Matthias

Chapter 17

**Devin's POV**

I watched as Matthias got the boys ready for our night out with Regan. It was Friday and we'd all decided to go to the park and have a picnic packed my mom.

By "we all," I mean Regan, my mom, and me. Matt would never do anything that involved Regan. Although he'd stopped glaring at her anytime she was in the room, he didn't seem to be warming up to her like I'd hoped. She wasn't doing much to make him think differently of her. Anytime he was around, she didn't show any emotion towards the boys like she did when it was just her and me. And when she did, it looked forced. Can't really blame him for not seeing her sincerity.

"What are you staring at?" Matt suddenly asked without turning around.

I sighed. "Why so snappy?"

"I don't want to go."

"No one told you that you had to go." I reasoned.

"But, you know I do." He practically growled. "I don't like that bitch to be around my boys when I'm not there."

I walked over to him silently and risked wrapping my arms around his waist from behind. He stiffened slightly and wouldn't look at me. "Matthias," I said softly into his ear and he relaxed the slightest bit. "she's their mother. It's not right to keep them apart."

"No," he retorted, "What's not right is giving birth to the three most perfect things on the planet and neglecting them."

"Matt, she didn't feel like it was right to take care of them. Maybe she wasn't prepared to be a mother. Regan was doing what was best for the boys." I defended.

"Yeah, well, why should I have to give up MY sons just because she finally wants to step up and do her job?! Huh? She just changes her mind and gets to take away my entire life?! Just like that?" He yelled.

I stared back into his eyes. His gaze was fierce and angry. "No one is taking your sons away from you. You would never let that happen and I would never let that happen. Just because she wants to be in their life, does not mean she wants to take them away from you. They're her kids just as much as they are y--!"

"DO NOT...finish that sentence." Matt seethed. "We aren't equal. She abandoned them. They didn't have a mother because she wasn't up for the task. I've raised them and loved them since the day they were born."

"Matthias, that's not what I meant." I felt my shoulders slouch, but I wouldn't admit defeat. He was hurting the boys by keeping them from their mother and that's something I'd never stand for. I kept my voice calm, "Will you at least give her a chance to show you that she wants to be a good mom?"

He actually seemed to think about it. But, he shook his head, "Not until she shows me she deserves a chance."

"I guess that's fair." I reluctantly agreed. I stepped up closer to him and pulled him into a hug. He hesitated but finally wrapped his arms around me. We hadn't touched this way in a couple days. "I hate the way this whole situation is making us fight. We've never fought like this."

I felt Matt's chest rise and fall with a sigh. His hand came up to my face and I looked up at him. He leaned down and captured my lips with his. The connection felt amazing. I hadn't even realized how much I'd missed this.

A small gasp from the doorway had us jumping apart so fast we both nearly lost balance.

Regan stood there with a shocked expression. "Um... Ah... The door was open...? I called out, but...nobody answered..."

Surprising all of us, I think, Matt was the first to speak up. "Hi, Regan, we almost had the boys ready to go." He said lamely.

Regan still looked bewildered, but nodded and walked over to where Drew was seated on the floor. She knelt down next to him and he grinned his greeting.

"Hey, Drew." She said sweetly. He was the only one she knew so far because he seemed to be the only one that ever smiled at her. Ben always stared questioningly and we were lucky if Cayd didn't cry. She only knew the boys by their reaction to her right now.

His childish giggles filled the room as Matt picked Ben up and carefully slipped his tiny shoes on. "Come on, guys. I think we're all ready now."

I stooped to pick up Cayden and Regan did the same with Drew before we both followed Matt and Ben out of the apartment.

**Matt's POV**

We pulled into the parking lot of the park where Lori was waiting for us. Regan's beat up car pulled in right after us and Lori clapped excitedly as we unbuckled the boys from they're car seats.

"There's my precious babies," She cooed. All the boys laughed delightedly at her enthusiasm. They were always pleased to see Lori. "Hello, Regan," She greeted politely as she took Andrew from my arms.

Regan waved and smiled shyly. "Hey, Mrs. Peters."

Devin got Benjamin from his seat and brought him to Regan. She took him gently and he went back to get the food from Lori's car. With Cayden held close to me, we walked to a shaded table with a nice view of the river.

Lori rambled on about random nothings as we set the food out.

"Mom, what is this?" Devin asked suddenly, stopping her in the middle of a sentence about how nice the water looked. He pulled out a bowl of something indescribable. It was just a pile of... Whatever it was supposed to be.

Lori laughed. "Well, it WAS a cake."

"When?" Devin questioned with a shocked and amused expression.

"When I pulled it out of the oven this morning." She snapped.

"Uh-huh... And when did it turn into... This?"

"When I tried to take it out of the pan." She admitted shamefully.

Everyone at the table shared a little laugh. "Mom, if you wanted a cake, you should have just asked me to make one."

"I thought maybe I could do it right this time!"

"It's okay, Lori," I patted her shoulder, "I can't cook either."

Devin chuckled put the bowl of crumbled cake on the table. I picked the bowl up and took off the lid. "Did you mix icing in with the cake pieces!?"

"Oh, shut up, Matthias!" She shouted and everyone fell into another fit of laughter.

I set the cake down back in its place and helped Devin unpack the last of the food Lori put together.

"Uh... Matt," Devin said uncertainly, motioning to my right. I turned my head and saw Cayd sitting in his seat, with the bowl of 'cake' on his head.

"Cayden!" I gasped. He looked up at me and giggled childishly. I pulled the bowl off of his head and he grinned at me with his chocolate smile. I sighed and couldn't help but smile back at him.

I picked him up and carried him toward the bathrooms. "Dah! Dah! Dah!" He shouted enthusiastically, clapping and splashing the chocolate from his hands onto my face. I heard Devin and Regan laughing behind me, so I threw them the finger and walked into the spacious restroom.

I set Cayd down on the sink counter and reached for the paper towels. It took a while, but I finally got the chocolate off of him. We went back to the table to find that nobody waited on us before eating. Cayd waved at everybody as we reached the table. Regan's wave seemed to catch his attention. He leaned forward and made a grabbing motion in her direction. "Dah! Dah!"

"Is he trying to say 'dad?'" Regan asked.

"We thought so when he first said it, but we think he says it when he wants something or when he's just excited." Devin explained with a shocked expression.

Reluctantly, I passed the boy to her and she took him gently. Cayd had never wanted to be held by her so we all watches, waiting for him to cry out, but he never did. He let her feed him and wouldn't let go of her throughout the whole lunch.

And she was very gentle and caring with him as well. I grudgingly admitted to myself that she wasn't an awful person. And, although I wouldn't admit she's a good mother, I could give her a chance.

Devin convinced me she deserved it.