"Mummy?" asked Chris. They were in the car on the way to the hospital. Ellie had explained to him about Ryan, that he was his dad and would be spending time with him.
"Yeah?"
"You know how I have a Daddy now?"
"Yeah?"
"And he has another house?"
"Where are you going with this, sweetie?" asked Ellie. She thought she had explained everything to him.
"Is it like Tilly's mum and Dad? Grammy and Special Grandpa… they have different houses but…" said Chris, who seemed to have confused himself.
"Yeah it's like Grammy and Special Grandpa, they are still Tilly's Mummy and Daddy but they have different houses."
"Will I have to stay with him?"
"Not right away. You'll always live with me, but you can stay some nights with your Dad," said Ellie, picking her words very carefully.
"Do I have to? What if he doesn't like me? What if he isn't nice?" asked Chris fearfully.
"He is nice and you don't have to do anything you don't want to, I promise. And he will love you, who wouldn't?" Ellie reassured him.
"You'll stay won't you?" said Chris.
"I'll be there the whole time."
"Okay."
"That's us here," said Ellie, pulling into her parking spot. "Your Dad is right over there."
"You won't leave me?"
"No I won't leave you," said Ellie, lifting him out his car seat.
Ryan watched as Ellie walked towards him, Chris was holding onto her hand like his life depended on it. Ellie had told him to expect him to be shy at first, apparently he was like that with all new people he met.
"You remember Ry—your Dad?" said Ellie, when she was standing in front of Ryan.
Chris nodded, almost hiding behind Ellie.
"Say hello," she urged.
"Hi," he squeaked.
"Hi… I thought we could go to park down the street and get some ice cream," said Ryan.
"Alright. You love the park don't you?" said Ellie, trying to coax Chris into opening up.
"Uh huh," said Chris, following Ryan but keeping hold of Ellie's hand. "Can I have chocolate ice cream?"
"Before lunch?" said Ellie.
"Please!" whined Chris.
"Yeah, come on Elle, just this once," said Ryan, knowing Ellie would never tell him he couldn't have ice cream.
"Well… alright just this once," said Ellie.
"Yay! Can I have chocolate?" shouted Chris, and he let go of Ellie's hand.
"That was easier than I thought," said Ellie quietly to herself.
-----------------------------------------------------
"So how did it go?" asked Dylan. Ellie and Ryan had just put Chris into daycare.
"Fine, he played on the swings and had ice cream," said Ellie.
"So he was alright… talking not being shy," said Dylan.
"Yes he was fine," said Ryan defensively.
"I didn't mean to offend you, I just know how shy he can be. It took him three weeks to even speak to me," said Dylan.
"Well he was fine with me," said Ryan.
"Alright," said Dylan, slipping his arm round Ellie's waist. "I'm glad he was okay then."
"What did I tell you?" said Ellie, slipping out of his arms.
"Um… I'm the hottest guy you've ever slept with and you want to do it every hour, on the hour," said Dylan.
"I believe it was don't touch what you'll never have," said Ellie.
"Right… I have to go," said Ryan stiffly, marching off. He knew it was wrong and stupid but he really didn't like Dylan talking to Ellie like that. And he really hated that Dylan knew Chris better than he did.
------------------------------------------
"Henderson!" Ellie shouted later that day. When Ryan heard her, he tried to duck behind Mandy. "Don't even try it! Donnelly, move!"
And sure enough the dutiful intern moved revealing a cowering Ryan.
"Don't try and hide behind my intern," said Ellie.
"Something I can help you with, Dr Shepherd?" said Ryan, his voice suddenly very squeaky.
"I just checked my voicemail, you know what I found?" said Ellie, not amused in the least.
"Ummm… no," said Ryan innocently.
"A message from your mother, she wants Chris and me to go to family brunch on Sunday. Why do I have to go?" said Ellie.
"Oh I got invited to brunch too, apparently it's a big thing… all the family and everything," said Mandy.
"It is," said Ellie. "If you two are going, Chris can go with you."
"Mum asked specifically that you come," said Ryan. "And Chris will need you, you said he doesn't like meeting lots of new people…"
"Why does she want me to go? She hated me, I'm guessing she hates me even more now," whined Ellie.
"No, she's looking forward to seeing you again and meeting Chris," said Ryan. "And I know my brothers want to see you."
Ellie smiled, Ryan had three younger brothers and all of them loved Ellie. "Alright I'll go… but I'm leaving early."
"Fine," said Ryan. "Don't freak out, Mum really is okay. She can't wait to meet Chris."
"Hmm... I don't buy it," said Ellie, not at all convinced. Ryan's Mum was very over protective of her oldest son, he was the sensitive Mummy's boy.
"You have to face her at some point," said Ryan.
"I hate you," said Ellie immaturely.
"So you know all his family?" said Mandy, biting her bottom lip. There was something a little too familiar about the way Ryan and Ellie interacted with each other; clearly they had a lot of history and Ryan was acting like he had completely forgiven her for not telling him about Chris and he had gone in the huff for over a week when Mandy broke his favorite mug.
"Yeah, I know them," said Ellie, realising that Mandy hadn't met them. "You've never met them?"
"No."
"You'll be fine, just don't wear anything slutty and compliment Ryan all the time to his mother. The brothers are cool. Don't look so nervous," said Ellie kindly.
"She's right," said Ryan, squeezing Mandy's shoulder.