Touching the Heart of Ace

Maybe I should call Jason and let him handle his niece and her relationships.

"Call me DJ... short for David Junior. If you can handle the jokes of you being my dad." He snickered at his lame attempt to cover my awkwardness that he was helping me to hide.

Such a good boy.

"Okay... DJ..."

"No... I was kidding... kidding... you looked hurt over that... It is nothing... call me Fellow David." He cringed. "If you want to... is okay... "

"You are a nice kid, DJ. You are stuck with this name."

"Oh."

Awkward silence filled up the space, if we left out Lia and Danny Boy screaming at each other before running of again laughing.

"I sometimes don't get my kid. She is... she is..." I waved my hands around helplessly.

"Mine too... I thought they hated each other..."

We both sighed when they started screaming at each other again.

"Lia is so used to getting her way at home and I think, your brother is not abiding to her uhh 'rules'."

"... and my brother is a cry-baby... not entirely her fault..."

"So, you think some of it is hers."

"I don't want to offend you."

"You won't, DJ."

We ended up having a very serious talk on our kids.

All the way home Little Lia kept her head down and stomped in front of me feeling my glare on her back.

Good!

I had to keep on glaring or I would end up laughing. I had to hold it in until I reach home and hide myself before taking a well-deserved break to laugh.

Little Lia could not meet my eyes all through our regimen and I let her. Sometimes, my silence was enough to let her know that I was really not happy with her behaviour.

Well, Little and Danny Boy had a fight; more severe than their previous ones, apparently. Lia was not one to flaunt her cool toys or shiny clothes. She would play with anything she got her hands own, so they initially got along just fine until one day Danny Boy refused to let her play with his 'feefball'.

So, she brought even more pretty 'feefball' next day and started a competition.

It was going without much problem until one day Danny Boy came to know that Lia had a bafren named 'Davey'... and he claimed that 'Davey' was his.

If you want Lia to hold on a lifelong grudge with you, make a grab at me. I was not even kidding.

Things escalated way too serious.

They got into fist fights and hair pulling until Flip had to break it off. Danny Boy lost the competition by crying first even though the claimed his 'David' was bigger and better and he was his real brother, not just best friend.

I thought for a moment, she believed Danny Boy was talking about me and was staking a claim because I was the only 'Davey' she knew.

Yeah my Little Lia was smart like that; got it from her dad.

Definitely not me!

No, the time when I cried because I had thought Aunt Marie was Jesus's mother Marie did not count. It was a one-time thing. What, it was okay to cry thinking she would leave to heaven without me.

Sure, Ace, sure!

Well, I was young... really young.

But older than Lia though, Ace.

Uggh!

I hated my conscience sometimes.

Lia stormed off from the playground calling Danny Boy a cry baby and then cried all the way back to me, yesterday.

So, this was her petty show off of me as bigger, better and whatever claims she threw around.

Lia won...

... at the cost of breaking another baby's heart.

DJ did not mind. He only hoped I was not too offended because he knew Lia was rich and did not want any trouble with us.

Well, that was how I made a new friend who was much younger than me.

I had already filled in Robbie about the kiddie drama and I told him if he laughed in front of Lia for this we were going to fight.

Anyways, Robbie played along with me during dinner where I had asked Lia to explain it to daddy which she did, a bit ashamed and a bit teary.

And he suggested to invite Danny Boy's family to our weekly cook out, as I had coached him.

Lia was not happy but did not fight to get back into my good side.

DJ and Danny Boy came for our cook out holding a small pack of fruit box which we gladly accepted though we told them that they didn't have to bring anything.

We let Danny Boy distribute his fruit juices among the kids and let the kids out to play.

"Dear God, you could lose people in this home. Can you even hear it upstairs if I hollered from here?" DJ was too mature for his age, already taking care of his younger brother and over working mom, but comments like this reminded me that how young he was.

His dad had taken off when Danny was born and he was the man of his family.

"Do you play video games? My brother is hooking something up... We can check if I can hear from upstairs if you hollered after our kids are calmed down after lunch."

"Okay cool... wait is that a robot? Wow! It is Optis Maxim, right?"

"Interested?"

"No, not really... I like to look at them. They always look so cool."

And he did a robotic dance move to impress me.

"Watch this."

I did a much more sophisticated one with a perfect head swirl and drop, and his jaws dropped.

"Oh thank god Danny Boy is not here. I will not live another day if he catches me fail at another thing with you. But, bro, that was way too cool... too cool. Will you teach me? Just one move. Please... please... please... I will mow your lawn for free."

"Deal." I laughed. "This Friday evening you mow my backyard and Saturday morning; I will teach you. Fair warning, you will look like an earthworm the first few times. So don't come in if you think you are going to be MJ after the first lesson."

"I will mow your lawn every week if you teach me all the cool dance moves."

"You got it."

Could not meddle with one's self-respect. Winnie would let him hang around and do some 'jobs' in the backyard.

"Now find my bother and play some games. I am sorry there are no people around your age."

"Naaa! I am chill. You are not like other old people."

"Hey! I am not that old!" I had every right to take offence.

"Oops!"

Right as we walked to the porch, we saw Little Lia and Danny Boy already in a heated debate.

"We should really hang out without our kids around." DJ whined and I sighed. "He is such a cry baby. In three, two, on..."

Danny Boy threw his head back and whined loud with his mouth open.

Lia was panicking and tried to shut his mouth up.

"Ugh! I don't know what I will tell my mom if we both end up being gays. She is already talking about grandbabies and I was rooting for him to be straight." DJ looked really heart broken.

"DJ, I am gay and I do have a daughter."

"Do you think mom will be okay if both of us are gays? I don't want her to be so disappointed. After dad took off, mom is already..." He trailed off.

"She should feel like what she might feel if she had two straight kids, I guess." What else could I say? People still found it odd if they saw too many gay people at once. And if they found out all kids of a family were gay their mind would be blown off, even though they would not bat an eye seeing all the straight kids in one home.

"You are right. But you are the only gay I know with a kid. I was thinking I will sit my chance out of having kids myself." He was way too young to think about kids, yet damn too mature to analyse his options. "Mom says I would make an excellent father, every day and I have no heart if I break her dreams because dad did exactly that..."

"Well, you can have kids even if you are gay. Kids have nothing to do with..."

We heard another wail of Danny Boy. DJ scowled before sighing. "Why do I want kids, if this is what I am getting. God, he has no chill. Nope, no kids." He grumbled before storming off to his brother.

"Lia say I no daddy." Danny Boy cried and looked at us.

"Lia!" I gasped out. That was way too hurtful to throw around.

"Denny say I no mommy. I say no need mommy. Lia has Davey... and Daddy." Lia was not backing off. Moms were kind of a sore and confusing topic to her.

I could not help but to kneel down and hug her to side.

Okay what was the protocol here?

"You stupee..." Lia spat.

"Lia, what did Davey tell you about calling other people stupid?" I had to keep my cool here. "Lia no." I pulled away from her hug and her bottom lip trembled.

"I no stupee... You stupee coz you gal... stupee gal... with ugly feefball." Danny Boy had to take it from there.

Lia did not answer back, instead glared at Danny Boy and we quickly figured he actually cried when he had no comeback or Lia did not partake in the fights.

We all watched Danny Boy rolling around on the ground wailing and I had no idea what to do with him.

Lia sighed before crouching down and patting his back. "You stupee boy coz you cwy for stupee stuff. Now, I stupee coz I say you stupee... Oh, Davey, whadda do! Stupee boys mayk Lia stupee. Up! Lia give Denny, Davey cookie... UP!!!"

She gave quite some forceful pats on the crying baby's back until he stood up and they both ran off to the snack stand.

"Senior David..."

"Yes, DJ."

would be better if we just let them figure

"Agreed."

got a promotion under Robbie's recommendation. She was an ER nurse and

them go, except Lia who was happy to get rid of that

had gifted DJ a laptop, a mobile phone and

see him finally being

Like I had.

happy safe

man, his own kid and his own

EPILOGUE

and saw Robbie leaning over me. "We are

leaned up to

Daddy came to the other side to open

So spoiled.

because I was still too sore to get

"So pretty, My Angel."

seeing me pretty

never get

was not home this weekend and of course Daddy took break from his work only

was Levi's idea

is the husband of Salvatore. Remember Ace and Robbie stayed

in WhatsApp and he created the group 'pOwEr BoTtOm BiTcHeS'. Initially, the name was different and was intended to share cooking recipes and maintaining friendship but now we

him wearing a dirty cop uniform and had

Janice publically had sex with.

now all of us were taking

a merman this

on my waist, I used a golden ring to loop the edges, keeping my whole

a bit of golden glittery lip balm on my lips and of course too

I was popping sexy.

make Daddy happier

thought I would let my hair fly around

my body

was... was... was... a total Daddy if you

Giggle!

my control and I swore it had

digging holes for some playing equipment for Lia and... sweaty, muscular, glowing under the sun Robbie was just... 'gulp'... too damn

ended up at the

night, I accidently saw his opened chat box and saw

heat when

could not believe the

do you want the firewood

Exactly! Try it.

than the time when Levi dared me to

who lived next town might have heard my

him that 'I wanted to bounce on his muscular

and they mercilessly teased me

was not

and you are going to get it soon." I jumped in his hands and noticed I had started nibbling on

daughter." I pushed him away

too restless. I hadn't seen her in three

"Relax."

rolled my eyes. He was the one who woke up at four in the morning, glaring at the

our Architect Digest guests away, so we could leave

be here, soon." I dropped my head on

"I know."

song, sung loudly by a

was a 'Hooray'. All the parents gathered here laughed when

our kids to run through the gate. We saw a caretaker

I was anxious,

hand and hugged

a visible deep breath, then he was calm and cool, like he had

to get her camp jacket removed. She had a blue one.

"DAVEYYYYY!!!"

me tight. Her head on my stomach took away every bit of heaviness in my

her cheeks and she kissed

"Had fun?"

this time in the car I was thinking of my past, I had forgotten

was not too little

talk somewhere along the way but now it was filled with far too

again

matron before we go.

She was a matron. She was not supposed to be

punch the kid. We

I knew my kid was telling the truth. She was looking into my eyes and she

Good!

anyone even if

the exact

She whined.

housing. I would

shook my head

Waited...

Waited again...

asked

My eyebrow was going to be permanently fixed on my hair

she remembered. "Oh.

bored state. "Oh, hey... how is it

Camp is

Nick is on leave. I

"Thanks..."

at me for further

What the hell!

sighed and beckoned Daddy for a

see you

You

two strong pats on his

are you two? Business

could not

I saw Daddy's smirk and heard Lia's snicker and

"Really, guys? Really?"

giggled. "That

Daddy and

fun?

face." Daddy whispered and I

Robert Brantley." I glared. "... and my

is Collins." Lia introduced us to a

nice to meet

glasses filling up his face and his eyes were a bit crossed; with his

and then at Robert Brantley;

before imitating Lia and hugged my waist. I awkwardly patted his head and then he waited

so awkward and cringey

uncomfortable as he felt and the baby was shaking in

But they hugged... kinda...

It was short.

at Collin's head and crossed her

pulled her to

my baby's friend,

Sir... Uh... mmm... I

It was getting awkward.

throat and looked at Lia.

is 'my' Davey and this is Dada. Davey. Dada, this is Collins. He peed on my bed and we

Oh!

... that is good... the fact

Lia shook her head.

matron now." She pouted and rubbed her head on my side; buttering me up. "Let

on her hand and

your best friend will

he did. Davey. He is

my face away and looked at Robbie because lord help

but he is

But he is my best friend

big. Are you sure that he is your best friend?" Collins looked at me for a second

kids were so

'sure' that he is my

my daughter was far too sassy for her

Amy... he

Collins he is

was Robbie so cool? I wanted the ground to swallow me

but... Amy...

Lia sighed.

she looked at me and then looked at

She nibbled her lips.

not figured about my hearing her just fine even though I was not looking at

spinning for a

is actually my dad. That is why

bigger than it already was. I turned away just in time before he

I just

was your dad. Yes,

Davey is also my dad. I have two dads. But... he

mouth puckered up like

give him time... But I was not

you have two

"Yup."

have one. You have back up when one is away. I don't. It is sad when he goes to work and I have to wait till he comes home but... you can

have a mommy. I

"Yeah."

let us go." Lia pulled on my hand and I walked

hand on the small on my back. "Close your mouth, Angel. I don't want