I'm your Dad."
The young boy slid down from the couch and sprinted across the room, launching himself into Eric's arms. His tiny arms wrapped around his neck as he hugged his father tightly. Unable to stem the tears any longer, Eric let them fall unabashedly as he kissed his cheek.
"I love you Jack," he whispered.
"Eri- um...should I call you Dad?"
Swiping his tears away Eric flashed what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "Do you want to Jack?"
He paused for only a moment before nodding. "Yeah, I do."
"Okay."
"Are you complicated about me?"
Doing a double take, Eric shook his head. "What, what do you mean?"
Shoving his hands in his pockets he looked over his shoulder at Andrew and Sarah before looking back at his father. "Drew told me that you were complicated about my Mom and I was wondering....maybe you didn't tell me you were my Dad because you're complicated about me?"
Exhaling slowly, he pulled his son on to his lap. Seeing Sarah about to speak he gave an imperceptible shake of his head. This was his son, he wanted to be the one to explain things to him, he wanted to start to build - or rebuild - the trust.
"I'm not complicated about you Jack," he began softly. "I love you very, very much."
"Then why didn't you tell me you're my Dad?"
"We didn't think your Mom was going to be sick for so long. We thought she would get better quickly and if she did that you would go back to Africa with her. Your Aunt Sarah and I decided it would only confuse you if that happened."
"Oh" he replied quietly. He pulled on his fingers but made no attempt to get down from Eric's lap.
"Do you....do you love my Mom?"
"Jack!" Sarah admonished.
"What?" he asked innocently.
"It's okay," Eric assured him. "Your Mom...she...." He cringed inwardly.
He knew how he felt about Nathalie and after lying in bed with her last night he was sure of her feelings as well. And yet to say it out loud - to tell their son - seemed impossible. Taking a deep breath, he tried again. "Your Mom is very important to me" he said finally. "She is an amazing, kind woman and she matters to me very much."
As Jack scrunched up his face at the answer, Eric chuckled to himself; it was the exact same look Nathalie had given him hundreds of times when she thought his answer was strange.
"So you're still complicated about her?"
Smiling, he ruffled his hair. "Yes, I'm still complicated about her." His heart felt lighter and fuller in the last five minutes than it had in years. "Do you have any other questions Jack?"
"Does this mean I live with you now?"
Andrew winced slightly at the way Sarah gripped his hand. Placing his hand on her arm, he rubbed it softly as he silently tried to telegraph his support.
"I think," Eric began looking over at Sarah, "that you should stay with Aunt Sarah until you meet your Mom and we all figure out how this is going to work. But," he carried on seeing the protest on Jack's face, "we will do it together, you included. Does that sound okay?"
"Yeah." Kneeling up, he hugged Eric again. "I love you....Daddy."
"Drew?" Jack called from his father's lap.
"Yeah bud?"
"Are you my uncle?"
Tilting his head to the side, he gave him a curious look. "No Jack, I'm not. Why do you ask?"
He shrugged. "I just thought it would be cool if we were all one family."
Andrew smiled at him. "We are family bud - just different." Looking at Sarah, he glanced back at Jack. "But we love each other all the same."
Not sure of what to do, Sarah got to her feet and brushed down her skirt. "It looks like you guys missed opening pitch."
"That's okay," Jack said. "Hanging with my Dad is better than any Yankees game."
Sarah swallowed thickly and walked to the bookcase, pretending to straighten the already perfectly straight books.
"Why don't we order a pizza and the four of us can have dinner and watch a movie?" Andrew suggested.
"Sure" she replied brightly. "I'll go to the kitchen and call."
She scurried from the living room and headed around the corner. Once in the kitchen, with her hands braced on the counter, she sucked in a sharp breath and tried to swallow down her tears. She knew this was how it should be but she couldn't help but feel as though she was being left - again. She clenched her eyes shut as she felt Andrew's