Chapter 10 #2
Keys kept his eyes on the screen for a moment, contemplating the direct question.
“It’s hard to explain,” he said tentatively.
“My home life growing up isn’t something I miss.
I would have liked a brother growing up, but like I said, we were just too different.
” He reached up to help steady the controller.
“But when I was nineteen, I came here. You haven’t seen much of your new home yet.
I might not have my blood brother here, but I found a new family, and an endless amount of new brothers who always have my back. ”
“You did? Are they good brothers?”
“They’re fantastic brothers. You’ll meet them all one day.”
Oscar’s character did a flip. “I don't have a brother.”
Keys ran his hand through the boy’s blonde hair. “I know,” he said softly, recalling the conversation he’d had with Rose only hours ago.
“I want one.” Oscar said it so matter-of-factly, like one could just go into a store and pick a brother out tomorrow. “Mommy says ‘no’, though. Says it’s not safe.”
Keys tried to keep his face neutral. “She’s right. But you know, I’m working on making you safe, and as soon as your mommy is ready, we’ll sit down and discuss the possibility of getting you a brother or a sister.”
“Your new brothers,” Oscar asked with his focus still entirely on the television screen, “do they like dinosaurs?”
“I’m sure one or two of them do. But, you know who really likes dinosaurs?”
Oscar appeared thoughtful. “Who?”
Keys bent down and whispered in the boy’s ear like it was a big secret, “Me.”
“Really?” he gasped.
Keys nodded. “I love dinosaurs, but there’s so many of them. I can hardly keep them straight! Do you think you could help me?”
“Yes!” Oscar exclaimed loudly, and then squared his shoulders. “But not tonight. I want to keep playing your game.”
“Tomorrow then,” Keys negotiated. That was, if the boy’s mother didn’t kill him for keeping them up past midnight. Leaning his head back, he continued to watch Oscar’s endless jumping crusade.
* * *
They took a break after Oscar jumped his way to Level Four.
Oscar slid off Keys’ lap and disappeared into the kitchen before Keys could even find his legs to stand up.
Shit, there was nothing like the energy of a four-year-old to make one feel old.
Keys heard the refrigerator open, close, and a moment later, Oscar reappeared carrying a juice box in each hand.
He dropped back down onto Keys’ lap like it was the most natural place for him to sit.
And for some reason, Keys fucking loved that.
After two failed attempts to get the straw in the little foil-covered hole, Oscar held one of the juice boxes up to Keys. “Can you help me?”
Taking the box, Keys inserted the straw and then handed it back to the boy, who promptly handed him the second juice box. Figuring he was thirsty, or really liked grape juice, Keys placed the straw inside the second one, too.
“That’s yours,” Oscar informed him when Keys tried to hand it back to him.
Surprised, it took a second for Keys to say, “Thank you.” He shouldn’t have been so shocked, but it honestly hadn’t crossed his mind that Oscar had been getting him a drink, too.
They sat in silence for a minute, both sipping their little boxes until the paperboard caved in on itself. The game was paused, the little blue man waiting patiently to start the next level.
“I like to draw dinosaurs.”
Keys lifted an eyebrow. “Yeah? You must be really good.”
Oscar nodded assertively. “I am! My drawings are in my new room. Do you want to see them?”
“I’d love to, but maybe in the morning?” Keys added, his eyes landing on the digital clock on the game console.
Oscar nodded, looking pleased. “I’m going to draw a stegosaurus next!”
Keys tried to not look so flabbergasted that Oscar was able to pronounce the dinosaur’s name correctly. “Because of the plates?”
Oscar turned and looked at him with wide, surprised eyes. “You know about the plates?”
Remembering that Oscar was supposed to be teaching him about dinosaurs, Keys shrugged nonchalantly. “A little bit.”
“Most people don’t know about plates,” Oscar said, like he had conducted extensive surveys on the matter. “I told Mommy about them, and she didn’t know.”
“Well,” Keys cleared his throat. “Maybe you can teach your mommy when you teach me about dinosaurs.”
Oscar nodded. “That’s a good idea! She told me they look like mountains.”
“They do kind of look like mountains,” Keys said offhandedly, wanting to defend Rose’s assessment.
Oscar laughed at him. “They’re plates, not mountains.”
“Well, I know that now,” Keys deadpanned.
Oscar held up his hand, and for reasons unknown, Keys felt completely flattered to be offered a high five by a four year old.
“Keys,” Oscar said after a slight pause. For the moment, the video game seemed to have been forgotten. Which might be a good thing, since it was way past Oscar’s bedtime.
“Yeah?”
“Do your new brothers know how to play?” Oscar pointed at the paused screen, which made Keys feel awkward about having made the assumption they were done playing for the night. Shouldn’t he be the adult here and suggest they be done? But how could he, when Oscar was having so much fun?
“Video games? Yeah. A few of them play with me, and one’s even pretty good.”
“Better than you?”
Keys puffed out his chest. “Never! I’m the best!”
Oscar giggled. “Not at jumping! I’m the best at jumping!”
Keys hugged the boy to his chest. “I stand corrected. I’m the best at everything except jumping. You, good sir, are the very best, absolutely the awesomest jumper in the universe!” The slight squeak of the door to his left made Keys stiffen. “Quick! She found us! Fall asleep!”
Catching on quick, Oscar fell over to the floor with Keys, and as Rose’s footsteps entered the living room, man and boy started making loud snoring sounds.
“This is odd. I swear I put Oscar to bed hours ago. I wonder how he got out into the living room.” Even over the obnoxiously fake snores, Keys could hear the amusement in Rose’s voice. That was a good sign at least.
Unfortunately, Oscar did not catch onto the objective of the snoring game and jumped up in excitement. “Mommy! We beat the big monster!”
“Did you?”
Like a coward, Keys remained on the floor, snoring away.
“Keys did most of it! And I jumped a lot!”
“Uh huh. And why are your monster-slaying duties conflicting with your bedtime?”
“I thought you and Keys were wrestling again, and I didn’t want to miss out,” Oscar told his mother pointblank.
Unable to keep his composure at that announcement, Keys suddenly ‘woke up’. Stretching, he yawned really loudly. “Oh, wow!” he exclaimed, correcting his glasses. “I must have fallen asleep.”
Rose stood over him, Oscar on her hip. “Did you now?” she asked dryly.
Keys’ eyes bounced back and forth between Rose and Oscar several times before he settled on, “Yes?” It came out like a question.
Rose snorted. “I’m far too tired for this conversation.” Turning her attention to her son, she asked, “Do you want to go back to your own bed or sleep with me for the rest of the night?”
“You!” Oscar said with far too much energy. Keys did honestly feel guilty about that.
“Okay. Let’s get you to the bathroom again and then we’ll head to bed.” Rose turned, walking away with her son.
Disheartened, Keys turned off the television and game console. Maybe he should have been more concerned about being the adult in the room instead of being Oscar’s friend.
“Are you coming?”
Keys’ head shot up at the question. In the doorway of the bedroom, Rose stood with Oscar still in her arms. He’d never moved so fast in his life, practically jumping to his feet like Oscar’s character before running after her.
* * *
Twelve Days to Present
WiseWave620: Whatcha doin’?
Rose lifted an eyebrow at the message. He knew exactly what she was doing, because he’d just left the apartment.
In the three nights since what was now known as the Nose Waxing Debacle, Keys had barely left their side.
If it wasn’t for Thorne coming to the apartment to tell Keys that Jigsaw was looking for him, again, after he’d missed another training session, he’d still be with them now.
Glancing down at her paint-spattered top, Rose wondered if Keys remembered to get the green paint off his nose before he met up with his club brother.
The kit Keys had bought Oscar was not intended to be a finger-painting project, but her son seemed to be on a messy streak.
Even his aim in the bathroom seemed to be getting worse, not better, with age.
Rose had already stripped Oscar down to his underwear to at least try to save his clothing from ruin.
Gl!tch.OS: Currently contemplating your sanity for handing my son a painting kit.
WiseWave620: He’s having fun. & did you see his smile when he saw the paint? Totally worth the cleaning bill.
Rose shook her head, unable to keep the smile off her face.
How had this become her life? And to find a man as good as Keys for her son to look up to?
The amount of parenting books that littered the apartment for Keys’ research was a mixture of ridiculous and impressive—but also so sweet that Rose couldn’t find it in herself to complain.
Regardless of what happened between them romantically—and despite their rule of no sex, their heated kisses and light touches in no way lacked intimacy and fire—Keys had every intention of stepping up to be Oscar’s father.
It meant more to Rose than her own happiness that her son was safe and cared for.
If something happened to her, she no longer questioned who would look after Oscar.
WiseWave620: I wanted to let you know that there’s been some chatter. The blood test was processed, and Kennedy was flagged as being paternally related.