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Nick glanced in his bedroom mirror and gazed at his reflection. He almost didn't recognize the face staring back at him. He was smiling. He had not smiled for a very long time. He had almost forgotten how he looked when he smiled.

He smoothed his hands over his dress shirt, trying to smooth out the wrinkles that were etched into the fabric. He didn't want to have to iron it. He studied his appearance for a few moments before he pulled the shirt over his head and tossed it to the side with the rest of the shirts he had chosen not to wear this evening.

This evening was special. He had called Kayleigh earlier and she had agreed to go out to dinner. He was ecstatic. He was also very nervous! He hadn't been on a date in so long; he almost panicked when he couldn't figure out where to take her. She had told him that she wasn't picky, but he wasn't sure if she meant it, or was just trying to ease the tension. He had finally broken down and begged his brother to help him decide on a restaurant. He eventually decided on Hérmóso. A small, ritzy, Spanish restaurant on the edge of town. He had made sure he told her to dress up, now he was beginning to regret it. He absolutely couldn't find anything to wear! He didn't have any "date" clothes. Somehow his church apparel didn't seem to cut it for tonight. He needed to make a good impression, especially after his major mishap the other day. He wanted her to like him as much as he liked her.

He dug around in his closet and jumped when he felt Gavin wrap his small arms around his leg. He ruffled his son's hair and continued trying to find a suitable outfit.

"I wob you daddy," Gavin said hugging Nick's legs.

"I love you too munchkin," Nick said still not fully paying attention to his son.

He didn't look up from the closet until he felt something cold and wet hit his foot. He glanced down and saw a huge glob of chocolate ice cream running off his foot and onto the carpeting. He sighed and looked at his son for the first time since he had entered the room. He was covered with ice cream. It was in his hair, all over his clothes and body. He smiled up at his father, quite pleased with himself.

Not now! Nick whispered to himself before he screamed loudly for his younger brother. Gavin quickly covered his ears at the loud sound, smearing more of the ice cream in the process. Aaron walked into the room a few moments later and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw his nephew and the dirty look Nick was shooting him. If looks could kill, Aaron would have been dead. He swallowed hard and tried to smile.

"You were supposed to watch him. Instead you let him mess around and make a mess. I'm supposed to be able to trust you. This living arrangement is starting not to work! I'm calling Alex to come watch him. Not a word from you. Obviously you are not responsible enough to watch him. Can I trust you to give him a bath and clean this up so I can get ready?" Nick bellowed.

Aaron nodded slowly and took Gavin's sticky hand. He led him to the doorway and stopped.

"I'm really sorry Nick. I know I messed up again," Aaron whispered.

Nick glanced in his bedroom mirror and gazed at his reflection. He almost didn't recognize the face staring back at him. He was smiling. He had not smiled for a very long time. He had almost forgotten how he looked when he smiled.

He smoothed his hands over his dress shirt, trying to smooth out the wrinkles that were etched into the fabric. He didn't want to have to iron it. He studied his appearance for a few moments before he pulled the shirt over his head and tossed it to the side with the rest of the shirts he had chosen not to wear this evening.

This evening was special. He had called Kayleigh earlier and she had agreed to go out to dinner. He was ecstatic. He was also very nervous! He hadn't been on a date in so long; he almost panicked when he couldn't figure out where to take her. She had told him that she wasn't picky, but he wasn't sure if she meant it, or was just trying to ease the tension. He had finally broken down and begged his brother to help him decide on a restaurant. He eventually decided on Hérmóso. A small, ritzy, Spanish restaurant on the edge of town. He had made sure he told her to dress up, now he was beginning to regret it. He absolutely couldn't find anything to wear! He didn't have any "date" clothes. Somehow his church apparel didn't seem to cut it for tonight. He needed to make a good impression, especially after his major mishap the other day. He wanted her to like him as much as he liked her.

He dug around in his closet and jumped when he felt Gavin wrap his small arms around his leg. He ruffled his son's hair and continued trying to find a suitable outfit.

"I wob you daddy," Gavin said hugging Nick's legs.

"I love you too munchkin," Nick said still not fully paying attention to his son.

He didn't look up from the closet until he felt something cold and wet hit his foot. He glanced down and saw a huge glob of chocolate ice cream running off his foot and onto the carpeting. He sighed and looked at his son for the first time since he had entered the room. He was covered with ice cream. It was in his hair, all over his clothes and body. He smiled up at his father, quite pleased with himself.

Not now! Nick whispered to himself before he screamed loudly for his younger brother. Gavin quickly covered his ears at the loud sound, smearing more of the ice cream in the process. Aaron walked into the room a few moments later and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw his nephew and the dirty look Nick was shooting him. If looks could kill, Aaron would have been dead. He swallowed hard and tried to smile.

"You were supposed to watch him. Instead you let him mess around and make a mess. I'm supposed to be able to trust you. This living arrangement is starting not to work! I'm calling Alex to come watch him. Not a word from you. Obviously you are not responsible enough to watch him. Can I trust you to give him a bath and clean this up so I can get ready?" Nick bellowed.

Aaron nodded slowly and took Gavin's sticky hand. He led him to the doorway and stopped.

"I'm really sorry Nick. I know I messed up again," Aaron whispered.

"Just clean him up," Nick said heading back into his closet.

He had no idea how he was supposed to put up with all of this. He grabbed the phone to call his friend as he continued to look for something to wear. He hoped the rest of his evening would go better.