash’ playing.

“I…I, uh…” I didn’t know how to reply to that. And truth be true, that’s a lie. “I couldn’t keep myself away anymore...” I mumbled. That and I found out where she was whereas before I didn’t know.

Grace looked over at Ash. I didn’t even know if that was his full name. So I asked.

“His full name’s Ashton Andrew Wilson.” She told me. I was a little surprised she gave Ashton my middle name seeing as she didn’t have to.

“You gave him my name as his middle name…?” I didn’t hold back asking her.

“Yeah, I hope you don’t mind,” she bit her lip. She hadn’t changed very much.

“It’s all good,” I said as Ash came and tapped me on the knee.

“Can you pwlay with me?” he asked harmlessly. I felt like I was looking into a mirror that travelled back in time.

“H-He has my… My eyes,” I said slowly and ironically. I saw Grace smile humbly out of the corner of my eyes which were still watching Ashton.

Ashton turned to Grace and gave her a questioning glance before turning back to me. “Please? We can pwlay what you like. I don’t care,” Ashton said modestly.

“Yeah, sure I’ll play with you,” I said, thankful he wasn’t shy anymore.

Narrator

“Dinner’s ready!” Grace announced; setting two bowls of her very simply made but delicious spaghetti on the small motel room’s table.

“I better go,” Andy stood and stretched.

“Can’t you stay, daddy? I want you to stay!” Ashton threw himself at Andy’s leg, squeezing him a childish hug.

Andy was so surprised and so thrilled with Ash saying that and hugging him. Andy did want to stay. Ash was his son after all and he wanted to be there, to be his father, as crazy as it sounds.

“There’s enough if you want to stay,” Grace added. She was edgy and skeptical though part of her wanted to let Andy back into her life.

Even if he was the reason it fell apart.

Andy

Ashton was the cutest little boy I had ever seen. He begged for me to stay for dinner after I played with him and his toy trains.

“No, its okay, I wouldn’t want to intrude,” I said. I wanted to stay. I really did.

“Why don’t you want to stay? Why did you only come now?” Question’s that Ashton threw at me.

“Because it’s getting late, Ash. It took me a while to find you guys,” I added.

“…Do you wished you didn’t had found us?” Ashton asked naïvely. He must get his naivety from his mother and from being a child.

There was silence. All I could do was look at his perfect, baby-skin face, not able to believe he brought that up.

I watched as his eyes welled up with tears which fell through his bottom eyelashes. He ran over to Grace, leaping and throwing his body against hers. Grace caught him and he wrapped his legs around her waist as he hugged her with all his might. He was hiding his face away from my view under Grace’s chin and top of her chest.

“Hey…hey…” Grace soothed him, curling her arms around his small body and embracing him properly. “It’s okay,” she patted his head lovingly. She looked at me warily, before kissing the top of his head.

“Please stay!” Ashton cried at me. Grace pushed the skin of her lips together, caused by Ashton’s distress.

“Okay, I’ll stay.” I agreed. I admit; I did want to spend more time with my son. I can’t believe… I couldn’t believe… This was just too much.

I went over and sat down at the table, realizing just how hungry I actually was, looking at the spaghetti which looked quite badly cooked, to be honest. Ashton sat next to me with a smaller bowl of the same contents.

Narrator

Andrew watched as his son Ashton cuffed down the terrible looking spaghetti with an astounded expression. ‘At least Ashton wasn’t fussy’, Andy thought. Giving a silent, stress and nerve-filled sigh, Andy picked up the fork in front of him and took a bite. The sweet, rich, Italian texture of the tomatoes and spices exploded in his mouth, making his mouth salivate so much more.

Taking the next bite, Andy didn’t hesitate at all.
………….

Ashton was the first one finished, bouncing over to in front of the couch and playing with another set of toys. Grace was sitting at the table reading some sort of magazine. Andy was finished and got up from the table, walking over to the hotel’s mini kitchen’s sink.

“Do you want me to just leave this here?” Andy asked Grace, referring to the empty, used bowl in his hands.

“Yeah, that’s okay. I got it,” Grace got up to wash it. She hadn’t eaten dinner. Andy had noticed but hadn’t said anything yet.

“Why didn’t you eat?” he asked. Before Grace could answer, Ashton did for her.

“Mommy always sayed she has a big lunch and never eats dinner. I know she doesn’t eat a lot of lunch though,” Ashton appeared beside Andy, beaming up at him. Grace sighed.

“It’s ‘says’ Ash, not ‘sayed’.”

Before another word was spoken, Ashton took the plunge to ask to watch a movie that was being played on TV that night.

“Mommy, can I watch Ice Age? It’s about to start! Please…!” Ashton implored.

“Yes, but bed straight afterwards. All right?”

“Yes! Daddy! Watch it with me!” Ashton took Andy’s hand and pulled him to the couch.

Grace didn’t say anything more, washing the dishes as Andy, without hesitation, snuggled up on the couch with his son, daydreaming into the moving picture.