There was a loud banging at the front door the next morning. "Hello. Wade, Zoe? Anyone?" Joel said yelling from the outside
Wyatt started crying from the loud banging that startled him awake. Wade and Zoe both popped up when they heard his cries.
"Is someone here?" Wade asked yawning and rubbing his eyes
"I hear knocking." Zoe said getting off the couch. "You get that, I'll get him." She wobbled off the couch and stumbled towards Wyatt half asleep.
"Ok" Wade stumbled to the door "What time is it?" he asked
"Too early." She said picking Wyatt up "Shh Buddy, it's ok."
Wade opened the door and squinted at the blinding sunlight. "Joel?" he asked
"Yeah, where is my girlfriend?" he asked stepping inside
"I'm right here, what is wrong with you?" Zoe asked and readjusted Wyatt on her hip "You have no right to come here and bang on the door at the crack of dawn and scare the crap out of not only me and Wade but the baby. What were you thinking?" she yelled
"I'm sorry, I was worried when you didn't come home last night. I woke up this morning and you weren't there."
"Did you happen to check your phone?" Wade asked him "I texted you."
"Oh, did you?" Joel asked taking his phone out of his pocket "Oh, look at that."
"You have got to be kidding me." Zoe rolled her eyes
"What are you wearing?" Joel asked
Zoe looked down at her outfit "Oh well Wyatt needed a bath and decided to splash water everywhere so I was soaked. I stole your clothes." She smiled at Wade.
"I see that, it's fine." He shrugged "You were a monster for the Doc?" he asked
"Doc." Wyatt finally picked his head up off Zoe's shoulder and smiled
"Yeah, you might find applesauce in random places." She giggled
Joel curiously looked on at the exchange between Wade and Zoe. He was suddenly starting to feel very awkward. "You coming home?" he asked her
Zoe turned to him with a confused look. "Yeah, just let me freshen up a bit. Here." She handed Wyatt to Wade.
"Doc" Wyatt said pointing to her as she went into the bathroom
"He's cute." Joel said
"Yeah, he is." Wade said annoyed and glared at Joel
"No" Wyatt said looking at Joel.
Zoe came out a few minutes later "Alright, let's go." She gave Joel a disgusted look. "I'm so glad I'm not working today. I need a nap or something." She looked over at Wade. "I'll bring these back later. Is that ok?" she asked pointing to his clothes.
"Yeah, no problem. I'll see you guys later. We are going to find a toy before he freaks out and notices you're leaving."
Zoe laughed. "Alright, good idea. I'll talk to you later." She turned to Joel and glared at him "Let's go."
"Uh oh, Uncle Joel is in trouble." Wade whispered
It was Wades turn to get the glare from Zoe "Don't call…shut up Wade." She stumbled over her words angrily.
Wade tried not to laugh as he sat down on the floor with Wyatt. "Angry Zoe."
"Woey?" Wyatt asked looking at Wade
"Cute." He smirked "What's this? Truck?" he said putting a truck in Wyatt's lap.
"Tuck." Wyatt smiled and rolled it towards Wade
Wade smiled at his son "I hope you're always this easy." He said rolling the truck back to Wyatt
"Tuck" Wyatt clapped
Over at the Whippoorwill it was not as happy.
"You had no right coming over there. You could have called my phone or Wade's."
"Yes I could have, but you said you would be home and then you weren't and that isn't like you."
"You didn't even check your phone." She snapped
"And I'm sorry ok. Plus, it's not like you haven't come storming into Wade's house while I was there."
"You were playing video games, not sleeping and there wasn't a baby there that I scared the crap out of." She yelled
"How many times do I have to say I'm sorry?" he yelled back
"You've said it enough just drop it. I'm going to take a shower and then grab something to eat. Be out in a few." She said and stormed into the bathroom slamming and locking the door behind her.
~Back at Wade's~
"Ya know what kid? I think we should go to the Rammer Jammer for breakfast. What do you say?" Wyatt just smiled up at Wade and babbled something. "I'll take that as a yes. Let's get you dressed." Wade picked up Wyatt and carried him over to the dresser. "Now we have to find matching clothes." He pulled out a pair of jeans. "Yes, jeans match everything, now a shirt." He pulled out a red long sleeve shirt. "This works." He smiled and walked over to the couch. "This parenting thing is easy. Where are those diapers though?"
After Wyatt was changed and dressed Wade put him in his crib so he could get ready. "I guess a shower isn't a good idea. Probably shouldn't leave you alone. Oh well, I'm fine." Wade got dressed and went to leave the house but stopped when he got on the porch. "I should probably bring the kid." He shook his head and walked in the house. "You have to come too." Wyatt reached his arms up "Da" he smiled Wade smiled back as he picked him up. "Yep, that's me. Do I need to bring stuff for you? Might be a good idea." He answered himself.
He threw some diapers and toys in his back pack and left the house. "The town is going to get a kick out of this."
Wade didn't get two feet off the plantation when George stopped him. "Yo Wade."
"Hey Tucker, how's it goin?"
"Uh I should ask you that. I assume this is Wyatt." George said waving to the baby
"You would be correct. Dude, say hi." He told Wyatt Wyatt looked at George but clung to Wade's neck, pulling his blanket closer to him.
George smiled "He's cute. How are you doing?"
"Pretty good. He's really good."
"He sleep at night?"
"The first night he screamed until 1am. Last night Zoe watched him, I had to work but she didn't say he gave her any trouble, with sleeping at least." He chuckled thinking about Zoe's applesauce fiasco.
"Zoe watched him? With Joel?"
"No, just the Doc."
Wyatt picked up his head and started looking around "Doc"
"Crap, no, no Doc." Wyatt looked at Wade with a pout. "Sorry Bud."
"He's a fan of Zoe I see."
Wade smirked. "Yeah, you could say that."
"The town know about him?"
"They will once I get into town."
George chuckled "Well I want to see this. Let's walk shall we."
"Alright." Wade chuckled as well and looked at Wyatt. "You still not gonna say hi to Tucker?"
Wyatt looked at Wade and then George. "Tuck?" He asked
George smiled "Hi Wyatt."
Wyatt smiled "Hi" he finally waved
"Well he likes you better than Joel. All he does to him is hit him and say no."
George laughed "That's pretty funny."
The three of them walked down the street and into town square before being spotted. That quickly ended there though. Everyone was looking at George and Wade with a very confused look but no one said anything until Reverend Mayfair.
"Hello guys, did you find a lost child?"
Wade and George just laughed "Nope, he's mine." Wade said with a smile
The Reverend's jaw dropped. "Uh, excuse me?"
"Surprise, I have a son. His name is Wyatt."
"When did this happen?"
"Found out a couple weeks ago. He got here two days ago. His mama died in a car wreck a few months back."
"So you adopted him?"
"Kind of but they don't call it adopting since he's already mine."
Reverend Mayfair nodded "Good for you Wade. I'm proud of you."
Wade smiled. "Thanks"
No one else stopped them as they continued their walk towards the Rammer Jammer. They did get plenty of looks and whispers though. As they walked into the bar everything went silent. Everyone turned to look at the three of them. Wade decided to speak first.
"Tucker and I adopted a baby, the three of us are very happy together."
"He's kidding." George spoke up
Wade laughed "Yes, I am. This is Wyatt, he's my son, get used to him.
"Hi Wade, George. Hi Wyatt." Lemon smiled "You three here to eat?"
"Yep, we're hungry." Wade answered
"Ok, go grab a table. I'll be right over." They sat down and Wade just put Wyatt on his lap. "I guess we should get some high chairs."
"I've said that for months." Lemon said"What would you guys like?"
They ordered their breakfast and that's when everyone started coming over and asking Wade all kinds of questions. Wyatt was not thrilled with all the attention and couldn't bury himself any further into Wade's chest if he tried. That was until he heard a familiar voice enter the room. His head popped up so fast and a smile formed instantly on his lips.
"Doc" he said pointing her way.
Wade looked up and smiled as well. "Yep and Joel."
"No" Wyatt said
Zoe heard her nickname and turned towards the tiny voice. "Hi" she waved and ran over. She picked Wyatt up and gave him a kiss "How's my baby?" She said.
The whole restaurant was watching this go down. Whispers started immediately as Joel slowly made his way to the table as well. "So I see you decided to introduce him."
Wade nodded "Yeah, I was hungry and so was he. It was a mutual decision."
"Oh I bet." She giggled.
"Why don't you join us?" George suggested."We only ordered a little bit ago."
Zoe turned to Joel and he nodded in agreement sitting in the chair next to George. Zoe sat down next to Wade and put Wyatt on her lap. Wanda came over and took their order shortly after that.
"Oh Wade he is so cute. If you ever need a babysitter when I'm not working, you call me."
Wade laughed "You'll have to get in line behind the Doc, AB and Lemon but I'll keep you in mind."
"Doc" Wyatt smiled up at Zoe
"Ok" Wanda smiled at the baby and walked away.
"So how was his introduction to Bluebell?" Zoe asked
"It was alright. He didn't like all the attention."
"Aww. He seems fine now."
"He perked up when you came in." George told her Zoe just smiled and kissed Wyatt on the head.
"My buddy."
"Is it just me or do Zoe and Wade look like the couple not her and Joel?" Cody leaned over and asked Meatball.
"Not just you my friend. And here I was beginning to actually like Joel."
"Zoe seems mighty attached to Wade's little boy already. I wonder how long she's known." Delma asked Shula
"I'd say long enough for little Wyatt to be equally attached to her. Joel doesn't look too thrilled."
"No he does not. Poor Joel."
"Wyatt is so cute." Wanda gushed to Shanetta
"Yes he is, I'm surprised how good Wade is with him."
"I'm not, he's great with kids. This town doesn't give him enough credit."
Once they all got their food, Wyatt wanted to feed himself again and took a fork off the table.
"Oh no, we are not doing that again." Zoe said talking the fork out of his hand. "Not after last night."
Wyatt grunted but let Zoe feed him. Once Wade was done eating he reached out to take Wyatt. "Give him to me, your food is probably cold by now."
Zoe handed him over. "Thanks"
Wade just nodded and continued to feed Wyatt but he had other plans. He tried to steal the fork and flung eggs across the table, smacking Joel in the face.
"Hey" Wade said taking the fork out of his hand
"Nice" Joel said sarcastically, wiping it off
The other three tried so hard not to laugh but failed. "Oh he's going to be trouble." George said
"Yes he is, just like his Daddy." Zoe smiled "Are you ok?" she asked Joel
"Yeah, it was eggs not a rock."
"Not cool Bud, not cool at all." Wade told him
"Hey" Wyatt said
"Well that's a new word." Wade said looking at him
"He's like a little sponge." George chuckled
"Yes he is Tucker." Wade agreed
"Tuck." Wyatt said looking at George
"Aww" Zoe smiled "So smart."
Wade pointed to Zoe "Zoe." He said
"Doc" Wyatt told him
"No, Zoe."
"Doc." Wyatt said again
"Oh come one, you said before at the house. Zoe." He said again
"Woey." Wyatt finally said
"Yay, I love it." She clapped and then pointed to Joel "Joel"
"No" Wyatt said and shoved a piece of toast in his mouth
"I don't think your son likes me very much." Joel said
"Yeah he does, he's just a trouble maker."
"Oh well, we should get going. You ready?" Zoe asked looking at Joel
"Yes, I should try and finish that chapter by the end of the day."
"We'll see you guys later. Have fun." She got up and leaned over Wade giving Wyatt a kiss on the cheek and then Wade got one too. She waved to George and then walked away.
Joel stood there and stared for a bit until Zoe called after him. He shook his head out of his trance and followed her out.
George was staring at Wade. "What was that?" he asked
"I don't know. You jealous you didn't get one?" Wade mocked
"Uh no, just surprised you did."
Wade just shrugged "Me too but whatever."
"Hey, have you told Earl?"
"Yeah he knows, just hasn't met him yet."
"Well, he will now." George pointed to the door
Wade looked up and saw Earl walking towards them "This should be fun."
"Hello Son, George, Baby." He smiled
"Hey Dad, how's it goin?" Wade asked trying to sound casual
"Would this be the son you told me about or are their more than one?" he joked
"Nope, this is Wyatt."
Earl smiled at Wyatt. "Hi Wyatt." He waved
Wyatt smiled and waved at Earl. "Hi"
"Can I sit?"
"Yeah, sure." Wade said
"How old is he?"
"One."
"He looks like you."
"Yeah, everyone says that."
"How long has he been here?"
"2 days."
Earl chuckled "How's it going?"
Wade smiled "Well he's not a fan of sleep or Joel." He laughed looking at George and George smirked.
"Smart kid." Earl laughed
Wade smiled "So yeah, this is your grandson."
"Congrats to me." Earl smiled. "Welcome to fatherhood."
"Thanks, it's fun so far."
"Just wait till he starts talking."
"Well he likes the word No."
"That was your favorite word too."
Wade smiled. "I still like it."
The three of them sat for a little while longer and chatted until Wyatt started to get restless. Wade came to the conclusion that it was time to bring him home and put him down for a nap.