ieve this.

y is my son. He has the same black hair and dark brow

t take my e

my little man suddenly shouts, “Uncle Shane! L

front of us. His mouth is gaping wide open, and he stares at

His short blonde hair is slightly messy and frames his tired fa

s sparkle with excitement. “Uncle Shane. I

t mommy has an emergency surgery to do. I was coming to pick you up. It is goi

excitement instantly evaporate

ow can someone look so

t me. “Do you have a car seat, or do you want to r

A faint glow surrounds him as his eyes sparkl

don’t have a ch

in and coo, “Okay. We

lder. “We will go get some stuff for dinner and then we will go to the ho

s tiny arms wave in the air a

anda nods. “Don’t worry. I

sper’s leg and grunts, “You can only hav

on his hips. “But mommy eats ice

lready explained how adults can eat ice cream whenever they want, but childr

asper whines, “Can I get t

o eat mommy’s kind. Only mommy can eat ice cream with KitKat

“No fair.” He wraps his arms around my

st say that Katie eats ice cream w

hane as I tentatively ask, “Di

re he slowly nods. “Yes. I don’t understand why, but every time she gets lonely, she

es, “Wow, Mark. Katie is

as I look down at my son. A sense of joy and happiness

ith his hand and gigg

lt so loved in

head towards the exit

Shane gives Frank his address whil

t ring is still there. I know exactly what I’m going to do now. I’m not going to take

Shane pulls out of the p

per? I still don’t know what Shane’s relationship is with Katie. Is she living with Shane because

I look over my shoulder at him and then to m

ckles. “I was trying to ask you where all

staying with us! Mommy missing dadd

irror and then gives me a quick

o say anything before he shouts, “HE D

us, I don’t want to be apart from them.

e, I will stay with you, but only i

e with me. I also was expecting you one day

at him. “She did. Katie knew I would come. Does

her she may be wrong. I didn’t think you were as drunk as she thought you were. However, she still keeps saying you don’t remember. To be totally honest, I think Katie has been desperately hopin

still loves me. I’m sure of it, even though I haven’t se

and I can’t help but ask, “So,

ughing. “No. You will underst

, “Mommy loves daddy only. Mommy

gain as I glance over my sho

are living with you? Is it because they were

esn’t have much money after she makes her monthly payment on her account. So, in order to cut corners, Katie had been staying in less than stellar places. However, it usually didn’t take long before something would

hey are safe. One of the first things I

ely ask, “Does Katie’s family know about Cass? Or about me?

ed to her parents about you or not, but

s out, “Shh. Mommy says I

coming home, I would have looked for her sooner. This is one secre

ghtly patting my son’s legs. “I agree w

free of his car seat, he dashes out of the car and grabs my little pinky. I quickly shut the door as

er tightens his

s. “Cass has got a lot of en

aise my eyebrows as I’m dr

airs and points at a room as we da

of determination mixed with excitement, he crawls across the bed to the nightstand. He struggles to open the nightstand’s drawer,

ws together. What

pictures of me, along with others of both Katie and me. There are a few pictures of her and me, which must have been taken when we were out drinking with the gang. She is sitting close to m

album and my eyes glisten. There are more of pictures of me. My son points to each picture and tells me a little about it. How doe

nces, “Pictures of m

and watch our baby’s growth. I wish I could have been there to feel Ca

whatever Katie was craving if I had only k

to the nightstand and pulls out a little USB memory stick. He scurries bac

ry stick and stare at i

ers and innocently r

she have

s and grab the photo alb