AJ arrived about twenty minutes after his phone call. Brayden had made it a point to be waiting at the top of the stairs so when his 'uncle' AJ came he'd be the one to answer the door. Nick was in the living room, aimlessly flipping though the channels, when the doorbell rang and he heard Brayden stomp down the stairs and swing open the door, "AJ!"
He heard AJ laugh, "Hey little man, where's your dad at?"
"Living room."
AJ swung Brayden up in his arms and closed the door behind him before going towards the living room, "Hey man."
Nick looked up to see his son upside down in AJ's arms, "Hey...is my son supposed to be upside down like that?"
Brayden began to wiggle and AJ finally had to put him down before dropping him on the floor, "No, not really...brought food.."
"Lemme guess, McDonald's?"
AJ smiled, "Of course!"
Nick got up from the couch, "Well come on, let's go get some plates and we can eat out back."
Brayden ran into the kitchen ahead of them and got out paper plates for them. AJ handed him a happy meal and handed Nick an extra value meal before taking his own food out of the bag and throwing it away.
AJ watched Brayden as he ran around the backyard on the jungle gym he had had practically since he was a year old and then looked over at his friend. "He's growin' up good Nicky."
Nick looked up from the fries he had barely touched, "huh? Oh yea..he has."
"You okay?"
Nick nodded, "Yea...just tired. I stayed up like half the night.."
"Doin' what?"
"Thinking..it was weird, him bein' at my mom's last night.."
AJ looked back out at Brayden as he crawled across the monkey bars like an expert, "You heard from her?"
"No. I don't think I'm goin' to."
"Good...she sucked anyways, buddy, no offense or anything."
Nick smiled, "None taken....think there's a girl out there....for someone like me? That's not gonna hurt me and leave me?"
"I think there is."
The way AJ said it made Nick pause and he looked over at his friend, "What are you plannin' AJ?"
"Who, me?," AJ asked as innocently as possible.
Nick rolled his eyes, "Don't fu...don't MESS with me like this AJ...what are you planning??"
AJ sighed, "Well...I was just thinking that it's been too long since you've gone on a date--"
"You made me go out on a blind date last year with some girl who was like psycho AJ....remember?"
AJ was silent for a moment and then realization dawned on his face, "Ooohh yea...forgot about her. Okay..it's been awhile since you've gone out on a date...I was just thinkin' that you needed to go out some more and maybe find that woman that's not gonna hurt you and leave you.."
"I'm beginning to think she doesn't exist AJ."
"She does. Trust me....have I ever proved you wrong??"
Nick looked pointedly at him, "Don't make me have to answer that."
"Yea..nevermind I asked, man. But look, for real...that perfect woman for you is out there somewhere just waitin' for you to find her..."
"What do you have in mind, J?"
"Come out with me and the guys next week...we all haven't gone out in a long, long time as just the guys..."
"Who's gonna keep Brayden? Mom's going out to LA with Aaron."
"Ummm..could ask LeighAnne or Kristen...they'll probably have a girls' night since we're havin' a guys' night..I'm sure they could.."
Nick sighed, "Fine..I'll go out with you all...I'll call LeighAnne in the morning and ask her..."
AJ smiled, "Cool..I'm glad to be gettin' you out of this house...I think everyone's beginning to think you were a hermit."
"I kinda liked it for a little while..."
"Only when he's not around?"
Nick nodded, "Yea...he's like..this little light whenever he's around..just has so much energy and stuff..."
"You've done good Nick...you really have...he's a good kid."
Nick smiled as he watched his son, "Yea...I know he is."
Brayden sat on his father's bed watching as Nick struggled to find the right thing to wear for his night out with the guys the next week. "Daddy?"
"yea??"
"Is Leighanne watching me?"
"Yea, her and Kristen are comin' over to pick you up."
"And where are you goin' daddy?"
Nick came out of the bathroom, finishing buttoning up his shirt, "I'm goin' out with AJ, Brian, Kevin, and Howie tonight.."
Brayden crossed his arms in front of him and stuck out his bottom lip in the perfect pout, "Why can't I go with you?"
Nick sighed inwardly, "Because Brayden, it's daddy's turn to go out...I won't be out too late..plus, you'll have fun with Leigh and Kristen.."
"But I don't want you to go!"
He sat next to him on the bed, "I know you don't, buddy...how about if I promise that next weekend, me and you will have our own guys' night out? How about that?"
"Me an' you?"
"Yep..me and you."
Brayden slowly smiled, "Can we go to Disney???"
"Disney? You want to go to Disneyworld??"
"Uh huh!," He replied, nodding his head.
Nick sighed, "Sure..we'll take Brian along too, ok?"
"Ok...."
"What's wrong now?"
Brayden shrugged his little shoulders, "I dunno.....daddy?"
"yea?"
"Are you going to find me a new mommy?"
Nick wasn't prepared for that question so he didn't know how to answer right off-hand. "Well...not tonight...you know you do have a mommy, right Brayden?"
Brayden nodded, "Yea..but she didn't want me, did she?"
"That's not true. She did want you..I just don't think she was ready for how much it took to take care of a new baby and stuff..."
Brayden sighed, "Whatever daddy...but, if you find me a new mommy, can you make sure she wants me?"
Nick reached over and placed a kiss on the top of his head, "That'll be the first thing I ask her...but I can guarantee I won't find her tonight, ok?"
Brayden nodded, "Ok.."
"Ok..good...now, I think I just heard a car, go check and see if that's LeighAnne and Kristen."
Brayden ran to the window and pushed the curtain open before yelling, "It's them!"
Nick smiled, "Go down and let them in, ok?"
Brayden nodded and stomped down the stairs.
Nick stood up from the bed and looked at himself in the mirror, making sure he looked alright. He sighed and straightened his shoulders. He smiled inwardly, he was acting like this was his last act on Earth. He grabbed his wallet and pushed it into the back pocket of the khaki's he wore along with his keys and walked down the stairs where LeighAnne and Kristen were fawning over Brayden.
Kristen looked up when she saw feet coming down the stairs, "Hey Nick.."
"Hey Kris..hey Leigh..you all sure you don't mind taking him?"
LeighAnne shook her head, "Not at all..we'll have fun. I've got a ton of movies at the house and I bought popcorn and everything..."
Kristen nodded, "Yea, it'll be a blast. Don't worry."
Nick sighed, "Sorry..it's just an easy reaction to have."
Both women nodded and LeighAnne said, "It's alright though.."
Nick knelt down to Brayden's level, "You be good for Leigh and Kristen, ok?"
The little boy nodded, "I will daddy...have fun?"
Nick smiled, "I'll try..you too."
Brayden nodded again, "I will!"
Kristen took Brayden's hand and led him out towards the car. LeighAnne followed but stopped just inside the door, "Try to have fun, Nick."
"I will...do I look okay?"
"Ok? Nick, you look great. Go find a girl, for God's sake!"
Nick laughed, "You make me sound like I should be some sort of ho or somethin'.."
LeighAnne smiled, "Not that...just have a good time and don't worry about Brayden..he'll be fine and we'll have fun."
"You know the number if anything happens.."
She nodded, "That I do..see you in the mornin' Nicky."
"Bye..."
The door closed behind her and a minute later, he heard the car start and the headlights shown for a minute through the sidelights on the door before disappearing. Nick once again squared his shoulders and locked up the house before getting into his Durango and driving to AJ's house. He could do this. And he would have fun. For the first night in a long time, he could be himself...he could be a 25 year old....for a moment, he could forget about being a father and worrying about raising his son right.
Nick sighed as he pulled in AJ's driveway about a half hour later...this was it. He could do this. He could have fun.
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