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Post by Tiff on Jan 30, 2011 0:45:01 GMT -5
Tess stood on the doorstep of the Smith house and turned to facae the road, a smile creeping over her face, a smile full of pride as her son toddled toward her. Gage was bulked out in warm winter clothes and looked twice as big around as he actually was. He stopped and bent down and picked up a stick then stood and continued to toddle toward Tess. "You have a stick there little man?" She asked going down on one knee to remove the stick from his tiny hand before he hurt himself. She expected him to start crying, but he didn't, he simply accepted it and started climbing the stairs on all fours. Tess tossed the stick into the yard and walked up the stairs one at a time behind her son.
Gage stopped at the top and sat, Tess bent to pick him up and carried him the rest of the way. She balled Gage's hand into a fist and helped him knock. His tiny fist barely made a noise against the solid door, so Tess knocked too. Gage giggled and started to smack his tiny palm against the door to continue to help his mom.
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Post by Kelli-wa on Jan 30, 2011 2:02:04 GMT -5
Nick had known that his girlfriend was coming over with their son that day, sometime soon, and so he was waiting very close to the door. He missed his son, even though he'd seen him the day before, but that didn't matter. He wished he could be with him all the time, but he got the weekends and he accepted that, glad, actually, that he even got to see him everyday. He heard the louder knock that Tess had done and smiled as he heard the small pounds against the door which he knew had to be his little boy. He opened the door and smiled kissed Tess' cheek before he looked at Gage and grinned, "There's my boy! You helping your momma knock?" he asked with a huge grin on his face. "Come inside, its freezing..."
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Post by Tiff on Jan 30, 2011 18:18:01 GMT -5
Tess nodded. "I think your little boy would like to show you something." She put him down and walked past Nick into the house. "Gage." She said his name and Gage walked across the door threshold and right to Tess, he placed one hand on Tess' leg then turned to look at Nick. He smiled up at him and then toddled over and put his hands up to Nick. "So..." Tess looked up at Nick and bit her bottom lip. "I know we're both going back to school this week, but would you mind having Gage this week?" She looked down at the floor. "He's been cranky and it's probably just the move and the lack of familiarity." She looked up at Nick. "Half of my house is gone, he's used to being around everyone, and it's just Zane and me now."
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Post by Kelli-wa on Jan 30, 2011 18:34:56 GMT -5
As Nick watched a proud smile formed over his face and he shook his head, "Whoa, buddy, someone's been practicing his walking! I saw you a few days ago and you were walking only a few steps!" he said. The little boy had been walking those few steps for a while, but now he'd seemed to do it with ease, and without falling down. As Gage toddled over to him he lifted him up off of the ground and tossed him lightly in the air before letting him come to a rest on his hip as he looked over at Tess and nodded at her question. He sighed, he knew it was hard for her and he should have given her the option for Gage to stay at his house for a while. At least until they got settled. "Yeah, babe, I'll take him this week and next week if you need me to. He can stay here at night until you're ready for him to come back to your house." He closed the front door and walked further into the house, putting his free hand down for her to take, hoping that she would. "Do you want to eat something? I can take you guys out if you like, or we can just eat something here, I'm sure we could figure something out."
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Post by Tiff on Jan 30, 2011 19:17:33 GMT -5
Tess frowned. "Two weeks will be great, but if you find he's too cranky for you, I'll gladly take him back, I really just want Zane and Michael to be able to relax, I don't mind his crying." She took his hand and rested her head on his shoulder. "I mean it breaks my heart when he cries, but I'm not going to complain."
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Post by Kelli-wa on Jan 30, 2011 19:29:13 GMT -5
Nick nodded at her and kissed her hair gently as she set her head on his shoulder. "No, I'm fine with two weeks. I honestly miss him a lot when he isn't here," he said before he turned to kiss his son as well. He looked back to his girlfriend and smiled at her again. "Do you want to go up to the bedroom? You look like you could use a rest." He kissed her hair again and started toward his bedroom anyway, not waiting for her answer. Gage would be happier in there with his toys anyway.
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Post by Tiff on Jan 30, 2011 20:57:17 GMT -5
Tess closed his eyes as his lips pressed against her hair and turned her face into his shoulder as he kissed their son. "I..." She grinned as he led them toward his bedroom without a response from her. Once inside his room she climbed into his bed and picked up a teddy bear. "I feel bad that you don't get to spend as much time with him." She held the teddy bear like she would hold Gage. "Would you..." She looked up at Gage and tears formed in her eyes, she wanted to let Nick have Gage more, she just couldn't stand the thought of being away from him and it wouldn't be possible for all of them to be in the same house for another couple of years. "Nick, would you like Gage to stay with you?" The tears were starting to spill down her cheeks now and she looked away. "He'd be happier..."
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Post by Kelli-wa on Jan 30, 2011 21:38:24 GMT -5
Nick walked with her and walked over to the toy box, pulling a few toys out for Gage, setting him on the floor to play. He turned to Tess as she spoke, however and his brow furrowed as he saw her face. He walked over and sat on the bed next to her, putting a hand on her leg. "Tess, I would love to have Gage here all the time, but I know how much you would hate that." He shook his head, wiping a tear from her cheek. "Don't cry, babes," he said lightly. "I'm sure that he wouldn't be happier here. He loves you too much," he said before he kissed her tear soaked cheek. Their little boy walked over and tried to give his mother a dinosaur, "Happy?" he asked, cocking his head to one side.
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Post by Tiff on Jan 30, 2011 22:18:50 GMT -5
Tess scooped his hand into hers. "I wouldn't hate it." She wiped her eyes with the other hand. "I want you and Gage to have more time together, it's not fair that I get him five days out of the week and you only get two. We're not divorced or even sworn enemies and I feel so guilty." She looked down at her son and took the dinosaur he offered. "Oh, sweetie, I'm happy." She bent down and kissed the top of his head, before handing him the dino back. "You go ahead and play sweatheart." She turned back to Nick. "He loves me, but he loves you too and it's just not fair, Nick."
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Post by Kelli-wa on Jan 30, 2011 22:46:59 GMT -5
Nick sighed and shook his head lightly, "You would, look at you, Tess, its tearing you up just thinking about it," he said softly and rubbed her cheek with his free hand. "I know our situation isn't ideal, but can you stand the thought of being away from him?" he asked. "He can stay with me, but if you change your mind, don't think you'll hurt my feelings if you want to go back to how we're doing it, okay?" he asked before he kissed her softly on the lips. He watched the boy give his mother a toy and then as she gave it back and the toddler walked back to the toy box. Nick looked back at Tess and shrugged, "Maybe not, but you're his mother and its harder for a mother to be away from their child than the father... At least, that's what I'm told..."
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Post by Tiff on Jan 30, 2011 23:19:38 GMT -5
"I know, I know, but you have rights too and I don't feel like I'm being fair." She crawled into his arms and hugged him. "Could you be a jackass so I don't feel so bad?" She chuckled a bit, her tears starting to fade. She curled into Nick's lap, resting her head on his shoulder, but still in a position where she could watch Gage play with his toys. "I'll just come crawl through your window this week."
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Post by Kelli-wa on Jan 30, 2011 23:57:46 GMT -5
Nick smiled at her and let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head, "Nope, not gonna happen, I'm sorry. You got mad at me for being a jackass last time," he said referring to his fight with Ryan. He smiled and let his arms wrap around her waist as she sat on him. He smiled at her statement and looked at her, "I think I can deal with that," he said softly before he kissed her hair lightly and looked back at their son, setting his head against hers. "I think Gage would like it if you were there at night, too."
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Post by Tiff on Jan 31, 2011 0:06:02 GMT -5
Tess grinned. "I knew you wouldn't do it. You're such a good guy now." She kissed his neck, feeling comfortable in his arms. "You think you're mom will get mad if I just don't leave? Michael won't notice, he's so lost right now and Zane's been in a funk lately, he'll just think I got Gage to sleep and went to sleep early. Please don't make me go home."
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Post by Kelli-wa on Jan 31, 2011 0:41:19 GMT -5
Nick smiled and shook his head lightly. "If it's you, no she won't. She likes you a lot and I doubt she'll be suspicious of anything since Gage is staying with us in my room. She'll be perfectly fine with this." He moved his head so that he could kiss her lips again, "We can be a family... At least for one night," he said with a smile on his lips. "Would Michael get mad if you stayed over here?"
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Post by Tiff on Jan 31, 2011 0:54:11 GMT -5
That bit of information made Tess' spirit soar. "Oh, god, you don't know how amazing that makes me feel. I have enough haters, so knowing your mom isn't a card holder to the Official Tess Hate Club is a good feeling." She glanced down at Gage, to make sure he wasn't looking up at them, and kissed Nick the way she used to before the conception. "He won't notice."
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