Next To Me

Nicole:

I was so nervous when I woke up this morning. Today was the day Taylor would meet Mason. I mean would he be okay with the fact that I have a son, would he be just like the other guys? I went into Mason's room and got him up. "Time to get up Mase." He rubbed his eyes as I picked him up out of his crib. "Cheerios?" "Sure let's go get you some cheerios." He smiled and I took him into the kitchen and put him in his height chair. I poured some cheerios on his tray and he smiled. "Hey Mase. Do you maybe want to go to lunch today?" "With that boy?" "Yeah with the boy." "Yes, I go." "Okay, well you are gonna meet him in a little bit." "Ok. What is his name?" "Taylor. Can you say Taylor." "Tayla?" I couldn't help but laugh. "Tayla works too."

When Mason finished his small breakfast I took him into the bathroom to brush his teeth. He sorta seemed excited about meeting Taylor. He ran into his room and opened his closet door and tried grabbing clothes. "What do I wear?" "I don't know Mase, let's look." It took him awhile, but he finally found an outfit he liked. "Now, sit here and play with your trucks while mommy gets dressed." "Okay." He started making two trucks crash into each other and I knew that would keep him distracted. I went in my room and it took me awhile just like it did Mason. I eventually found an outfit and needed to go make sure Mason didn't run out of the house or something.

I opened my door and Mason was still playing with his cars. "What do you think Mase? How does mommy look?" "Pretty." He gave me a big smile and I gave him a kiss. "That's my boy!" I heard my phone ringing in the other room and went to grab it. "Hello?" "Hey Nicole, it's Taylor. I'm on my way, I should be there in about ten minutes." "Okay sounds good. See you in a bit." "Alright, bye." "Bye." I looked at Mason who came running in the room. "Mason, Taylor is gonna be here soon. You excited to meet him?" "Yeah." "Good, I'm excited for you guys to meet." I sat with him in the living room and we played trucks for a few minutes until there was a knock on the door. "Mase, go hide in your room and I will come and get you when it's time okay?" "Okay!" he ran into his room and closed the door.

I opened the door and Taylor was standing there smiling. He looked really cute. "Hi." I smiled as he came inside. "Hi." "You look really pretty Nicole." "Aw thanks, you look pretty good yourself." He laughed. "Thanks." "So are you ready to meet Mason?" "I couldn't sleep last night thinking of who Mason could be. I'm definitely ready to meet him." "Okay give me one second." He sat on the edge of the couch and I left to get Mason. I was freaking out inside. I opened the door and Mason came running over. "Shh. We gotta be quite." I picked him up and carried him into the living room. When I walked in Taylor looked over and saw Mason and smiled. "This is, my son, Mason." Mason waved at him and smiled. "Hi." I put Mason down and he ran over to Taylor. "Hey Mason." "Are you Tayla?" Taylor and I laughed. "Yeah that's me buddy."

Mason motioned for Taylor to pick him up and I was bit nervous of how Taylor would react. Taylor picked him up and looked over at me. "Should we go to lunch then?" I couldn't help but smile. That couldn't have gone any better. We walked to the elevator and Taylor and Mason were already bonding. "So Mason how old are you?" "Three. How old are you?" "I'm twenty." "My mommy is twenty!" He pointed over to me and we all laughed. "She is? How cool is that?" "Real cool." We got out of my apartment building and Taylor put Mason down so he could walk. We walked to the restaurant since it wasn't to far from where I lived. Mason was holding both our hands while we walked down the street, it was kind of cute. I could tell he really liked Taylor, and I was glad.

We got to the restaurant and we sat outside. We placed our order and I decided to try and get to know Taylor a little more. "So Taylor what is it like playing hockey in the NHL?" "It's tough, but I love it." Mason stopped wheeling his car on the table and looked at Taylor. "You play hockey?" "Yeah I do. You like hockey?" "Yeah." "I should bring you and your mommy to the rink sometime, maybe we could get you on the ice." "Really?" "Of course bud." I looked at Taylor and he smiled. "So this isn't weird for you?" "What? You having a son?" "Yeah." "Not at all. I love the little guy. Why?" "Most guys won't even talk to me again when they find out I have a kid. I mean that's how his father was too." "He doesn't see you or his son anymore?" "Well I mean we have like visits every now and then, but he left when I told him I was pregnant." "I would have never done that. I mean I totally respect you keeping Mason and raising him without the father around."

"Thanks." "And from what I can tell you are a great mother." "Thanks, that means a lot." "No problem." We finished lunch and started walking home. "Tayla, are you gonna come back to my house?" "Do you want me to?" "Yeah, we could play cars." Taylor picked Mason up so he could talk to him face to face. "Do you have any blue cars?" "Yeah, I have like ten." "Ten! I think I have to come over. That is if your mommy says it's okay." "Mommy can he? Please!" "Yeah please!" I couldn't help but laugh at them both. "Sure." "Yay!" Taylor gave Mason a high five and then did a fist pump. I can't believe how well these two are getting along. I really think Taylor could be the guy I have been looking for that is okay with me having a son and not letting it effect the relationship.

We got home and Taylor laid down on the floor in the living room while Mason ran into his room to grab his cars. I sat on the couch and handed Taylor a cup of coffee. "He really likes you." "I know. I kinda like that you have a son. He is a really cool kid. I think I might like Mason a little more then I like you." I hit him with a pillow and he just laughed. "Careful, I don't wanna spill my coffee." "Good point. Once that coffee is gone though you are dead." He laughed as Mason came into the living room pushing a crate full of cars. "Mase not on the wood floor." Taylor ran over and picked up the crate and put it on the carpet. "Thanks Tayla." Mason sat on the floor and picked out some cars. "No problem bud." I looked at him and smiled. "Thanks Tayla." "You're welcome." He gave me a kiss and I couldn't help but smile. He sat next to Mason and they played cars for what seemed like hours.

It was four in the afternoon and time for Mason's nap. I could tell he was tired, he kept yawning every so often. "Hey Mase, I think it's time you take a nap." "Okay" He yawned and Taylor picked him up and carried him into his room. I walked in and he had given him a t-shirt and some shorts to change into. Taylor put him in his bed and I handed him his plush Lightning McQueen car. "Mommy, does Tayla have to go now?" I looked over at Taylor and gave him a small smile. "I don't know do you have to go now Tayla?" He smiled then looked down at Mase. "Don't worry Mase I will be here when you wake up. I promise." "Okay." He yawned and we left so he could get some sleep.

"Thanks for changing his clothes and putting him in his bed." "Oh it's no problem at all." We sat on the floor and started picking up the cars. "You guys must have had fun." I said as I looked all around the living room to see cars everywhere. "Hey, I'm a kid at heart, what can I say?" We both laughed and Taylor took the full crate and put it outside Mason's door. He came and sat next to me on the couch. "So it looks like you are staying for dinner too." "Well, I can't break my promise to Mason." "True. What do you want me to make for dinner?" "Anything you cook, I will eat." "Well, Jordan told me you are a big fan of Kraft Dinner mac and cheese. I could make that?" "KD is a must! We gotta have that." I laughed, he really is a kid at heart. "Well, Mason loves it too. So KD it is." "Mason and I are definitely best buds." We both laughed and turned on the tv to pass the time while Mason was sleeping.

I am so glad that the meeting between Taylor and Mason worked out. I think I could have possibly found a guy who will be in this for the long run. I'm so glad that Mason likes Taylor and they get along great. Mason really deserves to have some type of father figure in his life, even if that figure isn't he real dad.