Again, thanks to everyone who's read and reviewed so far. You all are the best!!!!
Betty froze in place as she looked across the room at Henry. Her mouth was dry and her palms were sweating. At least he still caused the same reactions as always, she thought. As she stared at him in shock, she felt transported back six years ago. She could almost pretend this was just another ordinary work day, Henry still in Accounting coming up to see her. Henry took a step towards her then stopped as Aiden jumped from her chair.
"Betty!" Aiden shouted running to her, wrapping his arms around her legs. Betty smiled as she hugged him.
"Aiden, what are you doing here?" Betty asked.
"Daddy brought me here to meet a friend of his. A special friend. Is that you?" Aiden asked. Betty looked over at Henry,
who stood watching the two of them.
"Yes it is Aiden, but I guess you've already met." Henry said, smiling at Betty. Betty smiled back nervously as Aiden took her hand.
"I'm sorry I got mad at you Betty." Aiden said looking at the floor, "I didn't mean to say I hated you." Betty squatted down until she was eye level with Aiden. She took both of his hands in hers.
"Aiden, it's ok to be mad at someone, even a friend. Just make sure that you give them a chance to explain things to you
before you decide if you want to stay mad at them, OK?" Betty said. Aiden nodded and wrapped his arms around her neck,
hugging her tightly. Betty looked over Aiden's shoulder to find Henry looking at them both tenderly. Henry cleared his throat.
"Does that count for me too Betty?" Henry asked. Betty stood and looked at Henry. She was having trouble breathing with him so near to her. She looked at Aiden who was smiling up at her.
"If that includes telling me what happened the last six years, then yes." Betty said. Henry exhaled the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.
"Ok. Then let's go somewhere and talk." Henry said. Betty nodded as she went to get her purse.
Thirty minutes later, the three of them were sitting in the grass in Central Park. They had stopped at a deli and bought
sandwiches, chips and drinks. When they finished, Aiden opened his backpack and took out the book Betty had given him.
Aiden moved a few feet away from them as Henry turned to Betty.
"So...the last six years." Said Henry.
"Yes?"
"Well, I'm sure Aiden told you about Charlie leaving?" Henry asked. Betty nodded. "Well, the first two years after she left, I wasn't sure what to do. I had read everything I could about the birth and the first few years, but nothing had prepared me to be a single father. I decided to stay in Tucson to be close to my mom. I knew she would know what to do and to be there to help. Plus, I wanted her to have time with Aiden, watch him grow up."
"So then what happened?" Betty said.
"Well, I had a good job there. I was working during the day, and was home every night for Aiden. Mom helped me by watching Aiden when I worked and my neighbor helped. My life had settled into a routine and before I knew it, Aiden was four. I'm ashamed to say it now, but I was holding out hope in Tucson." Henry said quietly.
"Holding out hope for what?" Betty said.
"That Charlie might come back and want to try to be a mother to Aiden. It sounds so stupid now to say it, but I guess that's when I realized that except for my mother, everything I wanted was right here." Henry said, touching Betty's hand. "I had to come back and see for myself."
"See what Henry?" Betty asked, heart racing as Henry squeezed her hand gently.
"If there was still a chance for us, a real chance this time." Henry said, "first dates, second dates, dinner. Kisses." Henry said, leaning closer to Betty. Betty wanted to lean into him, feel his soft lips on hers again. Erase the pain of the past six years. But erasing that would erase Aiden too. Betty stopped him as he drew closer.
"Henry, we've both changed a lot in six years. If there is a chance for us, we have to get to know each other again. I'm not going to pretend that my feelings for you have changed. I still love you Henry, as much as I did on that bridge six years ago. But I'm still in love with the old Henry. You're someone new. You're a father, you've matured. And as much as I want to forget all the hurt that Charlie caused, there's also someone else to think about in this now." Betty said, motioning towards Aiden.
"I won't...I can't do anything to hurt that little boy." Betty said, " I would rather be alone than put Aiden through any more hurt. He's already been through plenty of that."
Henry looked at Betty with a new respect for her in his eyes. His heart swelled as she once again put someone else's feelings before her own. That she took Aiden's feelings into account and that she'd indicated a new relationship was possible made Henry feel like a new man. He let go of her hand as he looked deeply into her eyes.
"Betty, I know that you're still hurting and I know you'd never do anything to hurt Aiden. There was not one day that went by when I was in Tucson that I didn't think about you, wondering how you were doing. If you'd met someone new. I drove myself crazy with wanting to come back and never leave you again. Aiden is everything to me and you don't know how much it means to me to see you two together. But I never stopped loving you. I love you with every breath in my body and every beat of my heart. I don't ever want to be without you again. But I understand your feelings. I want to get to know you all over again. Find out what makes you laugh now. What you like to do in your spare time. I want you and Aiden and I to do things together, see where it takes us." Henry said. Betty's eyes were watery by the time he'd finished.
"I'd like that very much Henry." Betty said, smiling. Henry reached over and pulled her into a hug. More than anything he'd wanted to kiss her, but he knew it was too soon. Betty returned his hug, closing her eyes with her head pillowed on Henry's shoulder. Betty felt a tug on her sweater. Aiden stood next to them looking down.
"Can I have a hug too?" Aiden said. Betty and Henry drew apart as Aiden climbed into Henry's lap. Henry drew them both close and the three of them shared a hug. Henry sighed as he felt Aiden's little body snuggle closer to him and saw Betty's hand rubbing Aiden's back. Sitting there under the twilight sky in Central Park, Henry knew things with Betty were about to change. He wasn't sure what the future held for any of them, but with his beloved son in his lap and the woman he loved beside him, Henry looked forward to his future, their future, with a happiness he hadn't felt in a long time.
It was a start.
TBC...