If I Could Go Back in Time

About a month passed since Jenna introduced her son to his father for the first time, and they had become almost inseparable in that small time. The only time they weren’t together was at night when Austin had to go back to his own house with his wife. He spent at least three days a week with his son and ex girlfriend.

“Mom, what’s for lunch? I’m hungry.”

“You’re always hungry baby.” Jenna said and lifted him up. He was getting big to lift up and carry, but she couldn’t help herself sometimes. She wanted him to still be a baby.

“That didn’t answer my question mommy.”

“I think your dad is coming over in a bit, he’ll probably take us for lunch.” Jenna said and carried her son into the living room to watch TV. She sat there not paying much attention to the cartoon that he son was watching attentively. She was waiting for the door bell to ring. She was ready to have him there with her again. It made her happy to see her son light up the way he did when his father was with him.

It wasn’t long before that happened. The doorbell rang twice, and little Austin got up and ran to the door. Jenna laughed out loud at her son as she followed him to the front door. Her son was already wrapped in a tight hug from his father. “Well you’re here.” Jenna said.

“Yep, I am.” Austin said with a smile and lifted his son up onto his hip. He seemed to lift him so much easier than Jenna could. “How has it been going here since you saw me last?”

“About the same as it was last time you were here. It’s only been a few days. You act like you’ve been gone for months.”

“Well, that’s okay too.” Austin said.

“Daddy, I’m hungry! Mommy won’t give me lunch.” little Austin exclaimed.

“Really now? Jenna?”

“He’s just working you. I told him you’d probably take him to get something and not to worry.”

“I see. Well what is it you want to eat kid?” Austin asked.

“McDonalds.”

“Ick.” Jenna said.

“Yea, how about we get pizza instead. McDonalds isn’t really that good kid. Besides, look at your mom’s expression.” He said.

“Mom just sucks.”

“Hey, you wanna say that again little man.” Jenna said.

“Whatever mommy. Let’s go have pizza! I’m hungry!” He smiled.

“Alright then pizza.” Austin said. “You coming Jen?”

“Of course.” Jenna said. They all three left, and went to pizza hut. They ate and laughed, and for a few minutes Jenna felt like it was her family. She regretted never calling him or telling him that she had his baby until now.

When they returned home they walked into the house together. “Dad! You wanna play Guitar Hero?”

“No thank you. I’m not that good at that one.” Austin said. “He buddy, how would you like to learn to play the real guitar?”

“That would be so cool!”

“I could show you…but it takes a lot of hard work and patients.”

“Trust me, he’ll be able to do it with no problem. He is just as stubborn as you, and he never gives up on anything. Ever!” Jenna said. Little Austin looked up at her and then at his father and nodded with a big smile.

“Okay then. Maybe another day I’ll show you some stuff.” Austin said. “I can’t stay long today.”

“Daddy, please let me go with you. Please.” Little Austin begged.

“Come on kid, you know I can’t.”

“Please daddy…please”

“Yea…okay you can come with me if it’s alright with your mom.”

“Mommy can I go?!”

“It’s not going to cause any problems is it?”

“She can learn to deal.” Austin said.

“Yea, you can go baby, but just tonight okay.” Jenna said softly. Her son again shot up the stairs to get his clothes together. Jenna looked at her ex boyfriend.

“What?”

“Are you sure Jami won’t mind?”

“I don’t care if she minds or not.” Austin said as he waited for his son to come back down the stairs. “He’s obviously my son, and I trusted you from the beginning Jen. She just needs to calm down, and if she doesn’t like it she needs to get over it.”

“Okay I’m ready daddy!” Austin said as he ran back down the stairs.

“Alright, well let’s go then. Say goodbye to your mom.”

“Bye mommy!”

“Bye kiddo. Be good for your dad okay.” Jenna said and wrapped her son in a tight hug. She kissed his cheek before letting him go. “Make sure you brush your teeth.”

“Okay. Bye.”

“Bye.” Jenna said and watched them walk away together.

Austin walked into his house with his son, leading him in by the hand. “Okay here we are.” He said with a smile. His little boy looked up at him and returned the smile.

“It’s nice here.” He said.

“Yea I like it too. This is just the front room though…the rest of the house is nic…” He was cut off by Jami coming up to him with a very pissed off expression.

“What the fuck is that?” She said pointing her finger at little Austin.

“He’s my son; he’s not a 'that' Jami. And don’t point at him like that.” Austin snapped.

“I thought I told you I don’t want him here! Take him back to where ever he belongs. I don’t want him in my house.”

“Well too bad. He’s my kid, and I want him to be able to come here and feel at home.”

“How do you even know he’s your son Austin? What if that Jenna bitch just needed someone to land him on.”

“Look Jami, if you don’t like it you can leave. Okay.” Austin snapped. Jami was silent. “That’s what I thought. Come on kid, I’ll show you your room.” Austin said and took his son up the stairs and into the guest room of his house. “Beds a little bigger than what you’re used to at home.”

“I sleep with mommy most nights, and her bed is bigger than this one.”

“Why do you sleep with your mom?”

“I don’t know, cause she lets me and I like to. Her bed is warm and big and soft.”

“Well this one’s pretty good. Let me show you where I’ll be if you need anything.” Austin said and led him to his own room. “Just knock and I’ll come get you okay. Don’t walk in.”

“Alright, I won’t. What’s for dinner?”

“I don’t know yet.” Austin said. He continued to get everything settled for his son’s first night at his place. He wanted to make sure that everything was comfortable for a seven year old. After he got the room situated he and little Austin went down the stairs, they had dinner at the kitchen table with Jami, but she didn’t say much. After dinner they watched TV for a little while before he put his son to bed. “Light on or off buddy?”

“Off.”

“Okay, good night.”

“Night daddy.” Little Austin said. His father turned the light out and left the room, leaving the door open just a little bit.