We walked into Nick’s house to find Aj sitting in the living room. Both of us jumped when we saw him.

“What in the hell are you doing here?” Nick asked staring at him.

“Well, I’m here to see MY son.” He said his voice cruel. I looked up and saw the sitter coming down the stairs.

“Where is Alex?” I asked as I walked toward her.

“He’s taking a nap.” She said smiling.

“Okay, I’m going to go check on him.” I said as I left the room.

“You think I would hurt him?” Aj asked as I returned from checking on Alex.

“I never said that.” I replied shocked at the hostility in his voice.

“You might as well have.”

“Aj, I am not going to have an argument with you over this. I wanted to see MY child is that a problem?”

“Yeah I have a problem with it. But in a few months, I won’t.” He said standing, walking toward me slowly with a sarcastic smirk on his face.

“You are a pretentious, egotistical son of a bitch.” I said, instantly furious with myself because I had stooped to his level.

“You are the one that didn’t tell me I had a child, now he’s over 2 and he has no idea who the hell his father is. So who is egotistical?” He said walking directly in front of me, looking down at me, trying to intimidate me. Nick, who had heard the raised voices, came back into the room.

“Get the fuck away from her!” He said as he stepped between us.

“Fuck you man. This has nothing to do with your ass. I don’t know why you get your nose in everyone else business.”

“No fuck you. Do I need to remind you that you are in my fucking house?”

“Yeah I know where the fuck I am.” AJ said turning toward Nick.

“Okay then either calm your ass down or get the fuck out!” Nick said looking down at him.

“Fuck you and your shit.” AJ said shoving Nick out of his way. He pushed past me, causing me to fall into the couch to my right. Aj knowing he had brushed against me harder than he expected stopped and looked back at me. He continued to the door and proceeded to slam the door as hard as he could when he left.

“God he’s so childish!” Nick yelled in frustration.

“Nick. You will wake Alex.” I said from my spot on the couch. I sighed, I couldn’t believe that this was Aj. But I had to admit that I had only known him one night. But the things he did, actually the things he said, cut you to the bone.

A few hours later the lawyer’s office called and told Nick that he had an appointment for 10 a.m. the following morning.

“She said that we all need to be there around 9.” Nick said placing the phone back on it’s base, “I think they are going to test you too.”

“Why? Like I wouldn’t know if he’s mine?” I said as I shook my head.

“Probably just one of those things.” Nick said propped against the kitchen counter. I sighed as I watched the waves crash into the beach.

“Nick, do you think Aj will ever move back to Florida?”

“Probably not why?”

“If he gets Alex, he will be across the country from me.” I said my voice breaking with unshed tears.

“Lizzy,” Nick started as he walked across the room to me, “Aj is not going to get Alex. I will do everything that I can to keep him with you. I love Aj, like a brother. But no man should ever take a child away from a loving and caring mother. A baby needs his mother.” Nick said looking in my eyes. He dried the tears that slowly rolled down my face with his thumbs, “I promise you everything will be fine.” He pulled me to him.

“Thank you Nick. I’d never make it through this without you.”

“I know.” He said grinning.

“Cocky much?” I asked.

“Nah. Not cocky, convinced,” I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Okay, blondie, whatever.”