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 hore 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."

"I think it would be better if we just let them figure it out themselves."

"Agreed."

We had continued our friendship, land mowing and dance classes until DJ's mom got a promotion under Robbie's recommendation. She was an ER nurse and they had to move away from the neighbourhood.

I was sad to see them go, except Lia who was happy to get rid of that boy who was pushing all her wrong buttons.

I had gifted DJ a laptop, a mobile phone and some gift cards.

We still kept our contact through the Facebook. I was happy to see him finally being a teenage boy who was safely exploring his sexuality than a mini family man.

Like I had.

Everyone deserved a happy safe life, right?

One day he will too... his own man, his own kid and his own home.

EPILOGUE

"Angel..." I opened my eyes and saw Robbie leaning over me. "We are here."

I smiled and leaned up to him to kiss.

I waited until Daddy came to the other side to open my door.

So spoiled.

I had to take his hand to stand up because I was still too sore to get up abruptly.

"So pretty, My Angel."

"I thought you had enough seeing me pretty the last three days."

"I will never get enough."

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

It was Levi's idea anyways!

[Levi is the husband of Salvatore. Remember Ace and Robbie stayed at their hotel Palazzo.]

We had been active 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 just shared tips to rock our men's world.

Alec had shared a picture of him wearing a dirty cop uniform and had shared a bit of steamy events in his bedroom.

[Alec is Alice's brother. It was Alice's fianc??e, Janice publically had sex with. Gross, but everyone stood with Ace and Robbie. So, they are friends.]

Hence, now all of us were taking turns in wearing sexy costumes.

I became a merman this weekend.

Wore a pretty silk Sarong and instead of just tying it on my waist, I used a golden ring to loop the edges, keeping my whole right side bare.

I applied some blue green shimmery eye shadow, a bit of golden glittery lip balm on my lips and of course too much highlighter on my cheek bones.

I was popping sexy.

I wore my belly chain to make Daddy happier and then my emerald anklet.

I initially thought I would let my hair fly around but then wetted my hair dripping, then combed it back.

Well... my body suffered still.

Daddy was... was... was... a total Daddy if you know what I mean.

Giggle!

But yesterday it was me who lost my control and I swore it had never happened this intense.

I saw him digging holes for some playing equipment for Lia and... sweaty, muscular, glowing under the sun Robbie was just... 'gulp'... too damn tempting for his own good.

We only ended up at the living room...

Later at night, I accidently saw his opened chat box and saw a group named 'Alpha_Daddy_Dogs.'

Tristian literally went to heat when he saw me chop the firewood.

I could not believe the idea was Nick's.

Why do you want the firewood in summer?

Exactly! Try it.

Well it was less embarrassing than the time when Levi dared me to send Robbie a dirty text on one of our get-togethers.

People who lived next town might have heard my squeals and moans.

In his defence, I had texted him that 'I wanted to bounce on his muscular thighs and see heaven...'

Yet, I was too embarrassed and they mercilessly teased me whenever they could over texts.

So, this was not too bad.

"Keep this up and you are going to get it soon." I jumped in his hands and noticed I had started nibbling on his Adam's apple.

"We are here for my daughter." I pushed him away before showing our IDs at the camp gate.

I was too restless. I hadn't seen her in three days; video calls did not count.

"Relax."

I rolled my eyes. He was the one who woke up at four in the morning, glaring at the clock to make it run faster.

Then he almost pushed our Architect Digest guests away, so we could leave early.

"She will be here, soon." I dropped my head on his shoulder.

"I know."

Then we heard a very loud but a mispronounced song, sung loudly by a group of little babies through the loudspeaker perched on the trees.

We had no idea what we were hearing but there were a lot of 'America' in the midst. Then end of the song was a 'Hooray'. All the parents gathered here laughed when a very tiny 'Hooray' was heard at the end;

a baby must have remembered to add his bit a little too late.

Then the bell rang and we all impatiently craned to see our kids to run through the gate. We saw a caretaker opening a small gate by the side and a line of little babies coming to us from a distance.

Why I was anxious, I had no idea!

I looped my hands through Daddy's hand and hugged him close. "Where is she?"

"THERE!!!" Daddy took a visible deep breath, then he was calm and cool, like he had never been anxious in the first place.

Lia was jumping on her soles to get her camp jacket removed. She had a blue one. Her group was King Fisher, so it was suiting.

"DAVEYYYYY!!!"

She ran to me and hugged me tight. Her head on my stomach took away every bit of heaviness in my heart. I kissed her head, before picking her up.

I kissed her cheeks and she kissed me too.

"Had fun?"

"A lot. You won't believe what I did, Davey. You won't... and I learned a new trick." All this time in the car I was thinking of my past, I had forgotten how fast time had flown away.

Little Lia was not too little anymore.

She had shed her baby talk somewhere along the way but now it was filled with far too adventurous tales, she could not wait to share with me.

I kissed her again and let her down.

"Oh, you have to see the matron before we go. She is not that nice."

"Lia..." I sighed. She was a matron. She was not supposed to be too nice.

"And I did not punch the kid. We were playing."

My eyebrow rose but I knew my kid was telling the truth. She was looking into my eyes and she had that confidence in her posture.

Good!

"You should not punch anyone even if you are playing."

"Matron said the exact same thing."

She whined.

I patted her head. Lia loved rough housing. I would blame Flip and Daddy for that habit.

I shook my head and waited.

Waited...

Waited again...

"What?" Lia asked me confusedly.

Really? My eyebrow was going to be permanently fixed on my hair line.

Then she remembered. "Oh. Uh... Hello Daddy."

Robbie frowned for a bit from his bored state. "Oh, hey... how is it going?"

"Good... good. Camp is over now."

"Yeah. Nick is on leave. I came to pick you up."

"Thanks..."

Then they both looked at me for further instructions.

What the hell!

Lia sighed and beckoned Daddy for a hug.

"Glad to see you well, kiddo."

"Likewise, Dada. You look good."

Lia gave Daddy two strong pats on his back and then moved away.

"What are you two? Business associates?"

I could not believe it!

Then I saw Daddy's smirk and heard Lia's snicker and my jaw dropped.

"Really, guys? Really?"

Lia giggled. "That was fun."

I sighed when Daddy and daughter fist bumped each other.

That was their idea of fun? What was funny in that?

"Your face." Daddy whispered and I huffed.

"Stay out of my head, Robert Brantley." I glared. "... and my bedroom."

"Oh, hey, I forgot. This is Collins." Lia introduced us to a baby standing next to her.

"Hey, Collins, nice to meet you."

He was adorable. He looked same

age as Lia but smaller. But he had

very huge glasses filling up his face and his eyes were a bit crossed; with his chubby cheeks and too big glasses, he looked way too adorable

and I wanted to squish him.

He looked at me and then at Robert Brantley; before gulping.

"Oh god." He mumbled before imitating Lia and hugged my waist. I awkwardly patted his head and then he waited with his hands outstretched for Robbie's hug.

It was so awkward and cringey to watch.

Robbie looked as uncomfortable as he felt and the baby was shaking in his boots.

But they hugged... kinda...

It was short.

Lia was glaring at Collin's head and crossed her hands.

I sighed and pulled her to my side.

"You are my baby's friend, right, Collins?"

"Yes... Sir... Uh... mmm... I am Collins."

It was getting awkward.

I cleared my throat and looked at Lia. 'Help me'.

Lia groaned before introducing us to him. "Collins, this is 'my' Davey and this is Dada. Davey. Dada, this is Collins. He peed on my bed and we became friends."

Oh!

"Ah... that is... that is good... the fact that you are friends... not the other bit."

Lia shook her head.

"Anyways... we have to see the matron now." She pouted and rubbed her head on my side; buttering me up. "Let us go."

Collins yanked on her hand and Lia frowned.

"You said your best friend will come."

"Yes, he did. Davey. He is my best friend..."

I turned my face away and looked at Robbie because lord help me, I could not handle another awkward moment.

"But... but he is so big..."

"Yeaaah. I get that a lot. But he is my best friend and he knows how to play hopscotch..."

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

Why kids were so intimidating these days?

"Yes, Collins. I am 'sure' that he is my best friend."

And my daughter was far too sassy for her own good.

"But... Amy... he is so big..."

"Yes, Collins he is big."

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

"But... but... Amy... are you sure?"

Lia sighed.

Then she looked at me and then looked at Collins..

She nibbled her lips.

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

Her next words stopped my world from spinning for a second before it started again.

"He is... he is actually my dad. That is why he is big."

Collins eyes got bigger than it already was. I turned away just in time before he caught me looking.

What did I just hear?

"But Amy I thought... I thought... Robert was your dad. Yes, yes... you wrote his name in the card."

"Boy, you ask a lot of questions. Collins, Robert is my dad... but Davey is also my dad. I have two dads. But... he doesn't know it yet..."

Collins mouth puckered up like a baby bird. "Oooooooh."

"Yeah... Aunt Liz says I have to give him time... But I was not lying; he is my best friend..."

"So you have two dads?"

"Yup."

"Aw! But I only 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 play with the other one."

"Well, you have a mommy. I don't."

"Yeah."

"Come on, Davey, let us go." Lia pulled on my hand and I walked behind her like a zombie.

I felt a hand on the small on my back. "Close your mouth, Angel. I don't want to have dirty thoughts with Lia around."

I snapped my mouth shut.

Pervert!

Dear god!

I am a dad. I am Lia's dad.

Robbie looped his hand around my waist to keep me walking.

"Mr. Brantley, Amy's father."

Robbie nodded and crossed his legs in front of the matron which she did not appreciate.

His right foot was on his left knee and I felt like I should apologize to him for his impolite behaviour.

"How was she, Miss. Moore?"

"I think I should be talking to Amelia's father."

"Then you should start answering his questions." Robbie none too kindly added.

I never thought anyone had ever surprised her like Robbie did.

"I am aware of your... situation but I strongly believe..."

"That is the point, Miss. Nobody cares about what your belief is. She

is our kid and you better tell us what

we ask about her when she was under your care. We did not send her to the camp because we are not able to look after her at home. Your coordinator came to my home and convinced Mr. Truscott here. He is the reason why she is in your camp,

so you better answer him. Clear?" "The reason why she is here, is

irrelevant. I find some behaviours that are not fit for a lady from Amy's

side. She needs some severe

training

sessions or she will grow up

to be a problematic person. We are conducting our next camp from 25th. Here is the brochure."

Robbie did not accept it. Miss. Moore was indeed not a nice person.

"What are the behaviours you are talking about, Miss. Moore?"

She tried very hard to ignore me but finally she had to relent. "She was in a fist fight."

"Why?" Robbie asked.

""'Why' is not important. Ladies should not fight with others. A good girl is always obedient, calm and..."

"You are right. I should stop wondering why you are conducting a camp. Come on, Angel. We are leaving."

I followed Robbie out.

Collins and Lia were playing tag outside and ran to us when they saw us coming.

"Am I in trouble?" Lia asked me panting. "I promise, we were just playing, Davey. Her mom is a Taekwondo instructor. I told her that my dada teaches me boxing. So we thought we could show each other cool

tricks. I promise, Davey."

"I believe you, Lia. Just... watch when you throw punches. Do not want to see your friends hurt. That is all."

Lia giggled and jumped on her soles clutching my hand.

My daughter. I smiled.

Robbie picked her up and kissed her cheek. "Thanks for the heads up, kiddo."

"Anytime, Dada."

The way they talk!

What are they, colleagues?!

"Oh, Collins, that is your momma, right?" Lia asked Collins.

"MOMMMYYY!!!" Collins ran to her and almost face planted on the ground but I got him just in time. His spectacles dropped to his nose and I melted.

He was so adorable. I wanted to squish his face.

I fixed the glasses back to his eyes.

The kid did not have cross eyes, I noticed. He just kept on looking at the glasses on his face, he kind of looked like he had cross eyes.

"Colls!!!"

The lady dropped to her knees and rubbed her fingers all over him though he had not fallen. "Do not run so fast. Sorry, baby, mommy is a bit late. Dad stopped to call someone."

"Have you seen her before, Lia? How did you know her?"

"Oh! She had called me to apologize when Collins peed on my bed. He was sleeping and kind of happened. It is okay, right, Davey?"

"Of course it is. What did you do?"

"I got another bed. Then we pee now before going to bed. Dada can you wear your specs? Collins does not like his specs but his momma told me that he needs to wear it till he is eighteen. Please, Dada."

"Sure, you better give me your cookie."

"Aw... okay..."

I shook my head and Daddy wore his reading glasses. He did not need it but I had installed nano-cams on them, just in case he wanted to record what he was reading.

"Amy!!!! Meet MOMMY!!!"

"You don't have to shout, Collins." Collins mom laughed.

"DO YOU SEE HER MOMMY? DO YOU SEE HER?"

"Yes, Colls, I see her. I see her. She is very pretty. Calm down Colls!"

"No."

We all walked to the family and saw a man on his phone a little far away. We talked and made an acquaintance while Lia showed Daddy wearing glasses to Collins.

"Told you! Cool people wear glasses too."

Daddy lets out a proud huff.

I shook my head and we bid good bye to Colls and his family.

Wow! His dad was indeed a very busy man. In the five minutes we talked, he had to cancel 6 calls, then he left to do the talking.

Lia skipped along in front of us, singing the songs she had learned; then did a very cool kick in the air and landed safely.

"Lia! Careful! Where did you learn that?" I jogged to her.

"Told you Davey! Amber showed me. It is Taekwondo. I taught her right upper cut, Dada."

"What is right upper cut?" I asked and Daddy sighed.

"Really, Angel? After all the boxing lessons I gave you? Learn well 'Davey'."

I blushed and sputtered.

He... he... just... in the name of teach me martial arts he would just grope and push me around... until... until...

It was...

He was...

I did not...

I watched Robbie and Lia laughing and walking away.

Meanies!

He was sleeping in the guest room, idiot!

I sighed and dropped my head on his biceps, closed my eyes, still walking in bliss; listening to my daughter's happy chats.

"What heads up did Lia give you?"

"Huh?"

"When we came out of Miss. Moore's room."

"Oh that. Baby Angel told us that she was not a nice person. I knew what I was up against."

"Robbie, do you know, you are that best dad in the world?" I kissed his cheek.

"Nope. Second. You are the best dad." He smiled, kissed my forehead, before picking Lia up and putting her under his arm like a football.

I laughed at Lia's whines but we were near the parking and Lia sometimes ran around without a care.

Lia wanted me to sit next to her; to tell all about the activities and cool stuff she had learned.

II

then we clap our hands like this." She showed me how to and I did it with her. "Davey can we do this, every day before we go to bed?"

"Of course, sweet baby, anything you want."

"And they give us cookies every night..."

"No, they don't."

Nice try though. Gotta give her that.

"Bummer!"

She fell asleep on her baby seat and I still kept on staring at her.

We hadn't heard her happy chatter for three days. The sacrifices I had to make to see her grow healthy.

Sigh!

Daddy pulled our car to the roadside.

"What is wrong?" I frowned and looked around checking for cops.

He opened my side of the door and pulled me up.

"Robbie?"

He sighed and hugged me tight.

"I will never let you go. You are mine."

I blissfully sighed. "I don't wanna go anywhere. I am yours."

He smiled.

"Good. Coz I am not letting you go." He teased.

"Bastard! And you are sleeping in the guest room..."

"Okay..."

Really? He agreed?

"No one said anything about you not sleeping next to me in the guest room..."

Of course.

I giggled.

"I love you, Demon."

"I love you more, Angel."

THE END0000‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒