"You were asleep when I got home last night," Sonny told Will as he got dressed.
"I tried to wait up for you," Will admitted as he rolled out of bed.
"I'm sorry I was late again," Sonny yanked his shirt over his head. "I'll be home earlier tonight."
"Right," Will mumbled, unconvinced.
"We could meet for lunch," Sonny suggested. He hated that all he seemed to do lately was disappoint Will.
"I have to be at the pub," Will shook his head. "Plus, I need to get some writing in. And I think I'm going to interview, the um, person again."
"What's even going on with that?" Sonny wondered. He sat on the edge of the bed to put on his shoes. "This interview process seems to be going on forever."
"I'm working on it," Will defended. "But I need to get something to Zoe soon. I just, I really want to get this right."
"Well," Sonny thought of the best way to phrase his next thought. "It would be nice if you brought home a paycheck again."
Will pressed his lips together.
"I know," Will confirmed. "I'm trying."
"It's just, you're spending a lot of time on this," Sonny added. "And at the pub and you don't get paid for that either."
Will didn't say anything.
"I just," Sonny attempted. 'Really need that money to pay our credit card before you see the bill.'
"I get it," Will dryly replied. "I need to go wake up Ari."
"Are you leaving her with the babysitter again?" Sonny wondered with a frown.
"No," Will gave Sonny a harsh look. "My grandma Marlena wants to see her. Is that alright with you?"
"Yes," Sonny replied in a quiet voice. "I didn't mean anything by it."
"Sure," Will huffed before leaving the room.
'Damnit,' Sonny thought, running his hands through his hair.
Will knocked on Paul's hotel door nervously. He didn't know what to expect or how to explain the day before.
'Paul was just emotional from the news,' Will rationalized. 'That's all it is.'
"Good, you're here," Paul greeted.
Will frowned when he saw Paul's appearance. He was still in his pajamas and his hair was a mess. Paul had uncharacteristic dark circles under his eyes.
"Are you-," Will stopped himself. "That's a dumb question. Of course you're not okay."
"Yeah," Paul nodded with a sad laugh. "I talked with my mom though. That was…rough."
"What did she say?" Will wondered.
Paul sat on the edge of the bed and patted the spot next to him.
Will bit his lip before dragging a chair in front of Paul.
"She was almost as upset as I was," Paul told Will. He didn't think much of Will's refusal to sit next to him.
"You said she's always been supportive of you," Will nodded. "I'm sure it broke her heart that your arm is, well, you know."
Paul nodded.
"It doesn't seem real yet, you know?" Paul confessed. "It's all hazy. I keep waiting for the hospital to call and tell me it was all a mistake."
"I don't blame you," Will reached out to touch Paul's knee. "It'll take some time accepting. I just want you to remember that your life isn't over."
"It's not?" Paul asked with a wry expression.
"No," Will smiled supportively. He pulled his hand away. "Actually, I was thinking we could talk about what you could do now."
"What do you mean?" Paul tilted his head.
"I mean, other things you could do with your life," Will said excitedly. He opened his bag and pulled out a notebook and paper. "Come on, we can make a list."
"Seriously?" Paul smiled.
"What?" Will looked up at him innocently. "I'm helping."
Paul couldn't stop a fond smile from sweeping over his face.
"What's something you've always wanted to do?" Will asked.
"Baseball," Paul answered immediately. "That's all I've ever thought about."
"Okay," Will wrote something down. "You can still work with baseball just not pitching. You could commentate or coach or even help manage a team."
"I guess," Paul reluctantly agreed.
"What else?" Will thought it over. "Oh, you love being in Japan. You could go on an extended vacation, get back to your roots."
Paul watched Will work, not saying anything.
"You could write a book," Will added that to his list. "You could go back to school. You could get a TV show. You could model. You could-,"
"Wait, wait, wait," Paul urged Will. "Back up. I could be a model?"
"Well," Will stared at Paul, panicked. "I mean, you know what I mean, because you're so, uh and yeah. Yes, you could do that. Yeah."
Paul shook his head at Will, amused.
"You trying to tell me something, Horton?" Paul smiled.
"No," Will blurted out. "I just, I'm, I'm helping you."
"Yes, yes you are," Paul smiled.
Will closed his notebook with the pen inside.
"I, um, I should probably go check on the pub," Will said suddenly. "I need to work on the article still and get Ari from my grandma. So…"
Paul stood up when Will did.
"There's one thing I've been thinking about doing," Paul confessed. "Now that I can't play baseball."
Will froze with his eyes wide.
"Maybe you can tell me later," Will pleaded. "I really do need to-,"
"You know," Paul crossed his arms. "Zoe did tell me you're supposed to give me whatever I want."
"That's not," Will shook his head.
"I've never taken advantage of that," Paul continued. "But maybe I should now."
Paul moved closer to Will and took his hand.
"I," Will inhaled sharply. He didn't know what to say.
"I'll see you at the pub," Paul said, squeezing Will's hand and backing off. "For lunch. Got it?"
"Yeah," Will nodded. "I got it."
Will walked out of Paul's room and closed his eyes.
'It's just work,' Will repeated over and over. 'Just work.'
"How was your time with Grandma?" Will asked Ari. "Did you have fun?"
Ari nodded before nuzzling against Will.
"How was she?" Will looked towards Marlena.
"A perfect angel, of course," Marlena answered. "How have you been, sweetheart? I haven't seen much of you."
"I'm alright," Will shrugged. "Busy."
"You sure?" Marlena furrowed her brows. "You look stressed."
"I am," Will acknowledged. "I've been helping out here," Will gestured to the pub. "And I've been writing and…"
Will trailed off. He didn't feel comfortable talking to his grandma about his relationship problems. He didn't want to disappoint her.
"You should take some time off and relax," Marlena suggested. She glanced at her watch. "I have a patient I need to meet."
"Thanks for watching sleeping beauty here," Will lifted a dozing Ari up.
"It was no trouble," Marlena smiled. "Let me know when I can help again. Or if you want to talk."
"I will," Will watched Marlena walk away.
"Well, little lady," Will told Ari. "Daddy has some work he needs to get done here for Aunt Kayla. But you need a nap."
Ari blinked at Will lazily.
"I know what we'll do," Will headed towards the back staircase.
"Hey," Paul walked up to Will, ready for lunch.
"Hi," Will said quickly. "I've got your booth saved for you."
Paul sat down and watched Will flit about. He had made a decision. Will proved that he could be trusted even if he was a journalist.
Paul wasn't ready to step into any step-daddy-territory. But he wanted Will, anyway he could get him. Paul knew Will had to know how he felt about him by now.
'I've been anything but subtle,' Paul's eyes followed Will around. 'And whatever loser he's with? Doesn't stand a chance, not against me.'
"Do you want to try something new?" Will asked Paul. "Or your usual."
"I'm thinking," Paul looked Will up and down. "Something new."
Will, cheeks pink, nodded.
Before leaving to put in the order, Will pulled a small monitor from his apron pocket.
"What's that?" Paul questioned.
"Baby monitor," Will explained. "Ari's napping upstairs."
"Upstairs?" Paul frowned. "What's up there?"
"I never told you?" Will hummed. "There's an apartment up there. Actually, it's kind of where Ari was conceived. Anyway, no one's renting it out so I put Ari up there."
"Why aren't you renting it?" Paul demanded. "That seems like a pretty obvious way to make money."
"Yeah, I put an ad up but no one seems interested," Will shrugged. "It has its own back entrance and everything."
"Well," Paul thought it over. "What if I rented it?"
"Why would you do that?" Will paused. "It's not exactly nice enough for you."
"I'm sure it's fine. Plus, it beats staying at the hotel," Paul explained. 'And it's closer to you.'
"But, aren't you leaving soon?" Will wondered. "Back to San Francisco, I mean?"
"I could be persuaded to stay," Paul stated, looking into Will's eyes.
Will quickly moved away. He waved his order pad in the air as way of an explanation. He couldn't acknowledge what Paul just said.
Adrienne waved as Maggie walked out of the pub. Standing up, Adrienne searched through her purse for a few extra dollars. Will had done a remarkably good job of serving them. Adrienne didn't even know that Will was helping around the pub again.
Putting the bills on the table, Adrienne looked around the pub for Will. She wanted to tell him goodbye. Seeing him with a customer, Adrienne waited.
'He's certainly taking a long time chatting with that guy,' Adrienne thought. 'Who is that anyway? I don't recognize him.'
It wasn't until Will walked away that Adrienne caught a glimpse of the man's face.
'Oh. My. God,' Adrienne's jaw dropped.
"Hey," Sonny laid his hands on the counter. "I'm here to pick up my rings. I'm hoping this time they're right."
"Yes, Mr. Kiriakis," the elderly woman behind the counter fretted. "I'm so sorry about our mishap the other week. I apologize immensely."
"I just want the rings back, please," Sonny answered in a clipped tone.
'Will's going to kill me if he doesn't get it soon,' Sonny thought.
"Here you go, Mr. Kiriakis," the woman presented Sonny the rings. "I can assure you that everything is in order this time."
Sonny ripped open the ring boxes. He held Will's ring up, examining it.
'Finally,' Sonny thought. 'I don't know how much longer I can go without these.'
Adrienne held onto the edge of the tabletop, stunned.
'There is no way that's Paul Narita,' Adrienne told herself. 'No way.'
Only Adrienne knew that wasn't true. She had never met Paul before but she knew what he looked like.
'Oh god, why is he here?'
Paul's eyes lingered on Will. They followed him around the restaurant, never once looking away. A satisfied smirk settled across his features.
'Oh no,' Adrienne realized. 'He knows who Will is. He must be planning something.'
As Will walked into the kitchen, Adrienne made her move.
With a confident hitch to her shoulders, Adrienne sauntered over to Paul's table and sat down.
Paul's eyes slid towards the strange blonde's face.
"Can I help you?" Paul murmured, weirded out.
"I know we've never met before but I know who you are," Adrienne directly replied.
Paul sat up straighter, trying to place the woman.
"My name is Adrienne Kiriakis," Adrienne explained. "And I know what you're doing."
Paul frowned, lost.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Paul stated. "I haven't seen Sonny in weeks."
"Right," Adrienne snorted. "I just saw you!"
"Saw me what?" Paul lifted his hands in frustration.
"With Will!" Adrienne hissed. "I don't know what you're planning but it isn't going to work."
"With Will?" Paul repeated. "What are you even talking about?"
'What does Will have to do with Sonny?' Paul wondered.
"My son is happy now," Adrienne pressed. "He doesn't need nor want you."
Adrienne stood up.
"Will and Sonny are happy together," Adrienne boasted. "And you aren't going to get in the way of that."
Adrienne stormed away from the table and out the door.
Paul sat there for a few moments before it sunk in.
'Sonny's married. Will's involved with someone.'
Paul turned his head to see Will delivering an order.
'Oh god. Will's married to Sonny.'
"Sonny," Adrienne called out. She barged into his office.
"Mom," Sonny complained. He looked up from his laptop. "I'm working here."
"This is important," Adrienne insisted.
"No, I need to get this done," Sonny argued. "I have to be home on time."
Adrienne sat down across from Sonny. She paused when she noticed something was missing.
"Where's your wedding ring?" Adrienne demanded.
"Oh," Sonny licked his lip. "I sent our rings to get engraved a few weeks ago. They screwed them up but I finally got them back today. That's why I need to get home tonight."
"Sonny," Adrienne caught his eyes. "You have to tell Will about Paul."
"Mom," Sonny rolled his eyes. "We've been over this. There is nothing to worry about."
"I saw Paul at the pub," Adrienne butted in. "He was talking to Will."
Sonny slowly lifted his head to stare at his mother, horrified.
"What?" Sonny whispered.
"Paul was at the pub," Adrienne continued. "He was talking with Will, staring at him. He's up to something."
"No," Sonny shook his head. "That's not possible."
"I know what I saw," Adrienne argued. "Sonny, you have to tell Will, now."
"I-I can't," Sonny could feel the walls pressing in on him. "I can't tell Will anything."
'Oh god,' Sonny gasped. 'Will knows Paul is here. Will could talk to him again. Oh god, this can't be happening.'
"Sonny?" Adrienne asked. "Sonny!"
"No," Sonny shook his head. "No, this isn't, no."
"Sweetheart," Adrienne grabbed his hand. "Relax."
"This can't be happening," Sonny closed his eyes. "This isn't, no."
"It is happening," Adrienne firmly stated. "And you have to tell Will."
"No," Sonny opened his eyes. "I'll talk to Will about it tonight. I'm sure they barely talked. There's nothing to worry about. Paul said he wouldn't tell anyone."
"Tell anyone what? Sonny, this is a mistake," Adrienne shook her head.
"I know what I'm doing, Mom," Sonny growled. "Now, let me handle this."
"Hey," Will sat down across from Paul.
Will pursed his lips and tilted his head.
"Are you okay?" Will questioned. He reached out to touch Paul's forehead. "You look really pale."
"I-I'm fine," Paul stared at Will, nauseous.
'I slept with Will's husband,' Paul realized. 'Sonny cheated on Will and I helped him.'
'Fuck, why didn't Will tell me he's married? Sonny has a ring. Why doesn't Will? How did this happen?'
'I could have met any writer in the world and I found Sonny's husband,' Paul swallowed. 'Oh god.'
"Should I get you some medicine? Or some soup?" Will fretted. His voice lowered. "Is it your arm? Should I call a doctor?"
"No," Paul finally responded. "Just, um, letting everything sink in."
Will gave Paul a gentle look.
"Everything is going to okay," Will said confidently. "You have so much to offer the world. I know you're going to do great things."
The monitor Will was holding started going off.
"Oh," Will pulled the thing out. "Looks like my princess is up."
"Do you, um, do you mind if I go with you?" Paul asked. He couldn't handle being in public anymore.
"Sure," Will shrugged. "Um, let me get your food and you can eat it upstairs. See if you want to actually move in."
"Hey, princess," Will greeted in a soft look. "How was your nap?"
Ari sat up and rubbed her eyes. She whimpered softly and held out her arms.
"Ah, come here," Will sat next to her on the bed. Ari relaxed against Will's chest.
Paul closed the door behind them. He set his food down on the coffee table nearby, sneaking looks at Will and Ari.
"Daddy missed you," Will told Ari. He pushed her hair behind her ears. "Did you miss me?"
"Uh huh," Ari nodded. "Miss, Da-da."
"I love you so much," Will kissed the top of her head. "Let me go get your lunch. Then we can go home, alright?"
Paul couldn't deny the pang in his chest watching Will with his daughter.
"Hey," Will asked Paul. "Can you watch her while I get her something to eat?"
"Sure," Paul agreed.
"Thanks," Will beamed.
Paul's breath stuttered.
"No problem," Paul assured Will.
Ari sat down next to Paul on the couch. Shyly, she stole a fry from his plate.
'Sonny or no Sonny,' Paul recognized. 'I still want Will.'
"You know what, Horton?" Paul called over his shoulder before Will left.
"What?" Will asked.
"I think I do want this apartment for myself," Paul flashed Will a blinding grin.
"Really?" Will excitedly pressed.
"Uh huh," Paul nodded. "I wouldn't mind be close to you all day."
Will pressed his lips together, trying to dim his smile.
That afternoon when he got home, Will finally found his inspiration with the article.
"Let's try to clean up before Daddy Sonny gets home," Will suggested to Ari later that day. "If he comes home."
Ari continued playing her toys, ignoring Will.
"Oh, sure, make me do it all," Will jokingly huffed.
Will wiped down the table and kitchen counter, switching on the dishwasher.
Just as Will went to plug in the vacuum, his phone rang.
"Look, Ari," Will told her. "It's Grammy. Here," Will answered. "Say hi, Ari."
"Hi," Ari giggled into the phone.
"Is that my baby?" Sami cooed.
Ari nodded, unaware Sami couldn't see her.
"What are you doing, silly girl?" Sami questioned.
Ari smashed her blocks together.
"Oooh," Sami said. "You're playing. You better get back to it so I can talk to Daddy."
"Hey, Mom," Will put the phone to his ear. "What's up?"
"Well," Sami said. "I got an interesting call from Aunt Kayla."
"Oh?" Will hummed. "What did she say?"
"Well, she told me all about how you've been saving the pub," Sami smiled. "Which I am immensely proud about."
"I think saved is a strong word," Will mumbled.
"Oh, shut up," Sami ordered. "But she also told me something a little concerning."
"What?" Will mused. He moved to the bathroom to clean the toilet.
"Something about you looking a little too cozy with some strange guy," Sami said pointedly. "What's been going on with you, Will?"
"Nothing," Will defensively replied.
"I have hardly heard from you since you got back to Salem," Sami listed. "When I do get you on the phone you never have time to talk."
"I've been busy," Will defended. "With the pub and this new article I'm working on."
"But you're not too busy to go to the hospital with some strange guy?" Sami quipped.
"I didn't go with him," Will stated. "I met him there. And nothing happened."
"Who is this guy, Will?" Sami demanded.
"No one," Will insisted.
"Will?" Sami lowered her voice.
"I literally cannot tell you his name," Will responded. "I signed a confidentiality agreement."
"What?" Sami barked.
"I'm working on something for Sonix," Will admitted. "And he's part of it."
"That's not what Kayla said it looked like," Sami replied.
"Kayla didn't see anything," Will put his hand to his forehead. "We're friends. That is it."
"Why are you so defensive?" Sami wondered.
"I'm not," Will argued.
"You are," Sami sighed. "Which only means one thing, Will. You are hiding something."
"I-I'm not," Will reiterated.
"Liar," Sami sniffed.
"Mom," Will complained.
"Does Sonny know you're friends with this guy?" Sami asked.
"He, I told you, no one can know about this guy," Will evaded. "Sonny knows I'm interviewing someone."
"So, he doesn't know?" Sami surmised. "You're friends with a guy and you haven't told your husband. Will," Sami sighed.
"I, that is so-," Will denied. "I can have friends, you know?"
"Who are you talking to?" Sami reminded Will. "Now, tell me the truth."
Will peaked his head out the bathroom door, checking on Ari. He didn't need her overhearing this.
"Ever since I came back from LA, Sonny's been weird," Will confessed.
"What do you mean, weird?" Sami pressed.
"At first he was so nice, right? Telling me how much he loved me and showering me with attention," Will explained. "But now, now we barely see each other. He gets so mad at me for really small things. We're always arguing."
"Oh, sweetie," Sami frowned.
"I just," Will couldn't stop talking once he got started. "We got into a big fight and he said he was going to make it up to me with this romantic date."
"Yeah?" Sami hoped it wasn't too bad.
"He forgot about the date," Will whispered. "He wouldn't admit it but I know he did. I spent the whole night at TBD waiting for him. It worked out afterwards. He made up for it but that's how everything has been lately. And I think, I think the club's in trouble but he won't tell me."
"Why haven't you talked to Sonny about this?" Sami asked.
"I try but it just starts another argument," Will pushed the toilet lid down to sit.
"What about this other guy?" Sami remembered. "How does he play into this?"
"He, I've been spending time with him," Will admitted. "We talk and stuff."
"What kind of stuff?" Sami narrowed her eyes.
"He makes me laugh a lot," Will bit his lip. "He's even, he offered to invest in the pub. He's already been helping out so much. And this article I'm writing, Mom, it's going to be so good."
'Oh, god,' Sami thought closing her eyes.
"Baby," Sami inhaled and exhaled deeply.
"It's, he's just a friend," Will desperately replied. "If that, I mean, he probably thinks it's just work. I'm sure he has better than me."
"Don't say that," Sami barked. "You know I don't like hearing that."
"Sorry," Will automatically replied. "It's just, Pa-, he's just a friend and that's it."
"Are you sure, Will? Really sure?" Sami asked. "Because you have to know how this looks."
"It's nothing," Will shook his head.
"You know how angry you would get growing up," Sami reminded Will. "How disappointed you always were when someone would chea-,"
"I'm not doing that," Will cut her off angrily. "Paul's nothing, okay? I don't even know if he's gay."
"I hope not," Sami retorted. "Think about what you'd be giving up, Will. Would you be willing to throw away your husband, your daughter's family for some guy?"
"We're friends," Will promised. "That's it. Whenever, whenever the article's done we probably won't even have that."
'Just friends,' Will clenched his eyes shut. 'That's it.'
Sonny stood outside the Brady Pub's entrance feeling like a creeper.
'It's not stalking if it's your own husband,' Sonny reasoned. 'I'm just checking.'
Sonny looked over the entirety of the pub and couldn't see Will anywhere, or Paul.
'Oh, god,' Sonny briefly thought in a panic. 'What if Paul met Will, decided he wanted him, and took Will to his hotel?'
Sonny knew it was plausible. Paul could be charming and seductive. Will never encountered anyone like that before.
'Plus, Will loves the Giants. How many times have I heard him talking to T about how great of a player Paul was? Will's gorgeous and naïve and Paul would want to pounce all over that.'
Sonny didn't think about how unfair that was to Will. He couldn't think clearly at all. All he could think about was his husband being face-to-face with the man Sonny cheated on him with. He also could recall his friends teasing him about how good Will looked in his work clothes. That settled it.
Without a thought to how wrong it was, Sonny turned and headed towards the Salem Inn.
Paul sat on the edge of his bed with his head in his hands.
'How has my life become so screwed up?' Paul wondered. 'Ever since I got to this town, it's all been one fucked up moment after another.'
'Married,' Paul groaned. 'How is Will married?'
It wasn't so much the husband that bothered Paul. After all, he did sleep with Sonny and he knew he was married.
'To Will,' Paul rubbed the palm of his hands over his face. 'How could Sonny be with Will?'
Paul didn't care that Will was in a relationship. Deep down he didn't even care that Will was married. It was who Will married that mattered.
'And the fact that he never told me,' Paul realized. 'Why didn't Will tell me?'
Paul knew about Arianna. He knew all about the relationship troubles between Will and his significant other.
'But he never told me the guy was his husband,' Paul shook his head. 'Why doesn't he wear a ring? Why didn't he ever tell me?'
Paul could admit Will keeping things from him hurt more than it should. It hurt more than it should for a guy he wanted to hook up with.
'Is that even what I want anymore?' Paul wondered. 'Or is it something more?'
'I still haven't even come out to Will,' Paul knew. 'I've flirted and I've hinted but I haven't been forthcoming. I'm sure Will has his reasons for keeping his marriage a secret. I'll just have to find out what they are.'
Knock Knock Knock
Paul stood up straight, pulling at his clothes. There were only two people who knew he was here.
'Only one of them has a reason to come see me,' Paul thought with a smile. 'Maybe Will has more questions. Or maybe Will and Ari were near the park.'
Paul swung the door open, smile freezing on his face.
"What are you doing here?" Paul questioned.
Sonny scrutinized every inch of Paul's room. He didn't see any sign of another person being there. That made Sonny relieved.
Without thinking, Sonny blurted out the only reason he had for coming. He needed to know the truth once and for all.
"Were you at the Brady Pub today?" Sonny demanded.
Paul looked at Sonny oddly. He crossed his arms over his chest.
"What does that have to do with anything?" Paul tilted his head.
Throwing all caution to the wind, Sonny gave himself away.
"You can't go there anymore," Sonny ordered.
"Why?" Paul was beginning to get it.
'He doesn't want me around Will,' Paul realized.
"Because my husband is there and you can't be around him," Sonny stated. He hoped he sounded confident. He felt anything but.
Paul smirked. 'If Sonny only knew exactly how much I like being around his husband.'
"Who's your husband?" Paul mused, playing dumb.
"You don't know?" Sonny frowned. "But I thought…" Sonny trailed off.
"How would I know who your husband is?" Paul lied.
Sonny opened and closed his mouth several times.
Paul thought back to all the times Will confessed to Sonny being too busy to spend time with Will and Ari.
'But he has time to come here,' Paul thought in disgust.
"Go home, Sonny," Paul rolled his eyes. "You don't have anything to worry about. I'm not going to tell your husband what you did."
Sonny startled when Paul closed the door in his face.
'What is wrong with me?' Sonny wondered. 'I need to get to Will.'
Sonny walked through the door and stopped short.
"It looks good in here," Sonny complimented.
"I had some time to spare," Will explained. "I finished my first draft of my article."
"Is it bad that makes me happy?" Sonny asked, face scrunched.
"No," Will shook his head. "It's fine. Um, come here," Will requested.
"Wait," Sonny put his hand in his coat pocket, hand on the ring box.
Sonny needed to hear from Will about what happened at the pub. He had to know for sure. He didn't trust Paul, not the way he did Will.
"Did you go to the pub today?" Sonny asked, stalling.
"Yeah," Will confirmed. "I told you this morning I was going."
"See anyone interesting?" Sonny wondered.
Will gave Sonny a strange look.
'What is he talking about?' Will thought.
"My mom saw you today," Sonny rocked back and forth on his heels. "Said you were talking with someone interesting?"
Sonny couldn't say his name. He couldn't say Paul's name, not to Will. He couldn't open that can of worms and keep his mouth shut.
'Stupid Adrienne,' Will briefly thought. 'I'm not allowed to talk about this. Paul might not care but Zoe does.'
"I'm pretty sure I saw a baseball player," Will offered. He didn't want to outright lie to Sonny. Not after the conversation with his mom.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Sonny pressed.
"Well," Will frowned a bit. "You don't like baseball. Why would you want to know?"
'You'll find out soon enough,' Will recalled. 'Then we can all laugh about how I had to keep it a secret.'
"Can you come here now?" Will pleaded. "I really, really want to kiss my husband."
Sonny nodded. The pressure in his chest eased a bit.
'Will met Paul and nothing happened.'
Sonny suddenly couldn't wait to get this ring back on Will's finger. He needed that ownership branding Will as his.
"Well," Sonny stepped in front of Will. "I was hoping to make this more romantic but," Sonny trailed off.
Sonny pulled the ring box out of his pocket and presented it to Will.
"I'm sorry it took so long," Sonny said. "But it's worth it."
Sonny held the ring out to Will with a nervous smile.
Will took the ring, holding it close to read the tiny inscription.
"Now I'm where I belong," Will read.
"It's a Maya Angelou quote," Sonny explained. "I couldn't fit the whole thing. It goes, 'You rose into my life like a promised sunrise, brightening my days with the light in your eyes. I've never been so strong. Now I'm where I belong.'"
"Do you, um, is it okay?" Sonny questioned, visibly nervous.
"I love it," Will assured Sonny in an awed voice.
Sonny pushed the ring onto Will's finger; letting Will do the same to him.
"And I love you," Sonny grasped Will's cheek. "Always."
Will clung to Sonny desperately. The ring around his finger grounded him as did Sonny's familiar touch.
'This is all I want. This is all I need,' Will told himself.
Ari's block tower crashed to the floor. Will and Sonny startled apart.
Ari's lower lip wobbled.
"Don't cry, baby girl," Will rushed to her side. "It's going to be okay."
"Your daddies will fix it," Sonny flashed her a wide smile.
Author's note:
Big things are coming up soon.
Thanks for reading!