The New Office

Eleven

--Mitch--

I sat at the table as guests finally left. I told them Andy wasn't feeling good so the party was over. I felt so bad for him.
-

I walked upstairs and didn't see Andrew's door open so I knocked, "Andrew, it's daddy." No response. I turned the door knob and saw Andrew laying on his bed, his chest slowly rising and falling. He'd fallen asleep crying. I shut the door and went into the bathroom; the baby was kicking and pushing on my bladder already.

When I finished, I looked for Scott. I went into the bedroom and found him sitting on the edge of our bed, "Scott?" I whispered as I closed the bedroom door behind me.

He didn't look up at me, he just shrugged, "I'm awful." He whispered.

"Awful? Why?"

"Andrew hates me. All he wanted me to do was play with him, and I was selfish and told him no. He cried himself to sleep when he shouldn't have cried at all. I should've been better to him. But I'm not a good dad, if I even am one to him at all." I walked over to Scott as he broke down, covering his face with his shaking hands. I sat next to him and rubbed his back while he cried.

"You're still his dad the same as you were yesterday, Scott. Think of all the things Joel did to him, or didn't do for him. Joel didn't go to any of Andrew's birthdays. He was always out partying or having sex with some twink. But you've been here as long as you've known him. You had only been dating me for two months when you went to his 6th birthday, even though you could've turned down his invitation. Andrew loves you Scott. And you're his dad no matter what happens. He knows you won't do anything to him or me like Joel did. You're a great person, Scott."

"Thanks, Mitchy. But I need to go talk to him." He got up and left the room. I heard him open Andrew's door and then close it.

--Scott--

I walked over to Andrew on his bed. I shook him a little and he slowly woke up, "Andy, I need to talk to you." A tear rolled down his cheek, meanwhile, my heart broke.

He sat up and faced me. I just stood there next to his bed. He patted the bed in front of him, I sat down cross-legged, "Andrew, you know I love you right?" He nodded, "I couldn't be more sorry, or feel any worse about what happened today. I love you bud, more than you could ever know. I was just upset when you asked me to play with you because I had asked daddy previous to that if he was okay. Knowing daddy, he of course didn't want me to pay attention to him or how he was feeling, but rather me pay attention to you. And I should have because he warned me before the party started not to worry about how he felt.

But I didn't listen to him and I asked him anyway. He avoided my question and concern and told me to ask you about your friends. I did anyway, but I wanted to know how daddy felt. But Andrew, I'm really sorry for treating you like that-" I stopped and regained myself from crying, "Please don't hate me." I put my face in my hands and started crying hard.

Andrew crawled towards me and wrapped his arms around my shoulders, "I don't hate you dad. I love you so much." I pulled out of his grip and wrapped him in my arms. I kissed his forehead.

"I love you. I just worry about you hating me because I'm not biologically your father."

"But my biological father was a terrible person, and he's dead. I would much rather have you as my nonbiological father than have Joel as anything."

"Thank you. I love you so much."

"I love you too dad." I kissed his forehead again before I looked in the doorway. Mitch was standing there crying.

"Are you okay?" I asked him.

"Happy tears, I promise. Do we want to watch a movie tonight?" Mitch asked, wiping the tears off his face.

"Absolutely." Andrew agreed.

"Absolutely." I smiled at Mitch and kissed Andrew's forehead.