Will finished buttoning Arianna's clothes back up and carried her to the living room and put her down in front of her blocks while he rushed around getting her things together. 'Blanket, extra clothes, diapers, wipes, snack, sippy cup, favorite animal…' he went over the list in his head as he packed the things into a diaper bag. Finally satisfied that he had everything he sat the bag on the couch and went back to the bedroom to pull out her stroller.
He was coming back into the living room when there was a knock on the door. He glanced at the clock, it was only 1:30. Paul was early, but then Ari had napped a little longer than she usually did, and he had been caught up in editing his article and hadn't noticed until about 10 minutes ago.
"Come in." He called out.
Paul opened the door and walked in. "Hey!" He said winking at Will, going straight over to Arianna when she held her arms up to him. "Hey Pumpkin." He said picking her up and swinging her around.
She laughed wilding and clung to him. When he stopped she hugged him tightly.
Will watched them together, wondering how Paul had gotten past all of her defenses soo fast. Not that he was complaining. He was thrilled that Ari seemed to like Paul as much as he did. It sure made his life simpler.
"Hey!" he said, "What am I, Chopped liver? He pouted.
Paul looked at Arianna and grinned. "Uh Oh…. Someone's jealous." He said. "Let's go give daddy some love." He said carrying her over and wrapping his free arm around Will. He pulled Will close. "We love you, daddy. Don't we Ari?" The little girl giggled and nodded enthusiastically, reaching out to Will.
Will took her and nuzzled her close. "Love you to baby girl." He said, kissing her forehead. Then he looked at Paul over her shoulder. "WOW." He whispered.
"What?" Paul asked.
"You just said that you love me!" Will answered.
Paul thought for a second. "Yeah, I guess I did." He said. "And I meant it."
Will smiled and reached out to him. He pulled him forward into a kiss.
Paul pressed in close to them holding Will tightly, until Arianna squirmed in between them. "Hey!" she cried out.
Paul moved back, letting Will go slowly. "Sorry Pumpkin." He said, "I was just saying hi to daddy."
"One thing though." Will said, looking at Paul.
"What thing?" Paul asked.
'You aren't allowed to call me daddy." Will said, "It's just plain weird."
Paul burst out laughing. "Point taken." He said.
Arianna squirmed in Will's arms until he sat her on the floor and went back to opening the stroller.
"Who's ready to go to the park?" He asked when he had It open.
"Me…me…me…" Arianna chanted. She ran over and threw her arms up waiting for Will to pick her up and buckle her into the stroller.
Once he had her situated, he turned to Paul. "Will you grab the diaper bag off of the couch and open the door for me?" He asked.
"Sure thing." Paul said, following Will's instructions.
Will pushed her out onto the sidewalk and then Paul took the stroller, he pushed Arianna across the street and over into the park. Once they were inside Will directed him over to the side with the child's play area.
As soon as Arianna saw the playground come into view, she started clapping… "Down….. Down…. Want down…" she chanted.
"Alright Ari, daddy knows you want down, but you have to put on your jacket, it is cold." Will said, lifting her out. He sat her on the ground and picked up her jacket from the top of the diaper bag. He held it out.
"Noooo…." She said, pushing it away. "me noo cold." She said.
"I am not cold." Will corrected her automatically, "and it doesn't matter if you are cold or not, it is cold out here. If you want to stay and play you have to wear your jacket, or I can take you home. You chose." Will said holding the jacket up for her.
She stood staring at him. "Nooo cold." She whined again.
"Jacket or home." Will repeated her choices.
She sighed dramatically, and jammed her arm in the jacket sleeve.
"Good girl." Will praised, zipping it up.
She ran off and climbed onto the rocking horse. Will watched her as she began to rock back and forth.
Paul put his arm around Will's back. "You are amazing with her." He said.
Will shook his head. "I am not that good, but I just keep trying." He said.
"Are you kidding me?" Paul said. "You are a wonderful father Will. Arianna is a lucky little girl."
"Thanks for saying that." Will said.
"I mean it." Paul said, pulling Will closer to his side.
They found a bench and sat down watching her run from toy to toy, never staying in one place for very long.
They had been there nearly an hour when Ari came running up and grabbed Paul's hand. "Swide wif me." She asked.
Paul eyed the small slide… "I don't think I can." He said cautiously.
"Pwease." She asked.
"Arianna, honey." Will said, "Paul isn't going to fit on that slide, it is for little girls and boys.
"Me not care." She pouted.
"I don't care." Will corrected, before he picked her up, and sat her on his lap. "Paul may get stuck up there and have to stay here forever." He teased. "Then he won't be able to come over and play blocks with you."
She narrowed her eyes at him, but then she slid down and went to slide alone.
"Thanks." Paul said laughing, "I didn't know how I was going to squeeze through that little house thing at the top.
Will giggled loudly.
"What's so funny?" Paul asked.
"Nothing really." Will said. "I was just picturing Alice in Wonderland when she eats the cake in wonderland."
Paul looked at him like he was crazy…. "What on earth are you talking about?" he asked.
"Have you never seen Alice in Wonderland?" Will asked, surprised.
"I don't think so." Paul answered truthfully.
"We have to fix that." Paul said.
"Okay then." Paul said, "I will look forward to that." He looked over at Ari who was struggling to climb onto a swing. Paul got up and went over help her.
Will sat back and watched him scoop his daughter up and put her into the swing, pushing her gently. Arianna squealed out happily laughing.
His heart swelled with love for both of them. Paul was a good person, who loved his daughter, told him the truth and pushed him to face his feelings head on…how could he not love this man?
"Will, Hey!" Lucas said, sitting down beside him.
"Hey dad!" Will said surprised to see Lucas sitting down, "What are you doing here?"
"I was on my way to a meeting at Basic Black." Lucas said, "And I thought I heard my granddaughter."
"Ahhh." Will said, "You did, she's right over there." He said pointing to where Paul pushed her as high as he dared.
"Who's that with her?" Lucas asked. "Looks like that ball player."
"That's him." Will agreed. "You want to meet him?"
"Are you kidding, he's just one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball…. Of course I want to meet him." Lucas said.
"MMkay come on." Will said standing up.
"Wait." Lucas said. "What's he doing here with you, playing with Arianna?" he asked. "Are you interviewing him or something?"
"No." Will said feeling proud. "Paul and I are dating."
"Yeah?" Lucas asked. "That's great son!"
Will nodded, "For the last few weeks," he explained. "We aren't like engaged or anything, but it has been a great few weeks. Come on, I will introduce you." Will said.
Lucas followed him over…..
"Paul." Will called.
Paul turned and looked at Will.
Lucas watched Paul closely, he saw the way his eyes lit up when they landed on his son. He noticed how Will's body naturally gravitated to Paul's side.
"This is my dad, Lucas." Will said, indicating to Lucas, "Dad, meet my boyfriend, Paul Narita."
Paul stuck his hand out and Lucas clasped it in his own, "Nice to meet you sir." He said.
"The pleasure is all mine." Lucas said. "I was surprised to hear that you were in town actually. I couldn't believe that you would choose our small town to have surgery and recover in. Do you have family here?" Lucas asked.
Paul shook his head. "No nothing like that but I did have my reasons for coming here."
"Gampa…." Arianna called happily, the swing slowed down. She was about to jump off but Paul reached out and caught her easily.
"Whoa there Pumpkin." He said. "You're going to get hurt." Paul turned with her and she practically dove into Lucas's arms. She promptly gave him a kiss on the cheek, and hugged his neck tightly.
"How's my favorite girl?" Lucas asked.
"Where Allie?" She asked him, looking around.
"She is with Grandma Sami." Lucas said, "You will have to get daddy to take you to see Grandma Sami." Lucas said, tickling her side.
"Otay." She giggled and struggled to get down again.
Once her feet were on the ground she was gone.
"You know mom is going to kill you for that right?" Will laughed.
"What?" Lucas said innocently.
"Grandma Sami?" Will said.
"She is her grandmother." Lucas defended.
"Mom tells Ari to call her Nana." Will said.
"And Ari calls her Grandma Sami." Lucas said, laughing.
"And you wouldn't have anything to do with that, right?" Will asked skeptically.
"Who me?" Lucas said, "Not at all."
Will looked at Paul, my mom despises being called Grandma," He explained.
"That's kind what I figured. But judging by looking at your dad here, she is way too young to be a grandma anyway." Paul said.
"Oooohh, Will." Lucas said, "You did good, your mom is going to like this one."
"I hope so." Will answered him. "He's a keeper, I think."
"Wing me, wing me, pwease." Arianna called from the other side of the playground.
Will looked up to see where she was. She was laying across the seat of one of the swings for the bigger kids. "Oh no." He moaned. "You're too little for those swings." Will called aloud. "Come back over here."
"Wing me pwwweeeeeaaasssseeee." She whined again.
"I got her." Paul said, jogging over to where she was.
Lucas watched him go then turned back to Will. "He seems like a good guy." He commented.
"He is." Will said simply.
"You seem happy." Lucas said.
"I am." Will said, his eyes following Paul. "He is definitely something special."
Lucas nodded. "It is good to see you doing something besides moping around waiting for Sonny to come to his senses." He said.
Will's eyes jumped to Lucas's face. Surprise clearly evident in his expression. "Was I that obvious?" he asked, suddenly embarrassed.
"Well, it wasn't written on your forehead or anything, but I am your dad, and I know you pretty well. It was pretty easy for me see what was going on in that head of yours."
"I thought that I did pretty good at playing it off." Will said.
"Well you probably did for most people. But don't for a second think that I haven't been there. I have been through that more than a time or two with your mother." Lucas said.
"I'm sorry about that, it sucks." Will said.
"It does, you're right." Lucas said, "but I am getting off topic here. I just want you to know that I am really happy for you."
"Thanks dad." Will said.
Lucas looked down at his watch… "Damnit." He said, seeing that he had gotten distracted and lost track of time. "I am going to be late. I have to run. Kiss Ari for me, will you?" he asked. "And tell Paul I said I will see him around."
"Sure dad," Will said. "See you later."
Lucas hurried off and Will turned his attention back to Arianna and Paul. He had charmed her off of the swings and had her on the merry go round, which he was spinning slowly. He stood there spinning it for her until she stood and staggered off of it like a drunk person.
Then Paul picked her up and carried her over to the bench where Will waited for them. He sat down with her, situating her on his lap. "Where did your dad go?" he asked.
"He was late for a meeting." Will said, but he said he would be seeing you around."
"Cool." Paul said, "I would like to get to know him."
Ari laid her head over against Paul's chest. Her eyes sliding closed as she drifted off to sleep.
"You tired someone out." Will said, pointing at Ari. "She is asleep already."
"She's not the only one that is tired." Paul said, "I am about ready for a nap myself."
Will chuckled. "Should we go back to the apartment so you can take a nap?" he asked.
"That's not a bad idea." Paul teased.
"You wanna put her in the stroller?" Will asked.
"No, I will carry her." Paul said.
Will shook his head, "What about your shoulder, you shouldn't be picking her up at all, let alone carrying her that far?" he asked.
"It will be okay." Paul said.
"No, here give her to me and you push the stroller." Will argued.
"Okay." Paul said, transferring the sleeping child to Will's arms.
They got up and Paul gathered her things together and sat them in the empty stroller.
They walked back to Will's apartment building and Paul took the keys from the front pocket of the diaper bag an opened the door. He went straight to the nursery with Arianna, lying her in down in the crib.
"She is out." Will said, coming out of the nursery shutting the door quietly behind him. "You know where my bed is if you seriously want to…" He looked up to see that they were not alone.
"Mom? What are you doing here?" he asked when he saw her standing in the open door in front of Paul.
"Interrupting something apparently." She teased.
"But…." Will started.
"Oh come on Will…. You knew Lucas would call me, I had to come and meet the man that put a twinkle in your eye." She said strolling past Paul into the apartment, promptly sitting down on the couch.
Will blushed a deep crimson. "Come on in mom, have a seat." He said resigning himself to getting this over with.