A/N: Happy Holidays! I hope you all have a good one! I will, unfortunately, be working, so I wanted to get this out now. I decided to end this chapter on a happier note, but there will be some bumps up ahead. I hope you all enjoy it. Let me know what you think!
Bumpy Roads
Connor hadn't lied about showing up in PJs, he had thrown on a pair of sweats with a t-shirt and threw a change of clothes into his go-bag that held an extra toiletry kit. Like his son, he was too excited to take the time to get ready. He wanted to spend as much time with Callum as he possibly could. He made a swift stop at a café down the block from Sarah's as he picked up coffee for them, juice for Callum, and a selection of pastries and breakfast sandwiches. He had discovered yesterday that Callum had inherited some of Sarah's pickiness for food, but he wasn't sure if that was him being a typical four-year-old or if it was something more permanent. Either way, he ignored the pang that he didn't know his son's preferences and focused on the fact that he would find out.
He knew about Callum now and nothing was going to stop him from knowing his son.
Connor juggled the warm bags and drink carrier carefully as he climbed the steps to Sarah's apartment when he found himself on the receiving end of a pair of impassive dark eyes. He was being sized up and judged and he wasn't entirely sure why.
"Can I help you, son?" The man's voice was low and gruff. Not exactly welcoming, but not unkind either.
He reminded Connor of an old high school history of his. Mr. Pommer had the type of command that would get a room full of teenagers to sit up and pay attention without being an asshole about it... though there was an unspoken acknowledgment amongst the student body that Mr. Pommer wasn't to be crossed either. This man had a very similar vibe.
Connor shook his head slowly as he glanced past the older man to the door he wanted to get to, "Uhh, no. Just need to get by."
"Marty, you still out there? You forgot your wallet."
Marty didn't so much as move as an older woman, presumably his wife, appeared over his shoulder in a bathrobe. She had come from the door opposite Sarah's and slowly pieces began to fall into place for Connor. Obviously, they already knew who he was.
The older woman blanched as she finally caught sight of Connor, a faint blush rising to her cheeks as she gripped her robe close, "Oh - oh you are a handsome one."
"Uhh - Thank you?"
"Mer, really?" Marty grumbled rolling his eyes before he turned to relieve his wallet from his wife's grasp.
"You must be Mr. and Mrs. Schuler. Sarah's told me about you." Connor said, years of meet-and-greet manners kicking into action, "I'm Connor. I'd shake your hand, but mine are a little full."
"Call me Meredith, dear." Meredith preened, smiling like a schoolgirl as she introduced her husband, "And this is Marty."
Her husband scoffed, "Mr. Schuler to you."
Connor nodded affably, not willing to piss off Sarah's neighbors even as Mrs. Schuler smacked her husband's arm. Meredith sniffed and nudged her husband to stand to the side, "Oh let the poor boy pass. I'm sure Sarah and Callum are expecting him. You need to go get my paper and some muffins." She noticed Connor still standing there and waved him passed her, "Go on, dear. Marty only bites me."
"Mer!"
Connor choked slightly and smiled cheekily at the couple as he chose to silently proceed to Sarah's. He honestly hadn't been sure about the couple when Sarah had initially mentioned they would watch Callum for her, but now he was dying to see how his ex handled them.
Gently, he tapped his foot against the bottom of the door and grinned as he heard Callum's small voice ask, "Who is it?"
"It's Daddy, Bud," Connor answered, nearly humming at the thrill of being able to say that.
The door swung open before he could blink, and he wondered for a moment if it had even been locked. Callum beamed just inside, looking for all the world like he wanted to launch himself at his father, but was unsure if he should.
"Take this bag, Bud. So, I can give you a hug." Connor said.
Callum snatched the bag eagerly, and Connor stooped down enough to swoop his little boy onto his hip. The paper bag banged harshly against the back of his shoulders as Callum looped his arms around him, but Connor was too focused on the pleased warmth spreading through his chest to care. This... this was a much different welcome than the one he received yesterday. It had hurt something fierce that his son's first reaction to him had been fear and tears.
"Where's Mommy?" Connor murmured before he caught sight of her mass of curls.
Callum pointed to the pullout and the television that was playing a kid's program, "She's sleeping."
Connor hummed, not surprised in the least. It was almost eight and he hadn't left their place until almost eleven. He was sure Sarah didn't go to bed immediately either. He met the familiar sapphire gaze of his son as he arched a brow, "And are you supposed to be answering the door without Mommy?"
Callum didn't answer, merely grinned innocently.
It was a grin that Connor had offered more than a few times himself when he knew he was in trouble but didn't want to admit it. He snorted quietly and set the drink carrier down in her kitchenette as he handed Callum his juice and grabbed Sarah a coffee, "Okay, no more answering the door when you don't know who could be on the other side. Me or Mommy need to be with you."
"But I did know. It was you." Callum protested, not wanting to be in trouble, "You said so."
Connor bit the inside of his cheek because the kid had him there. Instead, he just tried to reinforce his point, "Me or Mommy, Bud. One of us needs to be there when you answer the door. Not by yourself, okay?"
"Kay..." Callum mumbled disinterestedly.
He hadn't put Callum down yet and decided instead to make his way to the pullout. It was time to rouse his ex and let her know that he had invaded her space again.
He carefully plopped Callum next to his mother and gently took the bag with the sandwiches from him as he opened it and began to spread the food out on the handful of napkins that had been provided. He was a little surprised all the noise hadn't woken her. He didn't remember Sarah being such a heavy sleeper. The lid of the coffee cup popped off with ease before he wafted the steaming liquid under Sarah's nose.
It didn't take long and between Callum's giggles, as he watched his father gently rouse his mother and the aroma of fresh coffee, Sarah slowly twitched and grumbled awake. It took her a minute to process the cup in front of her face and another few minutes to process Connor was in her home.
"When did you get here?" She gingerly accepted the cup and shifted to sit up. She didn't remember falling back asleep after calling him.
"A few minutes ago," Connor murmured, moving a sandwich to her lap.
"Mommy doesn't eat breakfast, Daddy." Callum piped up as he watched Sarah take a sip of her coffee. He munched on his croissant, the egg slipping dangerously close to coming out the other end.
Sarah hid behind her coffee cup as Connor leveled a stern stare at her. Suddenly, all the times she had excused her lack of hunger at lunch on a big breakfast was coming back to bite her in the ass.
"She doesn't?"
"No, Mommy makes me breakfast. She drinks coffee but says I can't have any." Big blue eyes glinted with the hope that Connor would disagree and let him try the beverage.
Instead, Connor had arched a brow, "Does Mommy not eat often?"
"Connor." She glared warningly at him.
Callum knew that tone and stilled as his gaze shifted between his parents. Their silent battle of wills raged briefly before Sarah broke their locked stare and offered their son a faint smile. She sipped at her coffee as if nothing had happened.
Connor said silkily, "Well, I think she'll eat breakfast today."
He slipped off the corner of the pullout to snag his coffee from the carrier. He ignored the burn of Sarah's glare, "Met your neighbors."
"Nana and Pop-pop?" Callum cried around a mouthful of food.
Sarah shook her head and gently reminded him, "Don't speak with your mouth full, Bug." Before she turned her attention back to Connor, "Marty getting Meredith's paper?"
"And muffins." Connor said nodding, "Apparently, I'm a handsome one and Marty only bites her."
Sarah choked a little on her food as an unwilling smile pulled at her lips. Meredith really was something else. She continued to pick at her sandwich, not really hungry, but she didn't want to instigate an argument this early with Connor. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Callum gobble his food happily before reaching for one of the danishes that Connor had brought as well. She couldn't remember if Callum had ever had one before – she didn't splurge on pastries all that often.
"Thank you for breakfast," Sarah murmured, smiling as she watched the way Callum's eyes lit up with his treat. Ice cream may have just been knocked down on his sweet treat list, "More importantly for the coffee."
Connor returned to the corner he had claimed on the pullout and made quick work of his own sandwich. He shrugged, reaching for a danish too, "I wouldn't dare show up this early without some liquid energy. You must have stayed up late if you slept through the noise Callum and I made coming through the door."
Sarah frowned as it occurred to her that she hadn't let Connor in, which meant that the only way he could have gotten in was by their son. She turned disapproving eyes on Callum, "Did you open the door?"
"Daddy says I can't do it again without you," Callum mumbled by way of an answer, a pout curled around his lip as he gazed mournfully at his mother.
Sarah heaved a weary sigh, rubbing absently at her neck. She didn't know what to do here. Connor had headed her off at the pass and it was strange to suddenly have another person parenting her little boy. It was a jarring moment, and she didn't know if she should be happy or worried. She felt a bit of both.
"Daddy's right. You need to wait for me when you answer the door." Sarah replied gently, bopping him on the nose before turning her attention to Connor.
He smiled faintly at her as if to say 'See? We can do this.'
This was going to be harder than she thought. She combed her fingers through Callum's soft locks, feeling vaguely possessive and trying woefully not to give in to the anxious pain tightening her chest, "What do you want to do with Daddy today, Bug?"
"I dunno," Callum murmured softly, suddenly looking bashful as his father watched him curiously.
Connor sipped at his coffee, hiding an amused smile before he took Sarah in. Late night aside, she still looked exhausted. She had been working shifts left, right, and center the past week and he doubted that being home the past two days had been much of a break for her. There were a few conversations they needed to finish hashing out and he realized it might be easier done with her well-rested.
"Why don't you get some more sleep?" Connor asked, pushing on as he saw her ready to protest, "We can keep ourselves occupied here, Callum, and I won't leave the building. I swear."
"No. I'm fine. Coffee woke me up." She replied dismissively. Really the offer for sleep sounded amazing but she couldn't shake a sudden bout of discomfort with leaving Callum alone with him.
Connor arched a knowing brow at her, "Sarah, have you looked in a mirror lately? The circles under your eyes have circles. When was the last time you had a full night's rest?"
"I'm fine." She insisted stubbornly. Sleepless nights came with the parenting gig, just as much as the med student gig.
Connor could only shake his head at her. He wasn't willing to have this argument and there were easier ways to get what he wanted. Glancing speculatively around, his gaze landed on the television, stuck on a commercial, before he turned around to tap Callum's foot, "You wanna watch a movie, Bud? We can make it dark in here, like our own little movie theatre."
"Can we make a fort too?" Callum asked, intrigued by the proposal of making the living room dark. Mommy never did that, and he had gotten to make a fort at Max's. He missed the dim glower that his mother was sending his father.
Sarah wasn't stupid. She knew exactly what Connor was doing. He stalwartly ignored her as he nodded encouragingly at his son, "I think we can do that. Why don't you pick a movie, and Mommy and I can get some extra blankets and pillows for a fort."
"Kay." Callum cried as he picked up the remote and began scrolling through the options he could get into.
Connor offered Sarah a hand up before he stood back to let her lead. She kept a loud silence as they entered the bedroom. The spare blankets were stashed inside their little closet but that wasn't what grabbed his attention. Sarah had that set to her shoulders that said she was pissed.
Connor couldn't help but think that she was overreacting, "Sarah..."
"You're unbelievable. I said I was fine." She whispered lowly, making it clear that she knew he was still trying to get her to rest. Dark room, the buzz of the television, quiet kid. It wasn't hard to figure out.
But he wasn't exactly feeding her sleeping pills either. He arched a brow at her and pointedly said, "Then stay awake."
"Connor -" Sarah growled.
He snapped before she could start whatever rebuke was on her tongue. The last few weeks had been a practice in patience for him and he had never felt more frustrated in his life. Now Sarah couldn't seem to make up her mind on whether to let him into their little world or not, "What the hell is your problem? We're staying in, Sarah. What? Do you think I'm going to abscond with him while you sleep?"
Her eyes widened with hurt and a tinge of fear. He was an asshole, "No! But thanks for putting that thought into my head."
Connor took a calming breath as he whispered, "He's not ready to do this without you. He is still checking to make sure you're here and I swear, Sarah, I am not going to take him from you. So, please unclench a little and remember how to trust me."
"Mama?"
Both Connor and Sarah froze for a second before turning to the bedroom door. Callum stood looking rather uncertain as his gaze darted between the two of them for the second time that morning. A small frown tugged at his lips and Connor swore silently at the glimmers of distrust that he could see beginning to seep into his little boy.
"Did you pick a movie, Baby?" Sarah asked softly, trying to brush past the tension that still filled the room.
"...Yeah," Callum answered hesitantly as he wandered over to her. He leaned against her side, not really looking at his father.
Connor closed his eyes as a wave of defeat fell through him. This was not what he had wanted to happen. When he met Sarah's gaze, he could see she hadn't either.
"Bug?" Sarah questioned. Threading her fingers through his hair again as she tried to nudge him from his shell, "You okay?"
"Yeah," Callum mumbled again.
As more of his weight pressed into her, Sarah sighed and knelt to his level. She wasn't sure how much he had heard if he had heard anything at all, "What's the matter?"
Callum stayed silent, looking gloomy and mulish.
"Did you hear Daddy and I speaking?" She asked.
Her boy's stubbornness shined through as he kept his mouth shut and he stared at her.
Sometimes, Sarah wished that Callum wasn't as observant as he was. Biting her lip, she reached behind her and grabbed Connor's wrist. With more strength than he was expecting, she tugged him down next to her and the second he followed her command Callum scooted away.
Connor stiffened with hurt, "Callum?"
"Why are you upset with Daddy?" Sarah pressed when he didn't react, "Callum?"
Callum shifted and frowned, "He was making you mad."
It was Sarah's turn to close her eyes. Too observant her boy... and apparently protective – just like his father. She smiled faintly, if sadly. Maybe this would be easier to do with him present. Maybe she could make Connor understand, "Do you know how you like to help me with adult chores sometimes?"
Callum's brow furrowed in confusion, Connor reflecting the same, but he nodded, "Yeah..."
"You know how sometimes I get upset with you when you do?" Sarah continued.
"Yeah, cuz I'm too little," Callum answered, relaxing slightly but still baffled.
"And because it makes me anxious – scared," Sarah explained and she reached out again, placing her hand on Connor's arm to show Callum she wasn't upset with his father. Not really anyway, "Daddy - Daddy is trying to help me too and it made me upset."
"Cuz you were scared?" Callum asked.
"Yes." Sarah managed to choke out even as her pride screamed at her not to- she hated admitting to weakness, but she wasn't about to let her hang-ups affect her son's relationship with his father, "I'm not used to having another person wanting to take care of you."
"Of both of you," Connor interjected quietly. Gratitude shone in his eyes even as she ignored him. Whether Sarah wanted to acknowledge it or not, taking care of her was just as important to him as taking care of Callum. His son needed his mother just as much as he needed his father.
"But Nana and Pop-pop take care of us." Callum voiced as he found the hole in her logic.
Sarah shook her head, "That's different, Baby."
"Why?"
His favorite question. Why indeed?
Sarah sighed, "Because with Nana and Pop-pop you're still mine to care for. With Daddy, you're ours. I need to share."
"You always say that it's good to share." Callum pointed out as he remembered the multitude of times that she had to teach that lesson when he was playing with his friends or sharing a dessert with her.
"It is, but I'm just having a hard time sharing you, Bug." Sarah said softly, bopping him on the nose again to make him smile, "I just love you so much."
"Love you too, Mama," Callum murmured automatically as he fell against her, reminding her of what a cuddle bug he was. He surprised her though as he pulled back and quite seriously announced, "Daddy loves me too. He told me so."
She almost felt like he was asking her permission for it to be okay that his father loved him. She grinned at him, catching the affection in Connor's expression from the corner of her eye.
"Well, that's because you're very loveable and Daddy wouldn't be very smart if he didn't love you. And he's very smart" She bent to whisper in his ear, "I think Daddy could use a Callum hug. I was being a little mean to him."
Callum looked at Connor curiously before he abruptly fell out of Sarah's hold to plow against his father. Connor grunted, surprised by the sudden impact, but instantly wrapped his arms around his boy. A spring of relief broke in him as he enveloped Callum easily – he hadn't realized how badly he wanted this. Granted he had only officially been in Callum's life for a day, but he had expected Callum to be wary in his affection like his mother... especially after walking in on them arguing.
Sarah held in a wistful sigh at the sight. It hurt that this was still such a new scene for all of them and it was just a simple hug, but she could see it meant the world to Connor. It did to her too. She had to remember her own advice to Connor. She needed to be patient too.
She squeezed Connor's shoulder as she stood and they shared a long look before she turned and grabbed a blanket from the closet and dropped it over the two boys. Callum erupted into a giggle. Effectively breaking the tension in the room. He nestled further into Connor's arms as his father stood with him. The blanket still covered them both.
Sarah grinned and threw another blanket over him before grabbing the spare set of sheets from the shelf, "Alright. Angle yourself twenty degrees to your right and you have a clear path to the door. Ten steps. Maybe."
To her utter amusement, Connor followed her instructions with careful slow movements. Callum's muffled giggles morphed into moans as he tried to imitate a ghost without laughing.
"OOoooo. OOOooo." Callum cried, "Are we scary, Mommy?"
Sarah snorted, "Terrifying, Baby. Just hold onto Daddy tight, okay?"
"Kay. OOOOooooooo"
She pressed a guiding hand into Connor's back as they cleared the bedroom and headed back for the couch. He flopped backward onto it, making Callum erupt into another fit of giggles before she realized he was being tickled. Sarah chuckled and cleared the remnants of their breakfast out of the way before they could be crushed. Callum escaped his blanket confines with big bright eyes and an even wider smile. Connor dragged the blankets off, his grin a mirror of his son's.
It didn't take long for Connor to corral Callum into building the fort he was promised. It really looked more like a canopy for the fold-out - really it was quite impressive. Sarah wasn't sure how he had managed it, besides hoisting Callum up on his shoulders to loop part of a sheet over the ceiling fan. She drew the blinds and drapes closed as their work ended before moving to the kitchen to start the coffee maker and get Callum some water. She was convinced he didn't drink enough.
"Vitamins, water, and you need to brush your teeth before we start the movie, Bug," Sarah called before she wriggled out one of his gummy-bear vitamins from the bottle.
"Already brushed!" Callum said as he slid to the counter for his vitamin and water.
Sarah arched a dubious brow, "When?"
There was a long pause before Callum murmured, "Ummm...when you're sleeping."
Even Connor looked up in disbelief at the obvious lie, though amusement tinged his mien while exasperation coated hers. Their son's reluctance to brush his teeth was an everyday battle for her, "Well you can brush them again. Now."
"Mommmmmyyy," Callum whined his face scrunched in distaste, "Nooooo."
Sarah didn't budge as she stared her son down.
Connor smiled at the display and wandered up behind them, "I need to brush my teeth too, Bud. Why don't we do it together?"
Callum still looked displeased but nodded after a huffy sigh. Sarah could only shake her head at him and turned to grab a couple of mugs as the coffee nearly finished brewing. Callum gulped his water, not paying attention as Connor slid next to Sarah.
"Will you please consider taking a nap before you chug more caffeine?" He requested lowly. Sarah's hackles began to rise again before his hand gently gripped her elbow, "Please?"
"It means that much to you?" Sarah asked in a manner that was eerily similar to Callum's whine.
Connor refrained from smirking, "Yes. You look like a zombie."
It was her turn to scrunch her face before she sighed, "Fine. Just – a quick nap."
Connor ignored the adamant tone as he nodded, "Thank you. Come on, Bud. Teeth time."
Callum imitated his mother's displeasure, and it threw Connor for a loop. His son may look like him, but that expression was all Sarah. He ushered his boy into the bathroom after retrieving his toiletry kit from his bag. It was a strange but good bonding experience as they brushed their teeth together and Callum watched as Connor quickly cleaned up his scruff.
Curiosity shined in Callum's big blue eyes as he looked over everything in his kit. He had only ever seen his mother get ready and her routine was a bit different. Connor patiently answered his questions as he pointed at the items and smeared a little of his shaving cream on Callum's cheek, making him squeal and laugh. He looked forward to the day he got to teach his son how to shave. It was a little milestone, but one he didn't want to miss. Not after missing so many others.
By the time they made it back to the living room, Sarah had curled up on the side of the pullout, scrolling through her phone. If it were possible, she looked even more bleary-eyed than she had when he had woken her. She pushed up her glasses, making Connor grumble.
"Sarah, turn it off."
"In a minute." Callum scrambled up to her side as he peered curiously at her screen. When he saw nothing more than her task calendar, he quickly lost interest and pulled his father down to the other side of the bed.
Connor adjusted the draped blankets to make their fort feel a little more like a fort as the tv became the only thing visible from the couch. Callum grabbed the remote, expertly navigating to the movie he had chosen while Connor reached over him and plucked Sarah's glasses off her nose.
The pure annoyance that stared back at him only made Connor smile pointedly as he mouthed, "You promised."
Sarah huffed and rolled her eyes as she clicked off her phone and adjusted her pillow. Pettily, she didn't warn Connor about the lack of attention Callum was about to pay to the movie. There would be at least three trips to the bathroom, a request for a drink, and a ten-minute disappearing act before the movie would end. She'd let him figure it out.
"Callum, let Mommy sleep," Connor whispered as his little boy went to prod her.
Predictably, it hadn't taken Sarah long to doze off once she relaxed. Her soft snores filled their little fort as she finally rested. It was both a relief and an inconvenience as Callum slipped off the pullout numerous times only to make the biggest of impacts when he crawled back on it. Luckily, Sarah slept through it all. She was far more exhausted than she was willing to admit and Connor internally lectured her for her stubbornness. This wasn't healthy.
"But I'm thirsty," Callum whined.
"You want some water?" Connor asked, easing his way around a draped blanket and off the couch. The movie was nearly over anyway.
Callum followed closely behind him, "Can I have milk?"
"Sure," Connor murmured as he snatched the cup he had been drinking from earlier and opened the fridge. He was startled by how little was inside. Sarah had a few staples and far fewer leftovers from Thanksgiving than he expected. His gaze moved to the freezer door where a long list of needed groceries was listed. Callum was about to get the last of the milk.
He pulled his phone out as he handed Callum his cup and looked up the nearest grocery store before he remembered his promise to Sarah. They weren't going to leave the apartment while she was asleep. He stalled for a minute glancing at his son before he found a delivery option.
He found the items on her list before he began to open the cupboards to see what else she could be missing. Cereal was running low, bread, granola? She used to eat yogurt religiously when they were dating, with granola added to the mix. He added those selections to his cart.
"Daddy, what're you doing?" Callum asked as he watched his father poke around their little kitchen.
"Shopping." Connor answered as he continued to add items, "What kind of snacks do you like, Bud?"
"Ummm, goldfish," Callum answered as he peeked around Connor to see if there were any in the cupboard. He was disappointed to see none before his gaze landed on the last cheese and cracker packet, "Can I have that?"
Connor followed his finger and pulled down the treat with little thought, only briefly looking at the brand before adding more to his cart. Sarah was going to have a conniption when she saw the groceries, but he didn't really care. Callum's comment about breakfast had been illuminating – and also made Connor realize that Sarah had done a masterful job of steering them away from the topic of child support last night. They needed to go over finances. He didn't like that she was starving herself to provide for their son, but that was stopping now.
He turned to find Callum had inhaled his snack and was licking the last of the cheese out of its little container. He snorted and dampened a paper towel to wipe his son's face. It was impressive the amount of food that had ended up not going into his mouth.
"Come on, Callum. Let's play in your room and let Mommy keep sleeping." Connor said as he nudged his boy forward, "Then you can help me put away groceries when they get here."
It was obvious that Callum had a lot of extra energy. He was too antsy to focus on his Legos. His toy cars and Paw Patrol toys didn't hold his attention for long either. It made Connor wish he could take him outside for a walk or to the park. He had been much the same when he was younger. A bundle of energy, more than happy to zip all over the place.
Somehow, they ended up pulling the blankets and pillows off his bed to pad the floor as Callum climbed Connor like a tree. He'd wrestle Callum to the ground, tickling him and tossing him onto the bare bed when he cried mercy only for the process to repeat again and again.
Callum was flushed red from exertion and laughter, even as his father tried to keep him somewhat quiet. Mommy never played with him like this. They had been at it for a couple of hours when Connor knew he needed a break. He was out of breath and the groceries would be arriving soon.
"Water, Bud," Connor said tiredly, as he tossed his boy onto the bed one last time. Callum was still raring to go and pouted.
"Again, please!" Callum cried pleadingly.
Connor sighed and hefted Callum over his shoulder in a fireman carry. His son squealed and laughed, only getting louder when Connor didn't put him down but started walking for the kitchenette.
Connor squeezed his leg, "Shhh, Bud. Mommy's still sleeping."
Callum muffled his laughs into his back but was still a little too buzzed to calm down immediately. Connor set him gingerly on the counter as he swiped Callum's cup again when his phone began to ring.
Delivery was here.
"Go put your sweat jacket on." Connor murmured, "You can help me carry up the grocery bags."
"Kay."
Connor barely blinked before the patter of little feet went flying back to the bedroom. He wondered if Callum was always this amenable to help or if this was the honeymoon period with his son. While he hoped it was more the first, he had a feeling that it was a combination of the two. He nabbed his wallet from his bag, just as Callum came sliding back into view. He debated if they needed shoes, but they weren't going outside.
Quietly, he ushered Callum out the door but left it cracked open. Sarah only lived on the second floor, and it was almost a straight shot up from the entrance. Callum was easily loaded up with a couple of lighter bags once they met the delivery guy. Six bags in total. Connor did a quick check to make sure they received everything before handing off a tip and snagging Callum by his hood when he tried to carry a few more of the bags.
"Nuh-uh, I don't need you falling down the stairs because you tried carrying too much." Connor murmured, despite Callum's aggrieved pout, "Your mother would kill me."
"Nooo." Callum objected.
Connor raised an amused brow, "You don't think Mommy would be upset if you got hurt?"
Callum paused in thought before he shrugged innocently, "Maybe."
"Try definitely," Connor assured him as he picked up his load and kept Callum directly in front of him as they ventured back upstairs.
The noise of their reentry was enough to rouse Sarah this time as she grumbled faintly from the pullout. Connor had the door closed again and the bags on the counter by the time she shuffled over to them. Her brow furrowed at the sight of all the food and Connor could see the irritated accusation before she even spoke.
So, he headed her off, "Delivery. We just went down to the lobby."
Sarah still frowned at him, "You didn't need to buy groceries. I was going to do that tomorrow."
Connor ignored her as he continued unpacking the bags, handing odds and ends to Callum as he knew the kitchen setup better than he did. Their boy was happy to put things away even as Sarah cringed faintly. She'd have to put things away correctly later.
A bar of her favorite chocolate candy was pushed in front of her, and she softened a little, "Thank you... and thank you for all this – How long did I sleep?"
"It's almost two," Connor murmured as he watched Sarah blanch. She had been out for almost five hours.
"I said a quick nap." Sarah moaned, surprised she had managed to sleep that much. She thought she'd wake up when the movie was over. It was usually impossible to get rest when Callum was awake.
"You needed it." Connor said, "You've been pulling insane hours just to have a few days off."
Sarah sighed before biting back a yawn, she was still tired, but she no longer felt the stabbing pain behind her eyes that had followed her the past few days. She hated admitting that he may be right. Noting the coffee pot was still on, she slipped around him and poured herself a cup.
Connor grimaced, "That has to be like tar now."
"Just strong," Sarah mumbled as she felt a familiar little body press into her side.
She smiled running her hand over Callum's soft locks as he mumbled, "Hi, Mommy."
"Hi, Baby." Sarah sipped at her coffee, ignoring the bitter aftertaste as she looked down at Callum, "You havin' fun with Daddy?"
"Mmhmm." Callum nodded, "He threw me on the bed."
That made Sarah blink, "What?"
Connor smirked sheepishly as he explained before his son could throw him further under the bus, "We were roughhousing a bit. I was trying to burn off some of his energy. You know, some light wrestling."
"Wrestling?" Sarah continued to stare at him before she quickly took stock of her son. He seemed alright. There weren't any bruises, and he was his normal happy self, "I slept through that?"
Connor merely arched a pointed brow at her. Silently reinforcing the fact that she had needed sleep.
"It was fun!" Callum chirped, "Daddy's really strong."
"Yeah..." Sarah drawled before sending her ex a pointed look of her own, "Going to feel that tomorrow, huh?"
Connor smiled sagely, "Tomorrow? I'm feeling it now."
"Roughhousing?" She murmured lowly to him, trying to quell the wave of anxiety those words instilled in her.
"He's fine." Connor tilted his head knowingly at her before he nudged Callum, "Come on, Kiddo. We should clean your room up before we give your mother another reason to have a heart attack."
Sarah stilled, already feeling mildly horrified and she hadn't seen the room, "What broke?"
"Nothing." Callum piped up with a pleased smile, though it turned slightly into a frown as Sarah snapped her attention back to Connor.
He laughed a little as he promised her, "He's telling the truth. Nothing broke. We just took all the blankets and pillows off the bed to childproof the floor."
"...Oh," Sarah mumbled, feeling only slightly relieved.
Connor gently tugged on Callum's hood again and blinked in surprise when his little boy whipped around with his hands in the air. Even he understood the universal sign for a kid wanting to be picked up. Connor knelt and patted his shoulder.
Sarah held her breath as Callum scrambled onto his back, but Connor held him securely. A smile only flitted across her face as Connor stood and smirked at her, "I think I've created a monster."
Callum giggled, grinning brightly at his mother and Sarah shook her head as she calmed down. He was safe and he was happy... she just needed to relinquish her grip a little. She followed behind them as Connor spun in a circle a few times to elicit a few more laughs from their son. He made the piggyback ride last longer now that he didn't need to worry about waking Sarah. He wanted her to enjoy some of the playtime too.
It proved to be a good move as she visibly relaxed. A genuine smile took away the worry in her caramel eyes as she laughed at some of their antics. Callum came running back to her for protection as Connor turned into a tickle monster. Hiding behind her legs as Sarah laughingly kept a warding arm between him and his father.
Grinning, Connor took the opportunity presented to him as he snatched Sarah up. Her surprised shriek nearly had him doubled in laughter, "Callum, quick. Tickle Mommy!"
"Don't you dare!" Sarah cried, wriggling to get out of Connor's hold. Callum attacked with enthusiasm. Sarah giggled and shrieked but managed to turn the tides on Connor as she mentioned, "Callum - Callum, squeeze Daddy's knee, he's ticklish there."
Connor didn't think Callum would listen and that was to his detriment as his son's instinctive curiosity took over. He jerked startled as Callum squeezed above his knee and Sarah broke free. She scooped their son up laughing, "You little traitor. How could you attack Mommy?"
"I dunno," Callum replied, squealing as she blew a raspberry into his neck.
Connor collapsed back onto the floor, out of breath and happy. Sarah plopped Callum on his stomach with a grin and he practically melted as Callum curled around him like a limpet. He and Sarah shared bittersweet smiles, each quietly grateful for similar though different reasons.
Sarah for the first time that day felt like they could transverse the bumpy road they were on. She just needed to hold on to these moments.