Hayden & Dean (The Sequel) - A Tethered Love

Chapter 26: Not Alone

Paul is surprisingly good on the flight to New York. Of course, it's easy to handle when it's a private plane and you have the whole thing to yourself besides one stewardess and two pilots. A car picks me us and we are quickly whizzing towards my old brownstone. I check my phone multiple times, waiting for Dean to call me back. I texted him what happened and my plans, wanting him to know where I was in case he got back early. Once we get to my home, Charles meets me at the door way, his eyes on his phone, obviously taking time out of his work day to greet us "Charles, thank you so much for arranging all this! I don't know what I would've done without you." I say, hopping out of the car and utter before turning back to lean back in and get Paul and his things. Once I stand back up with Paul in my arms, Charles eyes leave his phone and land straight on us. His straight lipped grin turns upward into a small smile and I introduce my ex fiancé to my baby "Charles, this is Paul."

"Hey, little man!" He takes two large steps towards us to close the gap. His voice is the same tone as it usually is but he bends down to get eye level with Paul "did you have a good flight?" He asks, his voice now changing a higher pitch level.

I answer "he sure did! He didn't even cry when the altitude changed."

"Thatta Boy!" He lightly rubs Paul's arm who just stares in awe at the man in front of him. "Why don't we bring him and your things upstairs and then I'll take you to see your father." I nod, moving forward to head inside. Charles stops me by tapping my shoulder and gesturing to my bag "let me get that." He offers.

I quickly move Paul onto my other hip and graciously accept his help "thanks" I say as he takes it from me and we continue inside.

"I take Paul. Where Paul?" Lizette asks as we enter the main room, her smiles wider then I've ever seen it, clearly excited to watch him again.

"Over here!" I bounce my baby up and down a bit as Lizette walks closer to see him. Paul smiles at her as she makes sounds and noises to him and she reaches her arms out to take him. I don't hesitate giving him up to her, and he opens his arms wide "oh, you wanna see Aunty Liz?"

She gives me a sweet smile, and I know how thrilled she is to see him. I'm equally as thrilled, basically being raised by her. "Lizette, would you watch Paul for a bit while I take Hayden to see her father." He basically tells her, not really asks her.

"Charles." I mutter his name under my breath.

"It's fine Ms. Hayden, I happy to watch Paul." She returns, still looking at him as he bounces him in her own arms.

"Oh no, I can just take Paul with us. I'm sure you have plenty of work to do." I decline her acceptance.

She gives me a look "no, you can not take baby to work. He stay here. You go." She pushes me again.

Charles agrees "she's right, this is why she's here today anyway. I called her in." He says.

"You called her?" I inquire, now confused.

He pulls me to the side and Lizette starts to walk further int the house. Charles begins explaining, in a low whisper "I told you you're father has been acting strangely. He not only went back to work, he fired half the staff."

"He fired Lizette?" I gasp out a little heartbroken.

He shakes his head "no, he cut her hours but he fired some others. We really need to go so you can talk to him."

I don't hesitate any further and nod "fine." I start walking to find Lizette and Paul and give her a quick rundown before leaving again to make my way to my dads work.

"So, are you going to tell me what's going on with Paul?" Charles asks me as we hop into the town car he had waiting.

I give him a glare but know he's not going to give it up. I sigh, trying to buy time to think of how I can explain things to him without sounding crazy. "Paul was born with this rare defect, he uhh." I pause, thinking of what to say next. Charles looks at me with concern and I find it harder to keep lying "he needed a surgery but there was only one person willing to do the surgery on someone so young. It wasn't suppose to be scheduled for a few more months but he got real sick and Dean took him in right away. That's why I needed to get to them quickly." I explain, hoping he buys it all.

"Hayden" he gives me a know it all look "there's no way your son had surgery 3 days ago and is here in New York now." He returns, not buying any of my life.

I sigh frustrated, not wanting to tell him the truth but not sure how to get out of it either. He keeps his eyes locked on mine. Eventually I sigh out and cave "look, Paul was born with a sort of defect. We did have to get it removed and it's gone now but it's not as simple as surgery."

"Simple as surgery? Did you even here what you just said?" He asks me.

I shake my head as we pull up to my dads office building "I'll elaborate later, okay? For now let's just go talk to Martin." I quickly glide out the door, more then eager to put this conversation on hold. When we get inside, Charles walks over to security and flashes his work badge. He quickly utters something and signs me in, getting me a visitors badge. We go through security and make our way up to the 74th floor. Once out of the elevator, we walk towards the corner office. A few people recognize me and give me a sympathetic smile but don't say anything to me. We get to my fathers office and I knock. After a few moments the door opens and my father answers "hi dad." I say when our eyes meet.

"What do you want? I'm working." He mutters before turning his back to me and walking back inside the room.

Charles and I glare at each other but I step in behind him, leaving Charles at the doorway. "Dad, what are you doing here?"

"I'm working, can't you see that?" He asks rhetorically.

I push further "but you should be home. Dad, I know losing mom is hard but you can't just jump back into working like this. You need to mourn."

"What's the point?" He spits back "I retired to try and convince your mother to stay home and build our relationship again. Now she's gone and I have nothing." His voice is strained, like he's been crying and I try to move around to see his face.

"That's not true, you have me." I return, finally able to see his face now. His eyes are red and a bit puffed out. I sigh, reaching out to touch his arm "and you have Paul, and dean. You're not alone dad."

"You have me too, Martin." Charles pipes in, now standing in front of the closed door.

I give him an annoyed glare but quickly adjust back to look at my dad "please, just come home. I have Paul with me and we're not going anywhere anytime soon, Alright?" I ask, hoping he agrees.

He thinks about it, but soon nods and his shoulders lower just a little as he lets the weight of the world sink back onto him. I give Charles a head nod and he opens the door for us. The three of us walk back to the town car together and the ride back to the brownstone is silent.