“Mommy! Mommy!” Gabby stood from Tiffany’s lap when he saw Kate strutting into the airport. Gabby had a faint smile on his face. His heart warming at the sight of his mother. He threw his hands in the air, his hair flailing onto his face as he waved around for Kate to see them.
“Mommy, Mommy!” He called out again, heart somersaulting.
Tiffany chuckled, brushing his tresses away from his face. “Easy Gabby, you’re drawing attention.” She whispered into his ear while chuckling at the boys elation at the sight of his mother.
“My God, Gabby!” Kate yelled out when her wandering eyes landed on her baby boy, waving to grab her attention. Before she could ponder on it, Kate was already across the space to grab Gabby.
She reached him and quickly lifted him up in the air before clamping him close to her chest in a bear hug. Where she got the strength to lift Gabby up like that, she knew not but she didn’t feel the heaviness as her heart spanned holding and smelling her baby’s scent again after months of being apart.
“I missed you, mommy!” Gabby whispered into her ear, pulled back and kissed Kate’s lips quickly, her eyes began to water.
“I missed you too, my baby. It feels so good seeing you here.” She said to him and ruffled his hair, a chuckle left Gabby’s lips as Kate tickled his sides.
“Ahem!” Tiffany cleared her throat to grasp Kate’s and Gabby’s attention, reminding them she’s still around.
“Tiffany!” Kate burst out and rushed into her sister’s arms. They held each other for what seemed like forever before breaking away. Gabby held onto Kate’s hand like a lifeline, making Kate’s heart bloom in joy.
All the while Alex was driving her here, she felt jumpy, not knowing how things will turn out. Alex didn’t even help as he bombarded Kate with silence that had her wondering what he was thinking.
Does he still love her after knowing she has a son? She thought as they rode to the airport.
But now, seeing Gabby and Tiffany erased her nervousness, replacing it with gratitude and love for her son and only sister.
“Mommy, where’s daddy?” Gabby asked, pulling the sisters attention from each other.
“Oh…he’s…” Kate gasped, her eyes traveling around in search of Alex.
Standing five steps away from them, Alex knew already they were asking of him or rather the so-called stand-in father for Kate’s son. So he started walking closer to them. Alex had wanted to give them time to bond before any sort of intrusion and that seemed wise.
He strutted over, however, Tiffany’s eyes were wide like saucers as she wondered where Kate hired such a burly, handsome as-fuck man.
Tiffany grazed her eyes over at Kate and the sisters exchanged a look that bordered on question and answers.
“Hey, son.” Alex’s gravel voice boomed as he dropped to his haunches to speak with Gabby.
“Where did you hire him from?” Tiffany whispered her question when Alex went on his haunches.
“He’s…my boss…” Kate curtly said, deciding to come clean a bit with Tiffany.
Hmm…Tiffany hummed, wondering what boss would risk his truckload of work to act as a stand-in father for a boy he barely knows. However, the idea sat well with her.
“You’re my daddy? Where have you been?” Gabby threw at Alex, his heart jerking sighting the man he had longed to see his whole life.
Alex suddenly felt a strange kind of tenderness for Gabby. On reflex, he pulled Gabby close and held him in a tight hug…his heart fluttering , for reasons he knew not.
“I’m so sorry, I’ve been away, son.” He pulled away and trailed his fingers in Gabby’s hair. “I’ve been away, boy. But I’m back now. To make things better.”
Oh…oh…those words of his melted something inside Kate. It made her realize just how much she’s been missing without a man in her life. Without a father figure in her son’s life. Alex is…just making her feel things. So many things but she managed to rein in on them.
“Mommy, daddy looks handsome. He looks like superman. My superman!” Gabby exclaimed as Alex erected to his feet, huge and tall, towering over them.
Kate’s lips splintered in two. She gave a nod and uttered. “Yes, baby. Your superhero.” She clashed eyes with Alex but pulled away quickly. “C'mon, let’s go home.”
At that, Alex hauled Gabby in his arms and they all made to his car. Tiffany was still in shock, trying to understand what was unfolding before her eyes.
Has Kate got a man without so much as telling her? She thought and Kate sure as hell knows that’s exactly what her sister was thinking about.
*
*
*
The ride to Angela’s place was filled with Gabby’s yammer. It felt good having her little bundle of joy with her again, Kate thought.
When they got out of the car, Gabby flushed himself in Kate’s arms while holding Alex hand. Like a family, they strutted into the house.
“Wow…mommy, Daddy’s house is beautiful.” Gabby exclaimed as he eyes drank in the structure and accessories of the house. Kate only cleared her throat, avoiding an answer to that question.
She’s still surprised at how Alex acted with Gabby. He wasn’t there when she was drafting her plans for getting her son a father but he played the role so perfectly Kate’s is all but stunned.
They all settled in the living room while she hurried around to get something for them to snack on.
Time dragged by as they all chatter away. Gabby found comfort in Alex arms. His head rested on Alex’s chest while they watched a Netflix movie.
They called their dad on a video call, happy to know he was fairing well without them around.
Moments later, Gabby dozed off. Tiffany carried him away from Alex’s arms as Kate herded then into the room.
Tucking Gabby under the silky duvet, Tiffany turned over looked at Kate. Kate knew her sister’s look was that which screamed ‘spill the whole secret’
Scratching her hair nervously , Kate uttered. “Tiffany…uh…” She was still struggling with words when the bell suddenly blared.
Words cut short, Kate excused herself and went to answer the door, only another of her lover stood by the doorway, burning holes on her body with his hungry eyes.
“Kate!” Aiden drawled as crossed the distance between them and went lips to lips with Kate. She moaned at the suddenness of the whole thing...
“Kate?”
That was Tiffany’s voice. The surprise undertone of it had Kate extricating herself from Aiden.
Stunned, Aiden asked. “What’s going on?”
His eyes took in the surroundings. Alex, Kate and a girl with striking resemblance with Kate, whom he knew not.
Kate wished the ground will dip and swallow her whole. This thing wasn’t going as she planned. She hadn’t expected Alex and Aiden to be here at all. But…shit! How does she explain her polyamorous affair with the sex gods?
Turning slowly to face her sister, she ground out. “Tiffany…meet Alex and Aiden. They…are…” she sighed. Already Tiffany was getting what was happening.
“You’re dating them?” Tiffany asked, sounding so disappointed in her sister, Kate. “Did you ever tell dad about this?” The question left Tiffany’s lips.