Chapter 8

Unexpected

(Kyle POV)

This takes place about two weeks after the last chapter

I scanned the room of the small coffee shop. I was meeting a new kid for me to tutor here but he hadn't shown up yet. I glanced at the clock on my phone; our session would have ended eight minutes ago.

I sighed and looked into my half empty coffee cup, he wasn't coming. I was about to get up and leave when a woman at the register caught my eye. From the side she looked very familiar, she had loose curly dark brown hair. She turned her head and that's when I realized why I recognized this woman. She was the mother of my son. Gretchen Denver.

I watched her pay for her drink then wait for the barista to finish making it. She hadn't noticed me yet which was good because I was afraid that if she did she would leave.

I debated if I should go talk to her. If I did what would I say? I mean it's not everyday that you run into the woman who abandoned her son and left him with you.

"You've been staring." I wasn't even aware of the fact that she had taken the seat across from me at my table.

"Yeah, I guess I have." I admitted.

"Kyle, what are you doing here?" She asked, she seemed very tense.

"I guess I could ask you the same question." I paused "Gretchen-"

"Kyle, don't" she cut me off.

"Gretchen, I think I deserve a few answers here."

She was quiet for a moment.

"Do you remember Brice?" I almost spat and she winced at the sound of his name then glared at me.

"Kyle," She warned

"No, Gretchen!" I could hear the anger slipping in my voice. "You don't get to do this. I took him in." I reminded her. "You've got to give me some answers." I said more calmly.

She looked down at her drink "I left Brice, with you to keep him safe."

"What is that supposed to mean?" I asked.

She kept from making eye contact with me but I could tell tears were forming in her eyes.

She spoke very softly "I was engaged to a man named, Alexander Bennet," She started "He was wonderful to me…until…until his mother, Ann, died from cancer." She paused "Alex became very depressed after Ann, died. Not even his father, Peter, could help him. After a while things got worse… he… he…" I reached across the table and caringly took her hand.

"He would get drunk and when he did he became someone I didn't know. He would hit… me." I tightened my grip on her hand and I felt my jaw clench. "When I found out I was pregnant with Brice I knew it was unsafe to bring a child into that kind of environment. So when I met you that day I was actually leaving Alex." She said, finally making eye contact with me.

"I'm so sorry Gretchen if I had known…" I trailed off there was nothing I really could say.

"Kyle I don't want your pity. All I want is for you to keep Brice safe and away from Alex that's why I left him with you. But it's only a matter of time before Alex tracks you guy's down-"

"Gretchen I won't let him get anywhere near Brice." I cut her off.

"Good." She smiled but it didn't meet her eyes.

I reached into the back pocket of my jeans and pulled out my wallet and took out the most resent picture I had of Brice and handed it to her.

It was a black and white picture Lori had taken of him and me one afternoon in the living room. We were both sitting on the floor, I was holding him on my lap and we were playing with his blocks neither one of us looking at the camera.

She took the picture and ran her finger over Brice; she had tears in her eyes.

"Thank you, Kyle" She said not taking her eye off the picture.

"You can keep that." I said standing up. "I've got to go he's probably driving his uncle insane." I chuckled.

She smiled and looked up at me "Kyle, please let him know that I love him." She said standing up from the table.

I engulfed her in a hug and whispered "I will." Then I left.

I got in my car and drove home. My mind was still trying to take in everything Gretchen had told me about Alexander Bennet. A part of me wanted to track him down and rip him apart, but another part of me wanted to go home and hold Brice in my arms and hide him from Alex forever.

As soon as I got home Declan informed me that Brice was taking a nap and Nicole just got home a few minutes ago. He had to leave though because he had a doctor's appointment for his ankle.

I found Nicole in her office going over some of her notes. The door was open but I knocked anyway.

"Oh Kyle I didn't hear you come in." She said looking up from her papers.

"Oh I'm sorry if you're busy I can just-"

"No Kyle don't worry about it is fine, have a seat." She hesitated "Is everything okay?"

"Not really," I told her sitting down on one of the chairs across from her desk.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I'm just trying to process it myself." I said playing with my hands.

"Did anything bad happen?" She asked

"Kind of, I ran into Gretchen today." I said stealing a glance at Nicole. She seemed shocked but she just nodded for me to continue.

"We talked for about an hour, and I got her to tell me why she left Brice with me." I paused collecting my thoughts "She was in a really abusive relationship with this guy, Alexander Bennet, and when she became pregnant with Brice she decided she didn't want to put a child through what she had been through so she left Alex."

"What are you thinking about all this?" She asked

"I'm relieved that I finally know why Gretchen left Brice, but it makes me…nervous I guess that there is yet another person out there that can harm my family." I struggled to find the right words.

"Well Kyle, all you can really do is be aware of the fact that Alex is out there, but you can't let that rule your life. Brice is almost a year old and so far Alex hasn't wanted to be a part of his life, but if the day comes that he does, just be ready to fight for Brice. We all will." By this point she had moved to the seat next to me and had lovingly placed her hand on my shoulder.

"Thank you, Nicole." I said and she wrapped me in one of her famous motherly hugs.

After I was done talking to Nicole I could hear Brice starting to walk up from his nap. I quietly walk over to his crib and sure enough he was just laying there just waking up. I picked him up and he rested his head on my shoulder. I swayed from side to side rubbing small circles on his back.

"Dada." He mumbled into my shoulder

"No matter what happens, Brice, Daddy will always love you." I assured him as I held him a little tighter and kissed his head. "Always," I whispered.

AN: Hope everyone likes the new chapter! Please comment!