Noah glanced at Mari before reaching out and shaking Ethan’s hand. The moment brought tears to Mari’s eyes. Ethan’s child shouldn’t be a stranger. His son shouldn’t hesitate to shake his hand.
“I have cake upstairs. Bella dropped it off yesterday. How about we all go and have afternoon tea and get to know one another? What do you say, Ethan, can you take a break?”
Emotion swelled in his eyes. “If that’s okay with Noah, I’d love to.”
“Aunt Bella makes the best cake.”
Mari shared a glance with Ethan. That was as good an invitation as he was going to dish out and she was more than happy with it.
“I’d love to join you then. Lead the way.”
Ben called out as they passed the ballroom to go upstairs. “Boss, your phone was ringing again. Sounds like its coming from the nail gun toolkit but couldn’t be sure.”
Mari raised an eyebrow and looked at Ethan. “Thanks, Ben. It can wait until I finish upstairs.”
*
Ethan avoided Mari’s gaze when he followed them into the apartment, feeling like the odd man out. He watched his son hungrily, hoping for a hint of how to react and found himself lost and out of place. His habit of ignoring his phone had come back to haunt him. How did he get back ten years? Should he feel this hollow and stunned?
“Hey, Ethan, look at this.” Noah’s voice brought him to the present and he stepped over to the table. “You like cake, don’t you?”
“Ah, sure. What guy doesn’t?” His glaze flicked to Mari who stood with the coffeepot in her hand watching them. Ethan. He could deal with being called that until Noah got to know him better. Being called Dad would no doubt take time but he was up for it. A hint of a smile hovered on her lips.
“Mom won’t let us have too much. You know how moms are about spoiling your dinner.” Noah pulled out a chair and climbed up, leaning on the table. He lowered his voice. “If you ask her, we might get seconds.”
Ethan’s throat closed over and it took him a while to manage an answer. “Maybe. But how about we take it one slice at a time? Then, if she doesn’t mind, maybe we can go back for more.”
Mari placed a coffee mug in front of Ethan. “I think that’s a very good idea. Let’s not get too overexcited.” She put the pot back on the counter and brought over a knife and plates. Once everyone had a slice, she sat down. “So, how was your day, Noah?”
Noah picked up the cake and inspected it before taking a huge bite. He chewed, rolled his eyes and smiled, a gesture that almost had Ethan tearing up. His mother did the same thing when she tasted something sweet and he thought back to the Sundays when his mom and Mari would spend the morning baking treats for the week. He shared a glance with Mari and he couldn’t keep the smile from his face. Surely she was thinking the same thing too?
“You remembered?” Mari gazed at him, her own eyes misty.
“Yeah. You were pretty close.” He cleared his throat and took a sip of his coffee to cover his emotions. He could only wish for such a relationship with his son.
“You like soccer?” Noah swiped his tongue around the edges of his lips to collect the pink icing.
“Yes.” Ethan leaned on the table and smiled. Was he trying too hard?
“You know Cory?”
Ethan nodded, his heart pinching. Noah was trying to make a connection, like he was trying to help Ethan connect.
“He’s awesome. I’m gonna be like him one day. I just gotta practice every chance I get. That’s if Mom will let me.”
Was it too soon to jump in and offer his help? “I think you can do anything you put your mind to, Noah. And if you ever want someone to kick a ball with, I’m up for it.”
Noah looked between the two of them. “Really?”
“Yeah really. Nothing I’d like more.”
Mari stood up and reached for a tissue from the top of the refrigerator.
Apprehension trickled down his spine. Did he suck at this fatherhood thing so bad that he made her cry?
This time when he dropped by to visit with his mother after work it was with more apprehension than when he’d told her Mari was back in town. This time, he had to admit to being the cause of the pain he was going to dish her in spades and, having been given the chance to meet his son, he wasn’t going to let anything get in his way of having a relationship with him.
It took a moment for it to sink in. He hated the hurt in her eyes when she realized what he was saying. “I have a grandson?”
Ethan nodded.
“And they didn’t tell us?” She reached for the fence and leaned on it trying to understand.
He took her arm and walked her over to the garden seat and sat down beside her, worried about the way her body shook. Maybe it’d all been too much information in one hit. “Noah is nine, almost ten. Wiry little guy. Sandy hair, freckles over his nose and he’s very polite. If it wasn’t for the color of his hair, I’d say it was like looking at a picture of Rake as a kid.”
His mom’s hands shook. “A child. I don’t believe it.”
“I was pretty stunned too. That’s why I stopped by again. I didn’t want you to hear it from someone else.”
“I don’t believe this. They stay away from us for years, don’t make contact, don’t respond when I try to mend the bridges between us, even when Rake passes on, and now this!” She shook her head in horror. “What did I ever do to that girl to deserve this, Ethan? Tell me that.”
“Mom…”
“After all I did for her. I can understand guarding their privacy from the press but we’re family.
