TPATSD 10
When morning dawned, Oscar made his way downstairs gently. It was still early, barely 7am, and he had woken in a panic. Gabriella hadn't woken him up last night. Rolling over and seeing that Alex had retrieved the baby monitor had made his heart swell. That even though he had gone out, and one would assume, enjoyed himself. As soon as he had returned, he had immediately put himself back on Papi duties. He was proud of his son for his dedication to his daughter. It was something he truly admired about Alex as a father.
Making his way downstairs, he was surprised to see Alex in the kitchen preparing some bacon and eggs for breakfast. He was still in his pajamas, and Miss Gabriella was sitting at her desk, keeping an eye on him to make sure he didn't do anything that would hurt his developing eyes. Not that there was anything wrong with his eyes, but it was just a suggestion on the discharge paperwork. Alex was willing to consider any suggestion that might help her develop her eyesight, so he did.
"Morning, Mijo." Oscar greeted him, as Alex tossed some bacon into the heated skillet. "I hope you enjoyed yourself. How's the hangover this morning? Did you and CJ drink much?"
"My head is fine." Alex grinned, tilting his head towards where June was still passed out on the sofa. "June's head is going to be a different story when she wakes up from the dead of the sofa. We bumped into some friends of mine and June made her first mistake, she tried to keep up with them. Rookie mistake."
"What time did you get in?" Oscar asked, not like an interrogation, but the way a kind, concerned parent would ask.
"Just after eleven. My friend had a designated driver, so we were dropped off." Alex said, pouring his father's coffee, before topping his own mug up. "I was wondering if you and June wanted to come and check out the shelter where I am working, this afternoon? I don't think poor June is in any state this morning."
"You're not at the law firm anymore?" Oscar asked, setting his coffee down on the island bench and taking the plate Alex was handing him. "What happened?"
"Fired." Alex said, in a single word. Truthfully, looking back, it was a blessing in disguise for him. He wouldn't trade late mornings with early days for long hours and missing Gabriella. Hell, Pez even let him set up a pack and play in his office until she is well enough to attend childcare. Plus, Pez and Henry adore Gabriella, especially Henry, who dotes on her. "Probably for the best. They didn't think I was committed enough to the firm. Basically, I was fine to keep when I wasn't the main parent but as soon as I became the main parent, it was goodbye Alex."
"That's shit, Ale." Oscar exclaimed. "Why didn't you go for unfair dismissal? That is a law in this country, isn't it?"
"It is, but honestly, do you remember the job I wanted when I passed the bar here?" Alex asked him. "The non-profit job. The one I desperately wanted that Erica talked me out of? That's the job I have now, and I am so happy there. My co-workers are kind and friendly. I feel like I am actually making a difference, Dad. That's everything to me."
"Well, then I can't wait to see it." Oscar beamed at him. He remembered when Alex referred to it. It had been a huge deal and it was the first time he could honestly remember that Erica hadn't supported Alex in his dreams 100%. Prior to that, Erica had always been supportive, and it was around that time that June became suspicious that Alex and Erica were having relationship problems.
"Great, are you okay with Gabriella? I'm just going to run upstairs and shower." Alex asked, and Oscar enthusiastically nodded. "I have to be in the office by ten. I'll get Gabriella ready once I'm done."
Coming back downstairs dressed in his favorite chinos, a white oxford shirt and blue blazer, his tie hung loosely around his neck. Alex was surprised to see Gabriella all dressed up. Instead of just wearing a onesie, Oscar had dressed her in a pair of black leggings and a pink sweater with her little Nikes that he had brought with him from California. "Hey Papi, give me a kiss. Abuelo said I'm staying with him." Oscar said to Alex in an attempt to make him laugh. Oscar wasn't sure what Alex's plans were for Gabriella, but he was fairly certain that Gabriella didn't go to the office with Alex.
"Are you sure, little miss?" Alex looks at her, as he snuggles his daughter closely to his chest. "Auntie Pezza and Hen will be awfully sad that they missed their darling girl."
"Abuelo isn't here for very long and wants to have as much time as possible with his little Princesa." Oscar reminded his son.
"Dad, I don't want you to think you're here to babysit." Alex said softly, handing Gabriella to his father. "Pez and Hen are more than okay with Gabriella coming into the office. There's even a pack and play in my office. Where do you think she goes when you're not here."
"Alex, it's not a crime to let me help out. I want to help." Oscar joined him by the front door. Alex was facing the mirror, tying his tie. His monogrammed leather shoulder messenger bag that Oscar had given him for his law school graduation, was on the floor at his feet.
"Thanks Pa." Alex grinned at him. He leaned over and kissed Gabriella's head and his dad's cheek. "Catch a cab into the city. I've sent the address to your phone. If you're in by 12, we can get lunch and explore before we head home. I've got a light load today."
"Sounds like a plan." Oscar waved him off, as his son climbed into his SUV and reversed from the driveway.
"Alexander, Babes." Pez called from the door, as he knocked, startling Alex out of his work zone. Alex had been hitting the ground running this morning, as he reluctantly admitted to himself that he was much more productive without his daughter in the office. "I found these absolutely delicious morsels in the foyer asking for you."
Oscar and June appeared in the doorway. Oscar was holding a happy little Gabriella, and June looked a little worse for wear. "Thanks, Pez." Alex said as they came into his office.
"Can Auntie Pezza have a hug today, my precious little flower?" Pez asked, holding his arms outstretched. At Alex's nod, Oscar handed Gabriella over to him. "Thanks doll, but I was asking you first, my delicious petal." He flirted with Oscar, playfully. Now looking Gabriella over in his arms. "Now, my little Miss Gabriella, let's go see what Auntie Pezza has for you in her stash of goodies."
"Pez, no." Alex protested and stood up.
"Shh, Papi." Pez tutted in Alex's direction. "Let Auntie Pezza spoil our girl, before Hen gets his hands on her and her affections for me are lost forever to him and his prince charming ways." Alex sighed, rolling his eyes.
"You've got a point." Alex muttered, and Oscar exchanged a look with June. But just as quickly as Pez and Gabriella were gone, they were back again. Gabriella sported a brand-new toy that she was happily holding in her hand. Admittedly, it was a toy that Alex had mentioned to Henry that he had been looking at buying for her. In addition to the new toy being a stimulating rattle with bright colors and different textures for her sensory needs, it was also a toy that Alex had mentioned to Henry that he had been looking at buying for her.
"Percy Nathaniel Okonjo." An extremely British royal voice echoed slightly down the hallway. "I believe you have something I need." Henry said as he approached Alex's door. Gabriella began making all sorts of happy sounds and Henry blushed. "Well, hello to you too, Darling." Henry cooed at her, immediately taking Gabriella from Percy's arms and settling her on his hip like a pro. "Aww, did you miss me?"
June and Oscar were stunned in silence, the latter sitting in shock as the prince of England cooed and babbled over his granddaughter. Oscar wasn't sure which fact shocked him more; the fact that she seemed to recognise him and was happy to see him, or that he equally adored her. "Hello Alex, Darling."
"Hey Hen." Alex smiled and a small blush crept over Alex's face. Alex had felt his face heating up at the affection in Henry's voice when he recalled Henry's lips on his cheek, last night. He was trying really hard not to blush in front of June and his father. Neither would ever let him live it down.
Noticing June and Oscar, Henry immediately stiffened in their presence. "Oh, hello. I didn't see you there."
"Oh Henry, do you remember June from last night?" Alex asked him, as Henry nodded. "Meet my sober, serious older sister, Catalina June Claremont-Diaz, and this is my dad, Senator Oscar Diaz, representing California."
"Sir, June, it's a pleasure to meet you both. Please call me Henry." Henry nodded. He might have been fairly inebriated last night, but he remembered everything. "Alex talks about you all so much, I feel like I already know you."
Yet, he hasn't mentioned you at all to me. Oscar replied, making Alex squirm.
"Yes, well perhaps as you can imagine being friends with the Prince of England, requires a certain number of NDAs." Henry replied, dryly. "Don't hold it against Alex."
"Regardless, we're going to lunch and exploring the city." Alex said, wrapping up the conversation. "First, let's start with lunch. I'm starving."
"Where are you thinking of eating?" Henry asked, looking directly at Alex. "Can I get you a reservation somewhere? What about Duncan's? You love their duck."
"I was thinking falafel." Alex grinned at him. During the second week of their working relationship, Henry had ordered Alex some falafel from his favorite vendor, not too far from Kensington Palace, and Alex had been thankful. Since then, it had become a regular in their meal rotations.
"Sounds brilliant," Henry winked at him. "I wish I could come. But budget meetings wait for no one. Give Abdul and Basmar my love."
"If you're a good boy and you wow those investors with your budget report, we'll drop something off for you before we head home, sweetheart." Alex promised.
"You menace." Henry grinned widely as he flirted with Alex. He couldn't help but flirt with him when Alex was playful like this. "Go on, go, get out of here, you miscreant."
"Aww, you do love me!"
"You are the thistle in the tender and sensitive arse crack of my life."
First stop was, as Alex told Henry, the falafel cart - which wasn't really a cart. But more like a hole-in-the-wall diner. As soon as they walked in, Basma came out from around the counter to kiss Alex's cheeks and see Gabriella.
"Are you missing your better half, yes?" She asked, in broken English. "Is he okay?"
"I am the better half, thank you. Seriously, he's okay. Stuck at work." Alex smiled his most charming smile. "I'll have Prince Charming's order to go and for now, we'll have a dine-in menu and some water to start."
"Alejandro!" A voice from behind the counter called out in very broken English. It was Abdul. He and his wife, Basma, own this place, and Abdul has been learning Spanish from Alex on their visits. Over the winter, they are planning a trip to Spain, and Abdul is desperate to learn some phrases to make their trip more enjoyable. "Where is your prince?"
"Ah, Prince Enrique, he has his nose to the grindstone." Alex told him. "Want to meet the family?" At Abdul's nod, Alex introduced him to his sister and father.
"Ah, you are a hero, aren't you? You raised Alex to be brave like a lion." Abdul praised him, and Alex wanted to blush. "A brave man takes to live after losing his love. I love my Basmar. I love her like a hole in my head."
"Abdul." Alex gasped. She better not hear you.
"She hears me, she'll slice me from neck to nuts." Abdul made a slicing action from the neck down his body. Basma's voice carried from the kitchen, and Abdul took his leave, bowing at Oscar before he left.
Lunch was a lively affair. Abdul and Basma spoiled them all with loads of falafel and Basma brought out some of the fresh baklava that she had made just that morning. Abdul delighted in telling Oscar all the stories about Henry and Alex's visit. Sometimes Pez was with them. Sometimes it was Gabriella and Henry alone, while Alex was in court.
Basma confided in June that they would have lost their shop if it weren't for Alex helping them fight the dodgy landlord who wanted to break their contract to make more money. Before they left, Abdul plied them with extra food for dinner, as well as the promised falafel for Henry. As they bid them goodbye, Oscar smiled as he witnessed Abdul speak in low tones to Alex. He could see the mutual respect they held for one another in their eyes.
June wanted to go get lost in Harrods, and Alex had to admit he needed some new clothes for work. June seized the opportunity to shop without spending any of her own money; so, they headed to the men's department first. Alex took it all in stride; he had missed shopping with June. He allowed her to choose two new blazers: one black and very well-cut, and the other was a charcoal in color, and looked like it had been tailored for him. "Both blazers exude power. They make it look like you have your own personal tailor." She told him, encouraging him to get them both. "You want to look powerful when you head into court, wearing them. Plus, the colours really suit you."
Next, she was rummaging through chinos, dress pants, and jeans, trying to find two perfect matches to suit his new blazers. She settled on a pair of faded dark wash denim jeans to go with the charcoal blazer and a pair of black chinos to match the jacket. Admittedly, Alex did skimp on the shirts and chose a multi-pack of three button-down Oxfords. On the other hand, June chose a navy-blue shirt with a diamond pattern on it, with a jacquard-lined collar and cuffs.
As soon as Alex was left to head to the counter to pay, Oscar reappeared with Gabriella. He had four very full shopping bags of what looked like clothing, as well as a large box that read "Baby Einstein Sit 'n' Swing Seat" tucked under his arm.
Next, they headed over to the bookshop. It was actually Henry's favorite store. He had told Alex about it, suggesting that he take June there. And now he had taken June there, he and his father was struggling to get June out of the shop.
Heading back to the office, Alex managed to get Gabriella to nap against his chest in the baby carrier. June and Oscar immediately headed into Alex's car to wait for him, both of them thoroughly exhausted. "Here." Alex greeted Henry with a plastic to-go bag of now-cold falafel dangling from his forefinger. "Don't say I don't love you."
"Never." Henry winked at him, got up from his desk to retrieve the offered bag of goodies. "Where's your father and sister?"
"Ready to pass out from exhaustion. They're waiting in the car." Alex smiled. His heart had begun a weird flutter when Henry had winked at him. If he thought deeper about it, he would admit to himself that it had started when Henry had kissed his cheek last night and it hadn't stopped yet.
Taking the offered bag from Alex, Henry placed it on the desk behind him and turned back to give Alex his undivided attention. He had noticed the sleeping baby snug against his chest. Henry tried not to be jealous of Alex's daughter being so snug and comfortable on his chest when it was the one position that Henry had wanted for himself. "Let me look at her." Henry whispered, inching closer to Alex. His forefinger stroked the sleeping baby's hand where it rested against Alex's shirt. Alex almost gasped out loud as Henry's finger casually brushed against the cotton covering Alex's nipple, as he slipped it under Gabriella's tiny hand. On Alex's reflex, Henry's finger brushed it again as Gabriella's hand squeezed around it in her sleep. Alex's body shuddered in response and Alex pulled his bottom lip between his teeth, on instinct. "Oh," Henry said softly.
Henry didn't want to break the atmosphere that surrounded them as he filed Alex's response to an accidental graze of his nipple. He had noticed Alex's response the first time and as if the divine gods from up above intervened on his behalf, Gabriella's choice to grip his finger caused a second brush of his nipple. In reply, Alex had practically melted into a puddle of goo on the floor of Henry's office. Henry wasn't ready to admit that seeing Alex in a wanton state like that was stirring his own desires.
"Hen?" Alex whispered. His brown eyes were wide, and his pupils were dilated with desire. His voice was thick and husky, laced with a want, a carnal need. It had been a while since Alex had experienced anything sexual with another person. Unfortunately, it had been longer than he cared to admit. With Erica's extreme morning sickness, she hadn't been able to stand for Alex to touch her. Although, with hindsight being twenty-twenty; Alex wasn't sure how much of that was Erica's unfaithfulness and how much was the illness.
"I can't." Henry sighed, brushing his nipple again, this time deliberately under Gabriella's hand. "I want to, but I can't."
"I know." Alex sighed sadly, taking a small step closer. Henry's chest now pressed against Gabriella, their hands still linked. He felt Henry's other hand brush his jutting hipbone, before travelling upwards and resting on the soft flank of Alex's side. A part of him that was begging to be touched. "I better go." Alex whispered into the void between them. "Dad and June are waiting on me."
Acting on impulse, Alex leaned over and kissed Henry on the soft lips. Before Henry could process what Alex had done, he was gone.
Oscar and June, by an unspoken agreement, chose to wait in the car, both claiming exhaustion. But it wasn't that. Both knew each other well enough to read one another's minds. Or at least Oscar hoped that was the case because as soon as Alex had gone back into his office, Oscar had wanted to pepper June with questions. "Is there something going on between them?" Oscar found himself asking June as soon as they were alone.
"If Nora were here, I'm sure she could tell you the odds. But I just don't know." June sighed deeply. "Alex is naturally flirtatious, as are his friends, Pez and Henry. What if Henry is just flirtatious by nature too? He has a reputation for being the 'prince of England's hearts'. You don't get a moniker like that without leaving a trail of heartbreak behind you."
"But we both agree that Alex likes him, right?" Oscar suggested, looking over at his daughter closely. "Likes him as a man and not because he adores our little Gabriella."
"Yeah," June sighed. "I just worry that Alex is going to get his heart broken. A quick Google search tells me that Henry isn't gay. He has a string of ex-girlfriends a mile long, and Alex seems to look at him like he hung the moon and the stars."
"Let's not jump to any conclusions." Oscar added hastily. He had always prided himself on having a good radar for not straight people. He had clocked Rafael Luna at a million miles and there wasn't one person who wouldn't describe the man as 'macho'. His first instinct had been that the prince was gay. "We both know how sexualities can change and aren't set in stone. We also know we shouldn't speculate on a person's sexuality."
"We shouldn't," June hastily agreed with him. "But it is human nature to be curious about other people."
When Alex returned to the vehicle, he didn't look any different. But he was definitely distracted. He didn't say much on the ride back to his home. But when pressed, he passed it off as being tired.
Being a Friday night, Alex had suggested the time-honored Claremont-Diaz family tradition of getting pizza. I had to admit, it sounded nice. I watched as he prepared Gabriella for bed. This included a bath and a massage with some calming lotion that had been recommended to him by her doctor. A cuddle, a lullaby, and a bottle.
Oscar had to admit that his son had a good grasp on fatherhood. It was one thing that he had worried about. Not that he thought Alex would be bad at it, just that he worried how Alex would cope without support. But he is glad to have been proved wrong. Alex has found his own little support system.
He wasn't looking forward to answering his ex-wife's relentless questions regarding their son. But he was looking forward to bragging about his parenting.
Pez joined Henry in his office at the close of business, and Henry sighed once too often into his falafel. Pez bought Henry's cover story that it had been a long day.
"Hazza, babe. You're forgetting that I know you. All too well." Pez sternly told him. He patted the cushion beside him on the sofa. "Now, come and tell Auntie Pezza what's happening with you."
"It's about Alex." Henry sighed as he sunk into the sofa beside Percy.
"Oh, my Goddess, you've got the hots for him?" Pez guessed, with disturbing accuracy. "You're hot for him. That's why you're sighing into your falafel."
"It's ..." Henry trails off. He can't quite articulate what the issue is exactly. He has always confided in Percy about his crushes, his dalliances and his desires. Percy has been his friend for so long now, Henry barely remembers a time when he wasn't friends with him.
"You have to admit, Alex is ridiculously good-looking." Pez smiled at his friend, encouragingly. "Those cheekbones, that skin, and his killer smile. Those curls and that ass. Am I right?"
"The fact that he is funny and smart, is just an extra." Henry grins at his friend. He knows what game Pez is playing at. He's been on the other end of this game too. "Pez, we're friends. We work closely together. The man is a father."
"The man flirts with you like he needs air to breathe. Admit it, kitten. You are sweet on him." Percy tried again. "The man is so far gone on you; he doesn't realize how far he is gone on you. Some days I am an inch away from locking the two of you in a room and telling you to bone it out."
"Pez!" Henry exclaimed.
"I am going to lay some facts for you, but you can extrapolate at your will." Pez began, and Henry dreaded this. He recognized that tone of Pez's all too well. It was a familiar tone and it generally meant he was about to get talked into doing something incredibly smart, or incredibly stupid. "You've been low-level into Alex, since you first laid eyes on him at the funeral. That is why you scarcely said a word, to anyone including him. I have it on good authority when you and your mum toured the NICU, you spent all of your time talking to Alex. You made unscheduled visits to the NICU, in order to talk to Alex. You bought little meaningful gifts for Gabriella, in order to keep seeing Alex. Somewhere along the way, you had the foresight to make the man sign an NDA. You had a picnic lunch to distract him when his daughter was having a distressing procedure done. And the icing on the delicious seven-tiered wedding cake in your future is; when Gabriella was sick and Alex needed someone, you abandoned a dinner with the queen to be by his side."
"All things a friend would do." Henry supplied, hoping to get this idea out of Pez's head. He couldn't afford to lose himself in the fantasy of letting himself think he could have Alex.
"Yes, true." Pez hummed and hushed, before giving Henry an uncomfortable smirk. "But you have never used the physical excuse of touching the sleeping baby on your chest to cop a feel of my nipples. You haven't seen the visual response to the said feel, and I've certainly never pressed my lips to yours. No matter what you've done to me or for me."
"What the ..?"
"I was coming to talk to you." Percy grinned scandalously at his friend. "Your office door was open; I was coming to talk to you about the order of business for the next AGM. I saw what happened, and stepped back."
"I can't, Pez. I just can't." Henry pleaded with Percy. "Please, I really want to. But we both know that I can't."
"Why the hell not?" Pez asked, frustrated.
"Because I love them both too much to risk what we have now. Our friendship. To subject them to Philip, Gran, and all that the Crown entails." Henry sighed, feeling defeated.
"All the more reason to do it, if you ask me." Percy decided. "Henry, you've spent your whole life apologizing to the crown for being gay, never once taking something for yourself. You need to do this. Your time is now. Tell Alex how you feel already."
"I can't Pez."