26- Jack

I am slightly shocked at how easily Ianto handed Lucia, his calm and gentle ways not lost on her and I am grateful that he is doing what I have been unable to since she left me for the prat…er…Giles. I do want to get to know him, the man I know my daughter calls Daddy too.

I don't blame him, I don't. As time has gone by I have come to see that Lucia and I were over long before she sat me down and told me she didn't love me anymore. I can see that now, we were just comfortable living day by day in our little routine, living around our daughter. From what I understand, he is a nice man, loving and kind. Alice speaks of him without any dislike or concern, telling me how he plays with her and listens to her. A good Daddy. I also know my wife is looking … tired. Maybe she does deserve a break, this must be hard for her sometimes even with a partner. Alice has inherited my ADD tendencies and I know I tire myself with my wild thought alone sometimes.

I find the idea of an evening with everyone together even more interesting when I realise he will want it at our….er…. his place right? And he will cook. I love his food and it is a surprise to find that I am keen to show him off to Lucia like a lover to my mother or something. Wow, I am glowing with the thought of it. Look at ME!

I drive calmly, listening to him as he talks about a menu, takes a phone call from his store and goes though some detailed way to invoice someone overseas for some exotic book he knows is on the third shelf down from the ceramic cat missing an ear… god he has such a good memory, not even closing his eyes as he thinks about it, his hands flicking about as he speaks on speaker phone without a care in the world that I can hear. Man, I bet an argument with him would be murderous… I hope we never do that. Fight.

Toshiko has a lovely voice and her humour is contagious, all of us breaking onto song along with the radio one point of it. Ianto laughs when we finish and Alice does to, her little face lighting up as she finds someone who can sing like Ianto. Gods she can too and although I seldom do I let my voice roar.

God, we even harmonise with our voices. How the hell did I find him? How the hell … you know maybe he is right. Things happen, we have to accept and adjust. Move on and endure. Then sometimes… sometimes we can rejoice too.

Rhiannon isn't supposed to get the kids until the evening meal and I did notice Ianto was creating a meal large enough for all of us, her kids included. He expects her to call to skive off. Sad. I wonder how often she does it but don't want to pry. After all … they are happy here and I suspect, happier. I don't know how Gray will be with them and I am not that keen on the idea of them with him not supervised at first. As much as I love my brother …I do not trust him with Alice on her own. Not ever have I let him babysit. He would likely forget her at a gas station picking up cigarettes or something. I just know it, see it in my mind even.

Two of them?

Damn, two half grown… not his… kids?

I see storm clouds ahead as I know he did not have kids in mind for any of his conquests, a loner and a player. Rhiannon has really done a number and I feel little pity for him as I also see that it is something he has done countless times himself. His fault it had come back to bite him, I don't have an ounce of sympathy for him.

I do for them though.

They must miss their mama, at least a bit. It's been a week for fucksake. Right?

A great week, a wonderful week actually and … wow … it feels like a moment and like a forever all at once, so confusing and amazing.

The phone call comes.

Surprise … surprise.

Ianto rolls his eyes as he agrees, she does need to air out the house and such does she? Maybe next weekend. Right. I find that I am pleased to hear this unable to hide it as I know the kids are going to have a good time.

Why not.

The days seem to bleed into one another when we are all together and I hope this is the beginning of something.

I love kids, me!