Chapter 3
Paige looked out the car window as she waited for Henry to fill up the gas tank. They were going out for dinner, the first time since the baby had been born. She hoped that he wouldn't make too much of a fuss. It had been nearly two months since she had met up with Kyle at the coffee shop. She'd been doing her best to avoid him. He'd sent her a few emails now and then but they were nothing of consequence. Suddenly there was a tapping on her window, making Paige jump. She rolled it down.
"Can you hand me my wallet, honey?" Henry asked. She nodded and picked up the brown leather wallet from the driver seat, handing it to him through half-open window.
"Thanks sweetie," he thanked her and fed the card into the machine. He climbed back in and they were on their way. Paige's gaze was still transfixed on the scenes passing by as they navigated the San Francisco streets.
"Are you ok, Paige?" Henry asked as he pulled to a stop at a light.
"Huh? Yeah I'm fine," she murmured absently.
"You look…distracted," he commented as the car in front of him began to move forward.
"Sorry….I guess I'm just tired. My charges have been a little…needy lately," she lied. She hadn't seen any of her charges in over a week. She'd just been up late thinking about Kyle.
"It's ok. You're job is stressful," he murmured as he put on his turn signal and pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant.
"Not half as stressful as yours," she teased softly as she removed the baby carrier from the back seat.
"Honey, you save people's lives from demons," Henry rebutted.
"You save people from theirs too," she added as he held the door open for her.
Dinner began uneventfully. The waitress that was serving them had to fuss over the eight month old. She cooed at him and waved her fingertips. He reached his left hand out to grab her pen.
"Oh you want this?" she cooed in a high-pitched voice, handing the child the pen. He took it and started to put it in his mouth.
"No sweetie. We don't eat pens," Paige reprimanded, taking the writing utensil from the baby. He began to whimper but she stuck a pacifier in his mouth.
"He's just too precious," the blond sighed as she took her pen back.
"Do you want me to come back in a few minutes or have you decided?" she asked.
"I think we're ready. We'll have a bottle of merlot and I'll number six," Henry answered.
"I'll have a number eight," Paige added as she pulled a bottle from the diaper bag.
Henry Jr. reached out for the bottle, the pacifier falling from his lips into his lap. Paige picked it up and replaced it with the bottle. Henry took the bottle to support it while his son consumed the meal within.
"It's so nice to go out to dinner again," he sighed as the waitress poured their wine.
"I bet. He looks like a good baby though," the waitress murmured as she smiled at them.
Ten minutes later she returned with their meals and bid them enjoy. Paige picked at her steak while Henry consumed his quite happily. He looked up as he set his knife down and furrowed his brow.
"You've barely touched your food," he murmured, placing a hand atop hers.
"I'm just not hungry," she explained.
"Honey…you're not…pregnant again are you?" he asked, his voice hushed.
"No. I just…think I'm coming down with a stomach bug or something," she defended herself. They hadn't had sex in a couple weeks and she was pretty sure she'd know if she was pregnant.
"Ok," he muttered and flagged the waitress down for the check.
"Was everything to your liking?" she asked as she cleared the plates away. Henry nodded and handed her a credit card.
"I'll be right back with this," she said cheerfully and returned momentarily with the copy of the check for Henry to sign.
The drive home was silent, with the exception of the occasional noise from the back seat. Paige brought him in and settled him for the night. She gave him a kiss on the top of his head, placing her hand on his cheek.
"Goodnight baby," she breathed as she waved and slowly turned out the light. She headed towards the living room to find her husband.
"Honey, I think I'm going to go to bed. Like I said earlier, I'm not feeling too well," Paige informed him. He merely nodded, not even looking up from his paperwork.
Paige took her time getting ready for bed. She stared at herself in the bathroom mirror for a good ten minutes, just running the brush through her hair. She looked tired and pale. She set the brush down on the counter and rubbed her eyes. She probably just needed sleep. She climbed into bed and nestled down beneath the covers. She fell asleep almost instantly. She awoke the next morning to the sound of a crackling baby monitor.
"I'll get him," Henry mumbled groggily and climbed out of bed. Paige wasn't about to complain. She let her mind drift back to sleep until she felt a hand on her shoulder, shaking her gently.
"What?" she asked, very disoriented.
"I'm heading to work. The baby's been fed and changed," Henry informed her. She groaned and sat up. Well now she was going to have to get up.
"Ok. Have a good day," she called and he disappeared down the hall. Slowly she stood and pulled on yesterday's clothes. She headed for the baby's room and saw her son squirming in his crib.
"Morning little man," she greeted and picked him up. She carried him to the play pen and set him down.
"You stay right there. Mommy's going to get a cup of coffee," she told him. He merely stared up at her with a gentle gaze. She grabbed herself a cup of coffee and sat down to check email; nothing from Kyle. She wasn't sure if that made her happy or sad. She set her cup down and decided that going around in yesterday's clothes wasn't such a good idea and rushed to get changed. She returned to find her son still sitting, supported by a pillow in the play pen.
"We're lucky you don't like to orb," she teased the child. He pushed himself towards the edge of the pen and pulled himself shakily to his feet.
"Good job," she cooed and took his small hands in hers, helping him stand.
"Are you hungry?" she asked and picked him up. As she was trying to heat up a bowl of warm cereal, Henry Jr. kept squirming in her arms. She turned and saw he was reaching for her purse.
"What is it baby?" she asked as she picked up the object. He grabbed at the snap that fastened it shut. Her brow knit together in confusion. How could he know about Kyle? Slowly she opened it and pulled the napkin from within.
"You want to go see Kyle?" she asked and the child squawked happily.
"Ok, we will," she affirmed with a small smile. Maybe this was the excuse she'd been waiting for the last two months.
After they'd had an early lunch, she packed up the diaper bag with a couple diapers and toys and together they disappeared in orbs. When they rematerialized they were standing outside an apartment door. Paige looked around to make sure no one had seen her appear. She took in a deep breath and knocked. There was no response at first. She listened closely for footsteps but didn't hear any. Just as she was bout to knock again the lock on the inside released and the door was pulled open.
"Paige," Kyle stated, looking genuinely surprised.
"Hi," she greeted, looking a little embarrassed.
"This is going to sound really weird but my baby wanted to see you," she babbled.
"Come on in," Kyle offered, pulling the door open. She peered around as she crossed the threshold. It looked a lot like his old apartment did…a bachelor pad.
"Nice place," she muttered.
"It's not much but it suits me," he answered as she gazed at the child in her arms. He was smiling widely up at Kyle.
"So this must be Jr.," he greeted, tickling the child's stomach.
"Yeah. It was weird. I was making lunch and he kept reaching for my purse," she explained as he took some pillows off the couch and made a make-shift barricade for Henry Jr.
"I think Mommy wanted to come, too," Kyle breathed, laying a hand on her forearm.
"Maybe just a little," she answered, leaning into his chest slightly. She knew she shouldn't but she just couldn't help it. Kyle cleared his throat.
"Can I get you something to drink?" he offered.
"Water would be great," she answered and he disappeared in orbs. She half-expected him to return in that manner but he walked out of the kitchen with two glasses of water.
"So it's…been a couple months," he commented as they sipped their drinks and watched the baby occupy himself with a teething ring.
"I know…it's just been crazy lately…you know…charges and stuff," Paige mumbled.
"Paige…you don't have to explain. I understand. We have a past and…it's difficult to make that transition to just being friends again," Kyle murmured, brushing a lock of hair from her eyes.
"Yeah," she agreed, holding her tongue from what she really wanted to say.
Kyle looked at her and smiled that smile that made her melt. Even after all these years he still could make her swoon like a love-sick school girl. She averted her gaze and blushed. He let out a small laugh and set his glass down.
"Is there something you're not telling me, Paige?" he asked suddenly.
"Like what?" she countered.
"I don't know. I just get the feeling that you're not telling me something," he murmured.
"Nope. I'm not hiding anything. Just trying to…be friends," she answered slowly.
"Ok," he sighed and they turned their attention to the child at their feet.
Before they knew it, the entire afternoon had flown by and Paige's cell phone was ringing. She looked at it panic rushed through her. It was Henry.
"Hi," she greeted as calmly as she could.
"Where are you? I got home and you and the baby were gone," he asked.
"Oh…I had to go help a charge and left the baby with Phoebe. I'll be picking him up in a few minutes. So I'll see you at home," she said quickly and hung up.
"I have to go," she said and gathered her things and her son.
"Stop by any time," Kyle called.
"Even if it is just you," he breathed in her ear. She nodded and disappeared in orbs. He watched her disappear and sighed, running a hand through his hair.