Yours Truly, Austin Post - Post Malone

67

"What about, Harley? Or Luke?" Austin suggests walking out to the patio where Ava is sitting with Grayson. It's a warm evening so they are having dinner out there. Ava is at the end of her second trimester and they have found out they are having a boy, a big boy with a big head - Hope has put it down to Austin's food. So now most conversations are about a baby's name. Grayson and Ava scrunch their noses at the suggestions - they don't like them. "They are not bad but I want him to have a strong name," Ava says accepting her plate of unidentifiable food from him while Grayson gets a slice of lasagna - his smile wide as he sniffs it. "I still think you should call him Grayson the second - he will like that name," Grayson says shoving a fork full of food in his mouth. Austin chuckles and sits down next to Ava - hand on her belly.

They eat in comfortable silence for a while and then Grayson speaks suddenly. "Ummm, Ava...do I have to start calling you mom?" he asks. Ava swallows her mouthful of food and looks at Austin who shrugs, "He asked you, Peach," he says. Ava looks back at Grayson and smiles softly. Grayson feels like her son, they have grown close and she does everything a mother would do for him - she does not want him to miss out on feeling like he has someone to cuddle him when he is sad or celebrate his achievements like a mom does. But, she does not want him to feel obliged to have to do anything.

"Do you want to call me mom?"

Grayson fiddles with his food and bites his lip while he thinks for a bit then looks at Ava. "I don't know...Charlie's real father left and now his mom is married to someone else and Charlie calls him dad so I think I have to call you mom."

"You don't have to call me Mom. You can choose what you call me."

"Well...I like that I have a mom and in my head when I talk to her I call her mom because she is my mom and I think it would be weird if I also call you mom, but Freddy says that you will be upset if I don't call you mom soon because you are my new mom," Grayson says, he looks so torn. Ava smiles then pushes her chair back and pats her lap. "Come here," she says. Grayson climbs on her lap - his hands resting on her swollen belly. "Names are important. For example your name. You were named after your mom or my nickname from your dad - Peach, because I like peaches," Ava starts, she ignores the soft chuckle from Austin at her side. "And now we are spending so much time choosing a name for the baby because it's not just about the name but what's behind the name. A name tells a story about a person with just one word. Like your dad. He was always just Austin until you came along now he is Dad...that's his place, his story. Your mom is your mom because that's her story...I have a different story but that does not mean you love me any less than your Mom or Dad."

"I love you very much."

"I know. I can feel it. You don't have to call me Mom because I love doing mom stuff for you and I feel like you are my son...maybe you can just call me Ava - I will know what's in your heart or you can make up a new name. We have our own story."

"I could call you firecracker. That's what the kids at school call you when you tell us to keep quiet in the hall before you speak."

Austin has to cover his mouth now when he tries to hide his laugh - it does not work, he is loud. But, Ava finds herself giggling too. "You can call me whatever you like and I will love it because I know it will come from our very own story - it will be just yours and mine, and that's what makes me feel warm inside," Ava says. Grayson nods and Ava can see the cogs in his brain working over time. Eventually, he smiles. "I think I have a name for you," he says. "Ok, let's hear it," Ava says softly. "On the days I miss my mom the most they feel like winter days - it's always cold so I go find you and you make everything feel like it's a summer day again. I think Dad does that too...I think you are everyone's summer day. You are my summer day and my mama here...you are my Summa," Grayson says then stops and looks at Ava. Ava feels like a bit of a mess right now so curls her arms around Grayson and holds him to her chest tightly, cuddling him close. "Thank you for giving me that name, Grayson - you will never know how much it means to me," she manages to whisper. "You'll be my Summa forever, Summa," Grayson whispers back. They stay like that for a long time until Ava can feel Grayson's body go heavy when he falls asleep. Her eyes flick to Austin who has remained very quiet by her side. He is watching her carefully.

"You know, Peach...Gracie once tried to pacify my concerns. I had told her, like I did you, that I was worried it would be unfair to bring a baby into this world with only the father. I told her what you said about me being a super dad. She agreed by the way. But, she also said that one day when I was ready I would find a woman who would have the same values as us and she would love and raise our child in the way we had always hoped. I did not believe her at the time, I just could not imagine such a woman existed...I had no idea how I would find her...I was not looking, to be honest. But, it turns out I didn't have to do anything...you found us. Thank you for loving Grayson the way you do, thank you for loving Gracie the way that you do and thank you for loving me the way that you do," he says. Ava smiles and nods, she can't talk - her chin wobbling too much. Austin stands and takes Grayson then disappears inside with him.

Ava does not trust her legs right now and so she stays, she just sits and gives herself a moment. Austin comes back soon enough, tugging her so she climbs on his lap in a straddle when he sits back down.

He slides his hands up and cups her cheeks, pulling her closer to his face. "I have told you a million times now, Peach, you are something special," he whispers. Ava giggles and then latches her lips onto his, she is sitting on him but her knees still go weak. "I love you...and I have to pee," she says trying to untangle herself from Austin's now sticky hands. "You pee a lot," Austin says trying to guide her back to his lips. "Baby is like a little stone on my bladder, he sits on it," Austin says, giving up on her lips and attaching himself to her neck. "Mason is a nice name," he mumbles.

"What?"

"Stone Mason...Mason. Just popped into my head."

"I am going to pee on you."

Austin laughs and lets Ava climb off his lap, squeezing her ass first. Ava rushes off, ducking into the first spare room - she won't make it down to their room. When she is done she  finds Austin waiting for her in the passage.

"Bedtime?"

"Bedtime."