As Time Proceeds (boyxboy) Complete

Chapter 5 Five Years Later

    I stared at my reflection in the mirror and ran my fingers through my hair. At least I had yet to go bald. I was thirty-four and only had one grey hair; I thought I looked pretty decent. I mentally thanked my mother for passing her blonde hair to me.
    Grey hair was harder to find in blonde hair.   
    “Gah! I’m getting so old!” I said to my reflection.
    “It was one grey hair, Dad,” Lilly said matter-of-factly in her ten-year-old voice.
    Glancing down at Lilly, I gave her a small smile. She was beautiful and already getting so tall. “But that’s one more grey hair than I need.”
    Lilly rolled her eyes playfully. “Just pluck it then!” She was holding back a grin.
    Letting out a sigh, I plucked the evil hair from my scalp and winced.
    “Now, you’re going to have ten more grow in its place!” Lilly said with a giggle as she ran out of my room.
    With a smile, I let her get some distance between us before I took after her. I met her in the hallway that led downstairs. I pulled her form the ground and lifted her into the air.
    “Let’s get you out of your play clothes and into something that won’t make people think I’m keeping you locked up in a basement.” Lilly had a tendency to roll around in the mud. I would have never thought that a single child could ruin so many clothes.
    I placed her back on her feet and she bounded off into her room to change.
    Inside Wal-mart, Lilly always stayed glued to my hip. She was much too shy to wonder off, which made getting in and out as quickly as possible out of the hell-hole that became known as Wal-mart much easier. “Do you want anything in particular, Eel?”
    “Twizzlers!” She said without any thought what so ever.
    I laughed as we continued through the store. “Anything other than candy?”
    Lilly put a finger to her chin. “How about we get those little oranges and Twizzlers?”
    “That’s more like it,” I said still smiling as I steered the shopping cart into the candy isle. I always made sure that my Eel ate as healthy as possible, but it was nice to give her a little treat here and there.
    I plucked the candy from its place on the shelf and tossed it in the cart. It landed next to the soy milk and the canned goods.
    “Now for the oranges!” Lilly said triumphantly as she tugged on the bottom of my shirt, pulling me toward the produce section.
    Just as I bagged a few mandarin oranges and placed them in the cart, I turned to head towards the checkout but caught my breath.
    “What’s wrong, Dad?” Lilly asked from beside me, but I was unable to speak. My brain was locked onto a single person. He was standing in the line to check out and was carrying a small shopping basket. He looked more muscular, and wore his hair much shorter, but I was sure it was him.
    As if on cue, he glanced over his shoulder and my heart fell to the floor.
    It was him.
    Kendall stared back at me through the crowd of people and locked his eyes to mine.
    Lilly tugged at the bottom of my shirt, causing me to look down and break eye contact. “What’s wrong?” She looked genuinely worried.
    I forced a small smile and said, “Nothing.” Leaning down, I picked her up and held her in my arms. “What do you say we ditch the cart and come back later?”
    She raised an eyebrow. “I want the Twizzlers though…” Her voice fell off.
    I kissed her forehead. “Then you’ll get them, Eel.”
    Placing her back on the ground, I looked up to find Kendall still there, standing motionless with his eyes on me.  Taking a deep breath, I began to push the cart forward. Kendall started walking towards me, meeting me halfway between the produce isle and the checkout area.
    My heart quickened as he neared and Lilly tugged on my shirt once more. “Who’s that?”
    “Just an old friend,” I whispered and lilied buried her face in my stomach as he stopped a few feet away from us.
    Kendall’s mouth was hanging open slightly, and it took him a moment to speak. “Aeden?”
    He said my name, and my throat dried.
    “Yeah, it’s me,” was all I could manage.
    After looking me up and down, Kendall’s eyes lingered on Lilly, who was still hiding her face. “I had to make sure it was you,” he said lifting his eyes back up to mine. “You look so,” he paused and made a silent gesture to Lilly, “different.”
    A smile grew on my lips. I pulled a blushing Lilly into my arms. “This is my daughter, Lilly.” I kissed the top of her head. “Think you could say hello, Eel?”
    Lilly hesitantly lifted her head and smiled sheepishly. “Hi.” Lilly’s hand instantly went to the small, silver bell around her neck, and Kendall’s eyes widened. Her little fingers rubbed the bell, and after a moment, she let the bell fall from her fingers as she stuck out her hand. “I’m Lilly.”
    Kendall smiled and shook her hand tenderly. “My name is Kendall.”
    Lilly grinned widely, resting her head against my chest as something passed over her eyes. Was it some unknown knowledge?
    What did she know?
    My Lilly was getting to be too smart for her own good.
    “It’s nice to meet you,” Lilly giggled, a sound devoid of all her earlier hesitation.
    I smiled at the two of them. “Thing change, huh?” I shrugged.
    “Yeah,” Kendall said simply. “Who would have ever though that Aeden Green would have a kid?” He smiled at Lilly once more.
    “I’m happy that I do. She changed my life forever, ya know?”
    I couldn’t believe I was having a conversation with a man I never thought I would see again.   
    “That’s good though.” Kendall eyed me once more. “You look so grown up,” he added with a laugh. “I still remember you as the little sophomore that plowed over me in the hall.”
    We shared a laugh together. “I’m thirty-four, Kendall.”
    “Hey,” he began motioning to himself, “I’ll be pushing thirty-seven soon. I’m a bit closer to forty than you are, so be happy.”
    I nodded and smiled once more. “Getting old, eh?”
    Lilly bounced in my arms. “Dad found a grey hair this morning!”
    I felt my face drain as Kendall let out a loud laugh. I hadn’t heard him laugh like that since before he left.
    “That’s ok too, Aeden. I’ve been dying mine for like four years now. I think I should be a spokesperson for Clairol.”
    Another laugh passed between us, and then we got quiet for a moment. The silence didn’t last long though. “I can’t believe that I’m looking at you right now,” Kendall said with a shake of his head.
    “The same to you, Kendall. I thought you were never coming back.” The last sentence stung my insides slightly. I felt Lilly adjust herself in my arms, so she could have a better view of what was going on.
    Kendall lowered his eyes. “Well, I finally decided that I missed home. I didn’t think you would still be here.”
    I shrugged. “I never left.” My words came out a bit too bitter, and Kendall frowned.
    He blew out a breath. “I’m sorry, Aeden.”
    “It’s perfectly fine. We were both kids and you wanted to chase your dreams. It wasn’t my place to hold you back.” Still bitter.
    Kendall paused and his eyes lit up. “How about you let me take you out?” he paused and laughed to himself. “You and Lilly that is.”
    Lilly turned in my arms and shot a wide grin my way.
    “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea, Kendall,” I said truthfully. Hell, part of me didn’t know what I would do to this man. I was happy there were no sharp objects around me.
    “Why?” He asked with an eyebrow raised.
    “I haven’t seen you in years.”
    “So?”
    I bit my bottom lip. “I’m just sure how I feel about you right now.”
    Lilly jumped into the conversation, “Just do it, Dad!”
    Kendall laughed and smiled. “You heard the girl. Just do it, Kendall.” The look in his eyes made my heart quicken.
    I couldn’t possibly still have feelings for this man.
    Closing my eyes, I blew out a long breath. “Fine.” I tried to keep it neutral.
    “Ok!” Kendall said, clearly excited. “Just give me your number, and I’ll call you with plans.”
    I recited my number for Kendall then asked, “Tonight?”
    Kendall shrugged. “Sure, why not? It’s Friday, and I’m sure I can think of something so Lilly here can have a little fun while she’s not in school.”
    Lilly nodded excitedly in my arms.
    I mentally face palmed. Kendall pops back into my life from the middle of freaking’ nowhere and already has my daughter on his side.
    “Fine. Fine.” A smile crept onto my lips despite me trying to remain neutral.
    Lilly was giggling in my arms.
    “I’ll see you then. If you don’t mind, I would like you two to stay the weekend with me?”
    I nodded as Kendall stepped closer, hugging both me and Lilly. Before I could object, my free hand was already wrapped around his back. “I’ll see you then,” he said still smiling brightly as he walked back into line and paid for his things.
    Once Kendall was gone, I sat Lilly on the ground and lifted an eyebrow. “Why do I get the feeling that you know something?”
    Lilly smiled and looked as innocent as possible. “I don’t know, Dad.”
    With a roll of my eyes, I pushed the cart to the checkout.

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Time is now back in the present, and it it going to follow Aeden in the present. I hope you all enjoy so far(: