Das Letzte Lied - Chapter Ten

Tom took the stairs two at a time as he called out for Bradyn. "Hey, buddy, what are you up to?"

"No." Bradyn said from his room just before Tom got to the door.

"No what? Are you- Oh-" Tom pushed the door open the stopped in his tracks. "What-" He tilted his head to the side to get a good look at Bradyn's predicament.

Bradyn sighed and looked gloomy for a second. "Howp."

"Help? Bradyn, what'd you do?"

"Nassing."

"Nothing?" Tom tried not to laugh. Somehow Bradyn had gotten his sucker stuck to the back of his head and tangled in his hair. "If you did nothing, how did you get your sucker stuck back here?" Tom smiled and gently touched the white stick poking out of the hair.

Bradyn sighed again. "I doe no." Tom covered his eyes with his hand and laughed quietly as his body shook. "I sowwy." Bradyn said quickly.

"It's okay." Tom patted Bradyn's back to let him know he wasn't upset. "It's okay, buddy. We just, uh- We just need to figure out how to get it out."

"No, Daddy, is suck."

"Yeah, I see it's stuck. We have to get it un-stuck." He placed his hands on his hips and looked at Bradyn. "Okay, you know what? I'm gonna call your Oma. Come with me." He took Bradyn's hand and led him to the master bedroom where they sat on the bed and Tom called his parents' house.

It rang five times before the voice mail picked up. "Hi, Mom. Bradyn has stuck a sucker in his hair. How do I get it out without causing damage to his hair? Please call me and help me out! Thank you, Mama. I love you." He hung up and tried his second choice.

"H'lo?"

"Hey, Gustav." Tom sighed.

"If you're calling to tell me we have to be at rehearsal tomorrow, hang up." Gustav said quickly.

"No, I have a little problem over here and I thought you might be able to help me out a little." Tom smiled and put his hand on Bradyn's ankle to keep him on the bed.

"Daddy, is Goose-gog?" Bradyn asked.

"Yeah, it's Gustav. Shhh, just a second."

"What kind of problem?" Gustav asked with caution.

"Bradyn's got a sucker stuck in his hair. I mean it's like all wrapped up and stuck." Tom bit his lip to keep from laughing.

"And the first person you thought of was me?" Gustav tried to sound insulted.

"Yeah, you had that hair incident thing."

"That was gum. That's different."

"I know but do you have any ideas?"

"Cut it out." Gustav shrugged.

"It's stuck all the way down to his head though." Tom reached over and parted Bradyn's hair where the sucker was stuck, trying not to make it worse.

"Yank it."

"Gustav!" Tom sighed.

"Do you have any of the Goo-B-Gone stuff? That shit'll get anything sticky out of anything."

"I'm not putting Goo-B-Gone on Bradyn's head."

"Then I don't know. I cut my hair off." Gustav sighed. "What's it say in your book thing?"

"I don't know. I didn't look. Do you think it'd be in there?"

"It's worth a look though, don't you think?"

"Yeah, true." Tom sighed. "Okay, I'll go have a look. Thanks."

"No problem. Good luck." Gustav laughed and hung up the phone.

"Okay, let's go figure this out." Tom lifted Bradyn off the bed and set him on the floor so he could go downstairs and get his book. Bradyn walked a few steps in front of Tom and it was all he could do to not laugh at the image. A bright red sucker was stuck right in the back of his head with the little white stick bobbing with every step he took.

"I just wan sucker out." Bradyn said sadly when they got to the kitchen.

"I know, we're working on it."

"Jus take it."

"I can't just take it out. I wish I could."

"Yeah."

"I can't. That would hurt a lot and I don't want to hurt you." Tom flipped the book open to the index in the back to see what he could find. Ten minutes later Bradyn was getting antsy at Tom's feet and Tom hadn't found anything that might help him get the sucker out of Bradyn's hair. He put his hands on his hips again and looked down at Bradyn. "Well, buddy, it looks like we're going to have to cut it out."

"Cut hair?" Bradyn asked as he brought his hands to his head.

"Yeah." Tom sighed and frowned. "I just-" He looked at the back of Bradyn's head. "I just don't know how." The phone rang just then so Tom reached behind him to answer it. "Hello?"

"Hallo, Sußer!" His mom smiled.

"Hallo, Mama. Did you get the message I sent?"

"Yes, I did. Did you get the candy out of Bradyn's hair?"

"Nee, I don't know how. It's glued to his scalp!"

"That tends to happen when you put something sticky in your hair." She laughed. "What have you tried so far?"

"I called you and Gustav."

"No, I mean what have you tried to get the sucker out of his hair?"

"Nothing. I don't even know where to begin!"

She shook her head. "You may just have to cut it."

"But it's on his scalp! He'd have a bald head!" Tom whined.

"Which is worse? A sucker in his hair or a bad spot?"

Tom sighed. He knew she had a point. "I don't think I can do it."

"Tom, take him to a salon. They'll cut the sucker out." Simone suggested.

"I'm not going out in public with a sucker stuck to Bradyn's head!" Tom rolled his eyes.

"They've seen worse."

"Daddy, have it out." Bradyn complained as he reached for the sucker.

"Hang on, buddy. Don't pull it."

"Owie." Bradyn frowned.

"I know, just hang on a second." Tom gently removed Bradyn's hand from his head and sighed into the phone. "Are there any other choices besides cutting his hair?"

"You're gonna have to cut it." Simone nodded.

"Damn. I guess we'll have to do that then." Tom pouted. "Thanks for calling me back so quickly."

"Good luck!" She smiled.

"Thanks." Tom smiled. He hung up the phone then looked at Bradyn. "Well, buddy, it looks like I'm going to have to cut your hair."

"No, Daddy! No cut."

"I have to cut it or we won't get the sucker out." Tom reached into the cutlery drawer and pulled out the only pair of scissors he owned.

"No." Bradyn whined. "Is my hair."

"I know it's your hair but it's also your sucker and I can't get it out without cutting it." Tom explained as he held the scissors to his side. "You're going to get your hair cut really soon anyway so-" Tom sighed and looked defeated. "So come on, buddy. Just let me cut it out."

"No, Daddy. I cut."

"You can't cut your own hair. It's all the way back here." Tom jiggled the protruding stick.

"Yeah."

"It'll only take a second." Tom set the scissors down and pulled Bradyn onto his lap. "Just hold still for a second and I'll have it out."

"Have out?"

"I will in just a second." Tom reached for the scissors and tried to work them behind the sucker. "This is really stuck in here, buddy." He snipped away carefully at the hair that was stuck to the candy, getting his fingers sticky in the process.

"Isa mess."

"Yeah, it's a big mess." Tom pulled the sucker to the side to snip the hair under it but in the process he stuck more hair on the side. "Shit."

"Uh oh."

"Uh oh is right." Tom sighed. "I'm just making it worse." He mumbled to himself. "Okay, I'm sorry about this, buddy, but I'm gonna have to just cut it all off."

"My hair?"

"Yeah."

"No!" Bradyn wiggled to get away. "No, Daddy! Not all!"

"No, not all of it. Just all of it that's stuck on the sucker. I'm leaving the rest alone."

"Have my hair?"

"You'll still have your hair, I promise."

"And Tayla cut?"

"Sure, maybe Tayla can take you to get your hair cut when she gets here."

"My cool?"

"Yeah, we'll have someone else cut your hair and it'll look cool."

"No Daddy?"

"No." Tom laughed softly. "I won't be the one cutting it."

"Now?"

"I'm going to cut the sucker out now, then we'll have someone else make it look cool."

"Kay." Bradyn pouted and held still in Tom's lap.

"Okay, here we go." Tom wedged the scissors under the sucker and snipped a few times, freeing the hair covered sucker and leaving a two-inch area of super short sticky hair.

"Ow, Daddy."

"I know, that tugged a little but, look, I got it out." Tom put the scissors down and held the sucker up for Bradyn to see. "It's a mess."

"I can have?"

"I don't think so." Tom laughed and tossed it into the trash at the end of the counter. "I think you need to take a bath and get all this gunk out of your hair."

"Yeah." Bradyn reached up and touched the back of his head. "Daddy, isa mess."

"Yeah. Actually you know what? Why don't we have dinner first? Then you can take a bath after."

"No, isa mess." Bradyn whined.

"It'll still be a mess after dinner." Tom tried to rationalize.

"I wan out, Daddy."

"The sucker is out."

"No." Bradyn reached back and pulled at the sticky hair that remained.

"Just don't touch it and you'll be fine. Let's make a sandwich or something first." Tom said as he set Bradyn on the floor. "Do you want turkey or peanut butter and jelly?"

"I doe no."

"Okay, peanut butter and jelly it is." Tom got the peanut butter and jelly out and made a few sandwiches for them. He grabbed a big bag of chips and an orange and sat at the table. "Come on. Let's eat then we'll go get washed up."

Bradyn sighed and climbed into his seat. "Kay."

They ate their small meal then Tom put the chips away and they went upstairs to give Bradyn his promised bath. When he was done he still looked sad and grumpy. "What's the matter, buddy?"

"I just wan my Tayla." Bradyn sighed as Tom pulled his pajama bottoms on.

"I know you do. She'll be here tomorrow."

"Now?"

"Tomorrow after you go to school. That's when we're going to go get her." Bradyn's eyes welled up with tears as his bottom lip trembled. "Hey, what's wrong?" Tom pulled Bradyn onto his lap and held him close. "What the matter?"

"My hair cut." Bradyn sniffed as big alligator tears slid down his cheeks.

"You're sad about your haircut?"

"Yeah."

"It doesn't look that bad." Tom tried not to laugh.

"Yeah."

"No, it doesn't. It doesn't look bad at all. Besides, we're going to have someone fix it before we go on tour."

"My Tayla cut?"

"Yeah, maybe Tayla will take you."

"Daddy, I wan."

"You want Tayla to take you?"

"Yeah." Bradyn sniffled into Tom's chest.

"Okay, I'll see what I can do. Okay, buddy?" Tom kissed the top of Bradyn's damp head and rested his cheek against his hair. "I think you're tired though."

"No."

"Yeah, you're acting grumpy like a tired little boy." Tom yawned. "I'm tired too. Why don't we finish getting your pajamas on and read a story?"

"Kay." Bradyn peeled himself away from Tom and let him get the shirt over his head. "G'nigh moon?"

"You bet." Tom smiled and reached to the floor for Bradyn's favorite book of the moment Goodnight Moon. He read it through twice before he switched Bradyn's light off and left the room while Bradyn snored softly under his covers.

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The next morning Bradyn was in a much better mood. He ate his breakfast and got dressed without an argument and seemed excited about going to school. He didn't ask about Tayla at all until they were almost to his classroom. "Day my Tayla here?" Bradyn asked as they walked up the tiled hall to Bradyn's class.

"Yeah, today we get to go pick up Tayla." Tom nodded. "You have to go to school and then when I come and get you we'll have a snack then go get her at the airport."

"Kay." Bradyn nodded and looked up at Tom. "We can go now?"

"No, not now. You have to go to school first."

"Lato?"

"Yeah, in just a couple hours." Tom nodded.

"Kay."

"Okay, I'll see you later, okay?"

"Kay."

"Bye." He leaned down and kissed Bradyn's messy hair.

"Bye-bye, Daddy." Bradyn giggled and ran across the room to his little group of friends. Tom watched for a minute and tried not to cringe at the wide bald spot on the back of his head. He glanced at his watch and sighed. He still had some errands to run before Bradyn needed to be picked up from school and Tayla got there. Tom left the school and ran to the store to pick up the cake they had ordered the day before as well as some little food things to eat for the few days they'd be home before they left for the tour.

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Tom returned home with the cake balanced precariously in his hand and two bags of groceries threatening to tip him over in the other. Thanking God for his quickness, he kicked the garage door open and slid inside before it could begin to swing shut. He carefully walked the length of the house to the kitchen.

The cake looked great, a perfect green and yellow beetle looking bug with little antennae drawn on in icing and everything. He laughed as he imagined Tayla's face when she saw it was a bug cake. He went about putting the rest of the groceries away. When he was done with that he still had more than an hour to kill so he ran the vacuum over the carpet and swept the tile. Tom changed his clothes before he went to get Bradyn and sprayed on some cologne. If he had an extra five minutes he would have shaven off his morning stubble but he didn't so he let it stay and left to go to the school.

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"Daddy! Tayla is?" Bradyn asked as he ran over to Tom.

"We're going to go get her right now." Tom nodded as he scooped Bradyn up in his arms. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah." Bradyn nodded and wiggled down to get his backpack. "Daddy, I have." He handed Tom a large piece of construction paper with torn colored tissue pasted all over it.

"Wow." Tom admired the artwork. "That's really cool, buddy. We'll have to put it up on the fridge."

"Yeah." Bradyn sighed and dragged his backpack to Tom's feet. "Have Tayla now."

"Yeah." Tom picked up the backpack and waved to his teachers. He took Bradyn's hand and they headed out to the car. "We have to go get Seppel first, then we'll be able to go." Tom explained as he put Bradyn into his car seat.

"Daddy, mine." Bradyn reached for the paper.

"Okay, here." Tom handed it to Bradyn and slammed the door shut. He jumped into the driver's seat and they took off for the compound where Seppel was waiting for them

"No, Daddy. No." Bradyn whined when he saw where they were parking. "No work. Tayla."

"We're just picking Seppel up. We're not staying."

"No." Bradyn whined as he kicked at the back of the driver's seat.

"Hey, don't kick my seat." Tom scowled over his shoulder before he beeped the horn.

"No work. We go bye."

"We're going in just a second. We have to get Seppel first or we can't go get Tayla." Tom explained as he honked the horn again.

Seppel emerged from the rear of the compound and trotted up to the car. "Hey, how's it going?" He asked as he got in.

"No Seppel." Bradyn kicked at the seat again. "Is bad."

"I'm bad?" Seppel asked Tom.

"He wants Tayla." Tom shrugged.

"We're going to pick her up right now." Seppel smiled over the back of the seat at Bradyn.

"No." Bradyn frowned and stuck his bottom lip out.

"No? Do you want to go home instead?" Tom asked as he met Bradyn's eye in the rear view mirror.

"No!" Bradyn shouted. "Go see Tayla!"

"Bradyn, we're going to go get her right now. You need to calm down." Tom turned onto the main road from the driveway and sighed. "If you keep this up I'll let Seppel go get her and you can go home and take a nap."

"No nap, Daddy. No!" Bradyn landed a solid kick in the back of Tom's seat.

"Hey!" Tom pulled the car over three houses down from the compound and turned around in his seat. "Do not kick the seat." He said slowly. "I told you we're going to go get Tayla right now so relax. If you keep acting like this I'm going to take you home."

"Tayla?"

"Yes, we're going to get her."

"Now?"

"Right now." Tom nodded. "Now are you going to stop kicking my seat?"

Bradyn just sighed and looked at Tom. "We go?"

"Are you going to behave?" Tom asked. That began a short staring contest between father and son. Tom finally broke the silence. "Okay. Seppel, I'm going to take Bradyn home. Can you go get Tayla?"

"No!" Bradyn shouted from his seat as a fresh round of tears started.

"Then are you going to be good?"

"Yeah."

"Promise?" Tom asked.

"Yeah." Bradyn sulked.

"Okay, no more kicking my seat." Tom shook his head and turned around to put his seatbelt back on. Seppel laughed softly in the seat beside him as they pulled back out onto the road.

Bradyn was silent for the rest of the ride to the airport and didn't say anything until they were inside the terminal. "See a pane?" He asked softly.

"Yeah, we're going to go see a bunch of planes." Tom nodded and pulled his hat on his head. They followed Seppel into the airport and quickly located the right gate.

The three of them stood off to the side by the wall as they watched other visitors weaving in and out of the crowd. "Daddy, see Tayla?"

"She's not here yet." Tom tugged his hat lower and lifted Bradyn up onto his hip. "We have another few minutes before her plane gets here."

"She ina sky?"

"I think she's landed already but right now she's on the plane."

"Ina pane?"

"Yes." Tom smiled and took a step closer to the windows. Seppel watched every move he made and moved himself two steps closer to them.

"Daddy, we have a cake?"

"Yeah, we have the cake."

"At home?"

"Yeah."

"Isa bug?" Bradyn giggled.

"It looks just like a bug. It's green and yellow, just like you asked." Tom nodded and looked down at Bradyn. "But I saved the Skittles and the suckers and the candles for you to put on there when we get home, if you want to."

"Yeah." Bradyn licked his lips and reached up to brush his hair off of his forehead. "Daddy, I have a cut."

"I know." Tom sighed. "We'll get you a haircut before we leave. We've gotta clean up that mess back there."

"My sucker?"

"Yeah, your sucker left a mess."

"Yeah." Bradyn sighed and looked out the windows.

"Hey." Seppel said softly as he gently bumped Tom's arm. "There she is."

Tom turned away from the window quickly and scanned the crowd. He spotted Tayla looking misplaced among the business suits and old ladies getting off the plane. Tom raised his arm and waved. He leaned over to whisper to Bradyn. "Here comes Tayla."

"My Tayla?" Bradyn's eyes lit up as he wiggled to get a better look. "Daddy, I see?"

"Here she comes." Tom smiled as his pulse quickened. It'd only been three weeks but he felt like he hadn't seen her in months.

"Hi, guys." She smiled as she walked up. Bradyn pounced on her legs and raised his arms to be picked up as he giggled. "Hey there, cutie! How are you? Are you watching the planes?"

"I see you pane."

"You saw my plane?" Tayla looked surprised. "Wow, that's awesome."

"Yeah, it high."

"I bet it was." She laughed then used her free arm to give Tom a half hug. He kissed her quickly and blushed as he looked over at Seppel. "I wasn't expecting to see you here."

"I wouldn't miss this." He smiled and scanned the crowd. "We have to get going though." Tom adjusted his hat on his head as he took her hand and followed Seppel toward the baggage claim area.

Tayla grabbed her small bag from the carousel and they headed out to where Tom's car was parked. Seppel climbed in the front seat, at Tayla's request, and she sat in the back with Bradyn as they drove Seppel back to his place. When they dropped him off Tom thanked him for hanging out with them that afternoon and they headed home with Tayla sitting beside Tom in the front seat.

"Tayla, have a cake." Bradyn giggled in the backseat as they turned onto the highway.

"You what?" Tayla turned around in her seat to look at Bradyn.

"Have a cake." He said again.

"We got a cake for you. It's at home." Tom explained as he looked in his mirror. "Bradyn picked it out."

"You did?" She asked Bradyn with a big smile. "Oh, I'll bet it's yummy. Did you taste it?"

"No, we wait." Bradyn shook his head.

"Cool, we'll have to have some when we get home." She smiled and her heart skipped a beat. "To your home, I mean." She added quickly as she turned back around in her seat.

Tom smiled and looked at her sideways. It was good to hear a female voice again. He'd forgotten how that sounded when he was around the guys and Bradyn 24 hours a day. They talked about the impending tour while they drove across town to their house. Tom pulled up into the garage with Bradyn chanting in the backseat. "Out, Daddy! Out, Daddy! Out, Daddy!" He giggled.

"Can I get you out?" Tayla asked as she hopped out and opened the back door. Tom circled to the back of the car to open the back and get her suitcase out.

"Yeah! Out Tayla! Out Tayla!" Bradyn laughed and tried to get his strap undone.

"Okay, hang on." Tayla reached over his lap to release the straps holding Bradyn into the seat. As soon as he was out, Bradyn bolted for the door leading into the house and shook the handle. "Just a second, sweetie. Let your Daddy open it." Tayla said as she reached across the seat for her backpack.

"Here, let me unlock it." Tom carried Tayla's bag at his side as he armed his car.

"Bradyn, what happened to your hair?" Tayla smiled and gently ran her hand over the back of his head. "Tom?" She looked over her shoulder as Tom walked up with the keys.

"He had a fight with a sucker." Tom gave her a small smile and leaned over Bradyn's head to unlock the door and push it open. "The sucker won."

"A sucker, huh?" Tayla laughed softly. "Nice."

"Sucker ina hair." Bradyn frowned and reached up to touch his hair. "And Daddy cut."

"You cut his hair?" She asked as she followed Bradyn into the house. He ran for the living room while Tom lugged Tayla's bag into the hall.

"I cut the sucker out, yeah. I need to take him to a professional to clean it up though." He shut the door behind him and glanced at the stairs, raising his eyebrow in the silent question. Was she going to stay upstairs in his room? Or in the guestroom.

"I can take that up." Tayla smiled and reached for the bag.

"I have it." Tom grinned widely and carried the suitcase up to the master bedroom with Tayla right behind him. "Are you going to unpack?"

"No, we won't be here long." She shook her head and leaned on the door frame.

"Is this all your taking on tour?"

"Not hardly. I loaded up a footlocker as well. Of course it's mostly my supplies but there are some clothes in there too. Basically I'll be living in jeans."

"Works for me." Tom set the suitcase on the large bed then walked over to Tayla and kissed her slowly. "I'm glad you're here."

She blushed and smiled. She enjoyed the feeling of having him close again. "Me too." She kissed him again. "So where's that cake? I'm starving."

Tom laughed and released her from his embrace. "I'll go get it ready for you while you get settled in here. Give us five minutes."

"Okay."

"Okay." Tom nodded. He leaned in to brush his lips over hers again before going back downstairs. He bounced into the living room with a smile on his face and clapped his hands. "Okay, buddy, are you ready to decorate the cake?"

"Isa bug?"

"Yeah, let's get your bug cake." Tom dropped his voice and picked Bradyn up off the floor. He set the toddler on the island in the kitchen and pulled the cake out of the refrigerator. "That's a pretty cake."

"Isa bug cake!" Bradyn giggled and covered his mouth with his hands. "An a candy?"

"Yeah, we have the candy too." Tom produced a back with the candies in it and poured them onto the counter.

"Swee." Bradyn stuck his tongue between his lips and reached for a sucker.

"So you think we should put the candy on the cake?" Tom asked as he looked down at the immaculately designed cake with the flawless icing.

"Yeah."

"You don't think we should leave it like it is?"

"No. We have ona cake." Bradyn shook his head.

"But isn't the cake pretty just like that?" Tom frowned.

Bradyn sighed and looked at the bug shaped cake. "No."

"Okay, fine. Put the candies on there." Tom gave in. After all, it was Bradyn's cake for Tayla, not his. He opened a bag of M&M's and popped a small handful into his mouth.

"Kay." Bradyn unwrapped the sucker and stuck it stick first into the back of the bug. "And skittoes?"

"Yeah." Tom sighed and opened the bag of Skittles for him.

"Danke." Bradyn took a few pieces and lay them across the top of the cake, getting his fingers in the icing as he went.

"This is gonna be a mess."

"No, is candy." Bradyn corrected him. "Can eat a mess."

"Okay, well hurry up! She'll be back out here in a minute." Tom said softly.

"Kay." Bradyn reached for another sucker and stuck it in the tail end of the bug. "You wan?"

"No, you do it." Tom shook his head. "You're doing a great job."

"Yeah." He sighed and pondered the cake for a second before putting a line of M&M's by the bug's mouth. Tom placed a few candles sporadically around the cake with Bradyn's approval and found a book of matches in a drawer. As he added one last sucker to the middle of the cake, they heard Tayla bounding down the stairs, undoubtedly making more noise than necessary.

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"Here she comes." Tom whispered as he swept the remaining candy back into the bag and placed it on top of the refrigerator.

"Hey, guys! What's going on down here?"

"Say surprise!" Tom whispered to Bradyn.

"Prize!" Bradyn threw his arms up and giggled.

"Oh, my goodness! What's this?" She laughed and placed her hand over her heart. "You scared me!"

"Isa cake. Isa bug!" Bradyn giggled and brought his legs up onto the counter to sit on his knees beside the cake.

"Wow, look at that!" Tayla beamed at the funny looking cake in front of her. "Did you decorate it by yourself?"

"Yeah an Daddy an we have candy!" He bounced up and down on his heels and pointed to all the different suckers and candies on the cake.

"I see that." She laughed. "You did a great job. I love Skittles."

"Me too!" Bradyn giggled and pointed to the candle. "Have a can-doe and you blow." He demonstrated and waited as Tom struck a match and lit the three candles in the center of the cake.

"Wow, candles too. You guys went all out. I feel special." Tayla blushed and smiled up at Tom. "Thank you."

"This was all Bradyn's idea." Tom smiled and shook the match out. "Make a wish."

"It's not my birthday."

"It doesn't have to be your birthday. Just make a wish and blow out the candles." Tom laughed and put his arm around her waist. "Don't be a party pooper."

"I don't know what to wish for." She said softly as she looked up into his smiling eyes. She was standing in the presence of what she'd wish for. What more could she want?

"I'm sure you can think of something." Tom laughed and licked his lips quickly.

"Have a wiss." Bradyn cheered as the candles dripped wax onto the cake.

"Okay, okay." Tayla turned back to the cake, closed her eyes and made a wish as she blew the candles out.

"Yay!" Bradyn giggled and clapped his hands. "Gan!"

"Again?" Tom laughed.

"How about if you blow them out?"

"Isa wiss?"

"Sure, you can make a wish and blow them out." Tom nodded and reached for the matches. He lit the candles again and grinned. There were three candles on the cake and on his next birthday he'd have three candles as well. "See?" He pointed out the candles. "When your next birthday comes you'll be three."

"Yeah. An you?"

"I won't be three."

"How?"

"How old will I be?" Tom laughed, "I'll be old."

"You won't be old." Tayla laughed.

"I'll be 21."

"When?"

"In a week." He looked up at her then at the cake. "You'd better blow those out buddy or we'll be eating a wax cake."

"Nassy."

"Yeah, that'd be nasty." Tom laughed as Bradyn took a deep breath and blew the candles out. "Okay, that's enough candle blowing for today. Why don't we eat it?"

"An a candy?" Bradyn eyed the Skittles.

"Sure." Tayla laughed and took an M&M off the cake. She handed it to Bradyn then took a piece for herself. "Tom?" She reached for the third piece.

"No, I'm good." He smiled and shook his head as he got a knife out to cut it. "I hope you like chocolate cake. I wasn't sure what you would want."

"You can never go wrong with chocolate." Tayla smiled and chewed the M&M.

"I'll have to remember that." He smiled flirtatiously and held her stare for a minute. He returned to cutting. He served up three pieces of cake and they all sat around the island eating the cake and candies.

When they were done with the cake Tayla sighed. "Ugh, I ate too much."

"We need to go work some of it off I think." Tom nodded. "Wanna play tag in the backyard?" He raised his eyebrow at Tayla, daring her to play.

"Sure." She stood up and placed her hand over her full stomach. "I don't know how quick I'll be."

"Then you're going to spend a lot of time being it." Tom smiled and got up to hold the back door open.

"We can sim?"

"Hmm, maybe we can do that tomorrow." Tom nodded.

"No, day."

"No, I don't want to go swimming today. It's starting to get late and we'll be having dinner in a little bit."

"Ugh, I don't think I could eat anything else. You should have saved the cake for dessert." Tayla laughed and stepped off the porch onto the grassy lawn.

"We wanted it to be a special cake, eaten before dinner." Tom smiled.

"Oh, I see." She looked around the big backyard and smiled. "I have a better idea."

"Better than what?"

"Better than tag."

"What's your idea that's better than tag?"

"Swinging." Tayla walked quickly over to the swings and sat down on the closest one. Bradyn followed her and tried to climb into the toddler seat on the swing next to her. Tom helped him in and gave him a big push.

"How is this more fun than tag? You guys are the only ones swinging." Tom whined as he gave Tayla's back a soft push.

"It's more fun for me." Tayla laughed and looked over at Bradyn. "Is this fun?"

"Yeah." He answered with a big grin.

"See? We're having fun."

"I guess that's the important part." Tom shrugged.

"Well, if you'd have gotten the play thing with three swings-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's all my fault." He laughed and shook his head. "I get it."

"So what are we going to do on Saturday? Are you packed or is that something we have to do?"

"You came out so that you could relax, not pack my bags." Tom sighed and pushed her again.

"Yeah but why do I have the feeling that I'll be doing that as well?"

"I'm almost completely packed. I'll get that done tonight. I'll need to pack Bradyn's things tomorrow though. I need to get him some more shorts though, I think."

"Okay."

"But Saturday is going to be all about hanging out." Tom smiled wistfully. "Our last real day of freedom. No meetings, no phone calls, no nothing."

"You should run away." Tayla whispered.

"We should." He whispered back.

"Yeah." Her face broke out into a big smile. "We should run away and never come back."

"Where would we run to?"

"Paris."

"We're going to Paris." Tom laughed.

"Oh, yeah." Tayla laughed and sighed. "Okay. Never mind then."

"We run?" Bradyn asked as he swung back and forth.

"Yeah, we're running away on Sunday." Tom nodded. "But seriously, on Saturday we should do something. Maybe an amusement park?"

"No, not that." Tayla made a face.

"You have something against fast rides?"

"No but, if we go there, we have like an 80% chance that you'll get recognized and bombarded and we'd have to take a security crew."

"True."

"And Bradyn wants to swim."

"Yeah?"

"Maybe we can go to the beach."

"You think I won't get recognized on the beach?" Tom laughed and gave both Tayla and Bradyn another push.

"I think you have less of a chance of getting recognized." Tayla looked over her shoulder at him.

"Okay, you've got me there."

"And Bradyn loves the beach. Right, Bradyn?"

"Isa ossin?"

"Yeah, do you want to go to the ocean on Saturday?" She asked.

"Kay." He shrugged and held on tight to the chains.

"That'll be fun. We can get a little sun before we go sit on a tour bus for eight weeks." Tayla sighed.

"Oh, stop. You won't be on a bus the entire time. You'll have all kinds of free time to sunbathe."

"Is that what you think?" She laughed and dragged her feet on the ground to stop herself from swinging. "You're crazy."

"You're crazy."

"No, you're crazy." She shook her head and stood up. "There. Your turn." She scooted out of the way and let Tom sit on the swing.

"So you wanna go to the beach on Saturday?" He asked.

"Yeah." Tayla laughed.

"Yeah." Bradyn laughed with her. "Ina ossin."

"It'll be fun." She smiled and tickled Tom's back when he swung back.

"Hey, you don't have to convince me." Tom kicked his legs out to get some speed going which was hard because the chains were so short. "I'm all for the beach."

"Cool." Tayla smiled and gave Bradyn a big push. They discussed which beach they would go to and all of the other plans they would need to make for the day. After a while on the swings, they got off and played on the play set for a while.

Bradyn's new favorite game was running around yelling, "Get me!" while everyone else chased him. Without trying to, Tayla was suckered into a game of tag with Bradyn while Tom watched from the sidelines.

When the sun began to set they all headed back into the house to catch their breath. "I'm gonna make some dinner. Why don't you guys run upstairs?" Tom smiled, secretly wanting just a few minutes to himself.

"Oh, you're going to make dinner?" Tayla raised her eyebrow at him. "You've become domesticated."

"Yes, I have." Tom laughed.

"What are you going to make?"

"It's a secret." Tom laughed and kissed her quickly before he rubbed Bradyn's head. "Why don't you go show Tayla your new doghouse for Lello?"

Tayla gasped and looked at Bradyn. "Lello has a dog house?"

"Yeah!" Bradyn giggled and took off running for the stairs. "Come, Tayla!"

"Well, you'd better go." Tom smiled.

"Have fun making dinner." She smirked as she followed Bradyn up the stairs.

"I will." He laughed back. He went into the kitchen to get everything ready.

----------------

Bradyn stood at his door waiting for Tayla to get up the stairs so he could show her. "Tayla, see?" He led her into the room to a corner where there was a cloth dog carrier on top of his dresser. His familiar floppy dog was half hanging out of it with his sly, stitched-on grin tilted sideways.

"Wow, that's a great little house! Are you going to take that with you when we go on vacation?"

"Yeah." Bradyn nodded and pulled it down. "See?" He used his tiny hands and shoved Lello all the way into the carrier, practically bending him in half. "Is in! We go."

"That's cool." Tayla smiled. "He fits all the way in there so you can take him with you places. That's awesome."

"Yeah." Bradyn nodded and tossed the dog, carrier and all onto his bed. "No mosser ina bed." He shook his head and looked at his bed. There was a new bedspread on it that was covered with jungle animals and huge green leaves.

"No monsters?"

"No. They go and say bye."

"Oh. Well, that's good. Monsters don't belong in the house with us."

"No." Bradyn shook his head. "Daddy cawin mosser cops."

"That's right. He calls the monster cops." Tayla laughed lightly. She'd forgotten that whole incident but obviously Bradyn hadn't. She wondered how many times the monster cops had had to come out to secure Bradyn's room since she left.

"Uh oh." Bradyn pulled her hand and looked worried almost. "Go?"

"What?"

"I go."

"You go where?"

"Now." Bradyn pulled at her hand again and stomped his foot.

"Where do you want to go, Bradyn?" Tayla stood up from the bed and looked down at him. "Do you want to go outside?"

"No, potty." Bradyn let go of her hand and ran down the hall to the bathroom.

"Oh!" Tayla gasped as she ran after him. "I'm sorry, sweetie. I didn't know what you meant." She shook her head and opened the bathroom door to find Bradyn fighting with the snap on the front of his pants.

"Howp."

"Okay, hang on. Just hold it for one more second, honey." She knelt in front of him and unsnapped his pants. She quickly shimmied them down and aimed him toward the toddler sized plastic toilet in the corner. "Go for it."

"Yeah." Bradyn shuffled over to the potty with his pants around his ankles, sat down and went about his business.

Tayla sneaked out of the bathroom and went down to the kitchen where Tom was getting dinner ready. "Tom, he's completely potty trained."

"I know." Tom carefully cut a carrot into little coin-sized pieces. "Well, no. Not completely. He still has accidents at night sometimes so we still use pull ups but during the day he's cool."

"That's amazing."

"How is that amazing?" Tom laughed. "It's what happens. Everyone is potty trained."

"Yeah but he's so young. Boys usually take a little longer. My godson wasn't potty trained until after he was three. You have an exceptionally bright little boy there." She smiled and leaned on the counter.

"Yeah, well, that runs in the family." He smirked and popped a carrot piece in his mouth. "When he was sick a few weeks ago, he was home from school for a few days so we had all kinds of free time to work on the whole potty issue." Tom shrugged and returned to cutting vegetables. "I wanted him to be prepared when we go on tour, just to cut down on the diaper duty and stuff." He laughed and slid the carrots into the large wooden bowl with lettuce and tomatoes already in it.

"True."

"So see? We're set. Bradyn lets us know when he has to go and we take him. It's a cool system really." Tom glanced to the hall as Bradyn walked into the kitchen. "Right, buddy? When you have to go potty what do you do?"

"I say I go." Bradyn grinned as Tayla knelt in front of him and snapped his pants.

"Who do you tell? Do you tell a grown up or another kid?"

"Tell any." Bradyn giggled and climbed like a mountain goat up onto the bar stool beside the counter. "Tell Daddy an Tayla an Pie appo and Seppel"

"Or Georg or Gustav."

"Tell Chase." Bradyn laughed.

"No, you don't tell Chase. Chase is a dog!"

"Tell Chase I go." Bradyn giggled again and tried to climb up on the counter.

"Stay down, Bradyn. I'm using a knife."

"Is owie?"

"Yeah, knives can cut you." Tom nodded. "So I need you to stay there on your seat and just watch, okay?"

"Kay."

"You like cucumbers?"

"Yeah." Bradyn nodded and slapped his hands on the counter as he sat back down.

"Cool." Tom slid a few pieces over and winked at Bradyn. "He likes his vegetables." He smiled over at Tayla as Bradyn nibbled on the cucumber slices.

"Uh oh, daddy."

"Uh oh what?"

"I no have star." Bradyn looked at the back of his hand and at his shirt. "No star."

"Uh oh." Tom smiled and reached above the refrigerator for a small brown bag. "Lets see, what kind of star do you want today?"

"Ummm-" Bradyn peered into the bag. "This." He reached in and pulled out a green glitter star.

"Good choice. Where do you want to stick it?" Tom took the sticker and peeled it off the backing before affixing it to Bradyn's shirt, right where he pointed. "Good job, buddy. We're going to have to buy more stickers before we go on our trip."

"Yeah." Bradyn sighed and Tom went back to cutting.

"He gets a star when he goes in the toilet. We go through a lot of stars." Tom smiled and reached for the celery. "They were a great teaching tool but now it's like, how do I stop? He'll be the only kid in high school that still wants a sticker when he pees." He laughed and chopped as he spoke.

"Do I get one?" Tayla asked with a smile.

"A star?" Tom looked up quickly.

"Yeah." She laughed and sat beside Bradyn. "Can I get a star too, Bradyn?"

"You go?"

"I-" She stopped and tried not to laugh. "I didn't go just now, no."

"You go and have star." Bradyn nodded.

"That's right." Tom laughed and scraped the celery into the bowl with the carrots. "You have to go in the toilet to get a star."

"Does your Daddy get stars?" She asked Bradyn.

"Yeah." Bradyn nodded then frowned. "Daddy, you have?"

"No, I don't get stars. They're only for kids, not Daddies."

"Tayla?"

"Tayla can have one but she has to go in the toilet." Tom smiled as the doorbell rang. "I'll get it."

"Are you expecting company?" Tayla asked.

"Not exactly." Tom smiled over his shoulder as Tayla and Bradyn followed him to the door. He pulled it open and was greeted with a grinning kid in a pizza delivery outfit holding two steaming hot pizza boxes.

"You ordered pizza?" Tayla laughed. "I thought you were making dinner."

"I made the salad." He said defensively as he handed the kid a twenty and told him to keep the change. He shut the door then carried the boxes to the kitchen.

"Oh, Daddy! I have cheese?"

"Yeah, we have a cheese pizza here for you." Tom set them on the counter and opened the first one. "Plain cheese." He looked up at Tayla. "Can you please get some paper plates down? They're in the pantry on the top shelf."

"Sure." She smiled and shook her head as she got the plates off the shelf. Tom dished everyone a slice of pizza and set the plates on the table, then got out salad bowls and forks. He made a small bowl for Bradyn and dribbled ranch dressing over it before he set it at his place.

"Did you want salad?" Tom asked, holding the wooden bowl out to her.

"Of course. I'd love to test your cooking." She laughed and dished herself some salad. She poured the dressing on then sat beside Bradyn, leaving the end seat for Tom.

Tayla was impressed with his salad making skills and raved about it all through the meal, just to give him a hard time. When they were done, Bradyn wanted to watch a movie so they put a cartoon on and sat around the living room just kicking back and relaxing. After the movie, Bradyn stumbled upstairs and let Tom bathe him before he got ready for bed. Bradyn insisted that Tayla read him a story before bed so Tom left them alone and Tayla sat on the little bed with a handful of books.

Bradyn scooted close to her and rested his head on her arm. He wrapped his tiny arms around her waist. She stared at him for a second as her heart did cartwheels in her chest. Something inside her wanted to grab Bradyn and just never let him go and she wasn't used to that kind of feeling. She'd loved Bradyn since the beginning but this was something more and she wasn't sure what to do about it.

"I love you, sweetie." She whispered as she hugged him and kissed is cheek.

"Love too." Bradyn smiled. He settled against her so she could read the stories.

Tayla read three stories and was halfway through the fourth when she noticed that Bradyn was asleep. She carefully slid out from under him and tugged his thin blanket up to cover him. "Good night, Bradyn." Tayla knelt over him and ran her hand over his head as the feeling continued. "Wow."

Tom glanced in as he passed by the room and smiled. Tayla had the look of awe on her face and he knew that expression well. It was the same one he had when he first watched Bradyn sleep, knowing he belonged to him. He tapped on the door softly and nodded toward the master bedroom to let her know that he was heading to bed himself. She nodded in response. She kissed Bradyn's sleeping cheek again and followed Tom to his room.

----------------

Tom stood in the corner of the room to undress while Tayla went to the bathroom to wash her face and get ready for bed. When she was done they traded places and she pulled the sheets back on the bed. "Are you excited about the tour?" She asked as she slid under the covers, watching Tom brush his teeth in the bathroom.

Tom spit into the sink and rinsed his mouth with tap water. He wiped his mouth on the towel and turned to her. "I'm excited about spending eight weeks with you."

"Yeah?"

"That'll be the best part." Tom smiled as he turned the light off and lifted the sheet on his side. He slid under the sheet and pulled her close to him. "Too bad we have to work and stuff."

"Yeah, we'll have to talk to David about that. See if he can get someone to cover for you or something." Tayla laughed as Tom kissed her.

"We'll just dress Bradyn up and let him do it." He smiled and nuzzled her neck before kissing it softly.

"Do you want me to pack-"

"Shhh." Tom placed his finger on her lips. "The only thing I want you to do is stop talking and let me do this right." He whispered with a sly smile. He kissed her again and took a moment to trail his fingers from her lips, down her neck to her chest. He could feel her heart rate quicken with each move he made and that only made him react quicker.

Tayla's arms went around Tom to hold him closer and deepened their kiss, keeping him there until they were both breathless. The whole afternoon she'd thought about Tom and wondered if it would be the same as when she left. They'd been apart longer than they were together and she wasn't sure they could pick right up where they left off but the pressure of his lips on hers let her know that they could and would.

Tom worked as slow as he could, to savor every minute he had with her. Once they were on the road he knew private time would be hard to come by so he would need these last few days and hours to think back on. Their underclothes were kicked to the bottom of the bed under the sheets and then completely forgotten as they lost themselves in each other. They paused only briefly for protection before they continued on with their original plan.

The sex was like candy, once you have a piece you want a handful. When they finally collapsed into each others arms it was after two in the morning and they had long since shed the sheets. Tom crawled to the bottom of the bed and pulled the sheets back up slowly, kissing Tayla from her toes on up to her hip, where he stopped to avoid any further action. His body ached and he just wanted to curl up next to Tayla and sleep until noon but he knew Bradyn would be up long before that.

Tom pulled the sheet up around his shoulder, covering Tayla in the process. He wrapped his arms around her and closed his eyes to join her in sleep.

----------------

Shortly after eight the next morning, Tom's alarm clock went off beside the bed. It was unusual for the alarm to wake him up before Bradyn did and it took a minute for him to recognize the sound. "Ugh." He extended his arm behind him and searched blindly for the snooze button. By the time he found it, he considered himself awake.

Tayla stirred slightly against his chest and he smiled as the warmth of her bare body radiated between them. "Hey." Tom whispered softly.

"Hmm." Tayla barely made a sound and didn't move at all.

"Do you want to shower first?" Tom mumbled as his warm breath tickled the back of her neck.

"No, you can go." She said without opening her eyes.

"You can if you want." He just didn't want to have to get out of bed.

"Really, it's okay." Tayla yawned and snuggled under the sheets. "I'll wait." She smiled. She knew his plan.

"You suck." Tom laughed lightly and slid out from under the covers. He went into the bathroom without a word and started the shower. Tayla got another twenty minutes of snooze time before Tom came out all cleaned up and ready to go. His hair was still a little damp and a few droplets fell from his braids.

"You should always have wet hair." Tayla mumbled as she cracked her eyes open.

"Oh, yeah?" He waggled his eyebrow at her and leaned down to kiss her cheek. "I'll keep that in mind. Do you want breakfast?"

"No, I'm okay." She stretched her arms over her head. "I'll be down in a minute."

"I have to leave in a half hour."

"Okay. I'll take a power shower."

"A power shower?"

"You don't want to know." Tayla smiled and gently kicked him off the bed.

"Okay, I'll see you down there in a few minutes. Nicht tr�deln."

"I won't."

"You know what that means?"

"It means I need to get out of bed and hurry along."

"Then get out of bed!"

"I'm going, I'm going." Tayla sighed and threw her legs over the side of the bed, keeping the top sheet pressed against her bare chest. When he was satisfied that she was awake enough to make it to the shower he shut the door and went down to Bradyn's room to get him up.

"Hey, buddy. Are you awake?" Tom asked as he looked into Bradyn's room.

"Daddy?" Bradyn asked and Tom opened the door all the way.

"Bradyn?" Tom looked around but it sounded like Bradyn's voice was far away.

"Daddy, here." Bradyn said louder from the stairs. "We go?"

"Oh, there you are. I didn't know you were awake already." Tom smiled. "And, uh- Dressed." He looked at Bradyn's attire. "That's what you're wearing?"

"Yeah." Bradyn nodded and looked down at his flip-flop sandals, sweat bottoms on backward and a sweater vest that Tom didn't remember buying.

"Oooookay." Tom laughed and followed Bradyn down the stairs. The little boys hair stuck out at every angle, accentuating the bald spot on the back. "What do you want for breakfast?"

"Eggs."

"Eggs and what else?"

"Cheese."

"Eggs and cheese. Like in a omelet?"

Bradyn shrugged and climbed up onto a bar stool. "Yeah?"

"How about an orange or something?"

"Umm." Bradyn thought for a minute. "Have a pie appo?"

"No, we don't have any pineapple." Tom shook his head and opened the fridge. "Actually, all we have are oranges so why don't I cut one up for you?"

"Kay." Bradyn sighed and leaned onto the counter to watch Tom make their breakfast. He cut up the orange and set it on the table where Bradyn's seat was. When they sat down to eat it'd be ready for him.

Just as Tom finished making their omelets, Tayla walked in wearing shorts and a T-shirt but no shoes. "Good morning." She smiled, much more human-like after a shower.

"Good morning. Are you sure you don't want anything?" Tom held up his plate to show the omelet.

"I'm fine." She shook her head and sat at the table. "What are you having, Bradyn?"

"Eggs and cheese."

"Sounds good." Tayla yawned again and rolled her shoulders to stretch them out.

"Come on, buddy. You need to sit at the table." Tom balanced two plates in one hand and helped Bradyn off the stool. "Climb up in your seat, please."

"I eat it all?" Bradyn asked when Tom set his plate in front of him.

"You need to eat as much as you can. It's good for you."

"No cheese?"

"The cheese is inside." Tom cut Bradyn's omelet into bite sized pieces then started on his own. "It's good. You'll like it."

"Kay." Bradyn shrugged and took a tentative bite. "I like cheese, Daddy."

"I know you do." Tom smiled. "Did you want to come with us today?" He asked Tayla as he took a bite.

"Actually, I was thinking about taking Bradyn to get his hair cut and maybe hit the park or something." Tayla said as she looked over at Bradyn nibbling on his orange slices. "That way you won't have to try to find time to do that before you go." She explained.

"Yeah, he has that whole bald spot thing going there. Can you just have the buzz it like before kind of? Like a mini-Gustav?" Tom reached for the pepper for his eggs.

"Yeah, no problem." Tayla nodded.

"So you're gonna do that all day?"

"No offense but I'm sure he could use a change. He's been with you at the studio for two weeks now." She reached over and took an orange from Bradyn. "Are these good?"

"Yeah. Have two?" Bradyn handed her another one.

"Danke."

"Bee-tuh." He nodded and took a bite of the peel.

"You like the peel?" Tayla made a face.

"Yeah."

Tom shrugged. "He's a weird kid but I guess there's vitamins in that too."

"I'm sure there is but doesn't it taste bad?" She looked over at Bradyn as he chewed on the peel. "Isn't it gross?"

"No, yummy." Bradyn giggled. "Yummy ina tummy." He laughed again and rubbed his stomach.

"Okay then." Tayla laughed and peeled the orange slice away from the peel before she ate it. "Do you want to go get a haircut today?"

"Yeah." Bradyn wiped his juicy mouth on the napkin at his side. "My sucker isa mess." He ran his sticky hand over his hair. "And get shoe?"

"Shoes?" Tayla looked at Tom. "Does he need shoes?"

"He might." Tom shrugged and took a bite of his toast.

"Do you want me to pick some up?"

"Yeah, if you don't mind."

"I don't mind at all." She shook her head. "Is there anything else you guys need for the tour that I can pick up?"

"I think we're covered." Tom shrugged. "I have all my jeans and T-shirts and stuff all packed up already and you're taking care of the wardrobes, right?"

"Yeah." Tayla took a bite of the orange. "Is there anything else Bradyn needs?"

"I don't think so. He still fits in most of his clothes. I can't believe how many of his old clothes don't fit anymore. I didn't know kids grew that much that fast."

"It's crazy, huh? And, by the time we get back from the tour, some of the clothes he has now may not fit."

"I can see why they say raising a kid costs twice as much as your mortgage payments a month." Tom laughed. "I'd have to agree."

Tayla looked around at her surroundings and laughed. "Do you deck him out in Baby Armani? Because I'm betting your mortgage payment is huge on this place."

"You know what I mean." Tom smiled. "It costs a lot to raise a kid. I don't know how Astrid was able to do it." He added softly.

"You'd be surprised at what you can do when you have to." Tayla smiled and looked at Bradyn. "Speaking of Astrid, has she called or anything?"

"Yeah, she called last week to say hi. She's all settled into her new apartment now and is talking about getting a car, I think."

"That's good." Tayla nodded and she meant it.

"Yeah, it is." Tom took a drink of his juice. "We're going to go see her the week we get back from the tour so Bradyn will get to see her pretty soon."

"The week you get back? That's a lot of flying for the little guy."

"We're flying straight through to LA on the way back. No overlays. We'll be there for I think four or five days to visit and then we'll fly back home."

"Wow, that's gonna be crazy." Tayla's mind numbed at the thought of what would add up to be days on a plane she was sure. "So, Bradyn, how would you like to go shopping today?"

"Yeah!" He threw his hands over his head and laughed before he took another bite of his eggs.

"Awesome!" Tayla laughed.

"Yeah, you guys can go shopping while I go work my butt off."

"Daddy, you work an Tayla an me sop."

Tayla and Tom laughed out loud. "Typical." Tom rolled his eyes and for a split second saw what a normal family life would be like. Dad heading off to work, Mom and child going shopping. He sighed and shook his head slightly. He was living the 2010 version of a Norman Rockwell painting.

----------------

Bradyn and Tayla spent the day at a nearby mall getting his haircut and picking up two new pairs of shoes for the tour. They also went into Old Navy to get him a few more outfits and mix-n-matchable pieces to keep him in clean clothes that fit for the whole eight weeks. "Nay-dee hasa Chase and Jayda." Bradyn said as they exited Old Navy with several bags.

"I know she does. We saw them last time I was here." Tayla smiled and held his hand in her free hand. "Do you get to play with them a lot?"

"At work I pay." Bradyn nodded. "Daddy's work."

"Oh, you played with them at your Daddy's work, huh? That's cool."

"An we sim."

"You went swimming too? Wow, it sounds like you had a lot of fun at work."

"Yeah." Bradyn sighed. "Daddy works."

"I know. Your Daddy has a lot of work to do, doesn't he?"

"Yeah." Bradyn started lagging so Tayla picked him up and juggled him and the bags all the way out to the car. "I big, Tayla."

"You sure are. You're almost too big to be carried." She grunted as she set him on the ground by the backdoor so she could put the bags in. "Uh oh, you know what we forgot?" She looked down at Bradyn.

"What?"

"We forgot to get you some more star stickers." She raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Should we go back and get some?"

"Yeah!" Bradyn found an extra ounce of energy and jumped up and down in excitement.

"Okay!" Tayla laughed and locked the bags in the car. She lifted Bradyn again to head back into the arts and crafts store just inside the mall. They stood at the wall of stickers and stared for a good five minutes. "There are so many." Tayla said softly.

"I have one?"

"We're going to have to get more than one." She smiled.

"One all?"

"You want one of each?" Tayla laughed and shook her head, skimming the wall again, "I don't think so. Let's see if we can find some cool star stickers and we'll get those, okay?"

"Kay." Bradyn nodded and reached for the first set of stickers within his grasp. "I have?"

"No, those are fish."

"Yeah, I have a fiss."

"I thought you wanted stars when you go potty?"

"I have a star and a fiss?"

"Well, I guess you could, sure. Let me tear those off." She ripped a sheet of fish stickers off and put them in their little basket. "Okay, what else?"

"Have a star."

"Okay, let's find some stars." Tayla scanned the stickers in front of her and picked out a dozen sheets of multi-colored stars. "Check these out, these smell like grape!" She held them to Bradyn's nose. "Isn't that cool?"

"Yeah."

"And these are glittery and look at these- These are shooting stars."

"Is cool, Tayla."

"Yeah, they're cool." She looked down into the basket. "Do you think we have enough?"

"I sink yeah." Bradyn nodded. "We have anano fiss?"

"Sure, grab another fish one and we'll get going." She checked her watch and cringed. "Yeah, we have to hurry. We have to go pick up your Daddy."

"Daddy is work?"

"Yeah, he's at work and we have to go get him. We're going to be a little late though." She sighed as they made their way to the check out counter. Tayla paid for the stickers, then picked Bradyn up and walked quickly back out to the car.

----------------

"Sorry we're late." Tayla said as she hopped out of the car.

"It's okay." Tom waved from the picnic bench under a giant tree. "Where's Bradyn?"

"He fell asleep in his seat." Tayla left the driver's side door open as well as all the windows as she walked over to where Gustav and Tom were sitting. "Hi, Gustav."

"Hey, Tayla." He nodded as a greeting.

"Did you guys have a good rehearsal?" She asked as she sat beside Tom, facing the cars.

"Eh, we didn't really rehearse that much. We got our customary 'you boys better behave' pre-tour lecture and we went over our dates again." Tom shrugged.

Tayla looked at her watch. "For seven hours?"

"Yeah." Tom and Gustav said in unison. "Benjamin likes to talk a lot. And then he brought in David and David likes to talk a lot too."

"So I thought you guys usually spent a few weeks practicing on the actual stage and stuff? You're not going to do that this time?"

"It's the same show as before so we don't really need to. But when we get to London in a few days we're spending the first three days running test shows on the stage that we'll be using over there. You know, so we can set our marks and stuff like that."

"Ahh." Tayla nodded, pretending she knew just what he was talking about.

"But anyway, that's work. We're done working for today." Gustav hopped off the table and took his keys out of his pocket. "I'll see you guys later."

"Bye." Tayla said softly.

"Can I bang on the window and wake him up to say hi?" Gustav asked as he got closer tot Tom's car.

"No." Tom and Tayla said in unison.

"He needs his sleep." Tom explained.

"You're no fun."

"You'll have plenty of time to play with him when he's awake."

"True." Gustav shrugged and walked wide around Tom's car to get to his own. "See you guys later!"

"Bye." Tom and Tayla waved. Tom looked at her and sighed. "So did you guys have fun today?"

"Yeah. We got a few more little outfits, a couple pairs of shoes, some stickers and a haircut." She tapped her feet on the bench beside his.

"Did you just get it buzzed?"

"Yeah, same as before kind of. We left a little more on top because his little bangs are just too cute." She laughed. "But, yeah, I had them clip it all around."

"How does the back look?"

"Well, you cut it pretty short."

"Can you still see it?"

"A little, yeah." She laughed and crinkled her nose at him. "It'll grow out within a few weeks though, I promise."

"Great, poor kid's gonna have a big bald spot at the back of his head thanks to me."

"Well, you didn't put the sucker there did you?"

"No."

"Then it's not your fault." She laughed and jumped off the bench. "Let's get going though. You still have to finish packing and everything and I'm sure you're gonna have some last minute things that need to be done around the house as well."

"Yeah, I hope not." Tom hopped off the table and followed her to the car. He took the keys and jumped in the driver's seat, careful not to wake Bradyn as he shut the door. "How long has he been asleep?"

"About twenty minutes. He crashed right after we left the mall."

"Okay, cool. I guess a late nap is better than no nap, huh?" Tom turned the car around in the narrow parking area and pulled out to the main street. They stopped by KFC for dinner. They took it home and ate on the back patio as the sun set in the cloudless sky.

They spent the rest of the evening packing up the remaining suitcases and trying to get everything situated while they made plans for Saturday. "So we can get up a little early and head to the beach around nine?" Tom asked after he put Bradyn to bed.

"Yeah, that works for me." Tayla smiled.

"Cool. We won't have to spend all day or anything. We'll get there around ten and hang out for a few hours. He'll be beat by noon probably. We can come home and relax by the pool or something, get even more sun."

"Okay." She laughed and dropped herself on the couch beside Tom. "So are you guys all ready to go?"

"Yeah. All of our gear and stuff has already been sent over so on Sunday when we go we just have our personal luggage and ourselves." Tom nodded and dropped his arm over her shoulders. "We get there at about nine in the morning Monday, then on Tuesday we start work."

"Cool! I can't wait."

"Me neither." Tom kissed her temple and sighed as she settled against him. He was just getting used to living at home and being the kind of family man he never new he wanted to be and in two days he was going to be thrust back into the crazy time spotlight of the career he'd chosen for himself. Part of him was going to miss the quiet and lazy days he and Bradyn had spent together over the last few months but another small part of him twinged with excitement at the thought of standing on that stage with a crowd of 20,000 fans screaming in front of him.

If there was a way he could do both, he'd do it in a heartbeat but instead he tried to enjoy each situation as it came up. Including this one. He kissed Tayla's temple again and hugged her tight with a deep sigh. He definitely enjoyed this situation.

----------------

Early the next morning Tom got everyone up to get ready to go to the beach. Bradyn was like a little chihuahua on speed as he ran around the house finding his swim shorts, a collection of towels and, of course, his buckets and shovels. Tom chased him around smearing sunscreen on any part of him that wasn't moving and hoped for the best.

"He must really like the beach." Tayla laughed as she watched Bradyn run from the back door to the garage with a plastic starfish mold in his hand.

"He loves the beach. Insanely. The pool and sand box are one thing but putting them both together at the beach is just his little version of Heaven." Tom laughed. "If he could have just one wish, it would be to live on the ocean with a never ending supply of peanut butter sandwiches and chicken nuggets."

"That actually doesn't sound too bad." Tayla adjusted the strap of her swim suit under her shirt and slid her feet into her sandals by the door.

"Tell me about it." Tom rolled his eyes. "I've actually thought about moving closer to the water but-" He shrugged. "I don't know, the thought of packing all this stuff up and actually moving it. Ugh."

"You could always get professional movers."

"Yeah, well- I'd still have to put it all away when we got there. Basically I'm too lazy to move." Tom smiled. "Besides, I like this house. It's big enough to be comfortable and small enough to be a home. The secure community is great and the backyard rocks."

"Yeah, it does."

"I think it's a good place to raise Bradyn. If we moved to the beach I'd have to get a big old alarm system and barricade off the house and everything. No thanks, I'll stay here. The drive isn't that bad anyway."

"That's true." She put her sunglasses on and went out to the garage where Bradyn had already climbed into the open car and seated himself in his car seat. "Wow, you're ready to go."

"Daddy hasa bucko." Bradyn frowned and looked at the straps lying at his sides.

"Here, I'll get that." Tom loaded the ice chest into the back of the car then came around to buckle Bradyn into his seat. "There you go, buddy. All set. Do you have your shades?"

"Yeah." Bradyn held them in his hands, getting fingerprints all over the plastic lenses.

"Cool! Put them on and let's get outta here." Tom laughed and slammed the back door shut. He and Tayla climbed into the front and they headed for the shore.

Bradyn sat in the back seat chattering up a storm and singing along to the silly song tapes that Tom played back to back. "The sad thing is that I know all the words to these songs now." Tom laughed softly as he leaned his elbow on the little armrest between his and Tayla's seats.

"You do, huh? Well, sing along." She nodded toward the tape player.

Tom waited for a second to pick up where the song was, then sang, "Down to the river they would go. Wibble wobble wibble wobble to and fro. But the one little duck with the feather on his back, he led the others with a quack, quack, quack. Quack, quack, quack. Quack, quack, quack." Bradyn sang something that sounded similar in the back seat. They all dissolved into a fit of laughter. They goofed around for the rest of the drive and were in great moods when Tom finally pulled up at the beach side parking.

"Here we are." He sighed and stepped out of the car. His feet crunching on the loose gravel beneath his feet. "Come on, buddy. Let's go find a good spot then we'll bring everything down. He got Bradyn out of the backseat then locked up the car as the three of them headed down to the sand. They found the perfect place close to the water but still on dry sand. "Awesome. You guys hang out here. I'll go get the ice chest and towels and everything."

"Do you want some help?" Tayla offered as she kicked her sandals off.

"No, you need to stay here and guard our spot." Tom laughed. "I'll be right back." He turned and ran up the sand toward the car, leaving Tayla and Bradyn standing in their spot.

Tom trudged down the beach a few minutes later with the ice chest in front of him, the beach bag and a small stack of towels balanced on top. "Here. Let me get that." Tayla walked up and took the stuff on top to relive him of some of the weight. "You got it?"

"Yeah, I got it." He dropped the ice chest beside Bradyn. They shook out towels and sat down. "This is the perfect spot." Tom pushed his sunglasses up on his nose and looked around before removing his T-shirt.

"We go ina ossin?" Bradyn asked as he bounced around the towels kicking up sand with each step.

"Sure." Tom smiled. "Tayla?"

"No, thanks. You guys go on out. I'll stay here and get some sun." She wadded up Tom's T-shirt and tucked it, along with her own shirt, behind her head and laid back.

"Okay, watch our stuff." Tom kicked off his sandals then reached for Bradyn's shirt and shoes. "All right, you're ready to go." He scooped Bradyn up in his arms then they headed out to the crashing waves.

----------------

Tom and Bradyn came back from the water a short while later just as Tayla was getting ready to roll over onto her stomach. "Tayla!" Bradyn shouted as he ran up and dripped cold water on her legs. His teeth were chattering but he was smiling from ear to ear.

"Hey! Whoa, is the water cold out there?"

"N-no." He stuttered as he picked up one of his pails and a shovel. "I m-make a ca-caso." He shivered.

"Wait a second. Let me warm you up a little bit." She wrapped a spare towel around him and rubbed his arms through the cloth. After a minute he had stopped chattering and was bouncing around trying to shake the towel off. "Okay, now you can go but stay right here."

"Kay." Bradyn nodded as Tom dropped himself onto a towel beside Tayla.

"Is the water that cold?"

"No, not really but he's little. It doesn't take much to freeze him. That's why we came in, his lips were turning colors." Tom smiled.

"Well, he seems okay now." Tayla smiled as Bradyn stopped five feet away to shovel sand into his bucket.

"Yeah, the sun will thaw him out a bit." Tom sighed. He stood up again to help Bradyn get some water and dampen sand to make the castle stick. They returned a minute later and began to assemble a mud castle by Tayla's feet.

"Let's go out tonight." Tom said softly as they piled the sand high.

"Okay." Tayla smiled as she closed her eyes and leaned back on her arms to let the sun shine on her face.

"I'll get Bill and Nadiehn to watch Bradyn for us." Tom lowered his voice and adjusted his hat.

"Yeah, right." Tayla squinted at Tom and laughed as she brushed the sand from her hands and playfully nudged Bradyn's leg with her sandy toe.

"What?"

"You want to get them to watch Bradyn for you?"

"They like to and Bradyn has a blast over there." Tom gave her a confused look. "What? Why?"

"Because Nadiehn isn't coming with us tomorrow and, as our last night before the tour, I think maybe they want to spend some time together as an engaged couple." Tayla raised her eyebrow at him.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot about that." Tom pursed his lips and sighed. "Okay, well I'll see if I can find someone else, I guess."

"Okay." Tayla laughed and returned to her sunbathing as Bradyn dribbled water and sand across her legs en route to the sand castle he and Tom were working on.

"I see Pie appo?" Bradyn asked, catching only part of their conversation.

"You'll see him tomorrow."

"Now?"

"No, tomorrow. Tonight I need to see if you can hang out with someone else."

"Nay-dee?" Bradyn stood up and dropped another shell into his bucket.

"No, not Nadiehn. You'll see her tomorrow too though."

"Kay." Bradyn sighed and looked over at Tayla. "I see Tayla."

"Yeah, you can see Tayla any time you want now. You're gonna see a lot of her over the next few weeks." Tom smiled and winked at Tayla. "You're getting a little pink there, Tayla." He reached over to poke her shoulder. Where he pressed her skin turned white before it immediately went back to pink.

"Yeah, I'm getting a little sun here." Tayla nodded and looked down. "So are you though."

"I don't burn." Tom shook his head.

"I see." She laughed and looked around at the bronze bodies up and down the beach. "Bradyn? Come here, buddy. Let me make sure you're not getting burned."

"Is hot?" Bradyn looked out at the ocean.

"The sun is." Tayla nodded.

"I put that waterproof kids stuff on him. It's SPF 45 so he should be okay." Tom said. "I cover him in that stuff and he still gets tanned."

"Daddy, hasa low-sin?" Bradyn asked.

"I don't think we need any more lotion but let me see." Tayla pulled him closer and gently pressed on his skin. "No, you look good. Your nose is a little pink though. You're going to look like Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer."

"Do you want more lotion?" Tom asked, holding the bottle out to her.

"No, he's okay, I think." She squinted into the sun as she looked back at him.

"I mean for you." Tom shook the bottle then popped it open and squirt some into his hand. "Here, come here and I'll give you another coat. You don't want to have to sit on a plane with a sunburn. You wanna talk about miserable?"

"Thank you." She said softly as he massaged it into her back. He let his hands slide down her shoulders then across to her collar bones. "I, uh- I can get the rest." She smiled and blushed quickly. "Thanks."

"Anytime." Tom smiled and handed her the lotion. "I don't want you to burn."

"I won't." Tayla applied the lotion to her chest and abdomen before she tossed the bottle back toward the bag. She leaned forward on her knees and patted sand into a barrier for the castle's moat. They worked on the castle for a while with Bradyn adding shells and seaweed for decoration.

Just before noon they paused for a quick lunch before they loaded their things into the back of Tom's car. They took a walk down the beach to check out the surfers. Bradyn wasn't too impressed with the surfers but he found an entire bucket full of shells so he seemed happy. It was almost two when they got back to the car with Tom carrying Bradyn and Tayla carrying his bucket.

"I think it's time to head home." Tom said softly as they approached the car.

"Yeah, he'll be asleep before we hit the highway." Tayla laughed and unlocked the car door for him to get Bradyn in his seat. "I think I'll be lucky if I make it home." She added as she and Tom brushed the sand off their feet and climbed into the car to head home.

----------------

When they got back to the house, Tayla took Bradyn out of his car seat and carried him up to his bedroom to lay him down. He'd crashed on the way home and continued snoring without a pause as Tayla tucked him in. She laid him on top of the covers and tucked his Elmo doll by his stomach before she left the room quietly.

Tom's voice carried through the downstairs area as he talked to someone on the phone. Tayla yawned as she stepped into the kitchen and leaned against the counter opposite him.

"Great. Okay. Thanks a lot." He hung up the phone and smiled innocently.

"Who was that?"

"No one."

"Liar."

"It's a surprise." Tom started to smile but ended up yawning instead. "I'm getting old. I used to be able to spend twelve hours at the beach and never even think of a nap. Now after a few hours, all I can think of is lying flat out on that couch and sleeping for a few hours."

"Ditto." Tayla eyed the couch, wondering if she could make it there before he could.

"Don't even think about it." He caught her glance at the couch.

"What?" She raised her eyebrow at him before she took three quick steps across the room and jumped over the back of the sofa with Tom only a step behind her. They landed in a heap on the floor beside the couch in a fit of laughter. "I won! I get the couch."

"It's my couch!" Tom argued.

"I'm a girl." Tayla smiled sweetly, knowing that her girl card could beat out any ownership claims he may decide to toss at her.

"You know, just because you're a girl doesn't mean you get everything you want." Tom pushed himself up off the floor and offered his hand to pull her up.

"I know but I don't want everything."

"Oh, really?"

"I just want the couch." She smiled and lay down with her head resting on the arm of the couch.

"How about if I make you a deal?"

"No."

"You don't even want to hear what the deal is?"

"Does it involve me taking a nap on the couch?"

"No." Tom smiled.

"Then no, I don't want to hear it."

"How about if we move to the guest room down here and sleep there?" Tom asked as he moved her feet to the side and sat on the couch.

"Because I don't want to move. My entire body is tired." Tayla complained.

"You were moving pretty quick when you decided you wanted the couch." He raised his eyebrow at her then crawled up so that his hip was resting on her stomach in a really uncomfortable position. "Come on, please?"

"God, Tom, you're begging now?"

"I want to nap too."

"So go lay in the guest room." She smirked.

Tom gave a defeated sigh and kissed her quickly. "Fine. I'll go. I know when I'm not wanted."

"You're wanted, Tom, just not on top of me when I'm trying to nap."

"Yeah, fine. Whatever." He pretended to pout as he shuffled down the hall alone. She watched him go and tried not to laugh. It was easy to see where Bradyn got his overly dramatic side from.

Tayla turned onto her side and yawned. It was barely four in the afternoon and she felt like she could sleep straight through until morning. After only a few minutes she found herself still smiling and thinking about the little pouty 20 year old down the hall. She stood up and cracked her back. She walked down the hall and let herself into the guest room. "Are you finished being a brat?"

"No." Tom said, facing the far wall.

"Okay." She turned and began to shut the door.

"Okay, now I am." He smiled.

"You're worse than Bradyn."

"I know." Tom laughed and rolled over to pat the bed beside him. "Come on."

"I'm really tired, Tom."

"So am I." He yawned softly. He patted the bed again and she fell onto the blanket beside him. Tom wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him as he hugged her from behind. "You smell like coconuts."

"I can't imagine why. I mean, you only spent half the day putting sunscreen on me. It's hard to believe I'd smell like it, huh?"

"Yeah, that's hard to believe." Tom laughed quietly.

"Shh, I'm trying to nap." She closed her eyes and settled her head deep into the pillow.

"Okay." Tom whispered. "Is this better?"

"Go to sleep. We only have like an hour left until Bradyn gets up and I'm serious, I need a nap." She whispered back.

"Then stop talking and go to sleep." He laughed.

"You're impossible." Tayla sighed and tugged his arms tighter around her, becoming more and more comfortable in his arms with his heat warming her all over. He fell silent and soon they were both dozing silently in the air-conditioned room.

----------------

An hour later Bradyn worked his way downstairs and wandered around the family room and kitchen. "Daddy? Daddy, where you?" He called loudly. "You hide? Daddy? I fine?"

Tom opened his eyes at the sound of Bradyn's voice echoing down the hallway. He slowly removed himself from the bed.

"Daddy!" Bradyn shouted again with a hint of impending panic.

"It's okay. I'm right here." Tom said softly as he quickly stepped out into the hall. "Here I am." He walked around the corner to where Bradyn was standing by the back door.

"You hidin?" Bradyn asked.

"Yeah, I was hiding." Tom smiled. "Did you have a good nap?"

"Yeah." Bradyn sighed. "Daddy, we have caso."

"You're right. We built a castle on the beach."

"An morrow?"

"You want to do that again tomorrow?"

"Yeah."

"Well, we can't tomorrow. Tomorrow is a very special day." Tom said as he leaned against the counter. "Oh, shoot." He checked his watch and let out a sigh of relief. "Okay, buddy, can you do me a favor?"

"Yeah?"

"I have to take a shower so come upstairs with me and you can hang out on my bed and watch a movie while I shower."

"An Lello?"

"Sure." Tom nodded as he picked Bradyn up and kissed his cheek. "What movie do you want to watch?"

"Doe no."

"How about-" Tom pretended to think. "How about Arthur?"

"Kay." Bradyn shrugged his narrow shoulders and sighed. He didn't really care. He just liked playing on Tom's bed. They swung by Bradyn's room first and got Lello and a few more toys. Tom got him set up in the master bedroom. While Bradyn played on the bed Tom took a shower to wash the beach off of him and shampoo his braids. When he was done he dressed himself in a pair of nice beige slacks and a loose fitting white dress shirt.

"How do I look?" He asked Bradyn as he ran gel over his braids to tame the frayed hairs.

"Like Daddy." Bradyn shrugged.

"I look like Daddy? Good. Great." Tom chuckled lightly and grabbed his shoes and socks. "Okay, let's go downstairs and get you something to eat. Are you hungry?"

"Have gape?"

"Sure, we have grapes downstairs, I think." Tom nodded and extended his hand. "Grab Lello." He nodded toward the bed.

Bradyn grabbed the floppy dog and followed Tom back downstairs to the kitchen where he climbed up onto a bar stool and set Lello on the counter. "We go ina pool?

"No, not today."

"Morrow?"

"Maybe, I don't know. Tomorrow's going to be a fun day though. Do you remember what we're doing tomorrow?"

"We go ina pool." Bradyn nodded.

"Maybe." Tom laughed. "But we're definitely going in an airplane, remember?"

"Up high ina coud?"

"Yeah, we'll be up high way above the clouds. Cool, huh?" Tom opened the fridge and took out the bunch of grapes. "Do you want peanut butter and jelly?"

"Kay." Bradyn shrugged.

"Cool." Tom dropped a little bunch of grapes in front of Bradyn and got out everything to make sandwiches. "Strawberry or grape jelly?"

"Gape!" Bradyn smiled as he bit into a green grape.

"I should have guessed." Tom laughed and spread the jelly on the bread, trying to think what else he could give Bradyn for dinner.

He heard the guest bedroom door creak open slowly and Tayla's bare feet on the tile as she entered the kitchen. "Wow, what's the occasion? I didn't realize peanut butter sandwiches and grapes called for a collared shirt and slacks." Tayla eyed his wardrobe down to his slender bare feet.

"We have reservations at the Yacht Club again." Tom said as he spread peanut butter on the bread in front of him.

"For tonight?"

"Yeah, at six thirty. Which is why I'm dressed like this." He nodded and placed the bread on top of the jelly-covered piece.

"So wait, who's going to watch Bradyn?"

"I've got a sitter." Tom smiled and set the sandwich in front of Bradyn. "Eat up, buddy."

"Who?"

"I got two sitters actually." He laughed softly. "Gustav and Georg."

"Oh my God, you're going to let them care for your son? What kind of father are you?" Tayla laughed and shook her head. "They're going to corrupt him."

"Daddy, I have Gay-og and Goose-gog?"

"Yeah, Georg and Gustav are going to come over tonight."

"Wow!" Bradyn looked surprised as he took a bite of his sandwich. "An Goose-gog!"

"You're a lucky kid." Tom said softly. He looked up at Tayla and smiled. "They already have." He laughed and pulled up a chair beside Bradyn's. "Bradyn and I had to have a talk about bad words and things like that. Right, buddy?"

"No say ass?"

"That's right. You don't say that." Tom laughed and ruffled Bradyn's hair.

"Let me guess. Georg?" Tayla cringed.

"Yeah."

"And you're voluntarily leaving Bradyn with him again?"

"They have fun. I think they're on the same wavelength. All three of them." Tom smiled.

"Well, yeah, they're only as mature as three year olds." Tayla giggled. "But, hey, if it's cool with you it's cool with me. I could use a night out with you before we go to work."

"Me too." Tom nodded.

"Me too?" Bradyn asked as he licked his peanut butter coated lips.

"No, you get to stay here and play with Gustav and Georg."

Bradyn laughed and shook his head. "Is silly, Daddy."

"I know they're silly. That's why you guys are gonna have a good time."

"Yeah." Bradyn nodded with a smile and took another bite of his sandwich.

"So wait, if our reservations are at six thirty then we'll have to leave here really soon." Tayla said as she noticed the time.

"Yeah. Gustav and Georg will be here at five."

"Tom, it's four thirty."

"I know."

"When were you planning on telling me?"

"When you woke up." Tom shrugged and leaned across the table to swipe his finger across the back of Bradyn's sandwich to catch the dripping jelly.

Tayla sighed. "Okay, well, I'm gonna go shower and get ready and everything." She stood up and placed a kiss on top of Bradyn's head. "Is that good?"

"Yeah, bite?" He held the sandwich up to Tayla.

"Oh, no thank you, sweetie. You eat it all so you can have dessert later." Tayla smiled and headed for the stairs in a light trot.

"I have zert?" Bradyn looked up at Tom.

"Sure, buddy, you can have dessert with Gustav and Georg." Tom nodded then stood up and went to the family room where he'd placed his shoes and socks. He sat on the couch and put them on while Bradyn ate his dinner.

----------------

When the doorbell rang at ten after five, Tom adjusted his cuffs and walked quickly to the door. "Hey." He nodded as Gustav and Georg walked in. "How cute. Did you come together?"

"He was at my house." Georg shrugged. "Better than taking two cars and risk getting him lost."

"I know how to get here asshole. Who do you think gave you directions?" Gustav dropped his keys, hat and sunglasses on the little table and continued through the house.

"Watch your mouth." Georg frowned at Gustav, then laughed. "See? It's not just me."

"I know it's not just you." Tom smiled and shut the door. "But seriously, don't be teaching him all these creative swear words you guys come up with. If he calls me a shitweasle when I get home you're both dead."

"Shitweasle? I like that." Georg smirked.

"I mean it."

"Yeah, yeah. We know you mean it." Georg took his wallet and keys and dropped them beside Gustav's stuff. "So what's the plan tonight? Do we have to feed him or anything?"

"No, he had an early dinner. He can have some cookies or something a little later but not too many."

"Okay."

"There's movies and stuff, you guys know the drill. Make sure he brushes his teeth before he goes to bed. He doesn't mind doing it but you have to remind him."

"Okay." Georg nodded as they walked back to the kitchen.

"I'll have my cell on and the number to the restaurant is by the phone. All the numbers you'll need are there."

"Okay."

"We won't be too late. We'll probably leave there around eight and get back here around nine."

"Okay." Georg laughed.

"You have to be back by ten though." Gustav spoke up as he hung Bradyn upside down by his ankles. "We're going out."

"Like a date?" Tom laughed and raised his eyebrow at Gustav. "I didn't know you guys felt that way about one another."

"Bite me." Gustav made a face. "Georg knows a guy that owns a club downtown so we're gonna go and ring out our last night there."

"Really?" For a second Tom looked interested.

"Yeah, and you can't come." Gustav shook his head and swung Bradyn around. "Don't puke! Don't puke!" He laughed as Bradyn's face turned red.

"I not!" Bradyn laughed hysterically.

"He did just eat though, Gustav." Tom pointed out. He looked back at Georg. "We'll be home by ten so you guys can go on your date"

"Hey, just because we're not taking chicks doesn't mean we won't leave with them. Right, Gustav?"

"Right. In fact, I fully intend to leave with a couple."

"What about Ang and Kala? You guys are dogs. Don't let Bradyn hear you talk like that."

"He's a guy. He'll figure it out eventually." Georg shrugged. "And you're not exactly the poster child for monogamous relationships there, buddy." He raised his eyebrow at Tom.

"I never cheat. I've never had to. I'm having second thoughts about leaving him with you." Tom laughed and opened the refrigerator to take out Bradyn's juice. He re-filled the cup and set it on the counter.

"Shut up. We'll have fun, you'll have fun, funness all around." Georg smiled. "So where's Tayla?"

"She's getting ready. It's a chick thing, you know. She has to take three hours to get ready to go anywhere." Tom laughed, slipping back into the single guy mode that he'd avoided for more than six months.

Tayla cleared her throat from the hallway by the bathroom. "I'm sorry, what was that?" She asked as she stepped into the kitchen.

"Busted!" Gustav laughed.

"Bussit!" Bradyn giggled as Gustav set him upright and watched the blood drain from his face.

"Smooth, Tom. Always check the hall before you have diarrhea of the mouth." Georg slapped his back. "He's still learning the fine art of guy speak." He explained to Tayla.

"Hi." Tom blushed and turned to face Tayla. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, and look at that, only forty minutes to get ready. That must be some kind of record for womankind." She said sarcastically as she checked her watch. She smoothed down the front of her sundress and slid her arms into her shrug sweater.

Tom's ears turned red as he smiled. "Yeah, let's go."

"Hi, Tayla." Gustav waved as he plopped down on the floor with Bradyn.

"Hi, Tayla." Georg chorused in behind him.

"Hi, guys." She laughed. "Thanks for coming over tonight. I know this is your last night as well, so-"

"They're gonna go get chicks after we get back." Tom explained.

"Have a chix?" Bradyn asked.

"Nice!" Gustav laughed. "We're gonna have fun tonight, buddy."

"Let's go before I change my mind." Tom placed his hand on Tayla's back to steer her toward the garage. "Bye, Bradyn. Be good for these guys."

"Kay." Bradyn jumped up and ran down the hall to get a hug before Tom and Tayla left.

"I love you. Have fun." Tom kissed his cheek then Bradyn went to hug Tayla.

"See you later." She kissed his other cheek and squeezed him tight. He laughed and ran back to where Gustav was sitting on the floor. "Bye, guys."

"Bye, have fun." Georg waved as he sat on the floor beside the other two. Tom and Tayla left quietly through the garage and laughed as they got into his car and pulled out to the main road.

"For some reason, I think you're going to have to have another talk with Bradyn tomorrow." Tayla said softly.

"Shit, I know I will." Tom laughed. "But it'll be worth it. It's kinda nice having a night out without him. I mean, I love him to death but it's nice being able to talk to someone at eye level, you know?" He reached over to turn the radio on. It was a long but relaxing drive out to the shore. There was no traffic and they were able to talk without interruptions.

When they arrived at the restaurant they were seated at a table by the window and promptly left alone so they could have some privacy. "This is really nice." Tayla looked around. "I don't remember it being so small last time."

"It's the same place." Tom laughed softly. "But last time we sat over there." He nodded behind him to where the far wall of windows was facing north.

"You remember where we sat?"

"Yeah, of course." He gave her a half smile and a confused look. "You don't?"

"No, that was a while ago."

"Oh, I'm just a sentimental sap then, huh?"

"No comment." Tayla laughed and flipped the menu open in front of her. "That's nice though. Most guys don't remember the little details."

"I try to." Tom nodded. "I have lots of useless facts up here." He tapped his temple and smiled. "So what are you going to get?"

"Um, I'm not sure. Everything sounds good." She said slowly as she skimmed the pages. "Have you tried the linguine with mushroom wine sauce?"

"No, but I'm not a big fan of wine sauce."

"Hmm."

"But you can get it."

"I think I will." Tayla set the menu aside and sighed as the waiter left bread on their table along with two goblets of ice water. "How about you?"

"I'm going for the spicy vegetarian patties with Mediterranean vegetables." Tom laughed.

"Sounds good." Tayla nodded and sighed. "So what did you guys do while I was up in Connecticut?"

"Eh, you know. We hung out, went to the beach." Tom rolled his eyes and laughed. "We did some rehearsing. Bradyn went to school and all that."

"Sounds fun."

"Yeah." Tom smiled and caught the waiter's eye. They gave their orders then continued their conversation. "So what did you do?"

"At home?" Tayla took a sugar from the little crystal square on the table and played with it between her fingers. Tom nodded and took a sip of his water. "Well, I went to a bunch of movies with my room mate, Kaelah. I swear I saw about a dozen movies." She laughed. "Then a friend of ours had her bachelorette party so we went to that."

"Really?" Tom's eyes crinkled as he smiled. "How was that?"

"It was a lot of fun." She laughed and blushed slightly. "We didn't have a stripper or anything but we got to go on a scavenger hunt with a Polaroid camera. We broke into a few teams and we had to get pictures of like, a police officer with one of us, then a guy in his boxers and we had to collect things too."

"Like what?" Tom laughed.

"Um, a matchbook, a business card from a tattoo place, a condom, things like that."

"Sounds fun." He unfolded his napkin in his lap. "When's the wedding?"

"Next weekend." Tayla nodded and bit her lip. "I gave her my gift before I left and she promised to send me lots of pictures."

"Cool." Tom nodded and asked a few more questions about her trip home. After a while the food arrived and they began to eat in silence. "How's the mushroom wine sauce?"

"It's wonderful. Are you sure you don't want to try it?"

"No, that's okay." Tom shook his head and made a face. "Mushrooms and I don't get along."

"Oh, I see." Tayla laughed and took another bite. "This is really nice. It's almost like we're living a completely normal life, you know? No cameras, no fans, no kids, just a regular couple having dinner. It's almost strange."

"I know what you mean." Tom looked around with a wistful smile. "Things are going to be so different when we start this tour." Tom said softly.

"Different how?"

"Well, I'll be on the tour schedule from hell." Tom smiled and leaned his elbow on the table.

"It'll be just like last time." Tayla shrugged and took a bite of her dinner. "In fact, we'll probably be able to do more sightseeing."

"Yeah but this time we'll be dating and that'll be different."

"True."

"And Bradyn. It'll be different because we'll be planning for Bradyn this time instead of just dragging him around all the time."

"Yeah, about that... I never asked but are you going to hire someone to take care of him on the tour?" She asked, keeping her eyes on her plate.

"No, David offered to find someone but I- I didn't think we'd need to." He stumbled over his words as he blushed.

"Okay, good." Tayla smiled at his uneasiness. "Because I wouldn't want him to be thrown in with another stranger."

"I don't mean that you have to take care of him-"

"No, I want to." She laughed lightly and reached across the table for his hand. "I was just seeing if you had so I could prepare my how to take care of Bradyn speech for them if I needed to. I'm glad you didn't hire anyone though."

"No, I couldn't do that. We managed just fine last time without any warning. We'll do fine this time. Plus he'll have the routine down in a few days." Tom shrugged.

"He'll be fine."

"Yeah." Tom smiled and went back to his dinner. They talked more about plans they had when they got back and Tom shared that he'd be going to LA to see Astrid. "You know, so she can see Bradyn. She can't really afford to fly to another country all the time."

"Yeah." Tayla nodded but couldn't fight off the sinking feeling in her stomach.

"I'm not sure exactly when. I'll have to talk to her about that when it gets closer. He hasn't asked about her in a while so I kinda want to get that going again, you know? She calls about once or twice a week but I don't think he gets it."

"Do you make a big deal about it?"

"No." Tom shook his head. "Maybe I should so it would be something he looked forward to." He shrugged. "Eh, I'll figure it out when I get back."

"Okay." Tayla whispered with a small smile. She was willing to drop the topic without thinking twice. "So Kitsune is coming to watch your house while you're gone?"

"Yeah." Tom smiled, "She'll be here tomorrow." He sighed slightly then continued to eat their dinner followed by a sweet raspberry souffle. Tayla could barely finish half of hers but Tom somehow made it through his entire souffle. He paid the bill, then they sat and talked for a little while longer over decaf coffee and candlelight.

When they were finally ready to go, Tom took one of the chocolate mints off the table and popped it in his mouth. Tayla followed close behind as they left the almost empty restaurant and headed for the car. She reached for his hand when they hit the parking lot and they walked slowly back to Tom's car. "I can't believe we're leaving tomorrow." Tom said softly as he unlocked the passenger door.

"I know. It's kind of exciting though." She smiled up at him, then bounced up on her tiptoes and kissed him unexpectedly.

Tom tried to kiss her but ended up taking a step back to cover his mouth as he choked. He maneuvered the mint to the side of his mouth and coughed again. "I'm sorry." He blushed in the darkness as he wiped his mouth. "I'm sorry. I just, uh- I wasn't ready for that."

"I didn't know you had a mint." Tayla covered her mouth and laughed softly.

"I didn't have time to take it out. You're quick." Tom laughed and looked down at the pavement as he carefully removed the mint from his mouth. He held it between his fingers and smiled. "Okay, let's try that again."

Tayla laughed and shook her head before she kissed him again without the intrusion. "Much better." She said when she pulled away, tasting the chocolate mint flavor that lingered in his mouth.

"Much." Tom smiled and popped the mint back in his mouth. "Are you ready to head back?"

"Yeah." Tayla nodded. She was having a great time but she still wanted to just go home and curl up on the couch or under the covers.

"Okay." Tom whispered softly. He opened the car door for her and waited as she climbed in and fastened her seat belt. He shut the door behind her and walked around to get in on his side. They drove an hour back to Tom's house, trying to make it back before ten like he had promised.

----------------

"Hey, guys." Tom said as he and Tayla walked into the living room. "How'd it go?"

Gustav jumped up off the couch. "Georg let Bradyn pee in the bushes."

"What?!" Tom looked at Georg.

"What?" Georg looked lost as he glanced from Tom to Gustav.

"You let Bradyn pee in the bushes?"

"We were outside." Georg shrugged and tipped his cup back to chew on a piece of ice.

"Georg!" Tayla smiled.

"He had to go." Georg explained with a sly smile.

"Any bushes I've got are within five feet of the house. Georg-" Tom sighed. "Did you really let him pee in the bushes?" Georg just shrugged so Tom looked to Gustav. "Did he really?"

"Yeah, he did and he gave him a star."

"Ugh." Tom rolled his eyes.

"What?! He had to pee. He peed and I gave him a star. That's what we were supposed to do."

"In the toilet, Georg. That's kind of the whole point of toilet training." Tom sighed and tried not to smile. "This will be fun trying to explain to him why he can't just pee anywhere he wants to."

"He had to go, Tom. I wasn't gonna make him hold it." Georg said.

"It's five steps to the bathroom." Tom tried to argue. "Forget it. Never mind." He shook his head and looked over at Gustav. "Anything else I should know about?"

Gustav looked at Georg and raised his eyebrows, silently asking if he should spill it. "Gustav!" Tom gave him his best dad look and put his hands on his hips. "Shit, you know what? I don't want to know." Tom shook his head and smiled. "Just tell me if there was any blood lost or structural damage to the house."

"No, nothing like that." Gustav shook his head emphatically.

"Nothing permanent." Georg agreed.

Tom sighed and looked back at Tayla as she snickered. "You look amused."

"Oh, I am." She nodded. "Definitely amused."

"Okay but we have to go now." Gustav said as he ducked by Tom.

Tom didn't want to start anything but he knew he'd have to give the house a once over before they went to bed that night. "Have fun." He sighed.

"We will." Georg and Gustav said in unison.

"Oh, how cute! Will you start finishing each others sentences next?" Tom tilted his head to the side. "You two make such a cute couple!"

"You're funny, Tom." Georg rolled his eyes and picked his stuff up off the floor. "So how much did we earn?" He held out his hand for payment.

"For letting my kid pee in the bushes and whatever else you're not telling me?" Tom asked with an amused smile. "Yeah, I'll tell you what. I'll send you a check first thing tomorrow."

"I'll be looking forward to it." Georg laughed and slapped Tom on the shoulder. "But for real, we had fun."

"Good, I'm glad to hear it." Tom said as Gustav opened the door. "Thanks for watching him guys. I appreciate it."

"No problem."

"Don't get arrested."

"We won't." Gustav laughed. "Or I won't. I can't vouch for Psycho McCrazypants over there." He nodded in Georg's direction as they made their way down the lighted brick path to the driveway.

"Fair enough." Tom smiled and waved. He watched until Georg started the car and backed out.

"Whatever happened here is your own fault." Tayla laughed when Tom came back in.

"I know but it was worth it." He pulled her close and kissed her quickly. "We won't get much time to ourselves while we're on tour you know."

"I know." Tayla smiled and nodded. "Trust me, I know."

Tom grinned slowly and tried not to yawn. "I'm going to go check on Bradyn. Are you coming up or what?" He glanced around the family room.

"Yeah, I'll be up in a minute. Would it be all right if I called my mom to say good-bye and stuff? She's going to be out tomorrow and I wanted to talk to her before we left."

"Yeah, go ahead." Tom nodded. "Tell her I said hi." He snickered as he leaned in and kissed her cheek quickly. "I'm tired though so I'll be upstairs."

"Okay." The corner of her mouth raised in a slow half smile as she watched him unbutton the top two buttons of his shirt as he walked away. She took the phone to the kitchen table and called her mom's number. They talked for a few minutes and she told her she'd call from each destination on the tour and send lots of postcards. She was just about ready to wrap up the call when her mom asked, "So how's Germany?"

"It's nice." Tayla said softly. "We spent the day at the beach today and I got a little sun. Bradyn loves the beach so we had to go." She laughed lightly.

"How are they doing?"

"Tom and Bradyn? They're doing pretty good."

"And you and Tom?"

Tayla blushed. She'd never come right out and told her mom that they were dating but apparently it wasn't that much of a secret. "We're doing fine too."

"That's good honey. I'd love to meet the two of them."

"Maybe next time we're in town." Tayla nodded. She was thankful they would be in Europe and not in the US. She loved her mom and thought she was great, she just really thought that Tayla should already be married so any new guy Tayla brought home was immediately considered prime husband material.

"That'd be great. I've heard a lot of good things about Tom, you know?"

"Oh God, Mom. What have you heard? Who are you talking to?" Tayla covered her eyes and sighed.

"Well, I was on the internet the other day and I went and found a few pages about him and the boys. They seem like such a sweet group of young men."

"They are. They're really nice but, Mom, you can't believe everything you read on the internet. I promise that, next time we're anywhere near you, we'll stop by or something."

"Maybe I could go to a show." Her mom suggested.

Tayla cringed as she pictured her mom at a Tokio Hotel show surrounded by thousands of screaming fans. "Yeah, we'll see." She uncovered her eyes and looked at her watch. "It's late. I need to get going."

"Okay, sweetie. Have a safe trip tomorrow and have a wonderful time visiting all of those beautiful museums and cathedrals."

"I will, Mom. Give Daisey a hug for me." Tayla smiled and thought of her mom's ten-year-old golden retriever.

"I will. Bye, Tayla. I love you."

"I love you too, Mom." Tayla bit her lip as they hung up. "That's just what I need, Mom. For you to think I might marry Tom. Great." She whispered to herself as she put the phone back on the charger and trotted up the stairs.

After a quick look in Bradyn's bedroom, she tiptoed down the hall and into Tom's room. "How is your Mom?" He pulled the blanket back on the bed and folded it over the foot board.

"She's fine." Tayla said softly as she headed for the bathroom to change.

"Maybe when we get back from the tour we can go see her or something."

"You want to meet my Mom?" Tayla winced and dropped her hands on the counter. "There must be something in the air tonight." She thought to herself.

"Well, I don't know. I think it'd be cool. From what you've said she sounds like a cool person." He slid behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He smiled at her in the mirror.

"Let's talk about that later. Much later. Like when we get back." Tayla reached up and took her earrings off. "Can you unzip me please?"

"Sure." Tom kissed her shoulder then slowly lowered the zipper of her dress. "It'd look better on the floor anyway." He laughed.

"That's real classy, Tom." She laughed and gave him a look in the mirror. "I thought you were tired?"

"I am." Tom smiled and fought the urge to yawn. He kissed her neck quickly then took a step back. "Are you taking this with you?" He tugged on the strap of her dress.

"Yes, I need to re-pack it tomorrow."

"Well, take it off and I'll hang it up for you." Tom moved the straps down her shoulders and held the dress so she could step out of it. "See? Now it won't get wrinkled."

"Thank you." Tayla laughed lightly and watched as he carefully hung the dress on a hanger on the back of the door. He smoothed it down with his hands and crossed to his side of the bed to pull the sheets back. Tom lay on his side as he played with the digital alarm clock on his nightstand.

"What time are we getting up tomorrow?" Tayla asked as she ran the water to wash the make up off of her face.

"Whenever we want, I was just turning it off."

"I love sleeping in." She leaned down and splashed the warm water onto her sudsy face. "Do you think Bradyn will go along with that?"

"I hope so. The guys usually wear him out. It takes at least ten hours to recuperate from that." Tom laughed and fluffed Tayla's pillow on her side.

"I know the feeling." She laughed and finished getting ready for bed. With one of Tom's old T-shirts as a nightgown, she crossed the room and turned off the lights before climbing under the sheets beside Tom. Tayla brought her knees up and curled up against Tom's side, resting her head on his bicep. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and sighed with content.

Tayla smiled into his chest and sighed with him before she put her mom out of her mind and thought only of spending her last night at home with Tom.

----------------

They all slept in the next morning. Bradyn didn't barge into their room to wake them up until almost nine. The three of them had a nice leisurely breakfast outside on the back patio as the temperature rose steadily. It hit eighty degrees before they brought their dishes in and went upstairs to get dressed.

"What time are we being picked up?"

"Um, five. I think. Our flight is at seven fifteen and we have to be there early to check our luggage and make sure everyone's accounted for and everything."

"So basically we're just going to double check everything today and hang out until four thirty?"

"Yeah, basically." He smiled.

"Cool." She smiled back and placed her dishes in the sink to rinse them off.

After the dishes were washed and put away, they double-checked their bags and every room in the house to make sure they weren't forgetting anything. They moved their luggage to the garage so that when the van came to get them everything would be halfway there already.

They spent a little time outside in the pool to soak up the last bit of the gorgeous weather, then they showered and dressed in their traveling clothes. Tom talked Bradyn out of wearing his Oswald Octopus slippers and convinced him instead to wear his sneakers as planned. Bradyn agreed but placed the slippers in his backpack so he'd have them on the plane.

By four thirty, Tom was a nervous wreck and Tayla was standing back watching his little performance in awe. He began to head for the kitchen the stopped suddenly and turned to Tayla. "You have your passport?" He asked for the third time as he tugged on his lower lip and furrowed his brow in concentration.

"I have it right here." Tayla patted her back pocket. "I have my passport and twenty British pounds in case we need it at the airport in London."

"And your bags are-"

"They're in the garage lined up and ready to be picked up when the van gets here. Bradyn's car seat and his luggage are out there as well. Your luggage is still upstairs, as far as I know, and you were grabbing yours and Bradyn's passports."

"I have them, yeah." Tom felt for them in his back pocket. "I have my wallet, my suitcases are out with yours." He frowned and kept his eyes on the floor, deep in thought. "I feel like I'm forgetting something."

"Your carry-on luggage?"

"It's out there with the rest of it."

"Bradyn's carry on?"

"It's just his backpack and that's by the door because he's adding more to it."

"He has his jacket and a pillow?"

"I have a little pillow and blanket in my carry on for him, yeah. He's loading up some books and little toys and stuff." Tom frowned and stared blankly out the window. "I still feel like I'm forgetting something. Damn it, I hate this." He turned and ran up the stairs to triple check everything.

The doorbell rang as Bradyn appeared with Lello in his arms and a sad look on his face. "What's wrong, buddy?" Tayla asked as she headed for the door.

"I go bye?"

"Yeah, we're going to be leaving really soon. I think this is Kitsune. Yhy don't you come see who's at the door with me?" Tayla smiled and continued to the door as the bell rang again. She pulled the door open with Bradyn hugging her knees and smiled at Tom's cousin. "Hey, I'm glad you're here. Tom's kinda losing his mind. Can you help?"

Kitsune laughed as she stepped in with a large bag over her shoulder. "Sure, where is he?"

"Upstairs, I think. He swears he's forgetting something but he's already checked everything a dozen times." Tayla sighed and checked her watch. "We're going to be picked up in another twenty minutes and he really needs to chill."

"Tayla, I chill?" Bradyn asked still holding tight to her jeans.

"Yeah, you're chilled." Tayla laughed and scooped him up. "Say hi to Kitsune. You know Kitsune."

"Hi, Keet-sue-nee." Bradyn said shyly.

"Hi, Bray." She roused his hair and kissed his cheek quickly. "Is your Dad being weird today?" She asked as she tilted her head to the side.

"Yeah." Bradyn smiled.

"Should I go straighten him out a bit?" Kitsune laughed.

"Yeah." Bradyn giggled and wiggled to get down, his shyness suddenly gone. "I go and stait?"

"Sure, you can come straighten him out with me. Come on." She took his hand and they began up the stairs. "I'll have him downstairs and calm in five minutes." Kitsune said over her shoulder.

"Thanks." Tayla smiled. She sighed and tucked her hands in her pockets. She went straight to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of orange juice.

From the pantry, she took a box of crackers and stuck it in a grocery bag, then tossed in a few apples and some juice boxes for the flight. They'd be given snacks but nothing a two year old would want to eat. She tucked the food into her almost empty carry on in the garage and re-counted the suitcases, mentally kicking herself for turning into Tom.

----------------

Ten minutes later Tom bounced down the stairs with Bradyn on his hip and a smile on his face. "Tayla?" He called as he wandered toward the kitchen.

"I'm out here." She said as she walked from the garage into the house. "Did you find what you were forgetting?"

"Yeah." Tom rolled his eyes. "My watch was on the counter in my bathroom. I wouldn't have gotten too far without that."

"So you're okay now?" Tayla laughed.

"I fixed him." Kitsune smiled as she leaned on the counter and rolled an orange from hand to hand across the tiles.

"Thank you. I owe you big time." Tayla smiled at Kitsune and laughed.

"We sait, Daddy." Bradyn giggled from the floor.

"You what?" Tom asked.

"We straightened you out. I gave you your pre-flight pep talk and now you're fine." Kitsune laughed and tossed the orange to Tom.

He caught it and laughed. "Oh, that whole don't go getting psycho about this whole thing, get on the plane and enjoy it was a pep talk?"

"Yeah." Kitsune chuckled. "Hey, it worked, right?"

"Right." Tom smiled.

A horn blasted from outside and they heard car doors slam. "That's us." Tayla smiled down at Bradyn. "You have Lello so I guess we're ready to go."

"Yeah." Bradyn ran to the front door and pulled on the handle.

"Thanks for staying here, Kitsune." Tom pulled his cousin in for a hug.

"No problem. Thanks for letting me stay here." She laughed and patted his back. "I'll be here for a few days this week, then I'll be back in another two weeks."

"Make yourself at home." Tom nodded. "I'll call Mom when we get to London and I'll have her give you a call too. I've left my numbers and itinerary by the phone in case you need to reach me, and Mom and Gordon have a copy too."

"Okay."

"No parties."

"No parties." She nodded with a smile.

"No fires."

"No fires."

"No pool parties."

"No pool parties." Kitsune laughed.

"No drug dealers in or around the house and no setting up a meth lab in my garage."

"Damn, I have to call Marco back." Kitsune frowned, then laughed. "Don't worry, Tom. Your house will be fine. I'll be fine, you'll be fine. Just go and have a great time."

"Okay." Tom sighed and ran his hand over his face.

"And bring me back some magnets."

"I will." He laughed then hugged her again. "I have to go."

"Then get out of here." Kitsune laughed and they walked out through the garage together. Tom picked up Bradyn's red backpack and zipped it shut as he got to the driveway.

"It's about time." Seppel said as he lifted the last of the suitcases into the back of the black van. "Hey there, long time no see." He slammed the back door and smiled at Kitsune.

"Hey, Seppel." She grinned and waved.

Seppel looked at Tom. "Bradyn and Tayla are ready to go. We're just waiting on you."

"Okay, okay." Tom adjusted the backpack on his shoulder then waved at his cousin. "Thanks again."

"No problem. Have fun." Kitsune waved back and crossed her arms over her chest as Tom climbed into the front seat and turned around to drop Bradyn's backpack at the toddler's feet.

"You almost forgot your stuff, buddy." He said as he slammed the door and got his seat belt on.

"Uh oh." Bradyn bounced Lello on his lap. "I have Lello."

"I see that. That's a good thing. Lello's gonna be a life saver on the flight, I think." Tom caught Tayla's eye in the rear view mirror. "Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." She couldn't help but smile when he looked at her.

"I ready." Bradyn announced from his seat as he pressed his free hand against the window. Seppel climbed in and started the car and they were on their way to meet up with the others at the airport.

----------------

When they arrived Seppel parked against the curb and cut the engine as Tom hopped out of the car. He opened the back doors and began to take the luggage out with Tom's help. When the bags were on the curb Tom climbed back in the van to get Bradyn out of his seat. "You guys go on in with Seppel. I'm going to get our luggage checked." He pulled the car seat out of the car and set it by his feet.

"Oh, okay." Tayla nodded and bounced Bradyn on her hip. "Don't they usually check luggage?" She asked, looking at the two other guards by the curb.

"Yeah but I can do it." He smiled and leaned down to kiss her quickly. "The guys are already here so go on in and visit for a while. I think Nadiehn's here too." Tom got his carry on out of the car and handed it to Tayla. "Can you take this with you?"

"Sure." Tayla took the bag and added it to her others.

"Thanks. I'll see you in a few minutes, buddy." Tom ran his hand over Bradyn's new haircut.

"Daddy, you come?"

"I'll be right behind you."

"Now?" Bradyn asked.

"I have to put your bags here so they'll go on the plane with us." Tom explained. "I promise the plane won't leave without me."

"An me?"

"It won't leave until everyone is on." Tom nodded. "Go inside with Tayla and see if you can find the guys."

"Kay." Bradyn sighed, but he didn't look reassured.

"He'll be in with us in just a few minutes." Tayla smiled as she and Bradyn headed for the airport with Seppel in tow. They made their way through the thin crowds without incident and stepped into the VIP lounge with a deep sigh of relief. "Okay, let's see who's here already." Tayla set Bradyn on the floor and took his hand to make sure he didn't stray too far.

"I see a pane an Goose-gog!" Bradyn laughed, his Dad momentarily forgotten.

"See? There's a lot for us to see here." Tayla swung his arm gently as he jumped up and down.

----------------

"Hey." David whispered as he leaned on Georg's shoulder. "That's Tayla." He nodded to where she stood with Bradyn bouncing around her feet.

"Uh huh." Georg looked in Tayla's direction.

"She has Bradyn."

"Uh huh." Georg sounded almost uninterested.

"And Tom's bag. Is she like, with Tom now or something?" David laughed shortly.

"Uh huh." Georg gave him a look. "You didn't know that?"

"Wait, she is?"

"Yeah, for a few weeks now."

"What?!" David asked in shock.

"You didn't know?"

"How was I supposed to know?" David asked as he raised his voice a notch. "It's not like he sat down and had a meeting. How come you didn't say anything?"

"We thought you knew." Georg shrugged.

"We? So everyone knows except me?"

"You know."

"Okay but until two minutes ago I was the only one that didn't know?"

"Out of the ten of us? Yeah."

"Ten?" David frowned and took a drink of his soda.

"You, me, Bill, Tom, Gustav, Kala, Ang, Nadiehn, Tayla and Bradyn. Ten." Georg counted them off on his fingers.

"Wow. Since when?" David asked.

"I dunno, a few weeks." Georg shrugged. "When she was out to do our-" He stopped abruptly as she began to walk over to them.

"Hi, guys." Tayla smiled as she bounced Bradyn on her hip. He was almost too big to be carrying around now.

"Hey!" David laughed and lifted Bradyn from her arms. "What's up, kid?"

"Hi!" Bradyn giggled as David tickled him under his chin.

"Can I take him over there to watch the airplanes?" David asked Tayla completely forgetting his original train of thought.

"Sure." She laughed and rubbed Bradyn's hair. "See you later."

"Lato, Tayla." Bradyn giggled as David's fingers tickled his sides.

"Are you ready to go on an airplane?" David turned to carry Bradyn over to where he'd propped his carry on bag by the wall.

"I fly gan." Bradyn smiled as he craned his neck to look out the window. The entire VIP lounge was lined with windows looking out onto the runway so there were dozens of planes for him to check out.

"Yeah, you get to fly again." David frowned and shook his head. "You have a lot less hair now." He ran his free hand over Bradyn's hair.

"Isa sucker innit." Bradyn reached up to touch the spot on his head where the sucker had been.

"Oh, wow. You got a suck stuck in your hair?"

"Yeah an Daddy cut an it was gone."

"I think I like how short it is now."

"My hair." Bradyn placed both of his hands on his head. "I have my cool."

"Yeah, your hair is cool." David laughed as Gustav spotted them.

"Nice hair cut, buddy." Gustav laughed.

"I have a cut." Bradyn nodded.

"Yeah, you did. Did you tell David why you had to cut it?" Gustav smirked and rubbed Bradyn's head, noticing the spot in the back that was shorter than the rest.

Bradyn sighed and looked away for a minute. "Yeah, I say."

"He told me he had a sucker stuck in there."

"Yeah, Daddy cut it." Bradyn sighed again. He was getting annoyed with the topic.

"You let your Dad cut your hair?"

"Yeah." Bradyn sighed, like he had any choice in the matter.

"Well, you look good. You got a cool hair cut so that's cool." David high-fived Bradyn and smiled.

"And you know what else? You look taller. Did you grow a lot since last night or what?" Gustav looked the little boy over.

"I big now."

"I see that." Gustav nodded.

"No dipo. I go in the potty." Bradyn smiled proudly.

"Get outta town! You use the big boy potty now?" Gustav looked surprised, though he'd known about that for a few weeks.

"Yeah and I have star." Bradyn nodded enthusiastically.

"I don't get stars." David pouted.

"I have an you have." Bradyn wiggled to be put down. David held tight to his hand and they walked over to the window. "You go ina potty an have star."

"If I go in the potty you'll give me a star?" David laughed.

"If you don't go in the potty I'll beat your ass." Gustav uttered under his breath as he and Saki stood beside them.

"Hey, kids." Saki smiled as he slapped Gustav on the back. "Are you guys ready to go?"

"Yeah, when do we board?" David asked.

"In like, twenty." Saki checked his watch. "Does he have a car seat?"

"I don't know." David shook his head. "Where's Tom?"

"Checking his luggage."

"He's checking his own?" Gustav laughed.

"Yeah." Saki shook his head. "I don't know what's gotten into his little head."

"He's crazy." Gustav looked at Bradyn, "Your Dad's crazy, Bray."

"Cwazy?"

"Yeah." Gustav ran his short hair.

"Noooo." Bradyn shook his head. "Is no cwazy."

"Yeah, he is. He's a nutty nut."

"No, you." Bradyn looked up at Gustav and made a face.

"Where's Tayla?" Gustav asked as he lifted Bradyn up onto his shoulders.

Bradyn grabbed onto Gustav's ears and looked around. "Tayla?" He spotted Tayla by the entrance as Tom walked in. "Tayla an Daddy dere." He pointed then looked back toward the window. "Goose-gog? See pane?"

"I see that. It's big, huh?" David and Gustav turned to face the window to watch the plane pull away from the terminal to make room for the plane they'd be taking.

"Hey." Tom walked up to Tayla slightly out of breath. "Man, remind me to let someone else check our luggage next time. Where's Bradyn?"

"David and Gustav are entertaining him." Tayla nodded to the large windows where they stood pointing up at the sky. "Are you ready for this?"

"Yeah." Tom smiled and sighed in content.

"I mean the flight." She smiled as he rested his arm around her waist. "Being on an airplane with a two year old isn't fun."

"It could have been worse. The flight could be eleven hours instead of two." Tom shrugged and kissed her temple as he looked out at the sun setting.

"True." Tayla nodded. "Eleven hours is an eternity for a kid."

"Yeah, tell me about it. I flew from LA to here with him, remember? There just aren't enough peanuts or kids movies in the world to entertain a kid in a seat for that long." He laughed and looked up as Bill and Nadiehn walked into the lounge.

"Hey, guys!" Tayla smiled as she pulled Tom over to them. She hugged both Nadiehn and Bill and bounced with excitement. "How's it going?"

"Good, how are you?" Nadiehn asked happily.

"Great." She nodded and gave Nadiehn that knowing look.

"So you ready for this flight?" Bill asked with a heavy sigh and a smile.

"It's not a long flight, Bill." Tom laughed. "But, yeah, we're ready."

"Did anyone notice that I'm late?" Bill glanced around the room at the spread out security and in charge people. He dropped his duffel bag and his backpack at his feet and rolled his shoulders as he held Nadiehn's hand.

"No, I just got here myself. I don't think anyone's done a head count yet." Tom shook his head and looked around again. If they were late and people were worried, they'd have heard about it by then.

"Where's the goblin?" Bill asked.

"He's hanging out with the other kids." Tom nodded toward the windows against the far wall. Bradyn was still on Gustav's shoulders and he had his arms out to his sides like he was flying. David was laughing and pretending to be an air traffic controller.

"This flight is gonna be a breeze for you. Just put Bradyn between those two and you won't even know he's there." Bill laughed.

"Yeah, I wish it was that easy." Tom rolled his eyes and looked for the bar. "Come on. Let's go get a drink and let the girls do their chick chat stuff." Tom leaned in and gently pressed his lips against Tayla's cheek. "We'll be right back." He and Bill walked over to the bar and left the girls alone.

"Okay, how cute is that?" Nadiehn laughed as she watched them go. "You guys are so adorable." She shook her head.

"No, we're not." Tayla smiled and blushed, knowing that they were.

"I miss that new relationship glow." Nadiehn sighed wistfully. "You guys are lucky."

"Are you kidding? Have you seen the way Bill looks at you? You still have the new glow working for you." Tayla laughed. "I think that's a cool thing about the guys being away so much, when they come home and visit, it's like a whole new relationship kind of. You guys are the lucky ones."

"Yeah, I see what you're saying but, at the same time, relationships like that never get past the new stage and that's why they stall." Nadiehn explained. "It takes a really strong person to be able to deal with the new relationship issues when you've been dating for three years, you know?"

"True." Tayla nodded.

"It took me a few years to realize that." Nadiehn laughed. "But you won't have that problem. You'll get to see him just about anytime you want."

"It's not that simple. They're going to be really busy."

"Yeah but you'll at least be in the same city." Nadiehn raised her eyebrow and smiled. "Same hotel room." She winked slyly and laughed.

"Shush." Tayla laughed and looked over at the bar to where Bill and Tom were standing with bottled water in their hands. "So you're okay with your fiance traipsing around Europe with three of his buddies?" Tayla kidded as she leaned against the wall beside Nadiehn.

"Yeah, well, that's what you're there for, to keep him in line." She smiled.

"Me? Keep Bill in line?" Tayla laughed. "To be honest, he'll be the one keeping everyone else in line."

"That's probably true. Besides, I'll be out to visit next month." Nadiehn lightly ran her fingers over the ring on her left hand.

"That'll be a lot of fun. I know Gustav is bringing Ang out too."

"We'll all have to have a girl's day or something. A day at the spa or something."

"Sign me up. You don't have to ask me twice."

"Me neither." Nadiehn laughed and looked over Tayla's shoulder. "Here comes trouble." She smiled as Bill walked up with a drink in each hand. "I'll see you in a few weeks, Tayla." Nadiehn gave Tayla a quick hug then headed off to a private corner with Bill.

----------------

Tom had started walking back with Bill but he made a detour when he saw Bradyn and David standing off to the side of the crowd. David was looking around at his eye level looking kind of lost. "Here he is." David smiled as Tom walked up. "See? I knew we'd find him." He smiled down at Bradyn.

"Are you okay?" Tom asked as he balanced his water bottles in one arm as he took Bradyn's hand.

"Yeah, he's okay. He was just worried that you had gotten on a plane already so we were looking for you." David explained. "See? Your Daddy wouldn't leave without you."

"Daddy, say." Bradyn nodded.

"Yeah, I'm staying with you today. We're going to get on the same plane with everyone else." Tom nodded. "Don't worry about that."

"Kay." Bradyn smiled and sighed as he looked at David. "Where Tayla?"

"Yeah, speaking of Tayla, I heard you two have a thing going?" David asked softly.

"Me and Tayla?" Tom looked over his shoulder to where she was standing alone. "Yeah. Yeah, we're kinda seeing each other."

"Kinda?"

Tom nodded. "We're dating. We're, uh- Yeah, we're seeing each other."

"Cool." David laughed at Tom's uneasiness. "You gotta tell me these things before I go embarrassing myself."

"Sorry." Tom smiled and swung Bradyn's hand.

"Daddy, where she?" Bradyn sighed as he hung on Tom's hand to get his attention.

"She's waiting right over there." Tom pointed and caught Tayla's eye. He held up a bottle of water in question and she nodded to indicate that she would like one. "Let's get her a water and hang out."

"Kay."

"See you on the plane." Tom waved to David as he and Bradyn made their way over to the bar again and got another bottle before they walked over to where she was waiting by the window.

"You look almost giddy." She smiled and took the bottle and twisted the cap off.

"I am." Tom smiled and tilted his bottle back to take a drink.

"Daddy, I have some?" Bradyn asked. "Peese?"

"Hang on, I have a bottle just for you."

"I no have bottle." Bradyn shook his head. "I'm big."

"I know you're a big boy so you don't use a baby bottle. This is a different kind of bottle, see? I drink out of them and Tayla too."

"And Goose-gog?"

"Yeah, Gustav too." Tom nodded.

"And Seppel?"

"You bet." Tom smiled and tucked his bottle under his arm to twist Bradyn's bottle open. He held it to his son's lips and watched him carefully as he drank a few large swallows.

"Is that good?"

"Yeah." Bradyn wiped his mouth on his sleeve and smiled. Tom held Bradyn against his shoulder as he adjusted the old red backpack and smiled. "We fly?" Bradyn yawned softly.

"Yeah, we're gonna go fly."

"Like supaman?"

"Kind of."

"And Gay-og?"

"Yeah, Georg will be there too."

"Kay." Bradyn sighed and rested his head on Tom's shoulder.

"Here we go." Tayla bumped her shoulder against his arm as the others started down the ramp to the airplane.

"Yeah." Tom smiled and nodded as he laced his fingers through hers then squeezed her hand softly. He brought her their hands to his lips and kissed her fingers. He smiled and leaned in to kiss her lips softly. They paused at the top of the ramp to show their passports to the agent at the podium before they were waved through. "Here we go."

Tom and Tayla started down the ramp hand in hand as Tom's stomach tightened with excitement. With his son on his hip, Tayla at his side and the guys leading the way, he felt more complete than he had in a long time.

Bradyn squirmed in Tom's arms then sighed against his neck. "We're almost on the plane, buddy." Tom said softly.

"Kay." Bradyn nodded slightly as Tayla reached out and patted his back with her free hand. "Tayla too?"

"Of course." She laughed lightly. "I'm coming too."

"Swee." Bradyn smiled and closed his eyes as they stepped onto the plane.

"Sweet." Tom grinned as he looked at Tayla. She laughed and blushed slightly as he squeezed her hand again, the feeling was mutual.

Gustav stood in the aisle trying his hardest to shove his jacket and duffel bag into the overhead compartment. "Meine Fresse." He grumbled as Tom and Tayla entered at the front of the plane. He stopped his struggle and watched as they stood only inches from each other looking like a matched set.

For a moment, he was amazed that Tom had been able to completely turn his life around to accommodate Bradyn and make their life together even better by adding Tayla to the happiness but then he stopped. Of course Tom could pull that off and come out smiling. He was Tom and Tom could do anything.

Chapter Eleven