I Have a Secret - Chapter Two
Skylar applied her mascara heavily and adjusted her tiny black headband in the mirror. "Mommy, I don't like that." Gage frowned as he stood on his tiny stool and played with her bright red lipstick.
"It's part of my costume, Gage. Don't play with that." She took the tube of lipstick from him and sighed. She ran her hands down her perfectly straight hair and frowned. "What do you think?" She looked down at Gage.
"I don't like that stuff on your eyes." Gage frowned and tugged at his wetsuit zipper cord.
"Does everything else look okay?" She asked as she looked back in the mirror.
"Yeah." Gage sighed and climbed down. He left Skylar alone in the tiny bathroom. She applied a little more blush to her cheeks and smoothed down the apron of her dress as the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it!" Gage yelled as he ran down the hall.
"Ask who it is!" Skylar shouted after him. She leaned down and buckled the straps on her shiny black Mary Janes.
"Who is it?!" Gage yelled as he pressed his ear to the door.
"It's Tom. Is your Mommy home?" Tom said through the door.
"Yes!" Gage shouted.
"Can I come in?" Tom asked.
"I can't reach the lock thing. Hold on." Gage ran back down the hallway and almost collided with Skylar. "It's Tom, Mommy."
"Okay." Skylar stepped over Gage as he continued down to his room to get his tanks. Skylar pulled the door open and took a deep breath. "Hey! Come i-" She stopped mid-sentence. Skylar covered her mouth with her hand and tried not to laugh. "Nice- uh- costume."
Tom stood on her front porch in a full Kiss costume. It was complete with black and white face paint and long black wig. Tom smiled and stuck his tongue out Gene Simmons style. "I look amazing, huh?"
"Yeah." Skylar laughed and held the door open as he stepped in. "Where's everyone else?" She asked. She was speaking of Georg, Maddie, Gustav and his little cousin. Tom had asked if they could come along and Skylar had, of course, said that was fine.
"They're coming." Tom leaned in close and kissed Skylar quickly. "I don't wanna mess up my make up."
Sky laughed and shook her head. "I never thought I'd ever hear you utter those words!"
"Mommy! I can't get my feet on!" Gage shouted from down the hall.
"Bring them here. I'll help you." Skylar said as she and Tom headed for the living room.
"But Tom will see." Gage pouted.
"Okay." Skylar sighed, "I'll be right back. He wants to surprise you."
"Okay." Tom laughed and sat on the couch with his arm draped across the back.
"Don't get any make-up on my couch." She laughed again at the mention of Tom wearing make-up.
"Yes, Mom." Tom leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees.
Skylar walked down the hall and knelt in front of Gage's bed to help him get his flippers and mask on. "Looking sharp!" She smiled and helped him stand up. "Can you see okay?"
"Yes. I cad see." Gage said with the mask covering his nose.
"Let's go. Wait till you see Tom. He's got stuff all over his face! He looks funny." Skylar held his hand as they walked down the hall. Gage's flippers made slapping noises on the carpet.
"Are you ready Tom?" Skylar asked before they rounded the corner.
"Ready." Tom stood up and waited as Gage and Skylar stepped out into the living room. "You look wicked, little guy!" Tom held out his hand for a low five and Gage smacked it cheerfully as the doorbell rang again. "I'll bet that's Georg and Maddie."
Skylar released Gage's hand and opened the door to see Maddie dressed as a little yellow duck and Georg standing behind her in all black. On his shirt was a giant white "P" and his right eye was blackened. "Come in!" Skylar held the door open so Georg and Maddie could walk in. Gustav and his little cousin Alex followed them in and Skylar shut the door.
"What are you supposed to be?" Tom asked Georg.
"A black-eyed pea." Georg smiled. "Get it? Black-eyed 'P'?"
"Hey Gustav!" Gage flopped over to Gustav and stared up at him.
Gustav was dressed in full drag. He smiled down at Gage, "Hey, scuba man!"
"Are you a girl?" Gage asked.
"He's Britney Spears." Alex explained as he adjusted his straw hat. He was dressed as a farmer in torn overalls, a red plaid long sleeved shirt and a stuffed chicken under one arm.
"Gustav." Skylar said as she burst out laughing. "That's amazing!"
"You like?" He turned around as he modeled in his catholic schoolgirl uniform, fake pigtails and huge boobs.
"You're absolutely priceless." Skylar laughed. "Are we ready to go?"
"Yeah!" The kids shouted.
"You must be Alex." Skylar smiled at the farmer.
"Yeah, sorry. This is my little cousin, Alex." Gustav draped his arm over the young man's shoulders and smiled.
"Hi, Alex. This is my son Gage." Skylar placed her hands on Gage's shoulders and he waved shyly.
"Let's go get some candy!" Georg grabbed Maddie and threw her up in the air.
"Yeah, candy!" Tom laughed and headed for the door.
"Nice outfit." Gustav laughed as Tom walked by.
"You too, sexy!" Tom retorted.
Skylar followed them out the door and locked up behind them. "Let's head to the right. We can go all the way around the block and end up back here.
"Okay." Tom took Gage's hand as the sun began to set. The streets were filling up with kids as they headed to the neighbors' houses. Gage had to walk kind of slow because of his flippers, but Tom stayed beside him the whole time.
Gustav and Tom took the kids up to all of the houses while Georg and Skylar waited on the sidewalk. Out of all the guys, Gustav and Tom were the least likely to be recognized that night so Georg let them go up and face everyone.
"I'm glad you guys could come. It's a lot more fun trick-or-treating with other kids." Skylar watched as the kids ran down the front walk with their candy bags at their sides. Gustav and Tom followed after them laughing at Gage trying to run in his flippers.
"Yeah, Maddie has a great time with Gage." Georg explained. "Most of the other kids she's around are her age or older than her so she likes being the big kid."
"I know the feeling." Skylar laughed.
They walked along for a couple of blocks. The kid's bags were being filled with mini candy bars and tiny toys. Tom was having almost as much fun as the kids were and Gustav was running up and down the driveways singing "Hit me, baby, one more time!" Potential fans on the street were watching him as if he was some mental case and they steered clear of them.
"Hey, Sky?" Georg asked.
"Hmm?" Skylar watched as Alex trotted up the walkway ahead of the others.
"When- I mean- are you planning on telling Tom?"
"What?" She asked.
"Come on, Sky." Georg gave her a look. "Aside from the fact that he looks like a shorter version of Tom, he just happens to have been born 9 months after we left on the last tour after you and Tom split?"
The blood in her body rushed to her toes and for the first time that night she was thankful for the red blush she'd put on her cheeks.
"It's obvious Tom doesn't know."
"Georg, it's complicated." Skylar shook her head slowly.
"I'm right, aren't I?"
"Yes." She nodded and looked up the walk as the kids came bounding towards them followed by the two older boys.
"Mommy! I got two suckers!" Gage cheered.
"Awesome!" She somehow managed to say.
"Hey, Gustav? Can you guys go on ahead? Skylar left her jacket back at the house and we're going to walk on back and get it." Georg said.
"Sure." Gustav nodded.
"Do you want me to run and get it?" Tom asked.
"No. That's okay. You're having more fun than the kids." Skylar smiled tightly. "We'll be right back."
"Okay." Tom leaned in and kissed her cheek quickly before taking Gage's hand and heading down the street after Gustav and the kids.
"Tom doesn't want kids." Skylar said softly as they turned in the opposite direction.
"Want them or not-"
"It's not that easy, Georg. It may look settled to you, but it's not."
"I'm not saying it's easy. I'm saying that Tom needs to know." Georg explained.
"We're doing fine without him."
"That doesn't make a difference. You may not need him to know but he needs to know."
"It would ruin everything."
"For you or him?" Georg asked. He didn't mean to sound rude but knowing it came out that way.
"For either of us." Skylar met his eye as they dodged a small group of kids. "This could really mess things up for Tom."
"I think I know Tom pretty well. I think he'd not only want to know but he'd want to be a part of this." Georg said softly. "He loves Gage. You know that."
"I know." Skylar nodded. "But if Tom's going to do this, he'd have to do it all the way. I just don't think he's ready for that."
"You should at least give him the chance."
"I can't do that to Gage." Skylar shook her head. "I can't let him get used to a daddy then have him leave."
"Tom wouldn't do that." Georg frowned.
"I'd hate to find out he would."
They walked along in silence for a minute before Georg asked, "What do you think Gage would want?"
Skylar's chest tightened and she practically winced. "That's not fair. Gage is only three. He doesn't know what he wants."
"He's a little boy, Skylar. He wants a daddy. He needs a daddy. You've got to at least give Tom that chance."
"You know that whole scandal about Gustav? That woman claiming he was the father of her child? Tom does not need this. None of you need this."
"First of all, that was a lie. Second, this doesn't have to be public knowledge." Georg stopped walking and looked Skylar in the eye. "I honestly don't know how Tom hasn't noticed the resemblance."
"I don't see much." Skylar lied. Ever since Tom had come back around the similarities between he and Gage were stunning.
"Maybe he just never even gave it a thought. I don't know. But we noticed that first day almost."
"We? You and who?"
"Savannah and me." Georg explained. "Bill noticed but didn't think anything of it."
"And you haven't-"
"I haven't even hinted at it. But you need to tell him soon. Before we leave on tour."
"Georg, I- "
"Skylar, if you don't, I will."
"Not tonight." She said quickly.
"It doesn't have to be tonight. But we leave for our tour on November 19. You have to tell him before then."
"I will."
"Okay." Georg nodded as they headed back to meet up with Gustav and Tom. "I didn't mean to sound like an asshole or anything." Georg explained a minute later.
"I know." Skylar sighed.
"He just, he needs to know. He loves that kid a lot and I think he's falling for you too. I just don't want to see him get hurt."
"It's going to hurt him when I tell him."
"Only because he never knew." Georg shrugged.
"I know." Skylar said softly as she walked beside Georg back to where the others were.
"They gave us yo-yos!" Maddie laughed as they walked up.
"Wicked! I'll show you how to use it tomorrow." Georg laughed.
"Where's your jacket?" Tom asked as he draped his arm over Skylar's shoulders.
"Oh- um- I'm not that cold any more." She smiled lamely and took Gage's hand as they crossed to the other side of the street.
"You okay?" Tom asked softly as they stepped up onto the curb.
"Yeah." Skylar forced a quick smile and averted her eyes. "Are you getting lots of good stuff, Gage?"
"Yeah! Tom sticks out his tongue a lot and gets candy too!" Gage laughed and adjusted the dive mask on his face.
Skylar laughed. "So are you gonna share or not?" She asked Tom.
"You bet." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a couple of mini Snickers bars and a Blow Pop.
"Ooh! My favorite." She took a couple of the mini Snickers and opened one. "Thanks."
"Anytime." He put the rest back in his pocket and smiled at her. "You look really good tonight, Sky."
"Thank you." She said softly.
"Really, you do." He whispered as he took her hand and pulled her close for a quick kiss.
"Come on. Let's go." Gustav tugged at Tom's sleeve like a child and rolled his eyes.
Tom reluctantly pulled back and smiled. "Time to get more candy." He said softly.
"Candy candy!" The kids cheered as they followed Gustav and Tom up the next driveway.
They finished up their trick-or-treating and headed back to Skylar's house. Tom carried Gage half of the way back to the house. It was exhausting trying to walk in the flippers. Gustav, Georg and the kids left from there. It was getting late and they all still had to drive home.
Skylar and Tom said good-bye at the door while Tom kept the sleeping Gage propped on his shoulder. He turned and walked back into the house as Skylar followed with Gage's flippers in her hand. Her heart pounded almost the whole time as she thought about telling Tom. She had to do it at just the right time and when Gage wasn't around. She was terrified by what his answer could be. "He could be upset. He may not understand."
Skylar continued to frown as Tom placed Gage in his bed and stood up and stretched his back. Tom took his wig off as he walked back into the living room and sat beside Skylar on the couch.
"That was fun. I haven't gone trick-or-treating in years." Tom smiled and leaned his head back.
"You looked like you were having a good time. I know Gage had a blast."
"Yeah. Those flippers though." Tom shook his head and rolled his eyes. "I thought he was gonna fall on his face."
"I know. Bad idea." Sky laughed and stifled a yawn.
"Hey, I'm going to be in the studio for most of this week . Do you want to have a quiet dinner on Friday?" Tom asked.
"Sure, I think-" She stopped and laughed, "I'm sorry, Tom. I just can't take you seriously in that make up."
"You don't like it?"
"It's just not you." She continued to laugh softly.
"Fine." Tom laughed and stood up. He headed to the kitchen. "Do you have paper towels?"
"By the microwave." Skylar laughed and rested her head on the armrest. Tom turned the water on and leaned over the sink as he rubbed the black and white make up off of his face. He tossed the soaked paper towels in the trash before he went to sit by Skylar again. "Much better." She smiled. "Now what were you saying?"
"A quiet dinner. You know, just me and you."
"Yeah, I think I can do that." She nodded.
"Friday?"
"Sure." Skylar smiled and reached to rub off a smear of black make up by his ear. "You missed some."
"You don't have a mirror by the sink." He said sarcastically. He leaned over and kissed her quickly. "It's getting late and I'm sure you're tired." He stood up and reached to pull her to her feet.
"I'm okay."
"Don't lie. I saw you yawning." He smiled and touched her hair. "I'll let you go to bed."
"You know, you can uh- stay here." Skylar said almost shyly.
"I'd love to." Tom whispered as he pulled her in for a hug. "But I have to be up and at the studio by seven. I don't think they'd like to see me in this outfit."
"Okay."
"I'd love to stay, Sky. I would." He kissed her softly and nibbled her lower lip for a second. "But I can't tonight."
"Okay." She nodded slowly.
"I'll call you during the week and I'll see you on Friday, okay?"
"Yeah." She whispered. She tried to keep her composure which was hard when he was standing so close.
"Don't eat too much of Gage's candy." He smiled and kissed her quickly.
"I won't." She shook her head.
"Okay. I'll see you later."
"Bye." She said as he brushed past her and out the front door.
"Friday. I'll tell him Friday. It's the perfect opportunity. A quiet dinner alone with Tom. Away from Gage and everyone else. I'll tell him Friday."
Tom called several times during the week and brought McDonald's over on Thursday when the band had a short day in the studio. Gage was thrilled to see Tom again and the fact that he brought Gage a Happy Meal only made him happier. Tom and Skylar solidified their plans for Friday night and Skylar arranged for Gage to spend the night at her parent's house.
Friday night rolled around and Skylar headed to her parents' house to drop Gage off before rushing to her house to change into her "date" clothes. She chose a simple black skirt and a dark gray sweater. She completed her outfit with some black heels. Skylar pulled her hair back with a tiny silver clip and brushed a thin coat of lip gloss over her lips just as the doorbell rang. She spritzed on some perfume before she took a deep breath and went to answer the door. "Tonight's the night. I'm gonna tell him tonight." She was having a hard time settling the butterflies in her stomach.
"Hey, beautiful." Tom smiled as he stepped in the front door. Skylar's face immediately lit up with a smile. He pulled her close for a quick hug and kiss. "You look amazing."
"Thank you. So do you." She smiled and looked him over. He was wearing loose fitting black pants and a button up dark blue shirt. He looked comfortable but nice.
"Are you ready? I'm running a little late, as usual, and our reservation is for six." He glanced at his watch and took her hand.
"I'm ready. Lemme just grab my keys." Skylar took her keys off the little table next to the door and handed them to Tom to hold. Tom locked the door behind them and led Skylar out to his car. He unlocked it with the keyless entry on his key chain and held her door open for her. She smiled as she slid in. "He can be a gentleman when he wants to."
Tom drove them across town to a cute little restaurant where they were seated near the back at a small candlelit table. "Have you been here before?" Skylar asked softly.
"No." Tom shook his head, "But I've heard the food is great."
"This is really nice." She whispered as she looked around.
"We don't have to whisper." Tom whispered back. "It's not a library."
"I know. It just seems so- I don't know." Skylar continued to talk softly.
"I know." Tom laughed lightly. "This isn't usually my style but I thought you'd be sick of McDonald's by now."
"Hey, I like chicken nuggets."
"We can always leave and hit up the drive thru if you want."
"No, that's okay." Skylar laughed and opened the menu in front of her. They ordered some outrageously priced dinners and salads. They then sat back and enjoyed an adult conversation without a three-year-old's interruptions.
"Do you have anything planned for Gage's birthday? I know it's coming up soon." Tom asked.
"Yeah. The 17th." Skylar nodded as the butterflies in her stomach did a nosedive. She had been putting off telling Tom all night. She was waiting for the right time but that time never came up. "He wants a Scooby Doo party so I think that's what we're doing."
"Cool. You making a Scooby Doo cake?" Tom smiled.
"I'm gonna try." Skylar blushed slightly and picked at her small bowl of sorbet. "You're invited of course."
"Thank you. I'd like to come."
"And Bill and the other guys. If they want to come."
"I'm sure they will." Tom smiled and reached across the table to take her hand. "What does Gage want?"
"What?" Skylar asked. That's almost exactly what Georg had asked her.
"For his birthday. What does Gage want?"
"You don't have to get him anything." Skylar shook her head gently.
"I'm not going to come to his birthday empty handed." Tom laughed.
"Tom-" Skylar sighed, "I don't know. He likes cars. He doesn't need any clothes or anything. My mom keeps him in fashion pretty well. He likes anything that has to do with sports or Pocoyo."
"Poco- what?"
"Tom, you need to get up to date with your kid's television programming." Skylar laughed and pushed her bowl away. "The characters that are all over his room? That's Pocoyo and his friends."
"I need to start watching so I'll know all the lingo." Tom laughed and just stared at Skylar.
"Um- Tom, I-"
"Shhh." Tom smiled as he held her gaze. He softly ran his finger down her cheek to her neck.
"No, Tom. I need to tell you-"
"Later." Tom leaned across the tiny table and kissed Skylar's words away. "I've been dying to do that all night." He whispered. His lips barely touching hers as he spoke. He kissed her again and smoothed her hair down with his hand.
"Tom-" Skylar's heart fell to her knees. "If I tell him now would ruin the night. I've waited to long."
"I'd like to stay the night with you, Sky."
"Okay." She smiled as Tom sat back in his chair. He paid the bill and left a generous tip before they headed back out to the car and headed back to her house.
They made it into the house and almost to the bedroom before Tom pulled Skylar to him and kissed her deeply while he pinned her to the wall. "Sky, I have missed you so much." He said between kisses. Skylar couldn't force herself to answer. She just kissed him back and ran her fingers through the braids hanging loosely at the back of his neck. She led the way to the bedroom and they fell onto the bed in each other's arms. She had missed this so much. She missed having a body to hold at night... a firm, manly body to keep her warm and safe until the sunlight broke through the curtains. Tom was everything she had been missing and so much more.
Two weeks later Tom brought the guys from the band over to help celebrate Gage's birthday. They were the hit of the party. Most of the kids there were Gage's age or a few years older and most of them had heard of Tokio Hotel. Gustav played in the backyard with some of the older kids while Georg and Savannah sat in the kitchen watching Maddie play out the window. Tom ran around inside with a kazoo in his mouth making all kinds of noise and amusing all the littler kids. Bill sat on the floor by the couch with Lauren, the little girl from next door, on his lap. He held a book open with one hand and read her the story softly. She giggled and flirted like only four-year-old girls know how.
"Hey, um, Sky?" Georg asked as he came up behind Skylar. She was pressing a candle into Gage's cake.
"Oh!" She said startled. "Sorry, Georg, you scared me." She laughed nervously and put another candle into the cake.
"We leave for our tour in two days."
"I know." She nodded as a blush crept into her cheeks.
"I don't want to have to be the one to tell him." Georg shook his head. "It would be a lot worse coming from me."
"I know." Skylar nodded and placed the last candle into the cake. "I know. I'm going to tell him today." She looked up quickly.
"Okay." Georg said a second later. "It's really for the best, Sky. He needs to know before he takes off for three months."
"I know." She nodded again.
"Do you need some help?"
"Telling him?"
"With anything." He shrugged.
"No. I've got it." She smiled quickly and lifted the cake off the counter. "If you could round up the kids and have them come inside for cake that'd be great."
"Okay." Georg nodded and pressed his lips together.
"Thanks." Skylar mumbled as she walked out to the dining room and sat the cake down. "Okay, cake time!" She announced cheerfully.
"CAKE!" Tom shouted as he herded the little guys over to the dining room. He lifted Gage up so that he was standing on the chair in front of the cake. "Hey! That's a Scooby cake!"
"Yeah! I like Scooby Doo and Mommy made this one all for me!" Gage laughed and scratched his ear.
"Are you gonna share with the rest of us?" Tom asked as he looked longingly at the cake.
"Well-" Gage thought about it for a second. "Yeah, you can have one piece for everyone." He smiled.
"Thank you. That looks pretty good!"
"It is. I tried it already." Gage laughed and watched intensely as Skylar lit the four blue candles.
Everyone stood around the table and sang "Zum Geburtstag viel Glück" to Gage. He blew out all of the candles and cheered for himself. Skylar's mom cut the cake and helped distribute pieces to everyone.
"Tom?" Skylar asked over the heads of all the kids in the room. "Can you come with me for a minute?" Her heart was beating furiously in her chest and she was very aware of Georg watching her from across the room.
"Yeah." He stepped over a couple of kids and tousled Gage's hair as he followed Skylar down the hall to the guest room that was right next door to Gage's room. "Wha'cha need?"
"Tom- I, uh- I need to tell you something about Gage's father." She said nervously.
"Is- is he back?"
"Tom- it's-" She sat on the edge of the bed and took a few deep breaths. It was now or never. "You're his father, Tom." She closed her eyes and dropped her head. Tom didn't say a word. "Say something please."
Tom's heart had all but stopped at the sound of those four words. He forced himself to remember to breathe before he uttered, "I'm- he's mine? My son?"
"Yes." Skylar whispered.
"What the hell?" Tom gasped for breath.
"Tom, I'm sorry. I know-"
"You're sure he's mine?" He asked suddenly. He hated asking but he knew he had to.
Skylar looked up sharply. "Yes, Tom." Her guilt turned to anger in a split second. "I'm sure."
"I just- Skylar, I mean-"
"You don't have to do anything." She shook her head.
"I don't what?" She was only adding to his confusion.
"I don't need any help, Tom. I'm not asking for any monetary assistance or anything like that. We're doing just fine." She said quickly.
"Who are you trying to convince? You or me?"
"We've done it by ourselves for this long."
"Gage needs a father, Sky."
She looked up at him. "He hasn't had one until now."
"And that's my fault?!"
"No. It's not. And I'm not complaining. I just wanted you to know."
"You wanted me to know and not do anything?!"
"No. Yeah. I don't know, Tom. I didn't want it to be like I was telling you to get something out of you like money. I don't need it."
"What about Gage?"
"We're fine, Tom."
"He's- he's my son." Tom shook his head as tears rose in his eyes. "I'm not going to just walk away, Sky. I can't. Not now."
"I'm not asking you to."
"You want me to not acknowledge him?!"
"No! Tom, that's not what I'm saying at all. I want you to do whatever you want to do. I don't want to pressure you into anything. We're doing fine on our own so if you feel can't do this right now, you know, because of the band then that's fine. I'm not going to think any differently of you. You'll always be someone very special in our lives."
"I'm his father, Sky. What do I want to do? I want to be that for him. Does he even know?"
"No." She shook her head.
"Does he- I mean-" He looked down at his shoes and shifted his weight.
"He wants a daddy Tom." She nodded. "And he loves you."
"Can I tell him?" He asked a minute later.
Skylar thought about that for a minute as they sat in silence, "If you want, yeah. He's not going to understand, Tom. Not the details."
"I just want him to know that I am who I am." Tom took a ragged breath and wiped his eyes before saying, "His daddy."
"Okay." She nodded. There was another uncomfortable pause as Tom stood with his hands deep in his pockets. "Tom, I'm so sorry I didn't say anything before. At first I was going to and then everything happened with you and Tokio Hotel so quickly. I didn't want to jeopardize that for you. Everything was going good for us and then you showed up again and it was like- whoa! Now what? I tried to tell you. That first weekend when you came to swim class and at dinner."
"Skylar, you didn't even hint around at anything about this."
"I tried. You said there was no way you wanted kids now and that you still were a kid yourself. Things like that. How was I supposed to tell you after that? I just felt like if you couldn't do it then I didn't even want to put you in that situation."
"You should have told me."
"I know, Tom, and I'm sorry."
"Why did you tell me now? Right before I have to leave for 3 months?"
"Tom-"
"Why?"
"Georg told me if I-"
"Georg knew?! How is it that you can tell Georg and not me?!"
"I didn't tell him. He asked me."
"Georg asked you what?"
"He asked me if you knew that Gage was yours."
"So Georg just figured it out on his own?"
"I guess. I mean, since you've been hanging around I can see a resemblance but I guess- I don't know. I suppose he just put two and two together."
"And if he hadn't?"
"I don't know."
"You would have let me go on not knowing?"
"Tom-"
"No. Forget it, Sky." He shook his head. "It's done."
"Tom, I- I'm sorry."
"Let's get back to the party." He headed back to the main room. He stopped at the door and said, "We can talk more later." Without another word, he turned and left Skylar in the guestroom by herself.
Skylar composed herself and took a few deep breaths before going back out to the main room. Tom was standing in the doorway to the kitchen with a blank look on his face. He kept his eyes on Gage playing on the carpet with all of his new toys. He stared like a father seeing his newborn child for the first time. He was counting all of Gage's fingers and toes, examining every last inch, searching with his eyes for hints of himself. "That's exactly what Tom is... a new father seeing his son for the very first time." Skylar tried to keep back the tears that threatened to spill as she crossed the living room and stepped out the back door into the fresh air.
She closed her eyes and leaned her head back. She took a deep breath, "The hard part's over, Sky." Georg said softly as he leaned against the wall beside her.
"I sure as hell hope so." She whispered as two tears escaped and ran down her cheek. Skylar reached up and hastily brushed them away as her bottom lip trembled. "Oh man-" She whispered.
"I'm glad you told him." Georg hugged Skylar tightly as she cried into his shoulder. "Give it time to sink in. He'll be happier once things calm down."
"I know." She said softly.
"He won't be mad for long. You know Tom."
"I know." She took a deep breath and stepped away. "I know. I just feel terrible." She shook her head. "Yeah, I brought it all on myself but it still feels like shit." Georg just nodded and wiped a tear from her face. "Thanks though. For making me do this."
"You're welcome." Georg laughed softly. "I'm sorry that I had to play the bad guy."
"No, it's okay. You made me do it and that's the important part."
"Yeah, it is." He smiled and tilted her chin up. "Friends?"
"Of course." She smiled through her tears and hugged him again. "You've gotta be there for Tom right now too, Georg. He's upset."
"Don't worry about Tom. I've got this." Georg smiled and opened the back door to go back inside. "You coming in?"
"In a minute." Skylar wiped her tears away with the hem of her shirt and tried to smile.
"All right." Georg nodded and left her alone in the backyard to clean herself up.
Skylar took a couple of shaky breaths and fanned her face quickly before heading back inside to help wrap up the party and send everyone home.
Gage escaped to his bedroom with his pile of new toys as soon as everyone left. Skylar made the rounds with a big trash bag. She cleaned up all of the paper plates and wrapping paper that was lying around the living room. Tom sat at the kitchen table and watched everyone leave before he stood up and sighed.
"Sky- I, um- I have to be at the airport first thing in the morning so I need to leave pretty soon."
"Okay." She nodded from the living room. She picked up two more plates and dumped them into the bag.
"I'm, uh- I'm gonna go talk to Gage."
Skylar's heart stopped for a split second and the blood drained from her face, "Yeah, okay." She said softly. "He's in his room."
"You and I can talk after." He said matter of factly.
"Yeah." She nodded and sighed as Tom stared down the hallway. He wasn't entirely sure what he was going to say.
Skylar dropped herself onto the couch as Tom took a deep breath and exhaled through clenched teeth. This was harder than he had expected. He took two quick steps toward the hallway then stopped and looked over his shoulder at Skylar. "Is he gonna be upset?" Tom asked softly.
Skylar fought back another round of tears as she shook her head slowly. Tom nodded slightly and walked down the hall to Gage's room. He pushed the door open and looked around at the Pocoyo border and comforter on the bed. Gage was sitting on the big Chicago Bulls rug running a matchbox car around in big circles.
"Hey, can I play?" Tom asked as he sat on the rug beside Gage.
"Yeah." Gage handed him the matchbox car he had been playing with and grabbed a big Tonka dump truck.
Tom spun the tiny wheels on the car as Gage pushed the dump truck around making loud car noises. "Hey, Gage?" Tom asked after a minute of watching.
"Yeah?" Gage asked distractedly.
"Did your Mommy ever tell you about your Daddy?" Tom asked softly.
"Yeah."
"She did?" Tom looked up quickly. "What- what did she tell you?"
"She telled me that my Daddy works really hard."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Anything else?" Tom asked a second later as he drove the little car around in circles on the carpet in front of him.
"And that he loves me lots and lots even though he can't see me." Gage shrugged and parked his truck under his bed. He reached for his motorcycle.
Tom took a deep breath as tears struggled to free themselves. "Wanna know something, Gage?"
"Hmm?" The little boy stopped and looked at Tom.
"I do. I love you a whole bunch." Tom forced a smile and placed his hand flat on Gage's back.
"You want to be my Daddy?" Gage asked. His eyes lit up as he forgot his motorcycle.
"I do. Is that okay?" Tom wiped his eyes quickly as Gage nodded and jumped up to throw himself in Tom's lap.
"Yeah! But what about Mommy?" Gage asked with a look of child-like concern.
"What- what do you mean?"
"Is it okay with Mommy?"
"It is. I already asked her." Tom said as he ruffled Gage's hair softly. He hadn't asked but she couldn't say no.
"Yay!" Gage hugged Tom quickly then scooted off his lap onto the floor again. "Can I have more cake now?"
"No." Tom shook his head slowly. "It's all gone."
"Too bad." Gage laughed and pulled his truck out from under the bed. "Hey, Tom?" He asked a minute later.
"Yeah?" Tom asked. He was still trying to control his emotions. He just wanted to reach out and touch Gage to make up for lost time.
"Can I still just call you Tom sometimes?" Gage licked his lips and frowned.
"You can call me anything you want to." Tom laughed and ran his hand over Gage's hair. "And I'll tell you what, you can call me anytime you want also, okay? I'll have your Mommy show you how to call me."
"Okay but I can't use the phone all by myself."
"She can show you." He smiled. Tom had only known he was a father for a few short hours but his heart ached at the thought of leaving for three months.
"Okay." Gage nodded and zoomed his truck around Tom's feet.
"I have to leave now." Tom reluctantly looked at his watch. It was after 9 and way past Gage's bedtime.
"Are you going to come with McDonald's again after work?" Gage asked softly.
"No. I, um- I have to go for a trip for a while. For a long while actually." Tom frowned and pulled Gage onto his lap again. "But I'm going to come over and see you whenever I can, okay?"
"Because you're my Daddy now?" Gage smiled.
"That's right." Tom whispered and kissed the top of Gage's head.
Skylar leaned against the doorway of Gage's room. The scene on the floor in front of her broke her heart and she knew Tom had told Gage.
"I know. It's time to go to sleep." Gage said as he noticed his mom at the door. He stood up from Tom's lap and climbed onto his toddler-sized bed. "I'm four years old now, Mommy, so I know these things."
"Yeah, you're a big kid now." She smiled and leaned against the door jam.
"And guess what?" Gage whispered loudly.
"What?" She whispered loudly back.
"Tom says he can be my Daddy now!" Gage's little face broke out in a huge smile as he pulled his blankets up to his nose.
"Wow! You're one lucky boy. You got your birthday and your Daddy in one day!" Skylar walked slowly into the room and sat at the foot of Gage's bed so she could adjust his blankets.
"Yep." Gage nodded and Tom stood up from his position on the floor. "Bye, Tom. Have a fun trip."
"Thanks. I will." Tom walked to the side of Gage's bed and leaned over to kiss his cheek softly. "I love you, Gage." He whispered into the little boy's hair.
"I love you too, Daddy." Gage whispered back. Tom smiled and turned away. He wiped the tears from his cheek as he stepped into the hall and leaned against the wall just out of Gage's view.
"Okay. Let's say your prayers." Skylar smiled uneasily and switched Gage's light off. She leaned over and kissed his forehead softly and said. "Now I lay me down to sleep-" Gage's quiet voice joined hers. "I pray, dear Lord, my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray, dear Lord, my soul to take."
Tom whispered the words of the prayer softly from his position in the hall and waited as Skylar tucked Gage in. She shut the door gently behind her and sighed. "Okay, Tom. Let's talk."
Skylar followed Tom into the living room and sat across from him on the couch. "So." She sighed. She wasn't looking forward to the conversation they were about to have. "What- what do you think?"
"I'm not sure."
"What are your plans?" She began to get defensive without any cause for doing so. "You just told my baby that you're his Daddy and now you're not sure what your plans are?"
Tom stared at her for a long time. He tilted his head to the side and asked, "My plans? I'm his father, Sky. My plans are to be the best father I can be."
"What do you think that includes?"
"Loving him." Tom said simply with a shrug. "And doing everything I can for him."
"I don't need your money, Tom." Skylar crossed her arms over her chest.
"I'm not offering you money, Skylar." Tom looked into his lap and shook his head. "I'm offering me."
Skylar was silent for a minute. She sighed. "Tom, if this is something you can't do right now I'll understand. I don't want to pressure you into anything."
"Skylar-" Tom looked up at her slowly. "This would be a lot easier if you actually wanted me to be a part of his life."
"I do, Tom."
"Then could you act like it? You keep saying I don't have to and that you don't want to pressure me. It's like you're trying to talk me out of it."
"That's not it at all."
"That's what it seems like." He frowned. He still hadn't completely gotten over the initial shock.
"I just don't want you to do this because you feel like you have to. I want you to do this because it's what you want."
"It is." Tom nodded. "Now it is. This is what I want." He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. He laced his fingers together and held them against his lips. "I leave tomorrow. I have the tour for three months."
"I know." Skylar said softly.
"I'd like to come visit." He said hopefully.
"Of course you can."
"As often as I can." He nodded. "We get free days every now and then and I'm going to fly back here every chance I get."
"Okay." Skylar nodded.
"It would also be okay if you guys could come see a show. So Gage can, you know, see what I do."
"I- are we- I mean, are you going to tell everyone?" Skylar asked nervously. The last thing she wanted was Gage's face all over the tabloids.
"Yeah." Tom nodded. He saw Skylar's face fall, "No, I mean- I'm going to tell the guys and the management people who need to know. But other than that I don't think we should. At least not right now. You know?"
"Yeah." Skylar breathed a sigh of relief. "I just don't want this to get blown up, you know?"
"No, I know. I didn't mean the media. There's not going to be a press release or anything like that." He laughed lightly.
"Okay." She smiled quickly and fidgeted in her seat.
"Do your parents know?" He asked a minute later. Skylar gave him a confused look. "About me being his father."
"Oh, yeah. They do." She nodded.
"I'll have to tell my parents tonight." He said as he glanced at his watch. That wasn't a call he was looking forward to. "They're going to want to see him you know."
"I know." She nodded.
"He's their only grandchild."
"Yeah." Skylar nodded.
"Maybe you guys can come to the show in New York."
"Sure."
"Or before that." Tom shrugged.
"We can work all that out. Whenever they want to see him is okay by me. And we'll figure out a show to come to so Gage can see what you do."
"Okay." Tom nodded and stood up.
"Your parents- They're going to hate me." Skylar said softly.
"No." Tom shook his head and smiled against his will. "They like you a lot, Skylar. From what I've told them, from what they knew of you before and from you bringing Gage over to play ball and stuff, they like you. They will be happy once the shock wears off. I think they'll be more mad at me." He cleared his throat and said, "I'll call you before we leave."
"Okay." Skylar followed him to the front door. She still felt uneasy about the whole evening.
Tom stood facing the door with his back to Skylar. He felt like his world was spinning all around him and he didn't know how to stop it. "Skylar, I-" Tom started. He stopped short and shook his head without turning around. He opened the front door and began to step out. Tears rose in Skylar's eyes as she watched him start to leave.
"Tom, wait." She said softly. Tom turned around and, without saying a word, pulled Skylar into a tight hug. "I'm sorry."
"God, I want to be mad at you." Tom said softly. "I want to get angry and scream at you and storm out of here but I can't."
"Tom-"
"You should have told me four years ago." He whispered as she began to cry.
"I know." She nodded and sniffed quietly. "I didn't know how."
"I love him, Skylar."
"I know you do, Tom." Skylar was grateful that, no matter what, Tom loved Gage.
"Are you gonna be okay?" Tom asked as he noticed that she was still teary eyed against his chest.
Skylar laughed softly. "Yeah." She nodded and wiped her eyes as she stepped back.
"I really have to go."
"I know. I'll talk to you later."
"Bye, Sky." Tom leaned in quickly and briefly touched his lips to her cheek.
"Bye, Tom." Skylar sighed as she watched Tom walk slowly down the path to the driveway. He'd arrived here that afternoon as a carefree, single guy and was leaving now as a father. "What a difference a day makes." Skylar couldn't help thinking. She smiled to herself then shut the door. Overall it hadn't gone as bad as it could have.
Tom called Sunday to let Skylar know that everything was set with the tour and that he wouldn't be able to fly back to Germany for three weeks. He gave her the date that he would be there to visit and she marked it on her calendar so that she'd keep the day free for Gage.
Tom filled her in on the conversation he'd had with his parents. He had been right from the start. They were shocked and, at first, a little upset. His step-father was a little leery that Skylar was out for money. Tom had assured him that she wasn't. They would warm up to the idea in time. He'd promised to talk to Skylar about sending photographs and to see when she might be able to take Gage to see them.
"Can I talk to Gage?" Tom asked as he and Skylar wrapped up their conversation.
"Sure." She said. She set the phone down on the arm of the sofa and walked down the hall to Gage's room. She had just put him to bed and was sure he wasn't asleep yet. "Hey, Gage. Guess who's on the phone?"
"Oma?" He asked excitedly from his bed.
"No. Guess again."
"Uncle Jared?"
"No." She smiled.
Gage gasped like only a four year old can. "Is it my Daddy?"
"Yeah! You guessed it!" Skylar's heart fluttered at the sound of Gage's little voice saying the word 'Daddy.' "C'mon, he's waiting to talk to you."
"Is he coming over?" Gage asked as he crawled out of his bed. He padded barefoot across the room and hitched up the waist of his Kikaninchen pajamas.
"No. He's working far away, remember?"
"Oh yeah." Gage yawned and shuffled out to the living room. He sat on the couch and made himself comfortable in the corner before he picked up the huge phone. "Hi, Daddy!" He smiled.
Tom's breath caught in his throat. That kind of reception would take some getting used to. "Hi, Gage!" He smiled and rested his chin in his hand. All of the guys were on the bus but Tom was lying in his bunk by himself.
"Where are you?" Gage asked.
"I am on a really big bus that's going to drive me all over the place."
"At night?"
"Yeah, it drives all night and all day sometimes too. But there are some beds on here and a TV and video games and even a bathroom."
"That's cool." Gage laughed.
"So how was your day? Did you go to the pool?"
"No. We stayed inside because it was raining and wet and then we watched Lion King and the dogs with the spots all over and had soup."
"Wow, that sounds fun."
"Yeah." Gage shrugged and pulled the blanket from the couch over his legs.
"I'm going to come and see you in a few weeks. How does that sound?"
"Good." Gage nodded. "Mommy telled me you get to sing and play a guitard on a big stage and with lights."
"Yeah, I do." Tom smiled at the way Gage said 'guitar' and played with an empty CD case. "With Bill and the other guys."
"And Georg?" Gage asked.
"Yep, Georg too."
"Me too what?" Georg asked as he walked past Tom.
"You get to play on the stage with lights." Tom smiled.
"Uh. Yeah." Georg gave Tom a look and grabbed his iPod. "Who is that?"
"It's Gage." Tom said softly.
"Hey, Gage!" Georg took the phone from Tom's hand.
"Hi." Gage said shyly.
"This is Georg! Wie gehts?!"
Gage laughed quietly. "Wie gehts?!"
Georg laughed and said, "Tom says you're gonna come see us play?"
"I don't know." Gage looked to Skylar. "Mommy am I- can I go see Georg play a guitard?"
"You bet." Skylar smiled.
"Mommy says you bet."
"Wicked!" Georg laughed.
"Yeah, it's wicked." Gage smiled. He loved talking like a big kid.
"Here's Tom back on the phone, okay?"
"Okay." Gage nodded and yawned loudly into the phone.
"Hey, Gage." Tom smiled. "Are you tired?"
"Yeah." Gage said sadly.
"Okay, well go back to bed. I just wanted to say hi."
"Are you gonna come see me?"
"Yes, but not for a couple weeks. I've got lots of work to do." Tom yawned himself and kicked his shoes off. "But have your Mommy put it on the calendar so you can see, okay?"
"Okay."
"Okay, go back to bed now." Tom said.
"I love you, Daddy."
"I love you too, Süßer."
Gage handed the phone back to Skylar but didn't move from the couch. "Hi." She said softly.
"Hi." Tom sighed. "Um, so I'll, uh- be back in Germany in a couple weeks to see Gage and stuff. I told him you'd mark it on the calendar or something."
"Yeah, I did already." She nodded.
"And if you guys want to come and see a show that'd be cool."
"Okay." She nodded. "I'm sure Gage would like that."
"Whenever you want to come just let me know and we'll work something out."
"Whenever is good for you will be fine, as long as it's a weekend."
"Okay, I'll send you a copy of our show dates and you can decide when you want to come."
"When will you play Orlando? I was thinking we may do Disney World too."
"Not till the end. Orlando is one of our last shows."
"Ahh, okay." Skylar ran her hand over Gage's hair. "We'll definitely come see you guys."
"Me too?" Gage asked.
"Yep. You too." Skylar smiled.
"Okay. I'm gonna let you go. I know it's getting late and Gage needs to go back to bed." Tom glanced at his watch.
"Yeah."
"I'll, uh- call you later and I'll see you in a couple weeks."
"Okay." Skylar nodded and they said goodbye. "Okay, Gage, back to bed." She scooted him off to bed and in the morning they began the countdown until Tom would arrive.
Three weeks and a dozen phone calls later, Tom showed up right on time. He carried with him a Happy Meal from McDonald's and a Big Mac meal for Skylar. "Hi Tom!" Gage screeched as he ran to greet Tom at the front door.
Tom set the bags of food down and scooped Gage up in his arms. "Hey there, Gage! Wie gehts?"
"Mir geht es gut!" Gage laughed and wiggled out of Tom's arms. "Did you bring me a happy burger?"
"Yeah, it's in the bag." Tom nodded to the bright colored bag on the floor. Gage picked it up and ran towards the kitchen as Tom picked up Skylar's food and his bags and smiled at Skylar. "I hope you're hungry too."
"I am. Thank you." She smiled uneasily and followed Tom through to the kitchen. "What do you say to Tom for bringing you dinner, Gage?"
"Thank you!" Gage smiled up at Tom as he took the toy out of the small plastic bag. "This is wicked." Gage imitated what he'd heard Tom many times before.
"Yeah, it is." Tom laughed and they all sat around eating the dinner and talking about what they'd been up to. Tom invited them out to see them in St. Louis the next month. That was the halfway mark for the tour and was on a weekend when Tom would actually have a little free time.
Skylar agreed to it and Gage was thrilled. They marked it on their big wall calendar and counted how many days they had to wait. It was going to be a while but Tom would be back in Germany again in another 2 weeks. That made the waiting easier.
"It's time for bed, Gage." Skylar smiled as Tom and Gage played cars on the rug.
"Awww, Mommy. Now?"
"Yes, now. It's after nine. You got to stay up late tonight." She smiled and leaned against the door.
"Okay." Gage sighed and parked his dump truck at the foot of the bed. Tom stood up off the floor and pulled the covers up over Gage's shoulders. "How would you like to go see the 'How To Train Your Dragon' movie tomorrow?" Tom asked.
"Yeah!" Gage cheered from his bed. Tom looked over his shoulder at Skylar for approval. She nodded and smiled. She walked into the room to say good night to Gage. They said their prayers before Tom and Skylar walked out to the other room.
"Are you, uh- staying at your house tonight?" Skylar asked.
"Yeah." Tom nodded and stuck his hands in his pockets. "I'll check on the movie times and come by in the morning. I have to leave at one tomorrow so it'll have to be an early show."
"That's fine." Skylar covered her mouth as she yawned.
"I'm going to see about having my parents to my house for Christmas? I usually go there but I'd really like them to spend it at my house. That way they can spend some time with Gage and everything."
"Okay." She nodded. "I actually talked to your mom the other day. We're planning on getting together soon and doing something fun with Gage. She had mentioned Legoland."
"Really? That'd be fun for Gage. You'll have to let me know how it goes."
"I will." She nodded. It was still kind of uncomfortable between them. Neither of them knew quite what to say.
"I'd better get going. I swear I'm running on empty." Tom sighed and turned toward the front door.
"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yeah." Tom smiled, "Hey, what CD is it that Gage was playing in his room?"
"John Lennon. I don't know the name of the album off the top of my head. He gets his love for The Beatles from me." She laughed. "He loves it."
"A music fan." Tom laughed lightly and blushed. "Get 'em started young."
"Absolut." Skylar laughed and leaned against the wall.
"I'll have to check it out." Tom opened the front door and turned to hug Skylar. "I'll see you tomorrow, Sky."
"Okay. Drive careful." She hugged him and then watched him walk out to his car. She waited until he pulled away before she shut and locked the door behind her. Skylar cleaned up the trash from dinner and got ready for bed. She sank into the deep blanket on her bed and drifted off to sleep.
The next morning Tom showed up early to pick up Gage so they could go to the movies. "The show is at 10:30." Tom explained. "I didn't know they had movies that early."
"Me neither." Skylar smiled and tied Gage's shoes in a double knot. "Are you sure you're going to be okay with him?" She asked cautiously.
"Sure. We're just going to the movies, right?"
"Yeah but, Tom, you can't even walk into petrol station without getting mobbed. Maybe I should go."
"No one will be expecting to see me anywhere near Germany and certainly not with a kid." Tom waved off her worry and adjusted the backwards baseball cap on his head. "I've got this."
Skylar sighed and helped Gage to his feet. "Just- just keep a real close eye on him. He's four and he likes to wander."
"We'll be fine! Right, Gage?"
"Right. Fine." Gage high fived Tom and pulled the heavy front door open.
"We'll be back in about two hours." Tom smiled as they stepped onto the porch.
"Come home right after, okay?"
"We will." Tom rolled his eyes and followed Gage out to his car with the child's booster seat under his arm.
"Do you know how to get that in the car?" Skylar asked.
"Yeah." Tom nodded and looked at Gage. "Is she always like this?"
"Yes." Gage sighed and nodded. Tom laughed and opened the back seat to help strap the seat it. He got it right on the first try. He buckled Gage in and shut the door. He waved over the hood before he got in the car and drove away.
Skylar watched nervously from the porch as they drove off. She waited anxiously in the living room for the next two hours. She'd jump up at each passing car to see if it was them. When they finally made it home Tom was carrying a bag from a music store in one hand and holding Gage's hand with the other.
"I told you to come right home." She said quickly.
Tom smiled and held up the bag, "We walked next door to pick up a CD before we came home. Relax, Skylar. We're fine."
Skylar sighed and relaxed a bit. She had never let Gage leave with anyone other than family before. She was nervous the entire time. "What'd you get?"
"That CD that Gage loves so I can listen to it too. We also got our Humanoid album for Gage to listen to. That way he can hear what I do and I can hear the kind of music he likes, right Gage?"
"Right." Gage smiled. "Hey, Mommy guess what!" Gage shouted excitedly as bounced excitedly my Tom's feet. Tom looked down quickly and shook his head. He gave Gage a look that spoke volumes.
"What?" Skylar asked. She looked from Gage to Tom.
"Nothing." Tom shook his head. "Just that, uh- it was a great movie, huh, Gage?"
"Yeah." Gage laughed and let go of Tom's hand.
"No no no. What happened?" Skylar asked in a motherly tone.
"Nothing. Everything's fine." Tom said.
"Tom let me drive." Gage whispered softly as Skylar bent to pick him up.
"Oh, he did, did he?" Skylar looked at Tom with an accusing look. "You let him drive, huh?" She smiled and shook her head at Tom.
"Spitzel!" Tom said with a small laugh. "Okay. Since the kid can't lie to you. Yes. I let him drive. Just a little. In the parking lot."
"You drove all by yourself?"
"And Tom pressed the gas." Gage smiled. "And then we heard him on the radio and he said a bad word."
"Oh really?" She glared at Tom and shook her head as she smiled.
"Yeah, he said- "
"Whoa, hey! I don't think so." Tom reached out and covered Gage's mouth before the obscenity could escape.
"No, I'd like to know." She laughed.
"I said the S H word." Tom said. "And that's not a word you need to be repeating." He looked at Gage and laughed.
"We'll have to wash Tom's mouth out with soap. What do you think, Gage?"
"No." Gage's voice was muffled against Tom's hand.
"No way!" Tom protested. He released Gage and the little boy ran down the hall to his room to get the Pocoyo figurine he'd promised to show Tom.
"Did you guys have fun?" Skylar asked.
"Yeah." Tom laughed. "He talked through the whole movie and never stopped moving but it was fun."
"Welcome to the world of a four year old." Skylar smiled and crossed her arms over her chest.
"The movie was pretty cool though. Of course that's all Gage talked about during the movie and after the movie and in the CD shop and on the way home. Dragons, dragons, dragons."
"That's what kids do." Skylar laughed. "Didn't you know?"
"No. I didn't." He shook his head. "You could have warned me."
"And risk losing my 2 hours of quiet? Not a chance." She laughed again as Gage appeared with his arms full of toys.
"Look, this one is Pocoyo and this one is Elly. This one is Pato and here's Loula and this is Sleepy Bird."
"That's cool, Gage." Tom kneeled in front of him and checked out the little plastic figures. "Just like in your room, huh?"
"Yeah, and this one gets mad and sometimes he's a lellocopter." He said holding up another one.
"Wow, that's pretty cool."
"Yeah." Gage nodded.
"Hey, I have to go get on a plane now and go back to work." Tom said softly.
"Okay." Gage nodded. "Will you come over again tomorrow?"
"No, I can't. Not for a couple weeks."
"But I want you to come soon." Gage pouted.
"I want to come back soon but I have to work. Remember? I have to ride that big bus all over and sing and play guitar with Bill and Georg and Gustav?"
"Yeah, but the bus can take you here." Gage juggled the toys in his arms.
"I wish it could." Tom frowned and reached out to mess Gage's hair. "But you can call me all the time, right? And listen to my music?"
"I just want you to come over."
"I'll be back in two weeks, I promise. And then after that guess what?"
"What?" Gage asked softly. He wouldn't look at Tom.
"You get to fly on a big airplane and come see me. Wha'cha think about that?"
"I get to go on a plane?"
"Yep." Tom nodded.
"By myself?" Gage asked excitedly.
"Your Mommy's gonna be on the plane too."
"Can I fly with you now?"
Tom shook his head slowly. "No, I have to go by myself. You have preschool and stuff but in two weeks I'll see you, okay?"
"Yeah." Gage pouted.
"Did you put it on your calendar?" Tom asked.
"Yeah." Gage sighed.
Tom looked at his sad son and frowned. "Okay. I really have to go now. Can I have a hug?" He asked. Gage carefully set all of his toys on the floor then stepped over them to wrap his arms around Tom's neck. "I love you, Gage, and I'll call you tonight, okay?"
"Uh huh." Gage mumbled into Tom's neck. "I love you too, Daddy."
Tom kissed Gage's cheek and let him go. "I'll call tonight, okay?" He asked Skylar.
"Yeah, that'd be great."
"Yeah." Tom nodded.
"Okay." She nodded and pulled him in for a hug. "Thanks for coming. We'll see you soon."
"Okay. Love you, Skylar."
"I, uh- I love you too, Tom." Skylar said softly before kissing his cheek lightly and stepping back.
"I'll talk to you tonight, buddy." Tom forced a smile and waved at Gage as he headed for the door. Gage turned away from Tom and ran down the hall to his room and slammed the door tightly.
Tom looked almost stunned as he looked from the now empty hallway to Skylar. "He'll be okay." Skylar said softly.
"He's mad at me?"
"He just doesn't want you to go." Skylar tilted her head to the side.
"Shit." Tom said under his breath. He put his bag on the floor and walked quickly down the hall and pushed Gage's door open. Gage was sitting cross-legged. "Hey, Gage. I'm sorry I have to go." Tom said softly as he sat beside him. "I really wish I didn't have to but I do." Gage didn't say a word and didn't look up at Tom. "How about if I stay for 10 more minutes?"
"Yeah." Gage whispered.
"But then I really have to go. My boss will be really, really mad if I don't get there on time."
"And you'll get in trouble?"
"Yeah. I'll get into a lot of trouble." Tom nodded. He pulled Gage onto his lap and asked, "Who's that?" He pointed to the toy in Gage's hand.
"This is the Fred. He's a ocapus." Gage sighed and moved the figures arms.
"Cool. What does he do?"
"He likes to sing."
"He does?"
"Yeah. But he doesn't talk. He just makes funny sounds." Gage explained.
"Cool." Tom smiled and kissed the top of his head.
"Is it loud when you work?" Gage asked a minute later.
"Yeah. It's really loud." Tom nodded. "But they give us these things to go in our ears so our ears won't get hurt."
"When I go can I put them in my ears too?"
"Yeah." Tom nodded. "We'll get you some ear plugs so you won't hurt your ears."
"And Mommy too?"
"Mommy too." Tom smiled. They played on the floor for a couple more minutes before Tom glanced at his watch. "I really have to go now, Gage."
"So you don't get in trouble?"
"Right." Tom nodded and stood up slowly. "Two weeks. Then I'll be back."
"I know." Gage nodded and hugged Tom's leg. "Bye."
"Bye, Gage." Tom ruffled his hair and walked out to where Skylar was still waiting by the door. "I have to go."
"Okay. Thanks for hanging out another few minutes."
"I hate leaving him here. I want to stay and make up for lost time." Tom smiled and sighed. "As soon as I get off tour we'll hang out a lot more. We, uh- We can talk about how that'll work."
"Okay." Skylar shuffled her feet nervously. "I don't want you to miss your flight." She smiled quickly and hugged him before he headed out the front door. He waved as he backed out of the driveway and was gone before Skylar shut the door.
Tom fidgeted in his seat in the MTV studios. The interview had already run more than a thirty minutes over its scheduled time and he had a flight to catch. He checked his watch for the second time in five minutes and cleared his throat. He hadn't been back to Germany in two weeks and he had promised Gage he'd visit tonight. He had two days off but most of that time he'd spend on a plane traveling to or from Germany. He would only get a few hours of time with Gage, if he made his flight.
"Are you late for something?" Sway Calloway asked with a smile.
"Oh, um- no." Tom smiled and dropped his hand to his side. "My butt's falling asleep. I think I need to stand up for a minute." Tom stood up by his chair and stretched his arms as the girls in the audience screamed.
"We're so used to moving all night when we don't move we get stiff, right Tom?" Bill asked.
"I sure do!" Georg chimed in as everyone laughed.
"I mean our muscles." Bill blushed and shook his head as he laughed.
"Yeah my-" Georg started.
"Okay, I think we get the picture." Sway laughed and tried to keep the interview at it's PG-13 rating.
"Hey, if you don't use it you lose it." Georg laughed and high fived Gustav.
Tom just laughed and shook his head. He was ready for this interview to be over with. He had ten minutes before he absolutely had to leave the studio in order to make his flight. He tried not to look at his watch but it wasn't working.
A few minutes later Sway signed off and the guys were free to go. Bill led the way off the stage with Tom only a half step behind him. He was rushing to get to the car waiting outside. "Oh my God! Tom, can I get a picture?" A fan asked with tears in her eyes as others swarmed around the guys in the tiny studio.
"Yeah, of course." Tom put on his best fake smile and draped his arm around the girl's shoulder. He was handed a stuffed bear, handfuls of personal letters and a small bouquet of flowers. He somehow managed to hold all of it while he scribbled his name on anything they offered him. He posed for a half dozen more pictures before he leaned over to Bill and said, "I really have to leave. I have a plane to catch."
"You going home?" Bill asked as he quickly signed a girls T-shirt and gave her a hug.
"Yeah." Tom smiled and raised his arm above the crowd to wave.
"Everyone say bye to Tom!" Georg shouted over the buzz in the studio. The fans all turned and shouted bye to Tom as flashes went off. He ducked out the stage door and took off down the hall towards the stairs. A member of the security team was close behind him.
"Tom! Hold on." The stage director shouted from the end of the hall.
"I'm really late." Tom sighed but stopped nonetheless.
"You don't need the battery pack or the microphone, do you?" She laughed and reached up under his shirt for the pack. She smiled and patted his shoulder. "Okay, you're free to go." She unclipped his mic as he smiled and continued down the hall.
"We're gonna miss the flight." Tom frowned as he and Tobi climbed into the back seat of the waiting limo.
"We're got this." Tobi sighed and rolled the window up as the fans on the street started screaming.
"Shit. I'm not gonna make it." Tom said under his breath. He dropped the gifts and notes on the seat beside him as he leaned back in the soft leather seats.
They sat in traffic for another twenty minutes just trying to get to the airport. By the time they pulled up at the terminal, Tom had seven minutes to get on his plane before it took off. It wasn't going to happen.
"Tom, don't forget these." Tobi jumped out of the car behind Tom with the gifts in his arms.
"C'mon, Tobi. We've gotta go!" Tom dropped his sunglasses and hat into place as he headed into the terminal. Tobi followed close behind as Tom went up to the ticket counter. "Flight 3490 to Magdeburg?" He asked quickly.
"Just left." The girl answered.
"Shit." Tom swore under his breath. "Do you have any other flights going to Magdeburg tonight?"
"Um- let me check." She said as she tapped into her computer. "No, nothing else until tomorrow and the earliest I have then is 6:35 am."
"Do you have anything that will get me anywhere close to Magdeburg tonight?" Tom asked as Tobi set the bear on the counter beside Tom.
"The closest I can get you tonight is Hanover."
"Close enough. When does it leave?" Tom asked.
"In thirty-five minutes." She said. "Would you like me to book you on that flight?"
"Yes." Tom said, "I have- had a seat on the Magdeburg flight."
"Name?" She asked.
"Tom Kaulitz." He said softly.
"How do you spell the last name?" She asked without looking up. Tom spelled it for her and sighed. "Okay, we can go ahead and change those reservations over. I showed you traveling with a Tobias Balewski?"
"Yeah, he's with me. He's here."
"Is he going to Hanover also?" She asked.
"Yes." Tom nodded.
"Okay." She took a deep breath and did some clicking on her computer then smiled. "You're set."
"Okay, is there, uh- a VIP lounge?" Tom asked softly as he noticed a small group of girls entering the airport. They were staring at him and whispering to one another.
"For you?" She asked.
"Yeah, it should have been on the original reservation. I'm Tom Kaulitz from Tokio Hotel and I only have one security guard with me." He explained softly.
"Sure, let me get that for you." She said quietly. She reached under her cabinet and produced a little pass after checking in the computer. She handed him the pass and asked. "You know where it is?"
"Yes, thanks." Tom waved shortly and grabbed his stuff. He and Tobi headed through the crowded terminal to the VIP lounge to wait for their flight.
They were the only two in there so Tom had the silence he wanted to make his phone calls. He first dialed their assistant to let her know of the change in flights and that they now needed a car at Hanover instead of Magdeburg. He then called Skylar to let her know that his flight had changed. "Hey, Sky." Tom said when she answered.
"Hi, Tom. Are things okay?" She asked as she flipped the eggs in the pan on the stove.
"Yeah." He smiled. "I'm running a little behind tonight. I missed the flight to Magdeburg so they have me flying into Hanover in about twenty minutes. I'm going to drive on over." He said softly.
"Oh, okay." She nodded slowly glancing at the clock on her microwave. It was about a 12 hour flight to Hanover and another hour and a half by car. That put him at their house around 9 that night. "That's getting kind of late, Tom."
"I know." He sighed and closed his eyes. "Do you think Gage can stay up until I get there?"
"You're driving from Hanover?" She asked.
"Yeah. Oh, I need to rent a car!" He waved Tobi over and scribbled a note to him to see if he could check on that.
"I'll see what I can do Tom, but if he doesn't take a nap today I can't make any promises." Skylar looked over at Gage who was racing a little car across the table. He was wide awake now, but it was only 7 in the morning. "You'll be in town until tomorrow though, right?"
"Yeah, I leave from Magdeburg around one."
"You can always see him tomorrow if you can't make it tonight."
"I know." Tom sighed. "I just haven't seen him in two weeks and I promised him I'd be there tonight."
"He'll understand. He knows you're busy."
"Yeah, but I want to be there." Tom smiled.
"I'll try to keep him up." Skylar smiled and turned the heat down on the stove.
"Thanks, Skylar."
"Sure." She smiled. "Be careful Tom."
"I will. I always am." He smiled at her concern then hung up. Tobi was on the phone checking on rental cars.
Tom and Tobi boarded the flight fifteen minutes later and flew in first class to Hanover. As soon as they landed, they grabbed a rental car. Tobi climbed in the driver's seat to let Tom nap on the drive to Magdeburg. Tom pulled the stuffed bear out of his bag and used it as a pillow against the window. He put his iPod on and listened to the John Lennon album that was actually becoming one of his favorites to listen to when he was flying or driving.
"Hey, Tom." Tobi said as he parked along the curb in front of Skylar's house almost two hours later. "You want me to stick around?"
"Hmm?" Tom cracked his eyes open and lifted his head.
"Do you want me to stick around and take you home tonight? Or are you just gonna sleep here?"
"No, you can go home. I'll stay here." Tom yawned and opened the passenger door. He carried his bags and the stuffed bear with him.
Tom trotted lightly up the path to the front door. He stopped on the porch under the yellow glow of the porch light and looked at the bear. Tom sighed and knocked softly on the door.
Skylar jumped at the sound of the door and muted the TV. She flipped the light on as she padded across the carpet to unlock the front door. "Hey." She said when she saw Tom standing there.
"Hey, Skylar. I'm sorry I'm late." Tom frowned as he stepped past her into the house.
"Gage is already asleep." Skylar shut the door behind Tom and followed him into the living room. "I tried to keep him up but he was just exhausted."
"That's okay." Tom sighed and stood there with the bear in his hands. "Can I go in and say good-night? I won't wake him up or anything."
"Yeah, you couldn't wake him up anyway. He sleeps like the dead." She smiled and sat back on her couch to finish watching House MD.
"Okay." Tom whispered as he headed down the hall. He pushed Gage's door open slowly and stepped into the dark little room. A night light lit up one corner of the room. Tom could hear the child breathing deeply from across the warm room.
Tom walked quietly across the room and sat on his knees on the floor beside the small bed. He rested his elbows on the edge of the bed and just stared at his sleeping son. Gage's hair stuck up in a cowlick off to the right and his mouth was closed tightly against his Pocoyo pillow. A large stuffed cucumber with an animated face was snuggled against his chest and he was half way covered with his thick comforter.
Tom placed the stuffed bear on the bed beside Gage and reached out to smooth down his hair gently. The little boy was warm to the touch, but he didn't stir at all. Tom ran his finger over Gage's eyebrow and his little nose. The similarities were so apparent now that he was looking for them.
He smiled slowly and rested his cheek on the sheet beside Gage's hand. He could smell the maple syrup scent that little boys always seem to have lingering on their pajamas. Tom sighed and stroked his son's back as he sang softly:
Have no fear
The monster's gone
He's on the run and your Daddy's here
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful boy
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful boy
Before you go to sleep
Say a little prayer
Every day in every way
It's getting better and better
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful boy
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful boy
Out on the ocean sailing away
I can hardly wait
To see you come of age
But I guess we'll both just have to be patient
'Cause it's a long way to go
A hard row to hoe
Yes, it's a long way to go
But in the meantime
Before you cross the street
Take my hand
Life is what happens to you
While you're busy making other plans
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful boy
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful boy
Before you go to sleep
Say a little prayer
Every day in every way
It's getting better and better
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful boy
Darling, darling, darling, darling Gage
Skylar heard voices in the room and thought that Tom had wakened Gage and they were talking. She muted her TV again and tip-toed over to the hallway where she heard Tom singing softly. She had heard the song before many times. It was one of Gage's favorites when he was a baby. She knew he would be thrilled that Tom was singing it for him. Whether or not he heard it in his sleep was another story.
Tom finished the song and leaned over to kiss Gage's forehead. He smoothed the little boy's hair again and stood up slowly.
Skylar sighed from the hallway, unnoticed by Tom. This was a lot harder on Tom than she thought it would be. It was a lot harder on both of them. Skylar silently crept back to the couch and waited for Tom to come out of Gage's room. "He's out." Tom whispered loudly from the hall.
"Yeah." Skylar nodded and flipped the ignored TV off. "Um- we should, uh- talk about Christmas."
"Yeah, I've been thinking about that." Tom sighed as he fell onto the couch beside her. "It's only about a week away."
"Five days." Skylar smiled.
"Right, five days." Tom grinned back and rubbed his eyes slowly. "I talked to my mom. She told me they came to see Gage last week?"
"Yeah. They came for the day."
"How'd that go?" Tom asked.
"Good." Skylar said after a moments thought. "It was kind of awkward at first. I wish you could have been here."
"I wish I could have too." Tom said softly. "Did Gage have a good time?"
"Yeah, we all went to Legoland. It was a long drive but it was fun."
"Sounds like fun."
"Yeah, I'm really glad they came. They've been calling too."
"That's good." Tom nodded. "So what do you guys usually do for Christmas?"
"We do a Christmas Eve lunch at my parents' house. The whole family comes and we have lunch and do the exchanging gifts thing. Gage and I come home and have our own little Christmas with presents from Santa in the morning." Skylar explained as she glanced across the room at the two little stockings hanging off the bookshelf.
"I'd like to see him on Christmas." Tom said softly.
"Okay." Skylar nodded. "You can, uh- stay here if you want. Christmas Eve- that night. Then have a little family Christmas with us in the morning."
"Would that be okay?"
"Sure." Skylar smiled and gently placed her hand on Tom's arm. "Gage would like that and so would I."
"You sure?"
"Of course." She laced her fingers through his. "Are you going to stay tonight? Or do you have a car here?"
"No, I don't. I had Tobi drop me off. Is it okay if I sleep on the couch?"
"You don't have to sleep on the couch, Tom."
"I just wasn't sure-" He blushed slightly and stared at their hands intertwined.
"Don't be silly, Tom." She shook her head.
"Speaking of bed, I'm exhausted. Would it be bad if I went on to bed?"
"Go ahead. I'm going to finish watching House. I'll be in later."
"Okay." Tom pulled himself off the couch. He leaned over Skylar to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. "G'night, Sky."
"G'night, Tom." She practically whispered. Tom stood up straight and licked his lips quickly. He headed down the hall to her room. She heard him moving around in the room and the light squeak of her bed as he lay down and made himself comfortable. Skylar smiled to herself as she turned the volume up a little on her TV and concentrated on the show.
Skylar stayed up a while longer. She caught up on the headlines for the eleven o'clock news before heading to bed. She changed into her pajamas and climbed under the warm blankets beside Tom. He was sound asleep and breathing deeply on the pillow beside her. Skylar curled up beside him and rested her head on his shoulder. She draped her arm over his sturdy chest and sighed contentedly. She closed her eyes and fell asleep feeling whole inside.
The next morning Skylar opened her eyes to the sound of chatter and cartoons in the living room. She frowned slightly as she opened her eyes and rolled over in the bed to face the door. "Gage always comes in here to get me when he wakes up. What's going on?"
"Hey, Gage, where does your Mom keep the cereal?" Tom asked from the kitchen. Skylar heard cupboards opening and closing and she laughed to herself. "Ah, here we go." Tom pulled the cereal boxes out and placed them on the counter. "What kind do you want? Raisin Bran? Cheerios? Gross! You like this stuff?"
"No, I like eggs." Gage said from the floor in front of the TV.
"Eggs?" Tom thought about the chaos he would cause in an attempt at making eggs for the kid. "You don't like cereal?"
"No, I like eggs."
"How about toast?" Tom asked hopefully. "I can do toast."
"With peanut butter?"
"Um- where does your Mom keep the peanut butter?"
"I don't know. I don't cook." Gage laughed at the cartoons as Tom began his search through the cupboards again.
"I can't find the peanut butter. How about cereal?"
"How about eggs?" Gage stood up and rubbed his eyes as he stumbled into the kitchen.
"I can't find anything in this kitchen." Tom said as he noticed the sleepy boy standing in the doorway.
"Can I have eggs?" Gage asked again. "The peanut butter is there." He pointed at the breadbox.
"Let's have toast instead." Tom nodded and pulled the breadbox open. He took out the loaf of bread and the chunky peanut butter. "Okay, where's the toaster?" Tom looked around at the empty counters.
"I don't cook, Daddy." Gage said matter of factly.
"It's in the cabinet under the coffee maker." Skylar smiled from the doorway.
"Thanks." Tom opened the cabinet and pulled out the shiny chrome toaster.
"You want eggs, Gage?" Skylar messed Gage's hair and stepped into the kitchen beside Tom as he placed two pieces of bread in the toaster.
"We're making peanut butter toast." Gage explained.
"If you want eggs I can make some." Skylar offered.
"Toast is good too, right Gage?" Tom asked as he opened the peanut butter and pulled a knife out of the drawer.
"Right." Gage smiled and walked back out to the living room to watch Pocoyo.
"Has he been up long?" Skylar reached for a bowl and poured herself some Cheerios.
"About an hour or so. You were sleeping really hard and I thought you'd like to sleep in."
"Thank you."
"So what's the plan for today?" Tom leaned back against the counter and watched Skylar eat her cereal.
"What time are you leaving?"
"Tobi's picking me up at noon to take me to the airport."
"Okay." Skylar nodded. "We were gonna get a Christmas tree this afternoon but if you want to help you can come with us."
"A Christmas tree?"
"Is there another kind of tree you put up at Christmas? Yeah, a Christmas tree."
"Sure. I'd love to." Tom laughed as he took the toast out of the toaster and spread a thin layer of peanut butter on both pieces. He grabbed a paper towel and placed the pieces on it. He carried them to the table and called Gage over. "Toast is ready, buddy." Gage jumped up and ran to the table to eat his breakfast. Tom put two more pieces of bread in the toaster and sat at the table with Gage and Skylar.
"Tom's going to come with us to get a tree."
"A Christmas tree?" Gage asked.
"Do you guys know something I don't about trees?" Skylar laughed and nodded. "Yeah, a Christmas tree."
"Can we get a really, huge, tall one?" Gage took a bite of his toast and wiped his peanut buttery mouth on his sleeve and smiled.
"Sure." Tom smiled. "How tall?"
"Nine miles high."
"Nine miles? That won't fit in the house. How about 6 feet?"
"How tall is that?" Gage asked.
"It's a little taller than me. See?" Tom stood up and imitated a tree. "It'd be like this with lights and ornaments and lots of presents underneath. Would that work?"
"Presents for me?" Gage asked excitedly.
"Maybe one." Tom nodded.
"Maybe a hundred?"
"That's a lot of presents." Tom stepped into the kitchen to make his toast.
"And Mommy can have some and you too. And for Oma and Opa and for everybody." Gage took another bite and laughed.
"Sounds awesome." Skylar smiled.
"Yeah." Gage nodded.
"There's a Christmas tree lot up by the recreation center. We can get one from there." Skylar said to Tom as she took a bite of her cereal.
"Works for me." Tom nodded. He glanced at his watch and said. "It's a little after nine so we should probably leave pretty soon."
"Okay." Skylar nodded and smiled at Gage. "Are you ready to go get your Christmas tree?"
"Yeah." Gage wiped his mouth and left a half-eaten piece of toast on the table as he jumped out of his chair and ran down the hall to his room.
"Wear warm clothes!" Skylar shouted after him.
"I will!" Gage shouted back.
"I'm going to go get dressed. Did you want to shower or anything?"
"No. I know I probably smell but I don't have anything clean here. Poor planning on my part." Tom shrugged and ate the last bite of his toast.
"You should leave a change of clothes here, you know, just in case." Skylar said softly as she got up to put her bowl in the sink.
"Yeah-" Tom said slowly. That was a little too close to moving in for him no matter how much it made sense.
"I'm going to go throw some clothes on. I'll be ready in a minute." Skylar breezed past Tom. Her hip brushed his shoulder as she rushed by.
Skylar dressed herself in jeans and a long sweatshirt. She went to the living room to put her shoes on. She tied Gage's shoes and they were ready to go.
"Okay, so we're looking for a nine mile high Christmas tree, right?" Tom asked as the three of them got out of the car at the tree lot.
"Yeah." Gage laughed and took Skylar's hand. Tom adjusted the hat on his head and pulled his sunglasses out of his pocket to complete the look.
"Cute." Skylar smiled over her shoulder and walked across the parking lot to where the trees were lined up.
They walked up and down the aisles looking for the perfect tree. Skylar decided that she wanted a full tree with lots of needles and a great pine scent. She walked around smelling all the trees.
"This one, Mommy! This one smells good." Gage picked at the low branches of a tree in the corner.
"You think so? Let's see." She leaned over to sniff it. "Yeah, that smells pretty good to me."
"You know that all Christmas trees smell like this, right?" Tom reached over and pulled the tree to a standing position.
"Yes. I know." Skylar smiled up at him and examined the tree from all angles while he held it up. "This tree is perfect. Good job, Gage."
"Is it nine miles tall?" Gage bounced around Tom's feet. He craned his neck to see the top.
"No, almost though. It's almost seven feet." Tom looked at the tag near the top of the tree. "Will it fit in your house?"
"Yeah, I think so." Skylar nodded.
"It will." Gage nodded as if he knew.
"So is this the one?" Tom asked.
"I think so. What do you think?"
"It looks good to me." He spun the tree around to get a good look. "Yes?"
"Yes." Gage and Skylar nodded and Tom picked the tree up. They walked it to the front and paid for it. They fought to tie it on top of Skylar's Mazda. Tom drove them home slowly and helped unload the tree onto their front porch.
"Where's the stand?"
"In the garage." Skylar said as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail. "I'll go get it." Tom looked at his watch quickly and nodded. "Do you have to go?" She asked.
"In about an hour." He nodded. Gage tugged at the bottom branches of the tree, dropping pine needles all over the porch. "Gage, don't do that." Tom shook his head at the child.
Skylar let herself into the garage and dug around as she looked for the bright red tree stand. She found it under a tarp with the big box of Christmas decorations. She took it into the house and dusted it off on her jeans.
"Gage, don't pull on the branches. You're making needles go all over the place." Tom sighed and tried to move the tree away from his grasp.
"Gage." Skylar said sternly. "Tom's asked you twice to stop it."
"But I-"
"No, you need to listen to him. He's a grown up."
"He's my Daddy." Gage nodded and lowered his head.
That took Skylar by surprise. Not the fact that Gage said the word 'Daddy,' he'd been saying that for a while, but the whole situation. She had never actually thought about Tom disciplining him. "That's right. He's your Daddy so you need to listen to what he says. When he asks you to stop pulling on the tree you need to stop."
"Okay." Gage said. He looked like a shamed puppy. "I'm sorry, Daddy." He said softly.
"It's, uh-" Tom looked to Skylar for some support. "It's okay." He tousled Gage's hair and smiled. "I just don't want to make a mess out here."
"Let's get the tree set up inside before Tom has to go." Skylar held the door open for the 'men' as they brought the tree inside. Tom set it in the stand and Gage went to grab a cup of water to pour in the base.
"Is it straight?" Tom asked as he leaned halfway into the tree.
"A little to the left."
"Your left or my left?"
"Towards the window." Skylar explained.
"That window?" Tom looked at the window behind the tree.
"Away from the door. It needs to bend away from the door."
"Like this?" Tom moved over an inch. He was unable to see anything but branches.
"Okay, that's too far." Skylar squinted at the tree. She tried to picture it with lights. Tom moved it around, turned it , tilted it and all but stood on his head to get it straight.
"Skylar!" Tom sighed when she asked him to move it back the way it was just seconds before. "What did you do with the tree last year?"
"I just threw it in the stand crooked and decorated it." She smiled.
"It almost falled over."
"Fell. It almost fell over, sweetie." Skylar corrected him.
"Then you know what?" Tom asked as he pulled his head out from the branches.
"What?" Skylar laughed at the pine needles stuck in his hair.
"This is fine." He let go of the tree and stood back. He ran his hands through his hair to get the pine needles out and looked at the tree.
"That looks great." Skylar beamed at the slightly off centered but not quite crooked tree.
"Tobi's gonna be here any minute." Tom looked at his watch and sighed.
"Do you have a show tonight?"
"Yeah. I'll get there in just enough time to get ready and get on stage." He nodded. "Hey, you're coming to the show in New York right? On the 30th?"
"Yeah." Skylar nodded. "I got the plane tickets last week. You said we could stay at the hotel with you, right?"
"Of course. For New Years. What better place to be, right?"
"Right."
"I get to go on a airplane and see you and Bill on the stage with the lights?" Gage asked excitedly as he climbed under the tree and poured his little plastic cup of water in the base. At the rate he was going he'd be transporting tiny cups of water all night.
"Yeah! We're gonna have an awesome time. I'll get you some ear plugs so your ears won't hurt." Tom smiled.
There was a knock on the front door and it was time for Tom to go. "Hey, Tobi." Tom smiled and held the door open for the security guard.
"Hey, Tom. You ready?"
"Yeah, just a second." Tom nodded, "Tobi, this is Gage. He's my, uh- he's my son."
"Hey there, Gage! How are you?" Tobi smiled at the shy four year old. "He's cute." Tobi smiled and tucked his hands in his pockets.
"I'll be back on Christmas Eve." Tom said to Skylar. "What time do you guys get back from your Mom and Dad's?"
"Around eight that night so Gage can get to bed on time."
"Okay, I'll plan on getting here around then." He picked Gage up and gave him a big hug. "I'll see you on Christmas Eve. How does that sound?"
"Good." Gage laughed as Tom kissed his cheek.
"Then you can fly out and see me and Tobi. He'll take care of you."
"Does he work with you?" Gage whispered.
"Yeah. Tobi makes sure I don't get hurt." Tom explained.
"And me too?"
"You too." Tom nodded. "When you come out to see me Tobi will make sure you don't get hurt."
"And Mommy?"
"Mommy too." Tom smiled and set Gage back on the floor. "I'll call you sometime during the week." Skylar wrapped her arms around his neck quickly and brushed his lips with hers.
"Fly safe." She smiled.
"I will."
"I'm Skylar, by the way." Skylar extended her hand to Tobi.
"Hi, Skylar. I'm Tobi."
"Nice to meet you." She smiled.
"I'm sorry to rush things along here but we really have to go." Tobi nodded at Tom.
"I'll see you later." Tom waved over is shoulder as he followed Tobi down the walk to the car.
"Thanks for helping us get our tree up." Skylar called after him. He smiled and waved as he climbed into the car and shut the door.
Gage sighed and said. "He's always really busy."
"Yeah, he sure is." Skylar watched the car stop at the end of he block and then turn the corner. "He sure is." She picked Gage up and spun him around on the little porch. "But we get to go in an airplane! How cool is that?"
"That's cool, Mommy!" Gage laughed out loud and tossed his head back.
"Let's go decorate the tree." She set him down and laughed as he regained his balance. They headed back to the garage to get the box of decorations and spent the rest of the afternoon decorating the tree and house.
Chapter Three