Betrayal and Moving On

New Life, Family and Everything

I was in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on the cake when the doorbell rang.

"Daddy! Papa Mason! Gramma's here!" Aiden cried out as he ran through the house.

I grinned widely. I still get emotional when Aiden calls me 'Papa Mason.' The first time he did it was when Alex told him to call me that as a joke, but it ended up sticking with the little boy.

I wiped my hands on a kitchen towel and hurried to the front door. Aiden was trying to open the door and I helped him out.

I opened the door to find Mom standing on the porch with two giant bags filled with presents.

"Hi, Mom," I said.

"Gramma!"

I took the bags from her and she bent down and gave Aiden hugs and kisses.

"Hi, sweetie," she told him.

"Mom, you're gonna get me in trouble again with Alex. This is way too much stuff."

"It's his birthday, Mason. Don't be a party pooper."

Alex came in from the garage and hugged Mom.

"Hi, Mom," he said as he kissed her cheek. "You are spoiling this boy rotten."

"That's what grandmothers do."

It's hard to believe that it's been almost a year since Alex and I got together. It wasn't long after we started dating that I moved into his house. It was around then that Mom insisted Alex call her 'Mom', something she never did with Dale.

Alex's ex-wife Susie seemed to be okay with our relationship. We still had Aiden every other week and he adjusted quite well to our new living arrangement.

Dale and his friends never spoke to either of us again. Occasionally we'd see them around town, but they would pretend like they didn't see us or that they didn't know us. Alex told me that he heard that Dale had begun dating someone. I hope they are happy together.

I never saw Damien again. The last I heard, he and Joseph had broken up and Damien was now living with some other guy. I'm not really mad at him anymore and I really do hope that he is happy. In a way, he did me a favor. I'm much happier now with Alex than I ever was with Dale. My life is much more fulfilling and rewarding.

So Aiden would be spending his actual birthday at his mom's, but I thought that we should have a little party for him. I made the birthday cake. Aiden didn't care about the cake flavor as long as it had lots of chocolate fudge icing, and that's what I did for him.

Alex grilled burgers and hot dogs for lunch. After we ate lunch, we sang 'Happy Birthday' and had cake and then opened presents. Aiden made out like a bandit. The highlight was the new bike he got from me and Alex. He also went crazy for the Detroit Lions football jersey and helmet that Mom bought him.

Alex helped Aiden put on the jersey and helmet. Aiden grabbed his football and shouted 'hut' and tackled Alex. That kid was going to be a big bruiser just like his dad.

I looked between Aiden and Alex and Mom. This was my family. My life was perfect.

We were all laughing watching Alex and Aiden play when the doorbell rang. Aiden pulled off his helmet and ran to the door.

"You expecting someone?" I asked Alex as I got up from the couch.

Alex shook his head and pushed himself up off the floor.

I opened the door to find a man in a suit standing on the porch. I pulled Aiden next to me and he held onto my leg and looked up at the stranger.

"Mason Weston?" he asked.

"Yes. That's me."

He handed me a manilla envelope.

"Have a nice day," he said and turned around and walked back to his car.

"Bye!" Aiden called out after him.

"What's that?" Alex asked as I shut the door.

"I dunno," I shrugged.

I opened the envelope to find a stack of legal papers. I scanned them over and then handed them to Alex.

"Dale has filed for divorce," I said.

Alex muttered, "It's about damned time."

"Ooh, Daddy said a bad word," Aiden whispered.

Alex looked down at Aiden and apologized. "Sorry, bud," he said as he ruffled his hair.

I moved behind Alex and wrapped my arms around him and hugged him as he quickly read over the papers. When he finished, he pulled me around to face him.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah. I'm great."

"You gonna sign it?"

"As soon as we can get to a notary."

Alex grinned. "Who wants to go for a ride?" he chuckled.

"Me!" shouted Aiden as he raised his hand.

We all got in the car with Aiden's football gear and drove to the park, making a pit stop to get my papers taken care of.

Mom sat on a picnic table and watched the three of us play football.

I made sure not to run fast so that Aiden could catch me and he grabbed my leg and I tripped to the ground. He threw himself on top of my chest and 'tackled' me.

"I got you again, Papa!" he grinned with pride.

"Ow!" I laughed. "You sure did."

Alex helped me up off the ground and he smiled at me. "You're getting your ass whooped by a three year old," he chuckled into my ear.

"Oh yeah? Watch this."

Aiden threw the ball to me and I ran towards the designated touchdown line.

"Get him, Daddy!"

I looked back to see Alex hurl himself at me. I landed on the ground with a thud with Alex on top of me. Alex lifted up and I rolled over onto my back and groaned.

Alex leaned back down on top of me and grinned. "I got you. 'Papa'."

"OOF!" Alex grunted as Aiden jumped onto his back. I grunted as Alex's weight pushed me into the ground.

they looked at me.

"I love you, Mase," Alex said. He leaned down and kissed me.

Aiden giggled. "Yuck."

"Hang on, buddy," Alex said to Aiden. Aiden put his arms around Alex's neck. Alex stood up and ran around with Mason on his back.

I got up and brushed myself off and sat down with Mom at the picnic table. As we watched Alex and Aiden run around the park, she linked her arm around mine.

"You've got a wonderful family, son."

"Thanks, Mom. I think so, too."

Alex came running up to us with Aiden on his back.

"Okay, mijo... You wore your Daddy out," Alex panted.

Alex squatted down and let Aiden off his back. Alex grabbed Aiden's head and kissed his forehead.

"I love you, Aiden."

"I love you, Daddy."

Aiden hopped up on the picnic table bench and plopped down next to Mom.

"Gramma, did you see me?!"

"I sure did, sweetie," Mom said. "Did you hear me cheering you on?"

He rested his head on her arm and his eyes drooped shut.