Chapter 7

About three months later Don and Ellie took Carson to Coney Island. Danny and Lindsay and Ellie's mom came too. Throughout the day Don kept noticing a guy following them. He didn't want to say anything to Ellie, especially if it was about him, and work. He never knew if he had done somebody wrong by putting away someone from their family.

While Lindsay, Carson, Ellie, and her mom were on the Ferris wheel Don leaned over to Danny. "Hey, do you see the guy behind us, the one with the black hat on?"

Danny turned around. "Yeah, why?"

"He's been following us all day. I don't want to say anything to the girls."

"This is the first time I've seen him. Are you sure he's been following us?" Danny turned again and the guy was gone.

"Yeah I'm sure, trust me."

"Who do you think he is?"

"I'm not sure," he paused. The girls came walking up to them. Carson jumped up into Don's arms and Don put him on his back. He looked at Danny and they continued on.

The rest of the day Don still noticed the guy following them. He couldn't see him close enough to make out any details of what he looked like, which aggravated him. He wanted to be able to identify the man.

Ellie noticed him looking around when they stopped at a booth. "Hey, what's going on? Who are you looking for?"

"Oh," she startled him. "No one, I'm just looking around."

"Every time we stop somewhere you look around in the crowd."

"No, no it's ok. Don't worry about it," he flashed a smile and put his arm around her shoulder.

After the whole group went to dinner, Don, Ellie, and Carson went back to Ellie's apartment. Don and Carson were playing a game in the living room and Ellie was at the table working on some paperwork for school at the table.

Ellie looked at the clock, it was a little after eight. "Hey, Carson it's time for bed." She went into the living room and looked at Carson. He started to protest. "Come on, Don will come back and play with you tomorrow." He finally got up and took her hand. She lead him back to his room, and started to put on his pajamas.

There was a knock at the front door. Don got up. He heard Ellie say, "can you get that?"

He opened the door, and the guy standing in front of him looked like the man that had been following them. "Can I help you?" Don asked.

"Is Ellie here?" the man asked sternly.

"Who are you?" As the question came out Ellie came up behind him and stood next to him.

"John, what are you doing here?" Ellie had a look of shock on her face.

"John?" Don asked.

"Yeah, that's right I'm Carson's father. Who the hell are you?"

"John Crowley, this is Don Flack."

John's expression turned even sterner. "Don Flack, huh? I haven't seen you since the Academy. I see you're still coming in second to me."

Don stepped closer to him. "You got a problem, man?"

"Yeah, you're my problem." Don pushed him and John pushed back. Ellie stepped in between.

"Stop it, both of you." She turned to Don. "Don, go inside and check on Carson, please." Don kept his eyes on John until Ellie turned his face to her. "Go." Don went back inside and she turned back to John. "What do you want?"

"I want to see my son."

"John you lost custody of my son, when the courts found out about the abuse, and the fact that you haven't given me a single dollar of child support."

"I'm still his father. Let me see him."

"You might be his biological father, but you haven't really acted like it since the day he was born." She could see the anger rising to his face.

"I'm not gonna ask you again, let me see my son."

"No, John, now get the hell out of here." She started to close the door, but his hand stopped it.

"This is not over," he said then she closed the door.

Don walked into the foyer and leaned against the wall. Ellie had be head on her hand on the door frame.

She slammed her fist on the door. "Damn it, I hate that man." The she leaned against the door and slid down to the floor. Tears were flooding down her cheeks. She wrapped her hands around her knees.

Don was struggling to hold back his own tears. He walked over and sat down next to her on the floor. He put his arm around her shoulders and she fell over into his chest. A minute later Carson came from down the hall, and stood in front of them. He had a sad look on his face.

Don reached out his arm. "Come here, Buddy." Carson walked over to them. "It's ok." He put his hand on Carson's head, which was against his chest.

"Mommy," Carson put his hand on Ellie's head. She lifted her head and looked at him.

"Oh baby, Mommy's ok," she said and kissed his forehead. Then she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into her lap. "I love you so much. I'm not gonna let anybody take you away from me." She kissed his hair, and Don put his hand on her shoulder. Finally, Ellie let Carson go and he stood up. "Go back to bed, baby." She looked at Don, "maybe Don will read you a story."

Carson reached out his hand to Don. "Come on, Daddy."

Ellie looked at Don, and then looked at Carson. Don took Ellie's hand and kissed then took Carson's hand and went into his room.

By the time Don was halfway through the story Carson was fast asleep. Ellie was in the doorway when he was done. Don walked over to her and kissed her.

He started out of the room. "Wait," she said as she grabbed his hand. "All I've wanted since I had Carson was to find someone who would be a great Dad for him. And no matter what I think of a guy it all comes down to how he feels about someone." She looked at him with tears in her eyes. "Don, he called you Daddy."

"I know," he paused. "I love you Ellie. And I love Carson. If you think I'll be a good Dad for Carson I'd like to have the chance to do that."

"Was that a proposal?" She smiled.

"Yeah I guess so. What do you say?"

"I'd say yes." She kissed him, and then wrapped her arms around him. She pulled away and laughed.

"What?"

"Just something my mom said. She told me when I was pregnant with Carson she told me that becoming a parent is a lot like learning a new dance- it takes a while to learn the steps, but by the time you get it down you can only get better at it."

THE END