I'm really trying to keep these updated regularly, all I can do is try.

So here's a short one just to get things moving.

Chapter 11

Black shirt. Blue shirt. Grey shirt. Green shirt. Red shirt. White shirt.

Caleb pulled every shirt from his wardrobe & placed it over his body as he stood in front of the mirror. They all looked decent enough but he simply couldn't decide.

He'd gone to the barber shop the day before so he'd at least look respectable, he was clean shaven & had his favorite dark colored jeans on. Today had to be perfect, everything had to be right, today was the day he finally got his wish. It may not have been the way he wanted it but still, he was spending time with his son without his mother playing guard.

Caleb was more than ready to bring Thomas home, his house was complete other than the spare bedroom and the backyard which was another task & a half, he'd completely changed his house to make room for his son like any decent father would.

Caleb finally chose a white tee shirt & finished getting dressed, he had a long drive ahead of him but he didn't care, he'd drive all day if it meant he got to see his son. He arrived half an hour early & was asked to wait in the reception area while they collected all the necessary paperwork. Caleb's knee bounced in anticipation, now that he'd arrived it seemed time had slowed down. He watched the hands on the clock slowly tick by, minute by minute, second by second. He felt like time had stood still, that was until a voice pulled him back to reality.

" Mr Rivers, do you have your court order? " the receptionist asked. Caleb stood quickly & pulled them from his back pocket, there was no way he would risk having his visit cancelled on a minor technicality.

" Yes " he handed them under the window.

" Great, just sign here, here & here & initial the last page & we'll be on our way " the receptionist handed him a pen. Ten minutes later Caleb was lead down a narrow hallway & into a room where Thomas was sitting at a small table coloring in what looked like Bumblebee from the Transformers movie.

" Hi, I'm Evelyn, I'll be your supervisor today " a social worker stood & introduced herself. Caleb heard every word she said but his focus was one hundred percent on his son - the most beautiful long haired child he'd ever seen.

" Caleb! " Thomas said excitedly as he looked up from his drawing. " You're finally here " he stood up pushing his chair over in the process, he made a run for Caleb & wrapped his arms around his waist.

" Hey " Caleb said softly. He wasn't expecting Thomas to greet him with such open arms, he looked down & wove his fingers through his hair pulling him even closer. He couldn't believe it, his son was holding onto him like he loved him already.

" So you're my Dad huh? " Thomas looked up to Caleb.

" I guess I am " he nodded. " I'm glad I get to spend time with you today ".

" Me too, come 'ere " Thomas dragged Caleb toward the table. " Look at what I'm coloring in, its Bumblebee from Transformers. He's the coolest ".

" Is that so? " Caleb looked to Thomas and then to the social worker who shrugged her shoulders, Caleb laughed. She probably didn't even know who the Transformers were.

Caleb watched Thomas color in and was surprised he knew not to color outside the lines, when he was all done he wrote his name at the bottom & handed it to Caleb.

" You can keep that one ". Caleb looked at Thomas, to the picture & then back to Thomas again.

" Can I take it home & put it on my fridge? " Caleb asked.

" Sure, our fridge at home is covered in them ". And there was that feeling again. Caleb tried his best to hide it but all he could picture was Hanna's fridge covered in pictures done by Thomas, it was just another reminder of all the things he'd missed. Thomas moved across the room & started searching through the toy box, Caleb was still looking at the picture when the social worker stood beside him and spoke softly.

" You're doing just fine, kids tend to throw curve balls. Just brush it off & keep moving forward " she patted his arm. Caleb hadn't covered his disappointment as well as he thought.

" That obvious? " Caleb rubbed his face, he hated being anyone's monkey, he hated being here but he wanted to see Thomas more than anything in the world.

" Its perfectly normal, don't worry so much. Don't let him lead the whole day, show him you're interested too, grab a game, a book, a movie anything " she waved her hand about the room. Caleb started walking toward an open cupboard & pulled out a game of Connect Four, he shook the box & looked back at Thomas.

" You ever play? " He asked.

" Yeah, all the time. Mum always loses when we play " he laughed and walked toward Caleb taking the game from his hands and placing it on the floor below. Thomas sorted the colored coins giving Caleb his & made the first move by slotting his coin down the hole. Caleb slipped his coin through as well and analyzed Thomas next move, he was surprised that in three moves Thomas had already set his coins in a straight line. Caleb continued to slip his coins into the hole & watched as Thomas beat him in one simple move.

" I win! " Thomas hollered and laughed. " Told you I'm good " he kept laughing, Caleb couldn't get enough of his innocent little laugh.

" We'll see " Caleb flipped the game & started again. For the next half an hour they played again & again, Caleb won some but Thomas won most of the games, each & every time he rubbed it in Caleb's face. The rest of the afternoon they read books, play cards & even got a little crafty, Caleb hated doing arts & crafts but for his son he'd play with all the glitter, glue, and colored paper he could.

Caleb loved spending the day with Thomas but when it was time to go, he didn't want to leave. Even though he was only saying goodbye, he missed him already. Caleb got down on one knee and smiled at Thomas.

" Goodbye Caleb " Thomas said as he wrapped his arms around his neck. Caleb hugged him tight & whispered into his ear.

" I miss you already ".

" Will I see you next week? " Thomas pulled back and looked into his fathers eyes.

" The week after, every two weeks for now " Caleb replied, he looked at his sweet brown eyes and was certain he was looking at himself as a child.

" Aww, that long? " he whined.

" It'll go faster than you think " Caleb said as he let Thomas go, the social worker was standing at the door offering Thomas her hand. Thomas walked toward her but kept his eyes on Caleb until he left the room.

Caleb had never felt so bad about letting someone go, he really didn't want this day to end, it was as perfect as he could of imagined. Even Thomas, he was such a beautiful child, kind, sympathetic and loving, just like his mother. Moments later the social worker had returned to the room, Caleb was so lost within himself he hadn't even heard her come into the room.

" The first ones are always the hardest " she put her hand on his shoulder.

" Can I just have a minute? " Caleb stood with his back to her, his hands on his hips & his head down. She nodded and stepped out of the room. Caleb took a minute to look around the room and remember the day he had with Thomas, it was simple but special & he'd never forget it.

Caleb stepped out into the hall where the social worker was waiting, she turned around & gave him a sympathetic smile.

" Only five more visitations... " the social worker smiled. Five more fortnights before they returned to the courts and hopefully allow Caleb to take Thomas home.

Caleb couldn't wait for that day to come.