That Saturday, Eddie was getting a very hyper Scarlett ready for her friend's birthday party.
"Hold still, sweetie. I can't get these pigtails straight."
"I no want pigtails mommy. I want a bwaid."
"A what?" she asked.
"A bwaid mommy!" She pointed to one of her favorite characters on the television who had a braid in their hair. "One of those!"
"Oh!" Eddie laughed. "A braid. Yes, I can do that. How many do you want?"
"Two! Georgie say bwaids are pretty!"
"Oh, does he now?" She smiled at her young daughter. "Do you like Georgie, Scarlett?"
"Yeah I do."
"Like a friend or a boyfriend?"
"Uhhh" Scarlett drawled out.
Then, there was a knock at the door.
"Mr. 'aime here! Can me open it?"
"Go for it" Eddie said quickly tying off Scarlett's last braid.
She ran to the door and swung it open. "Hi Mr. 'aime! You ready for the party?"
"Of course I am!" He picked her up. "You look very pretty, Scarlett."
"I know. Thank you." Jamie and Eddie both laughed out loud. He then turned to Eddie. "You look great."
"Thank you." She leaned up and kissed his cheek. "So do you."
"Are you ladies ready to go?" he asked.
"Yep!" Scarlett said. "I go get hims pwesent."
Jamie put her down and she ran into the bedroom.
"She looks pretty dressed up for a monster truck party" he said to Eddie.
"She insisted. At least it's one of her play dresses so she can rough and tumble all she wants." She then lowered her voice. "I think she had a little crush on him."
His eyes widened and immediately shook his head. "Nope. Nope. She's still a little baby. No boyfriends until she's 50."
"50?" she replied.
"Ok, 45?"
Eddie rolled her eyes and laughed. "You're so protective of her."
"Do you see how beautiful that little girl is? Of course the boys will be after her. She's just as beautiful as her mom."
Eddie chuckled and blushed. "Thank you. You're too sweet, Jamie."
"I meant every word." He leaned down and captured her lips with his. They broke off the kiss just as Scarlett came bounding back into the room.
"I ready to go!" she announced.
"Hold on a minute munchkin" Jamie said as he let go of Eddie. He bent down to Scarlett's level and looked into her eyes. "I got a question for you. Do you like Georgie?"
"Yeah silly. He my fwend."
"Is he your boyfriend?"
Scarlett gasped. "No silly! I too little for a boyfriend. I have to be bigger! He my fwend. I pwomise."
He pulled the toddler in for a hug. "Good. You don't need a boyfriend." He sighed still hugging her tight. "You need to stay little forever."
"Mr. 'aime?"
"Yes?"
"I like hugs but we gonna be late to party."
He laughed and let her go. "Alright peanut, let's go!"
"It looks like Scarlett is the only girl here" Eddie whispered as the made their way into the party.
"Hi Georgie!" Scarlett ran up and hugged her young friend. "Happy birtday!"
"Tank you!" he replied. "You wanna pay?"
Scarlett nodded eagerly and ran off with George.
"You must be Scarlett's mom. I'm George's mom, Anne" a lady said walking up to Jamie and Eddie. She shook both of their hands. "It's so nice to meet the two of you."
"I'm Eddie and this is my friend, Jamie."
"Oh! You're the Mr. Jamie she always talks about. I volunteer at the school 3 times a week and she always sits with me during recess talking about you guys."
"All good things I hope?" Jamie replied.
"She absolutely adores you" Anne replied with a smile.
Eddie looked adoringly at Jamie.
"Get yourselves some food" she added. "If you need anything just let me know."
"We will" Eddie said. "Thank you so much for inviting us."
"No problem" Anne replied. "Scarlett and my George are really the best of friends."
As the party went along, Jamie and Eddie went around introducing themselves to the other parents.
"Meeting these other moms makes me feel like a horrible mom" Eddie said as she sat down on the garden chair.
"Why would you say that?" Jamie replied. "You're a great mom to Scarlett."
"It's just... they volunteer at the school all week, plan all the holiday parties, and they know each kid. I only know about George because of Scarlett!"
He grabbed her hand and leaned down near her chair. "You're a great mom, Eddie. The best one I know. You have a job and you can't be everywhere! Scarlett will love you if you volunteer at the school or not."
She sighed. "Yeah I know. I'm just being hard on myself." She then looked at him and smiled. "Thanks for coming with us. I really appreciate it."
He kissed her hand. "I wouldn't have missed it. Thanks for inviting me."
"Mama! Mr. Jamie!" A sweaty Scarlett came running full speed towards them. She came up and jumped on Jamie's back.
"Hey munchkin!" Jamie said. "You having fun?"
"Yeah!" the toddler replied. "May I have a happy birtday party? It comin soon."
"Really?" Eddie replied with fake astonishment. "You have a birthday?"
Scarlett laughed. "Yeah silly! Me have a birtday, you have a birtday, and Mr. 'aime has one! It's in 'tober!"
"October 19th" Eddie replied. "And Mr. Jamie has his birthday two days after that."
"Mr. 'aime" she put her little hand on his shoulder, "you wanna pwincess party with me? We have our birtdays together!"
Jamie laughed. "Maybe next year, peanut. We'll just have a party for you this year."
"I good with that! I go get cake now!" They laughed as they watched her run off as fast as her tiny legs would go.
"Your birthday is coming up, Jamie. You don't want to do something?"
"I don't really like doing anything for my birthday."
"This will be your first birthday with us being together. If we even are yet..."
"Oh! I haven't asked you to be my girlfriend yet?" he asked jokingly.
"Mmm, not yet" she replied.
"Well this wasn't the ideal place but here I go." He stood her up and looked in her eyes. "Eddie Janko. Will you make me the happiest man in all five boroughs on New York City and be my girlfriend?"
She laughed. "Of course I will."
The party ended and Jamie ended up carrying a sleeping Scarlett to the car.
"You know we have to officially ask for different partners now right" Jamie said as they drove out of Bay Ridge. "Are you going to be okay with that?"
"Absolutely" she replied. "Are you okay with it?You seem more worried about it than me."
"I'll get used to it." They stopped at a stoplight and he leaned over and gave her a kiss. "We'll do it on Monday morning."
She nodded. "What are you two doing tomorrow?" he asked.
"Nothing much. We usually go over to Hattie's for the day. I might take Scarlett to the pool because it's going to start getting cold out soon."
"Can I come?" Jamie asked.
"Don't you have family dinner?"
"Yeah but I can spend the rest of the time with you guys."
"I don't want you feel like you have to spend time with us."
"I know that. But I want too."
She smiled happily. "Well, okay. We'd love to have you."
They pulled up to the apartment building and Jamie carried a still sleeping Scarlett up the steps.
"I had a really great time today" Jamie said. "Will you be busy next Saturday? I want to take you on our first official date."
"I think I can squeeze you in to my schedule" she replied jokingly.
"Good. I'll text you with the details."
As they walked down the hallway, Eddie noticed a familiar figure waiting outside her door.
"I'll be damned" Eddie whispered to no one in particular. "That better not be him."
"Who?" Jamie asked.
"Aaron!" she whispered harshly. "What the hell are you doing in front of my door!? You need to leave."
"Eddie hi." He then looked at Jamie. "And who is this? Why is he carrying our daughter?"
Oh, Jamie said in his head. Now he knew who he was.
"Can you take her inside please?" Eddie asked him. Jamie nodded. He took her inside and laid her down on the couch so he could stay close to the door just in case something happened.
"Why are you so hostile, Eddie?" Aaron asked. "I just want to see our daughter."
"Our daughter!? Oh no. She's my daughter. You gave up the right of being her father when you ran off."
"I'm sorry about that..."
"Almost three years and all you can say is I'm sorry! No. No."
"I just want to see my kid."
"Why did it take you three years to finally want to see her? I didn't have to do it but I gave you a chance to see her when she was born and when she turned one but you still didn't show. You've had your chances. You're done. Please leave."
"Eddie please" Aaron pleaded. "My parents want to see her."
"Why now? Almost three years later. They didn't give a damn about seeing her before."
"Come on Eddie. Stop being like this. Lighten up. What happened between us is in the past. Just do me this one solid."
"No Aaron. You haven't changed one damn bit. Please leave."
"Have it your way, Eddie. But you're going to regret this. You know the power I have."
"Leave Aaron!"
Aaron turned and head back down the hallway.
Next chapter: Jamie finds out more about Eddie's past with Scarlett's dad.