It Takes Someone Special to Be a Dad

Kate’s POV
The playoffs were well underway but with the doctors still not sure what was going on with Asher I couldn’t go to any of the away games.

“When Geno home?” Asher complained as I sat him up on the kitchen bench to sort out some lunch.
Evgeni had moved in with us while his parents occupied his house until he could find a buyer for his mansion like house. I was still surprised that he had agreed to just give up his lovely home for us.

“You mean daddy?” we had been trying to get him to call him dad for about a week now but there was no luck.
“No, Geno,” he frowned.
“He will be home soon,” I ruffled his hair.
“I am sleepy,” he rubbed his eyes.
“I know buddy,” I sighed, “but everything will be alright soon, ok?” I wrapped my arms around him and just held him.

“Hello!” Evgeni called out as he walked in the door.
“In the kitchen,” I replied giving Asher a kiss on his forehead before continuing with lunch.
“Hey,” he carried in the bags of groceries I had asked for him to get on his way home from practice.
“Hey, how was practice?” I asked as he gave me a quick peck on the lips.
“Ok, no fun without you.”
“Yeah I will be back soon though, once he is better,” I pointed to the little boy who stared blankly at the floor.

“Geno,” Asher’s little voice was only just heard.
“Hey, how you feeling?” Evgeni stood in front of Asher and wrapped his strong arms around Asher’s little body.
“Sleepy,” he mumbled into Evgeni’s shoulder.
“Come here then,” Evgeni picked him up and he rested quietly with his head buried in Evgeni’s neck.

“What doctor say?” Evgeni asked as he ran his hand over Asher’s forehead, “he still warm.”
“Yeah I know,” I put my hand on the same spot feeling the warmth radiate from his skin, “they still don’t know at the moment, but he is booked in for some tests next week.”
“Geno, you come,” my son looked up with pleading eyes.
“Yeah I come, don’t worry,” he pushed his fingers through Asher’s fair blonde hair.
“Promise?”
“I promise,” Evgeni kissed his forehead.
“Good,” he seemed at ease and rested his head back on Evgeni’s shoulder.

**************************************

Asher had been on and off for the few following days and when we caught him in a good mood we decided to take him skating in hope to make him smile a little.

“Why don’t you invite your parents and then we can get lunch afterwards?” I suggested as we headed out the door.
“Ok, we pick them up on way.”
“What? Aren't you going to ring them and ask?” I frowned as he helped me buckle Asher into his car seat.
“They never busy, of course they come,” he shrugged.

He was right though, they were more than happy to join us on our trip.
Vladimir happily played with Asher getting some laughter from my extremely quiet little boy as Natalia watched on.

Evgeni’s hand slipped across the center console and squeezed my knee drawing my attention to him before he quickly looked my way and smiled. It was his reassuring it doesn't matter what happens everything thing is going to be ok smile that made me more relaxed.

“Mummy, Geno” Asher waved with a beaming smile as he shuffled passed us sitting on the bench watching him.
“He is good,” Geno looked on proudly as Asher collected a puck and hit it straight towards us.

Evgeni got up and stepped out onto the ice to kick the puck back to him.
“Geno no,” Asher complained as it went passed him and he had to skate after it.

I watched with curiosity as I noticed how uneasy Asher seemed. “Evgeni does it seem like Asher is really off?” I questioned.
“What you mean?” he tilted his head as Asher relied purely on his stick holding him up.
“He looks really uncoordinated,” I got up my concern growing more and more as my son seemed to just slip further down before he hit the ice with a thud.

“ASHER!” my heart raced as I ran across the ice to my son’s side.
“Evgeni get help,” I cried as Asher lay unconscious on the ice.

Evgeni’s parents came rushing out to my side, concern all over their faces.
“What happen?” his mother rushed.
“I don’t know.”

“Asher, sweetie wake up,” I took his helmet off and pulled him into my lap as I wrapped my arms around him.
“Please be ok,” I rested my head on his as I rocked back and forth willing the tears away from my eyes.

Natalia’s soft motherly hand was on my back and she was speaking quietly in Russian, just like Evgeni did for Asher when something was bothering him and somehow it was calming me down.

“Asher!” I sobbed as the tears broke through my eyelids and streamed down my face.