Chapter 26

Nathaniel

I wake up to a pounding head and a sour taste in my mouth . I groan internally when sitting up just makes my whole body painful.

" Damn!" I touch my head slightly. What happened last night? I know I went to work, after then, I decided to drop by a bar . After that, everything is just blurry to recall .

I take a quick shower, then stroll around the house. It is past 8AM. Thank God I don't have work today. I drop by the main bedroom to find Lucas splayed on our bed with little Tobias in his crib , a crib he must have pulled all the way from the nursery to here . That just reminds me to buy a bassinet for both of them. That way he doesn't have to pull the thing in here. It makes me feel more guilty that I wasn't around to help

I walk over the two, stopping by Tobias who's fast asleep to Lucas . I guess last night wasn't good for all of us, mostly for Lucas. I can only guess that Wylder dropped me here , drunk . Now that I think about it, I'm starting to feel bad. What was I thinking? Drinking while Lucas was home alone with the baby, and to make matters worse, he has school today .

I try to shake Lucas awake but he just pulls away, and cries out for me to go away. I give up on the third try. I guess I should let him rest a little longer . No school for one day won't hurt anyone. I try to tiptoe my way out of the bedroom, however Tobias decided that it is the right time to wake up.

I peek over the crib to find him looking at me , his face instantly lighting up when I shake my head at his unbelievably happy face .

" Do you ever sleep man?" I grin . Instead Tobias raises up his arms, indicating that he wants to be held .

" Great!" I grumble. Picking him up and holding him by my hip. " It's just you and me until Daddy wakes up, huh?" I say to the little guy .

Lucas and I thought it was only fair if he becomes the daddy then I become the dad. Somehow it fits our roles perfectly.

I look over Lucas one last time. He rolls over the bed, for a minute I freeze . Praying that I haven't woken him up. He deserves the rest. Waking him up now will be pointless. When he sighs softly and goes back to his deep sleep. I exit the bedroom quietly. Whispering to Tobias occasionally.

***

" Why didn't you wake me up?" Lucas walks in the kitchen.

It's now noon , Tobias has taken his afternoon nap and I'm doing the dishes for dinner , later on.

" You looked tired, thought maybe you needed the sleep." I dry my hands on the kitchen towel then turn to Lucas .

" Where are you going?" I run my eyes over his casual outfit.  " Don't tell me you are going to school, now?" I frown when he throws his school bag over his left shoulder .

" I have a test , actually I had a test an hour ago. If I go now, maybe they might allow me to write ." He grabs an apple on the kitchen counter. There's a bowl full of different fruits on it .

" Lucas,  I'm sure the test isn't a big deal. Perhaps tomorrow you wi-"

" It is a big deal Nathan. If I fail this test then I fail the class. I can't afford to slack around right now . "

" Lucas, let's just think about this-"

" Think about what? If you held on your side of the bergan, I wouldn't be here. You came home drunk last night, I had to spend the whole night trying to get Tobias to sleep. Where were you? You are never here when I need you the most, so why should I talk to you about anything?"His harsh words and hard eyes take me by surprise but what did I expect? This was bound to happen .

" I'm sorry, okay? I didn't expect it to go that far. I thought a few drinks would do but I got carried away . I will do better next time" My sincere eyes bore into his, he quickly darts his eyes away.

" I want to move out ." Lucas says after a lengthy pause. He looks over my dismayed face .

" Move out?" I echo. Wondering if I heard him right.

" Yes, I can't do this with you . It's better if we co-parent in separate places ."

" But this is ...this is our home Lucas. This is where I want Tobias to grow up , why now?"

" Then you move out, I don't care . I just don't us to live together anymore. I can't do this anymore. " Then without waiting for a reply, he leaves me standing there . Wondering how the hell I'm gonna fix this. There's no way I'm letting it go without a fight . It was very hard to get here , why give up on us now?.

***

" Who are you?" I stare down at the short woman in front of me with a suitcase in hand .

" Didn't Lucas tell you? I'm his mother." She shoves me aside and enters the house . I allow her, for now at least.

It's like this day keeps getting more worse. First it was Lucas wanting to live separate lives then now his mom coming here . Did he plan this all along? .

" This is nicer than the last place ." She comments. Looking around as she places her suitcase in the open space , in between the kitchen and the dining area .

" You have been to my apartment?" I question . Is this the person Lucas paid a large amount of money to? .

" Oh yes honey, don't tell me Lucas didn't tell you that too?" She smirks when I just keep quiet " I guess he took my advice . "

" What is that supposed to mean?" I glare at her. She shrugs then continues gaping around the place .

Compared to his mother, Lucas looks a lot like her . They are both rather short, have brown hair except hers is long and dry . It's like she has given up on taking care herself completely. Her brown eyes casually stares at me and back to the interior of the house .

" You know, I thought you were not gonna stick around after the baby was born . I'm surprised that you are still around, nevertheless I'm glad that it's over now . Lucas needs his mother ."

" He needs what now?" I scoff . " All his 17 years of life on earth . You never considered him your child , now you come here and say that nonsense? There's no way Lucas will believe this shit!"

" Oh  Nathan, you think I invited myself here?" She raises her brows at me . Simpering a bit when the realisation hit me .

" Lucas called you to come here?" I clench my jaw . The woman nods with a wicked smile on her face .

I respect Lucas's mom, more than anything, however I can't allow him to raise our son around a drug addict like her . What will Tobias learn from her? Nothing! Lucas knows better than to invite her to stay here . By the looks of it, I doubt that she's here for any good intentions . Only for money so she could get back to sniffing cocaine or some shit.

***