Alex's POV

Archie was being really loud today which I don't mind but with a headache it wasn't what I needed right now.
"Archie, indoor voice please." I said as I sat on the sofa.
"Ahhh. Got you!" He said loudly and grabbed my leg and laughed.
I picked him up and had him over my shoulder.
"I have you now trouble." I chuckled.
He laughed loudly.
I put him on the floor again and smacked my ass as hard as he could and laughed.
"Now your asking for it." I said and he ran off and I caught him and put him on the sofa and just tickled him to death pretty much.
"Stop it." He laughed loudly while trying to get out of my gasped.
"No, your stuck now." I chuckled.
After 5 minutes I stopped as I didn't really fancy cleaning sick up.
Archie jumped on me and messed with my cheek.

"Daddy?" He asked and looked at me.
"Yeah." I said and moved some hair from his eyes.
"Is mummy ever coming home?" He asked and looked down.
"I am going to be honest with you okay." I said and he nodded.
"No mummy isn't going to be coming home." I said and looked at him.
"Is it because I'm naughty? I'll be good. Promise." He said and a couple of tears fell.
"Its nothing to do with you okay. It was one of those things. But mummy doesn't matter because you have me." I said and kissed his forehead.
He sniffed and wrapped his arms round my neck.
"I love you Archibald. Don't ever forget that okay." I said quietly and held him closer to me.
"Love you too daddy." He said.
I smiled and got up and we both went to bed since it was late.

---

Archie had preschool so like always I had to drag him there.
"Go and play and make some friends." I said and got to his level.
"Isla my friend." He said and looked round.
"Go and find her then." I said and he went wondering round and I stood up.
Out the corner of my eye I could see Jack walking towards me.
I sighed and just let him walk over to me.
" If our kids can get on them surely we can too." He said.
"Last time I checked your daughter doesn't know she was a one night stay d mistake after you fucking cheated on me." I said calmly which surprise me and Jack too.
"Don't you dare tell her that." He growled.
" Why would I? After all my child is also motherless." I said and Jack looked at me shocked.
"Do you want a coffee after this and have a catch up?" He asked.
"I was going to say no but might as well say yes considering our kids are friends." I said.
Jack smiled and my heart just left my chest and was in my throat.

"I'm glad you said yes." He said and gave me my coffee.
"Thanks." I said quietly.
" So what's new in the world of Alex?" He asked.
"Minus the part where I have a 4 year old and now divorced and still completely heart broken nothing is new. You?" I said and looked at him.
He generally looked sorry.
"Your little boy is cute. Well you can definitely join the divorce club. Nothing much. My hands are pretty full with Isla." He said.
Isla was a pretty name.
"Your divorced as well?" I asked.
" 1 year later but yeah." He said.
"That sucks." I said quietly.
"Just a little. What about you?" He said.
"Just over 2 years." I said and started to mess with my coffee.
"You only mess with things when you don't want to talk about things." Jack said quietly.
"I don't particularly want to talk about my failure of a love life." I said quietly.
"Okay. If it makes you feel any better my love life is pretty shit as well." He said and I smiled.
"Damn the kids." Jack chuckled.
I smiled and nodded.
"You've really quiet. You okay?" He asked.
"Wish everyone would stop asking me if I'm okay." I said.
"Sorry. I have seen you this down and bummed since when you found out your mum died." He said.
I looked at him.
"I'm fine." I said.
"You sure. because I'm still here and I still care about you." He said and went to reach for on of my hands but I moved them and put them on my lap.
"But you dont though." I whispered and looked down.
"Alex.." he started and I stopped him.
"I don't want to hear it. If you cared about me then you wouldn't of fucking cheated on me, I was and still am heart broken about it because I really fucking loved you. Now I know why I trust no one." I said and got up.
"Don't go." He said.
"I have to." I whispered and walked off.

I picked Archie up and we went home.
"What's wrong daddy?" He asked as he climbed in my bed.
"Daddy just being stupid that's all." I sniffed.
He shuffled of the bed and went running of somewhere and a few minutes later he came back.
He threw his teddy on the bed and climbed back on the bed and dragged his duvet up and put it over me the best he could.
"Teddy always cheers me up and so does cuddles." He said and got under the duvet and cuddled into my chest.
I wrapped my arm over him and pulled him close to me.
"Daddy?" Archie said quietly.
"Yeah." I yawned.
"Love you." He said quietly.
"I love you too." I whispered and kissed the back of his head and slowly fell asleep.

Notes