No Turning Back

Second Chance

"Hi babies," Bethany's voice rang from the kitchen doorway. The front door slammed shut behind me as I watched my kids attack my best friend's legs with tight hugs. "How was your day with daddy," she asked. She bent down to peck a kiss at both of their curly heads.

"Fun – really fun. He took us to Chuck E. Cheese after running all our errands. We earned so many tickets! Look at how many prizes we got," Adrian buzzed as he held up the plastic bag of toys they'd gotten. Bethany peeked into the bag.

"Wow! There's so many! Which one is for me?"

"Huh," our two kids asked in unison. Beth and I chuckled at the response.

"I'm just kidding. Go on and play with your toys." She kissed both of their heads again before the two wandered off into the living room. Beth wrapped her slender arms around herself as she took a few steps towards me. "Is there a point in making dinner tonight? I'm assuming they ate more pizza than their little bodies could handle."

"Nah. They should be knocked out within the next two hours. They've had a long day."

"Mhm, and what about you? I can make you something if you want." I shook my head.

"I'm good, Beth. I think I'm just gonna take a shower and watch TV with the kids. You take the night off; I can handle them for a couple more hours." A small smile appeared on her lips as she walked closer to me. "What," I asked. I repressed the scowl that was tugging at lips.

"Nothing," she said with a shrug. Her smile grew smug. "I'm just waiting for you to attempt to murder me while our children are distracted by a giant purple dinosaur."

"As tempting as that sounds, I'm afraid those children do need their mother." I paused. "An unfortunate fact." She rolled her eyes.

"Well, how did it go? What does he look like now? Did he remember you? Give me details." I dropped the fight with my facial expression and glared at her. "What Jay," she said as she threw her hands up. "It was an opportunity to get you out of the hell hole you've buried yourself in for the thousandth time and I took it. You can't be mad at me for reuniting you with your high school boyfriend."

"My senior year high school boyfriend who I barely dated," I replied flatly. "We don't know each other. We never really did."

"Jayden, you and I know that's not true. You and Daniel-"

"It is true," I snapped at her. "We were barely a couple years ago – if anything, we were just intimate friends. I had no desire to see him, and you damn well know that. He's moved on; I've moved on; the thing between us is over."

"Is it really," Beth asked as she tilted her head. She cautiously lay a hand on my arm. "Jayden, you and I both know you loved him, and we both know how much it hurt when you let him go. But he's here now, and maybe – just maybe that means life is giving the two of you another shot."

"I don't know," I murmured.

"Did you give him your number?"

"Yes," I sighed.

"And did he give you his?"

"Unfortunately." She smiled. "But I don't have time for him right now. We've just moved down here with the kids and they need to adjust to the two of us living in the same house. Adding another person or taking a periodic absence in their life isn't something I want to do right now. I just want to be there for them. I just want to be a good father."

"You are. You're the best father." She pecked a kiss at my cheek. "You're also a good person who deserves to be loved."

"So are you."