Heart of Gold

Chapter 17

Dinner went great. I was beet red the entire time and Trish had disappeared I bet she was with Bryan hiding for her life but she had to work. No one mentioned what they heard or they didn't believe it so I kept quiet and let down my hair to hide my neck. His family had left right after dinner I told them they could stay in two of the rooms but they said they just came to visit to make sure he was eating and breathing. Which I thought was very adorable.

I had Mazey tucked in and I was reading her a bed time story. She drifted to sleep after a while of me reading and then I turned out her lamb and plugged in the night light. I left the door a jar and went to my room. I closed the door and stretched cracking my knuckles and snuggling into my bed. My pillows smelt like lavender. I heard the door lock click and I sat up. Was Mazey creeping to my bed already? Well it wasn't Mazey.

"I just wanted to come and say thanks for being so cool with my family intruding." He came in and closed the door.

"It's okay." I liked it. I have never known what it was like to have a loving family dinner. Other than with Kyle and Joanna.

"Also I'm sorry about your neck." He said.

"It's okay." I smiled. He sat at the edge of the bed. "You can't sleep can you?" I asked knowingly.

"Not yet." He answered.

"You can lay with me until you feel like going back to your bed." I told him patting the pillow beside me.

"I don't think that's a good idea." He said.

"It's okay. I won't violate you." I assured him. A dark smile formed on his lips and he moved further on the bed. We didn't speak we just laid there in comfortable silence. After a few minutes I fell asleep.

I woke up to something in front and behind me it was like a well-made sandwich. I opened my eyes and Mazey was hugging her butterfly stuffed animal. Her head at my breast, I looked down big arms slung over my waist. I moved and something poked my and I jumped a little. I moved again and Eric moaned. I moved my hand to remove whatever was poking me from his pocket. My hand moved down and I grabbed the thing and then I squirmed. Oh my God.

"Well good morning to you too." His breath hot on my neck.

"It was an accident I thought it was your phone or something." I defended.

"It's something alright. It's called morning wood." He whispered the last part in my ear.

"Well get it away." I told him. He laughed and got up. "Were you awake when Mazey came in?" I asked.

"Yes. She just climbed. Does she do that all the time?" He asked.

"She used to but now just once in a while." I told him.

"I'll leave before she actually does wake up." He said and left. I shook her and her eyes fluttered open.

"Good morning." I greeted her. "Did you sleep well?" I asked her.

"Yes." She smiled.

"How about chocolate chip pancakes." I said wiggling my eyebrows at her.

"Yay!" She jumped.

"Thought you'd like that." I watched her jump in my bed. When she finally calmed down she sat with her legs folded under like me. "Mazey," I tucked her hair behind her ear. "I was wondering if you'd be okay if I adopted you." I said hoping she'd understand.

"What does that mean?" She asked.

"Like I would be you mother but not like how Joanna was your mother and you wouldn't have to call me mommy you could call me Kasey." I prayed she understood.

"So you'd be my new mommy?" She asked.

"Sort of." I said.

"But I tell people you're my new mommy already and that Eric is my new daddy." I held my chest.

"You do?" I looked at her lovingly.

"Yes." She played with the stuffed insect.

"So it's okay if I adopt you." I said.

"Does Eric want to adopt me too?" She asked.

"I don't know, but I want to adopt you." I reassured her.

"Okay and I'll ask Eric." She said throwing the insect up and it fell on her face. She was bathed and in her little uniform in no time. I had made her chocolate chip pancakes and she ate them messily.

"What do we have here?" Eric came in in jeans pants and a white t-shirt. "Maze did you leave any pancake for me?" He sat beside her.

"Yes I did." She grinned.

"Yummy." He said taking a bite and looking at me.

"Eric do you want to adopt me?" She asked and his fork stopped half way to his mouth. He looked at me for help and I shrugged. "Aunt Kasey is going to adopt me so I can call her mommy but I already tell people she is my mommy and I tell people you're my daddy." He said in one breath and he put down his fork and looked at me.

"You tell people I'm your daddy?" He asked.

"Yes." She nodded.

"Why?" He asked.

"Daddies take care of mommies like you took care of Aunt Kasey and daddies also help take care of babies and I'm a baby. Daddies also love mommies like you love Aunt Kasey..." I choked. Where did she get these things from? "Daddies also love the babies like how you love me." she took another bite of her pancake. "And I want you to be my daddy." She finished.

"Really?" He wasn't upset or in shocked I didn't know how he was feeling.

"So will you adopt me?" She asked him.

"Where are the papers for me to sign?" He smiled broadly at her.

"Eric may I have a word?" I said. He shouldn't bring up her hopes with lies. We went to his room that was very clean for a male's room. He closed the door behind him. "You can't tell her that." I turned and looked at him. "She's young your lie will break her little heart." I told him.

"I wasn't lying." He said.

"You don't know us for you to want to adopt her with me." I folded my arms.

"I love her." He said.

"You can be an uncle but not her father." I said.

"Why can't I adopt her?" He questioned.

"She isn't your family. She is mine." I told him.

"She doesn't see it like that." He said.

"It doesn't matter she is six if you tell her you'll adopt her and be her father she will always look to you as a male figure." I said.

"And what's wrong with that?" He asked.

"You can be her uncle." I said once again but he wasn't having it.

"No I'm adopting her." He stood his ground. "Why is it such a big problem if I adopt her? Is it because of you and I?" He asked.

"No." I said.

"Why then?" His voice stern.

"You'll leave and she'll be heartbroken." I yelled at him.

"Are we still talking about Mazey?" He questioned and I was wondering the same thing.

"Yes." I said softly.

"I am here to stay. I'll be the best new father she'll have. I'll love her as if she came from my loins and I will always and forever protect her." He held me tight in his arms.

"You'll get married and want your own." I said.

"I won't unless it's to...I won't I promise." He smoothed my hair.

"Okay." I sighed.