Little Man [Jason]

[Adia Tait]

Adia’s hand froze mere inches away from the door, her nerves getting the best of her. She had originally planned to meet Jason in the park but it was starting to get colder now and she really couldn’t afford having Parker get sick. Which was why she had asked around the school for directions to his dorm, she really should get his number sometime.

Parker was on her hip. She had dressed him in his best pair of jeans and a black Beatles t-shirt, his Raven hair sticking out in all sorts of odd directions, just the way she liked it. He held a toy monster truck tightly in each hand. Adia hadn’t told him about Jason, just that they were going to see one of mommies friends and that he had to be on his best behavior. She would leave it up to Jason if he wanted to take up that role.

Taking one last deep breath, she knocked. Her fist finally making contact with the door once, twice, three times. Maybe this wouldn’t be as bad as she thought?

[Jason Owens]

In about half an hour Jason was supposed to meet Adia and Parker in the park. Ever since that day on the beach Jason had been trying to let the whole idea of a son sink in although that was much harder that he had wanted it to be. How did you deal with something like this? It wasn’t like he had experience in this, thank the Lord for that. He hadn’t told anyone yet, so it seemed only Adia and himself knew about this, about who Parker’s father was. Right now he wanted to take things slow, he didn’t need the entire school gossiping about this.

Last night though, he had decided that he wanted a paternity test. Just to make sure Parker really was his. And if he was? Well, Jason had been raised right by his parents so if Parker really was his he would be a father for Parker. No matter how much that idea scared him right now. That was just the right thing to do, something he wanted and needed to do.

After the third knock Jason opened the door while trying to put on his shirt at the same time. He wanted to be on time for this, and take a short walk to clear his head before he would meet Adia and Parker. He stopped though, with putting his shirt on, when he saw it was Adia…with Parker. “Hey…” His eyes soon drifting off to the little boy on her arm.

[Adia Tait]

Adia jumped as the door was pulled open, revealing a very good looking Owens in the midst of pulling on his shirt. Her eyes taking in as much of his toned chest as she could before it disappeared from view. She hadn't expected him to open the door so quickly, actually she had been hoping he wouldn't be here at all. She was afraid of him, of what he might do or say. She hoisted her son up higher on her hip, putting on a sort of tough exterior but her hazel eyes betraying her.

"Hey.." She replied breathlessly. "I know I'm early and that we were supposed to meet at the park but it's really cold outside and Mum didn't pack him a heavier jacket and I don't have your number and..and.." She said all this very fast, almost as if she feared he would slam the door on her face for arriving unannounced. Parker hid his face in his mothers shoulder. "May we come in?"

[Jason Owens]

Deciding that him being fully dressed probably made a better impression than being half naked, Jason pulled the shirt over his head. This was rather…unexpected, to say the least. “Eh…yeah, course.” He nodded, realizing he was still standing in the middle of the doorway, blocking both of them from coming inside.

Stepping aside he held the door open for her and Parker, although his eyes were sort of glued to the little boy. Well, that paternity test would be a waste of money. If Jason didn’t know better he could swear he was looking at himself when he had been two years old, except for the dark hair. It was more than obvious Parker was his, no doubt about it.

“So…how’ve you been?” he asked, closing the door. That being the only thing that he could come up with to actually say. Well, it was better than just staring at Parker in silence right?

[Adia Tait]

Adia quickly squeezed past him as he stepped aside to let her in, careful so as to not accidentally brush against him in the process. She set Parker down on the bed, where he clung to his mother's arm to try and hide himself from view. Jason may have been his father, but he was still a stranger to the young boy. Addy would more or less freak if the other came out with the idea of a paternity test. She wasn't no girl on the Jerry Springer show that had about fifty possible men to be the father of her child, she knew who her babies daddy was. The two of them were identical more or less. "I've..I've been alright.." She nodded, patting her son on the head. That was a lie, she had spent the past couple of days burning off her nerves in the gym and they still seemed to be there.

[Jason Owens]

Jason nervously ran a hand through his hair, something he did when he wasn’t feeling at ease about something at all. And right now, this was sort of uncomfortable since she had surprised him with showing up like this. He nodded again, slowly while his eyes travelled back to Parker again, who obviously did not like the idea of being in the room of some stranger. Or so Jason figured.

With having five younger siblings Jason knew how kids thought and he hadn’t expected Parker to act any different than he was doing now. The little guy had no idea who Jason was, or maybe he did….Jason didn’t know what Adia had told him or not, so he could imagine being in some strangers room wasn’t all that comforting.

“Hey Parker, I’m Jason.” He said while sitting down on a chair besides the bed. Not expecting much of a reaction back, but you should never ignore a child even when he was trying to hide in the arms of his mother.

[Adia Tait]

Parker peeked out from behind Adia's arm as Jason sat down next to him and greeted him. Holding out one of his monster trucks for the stranger to take instead of him. The boy was only ever shy around people he didn't know, normally he was playful and loud, having full conversations with himself that didn't make any sense. "Hi boy.." He mumbled, sticking out his bottom lip in a pout.

[Jason Owens]

Jason smiled, taking the truck from Parker to look at it. “Awesome. It’s yours?” Well, apparently a liking for cars was something genetic. Jason’s Impala was his pride and joy although he had started with a loving for monster trucks just like Parker seemed to have right now. “I have a car too, not as awesome as yours though.” He said, turning around to grab something from his bed stand.

Then, turning back to Parker again he opened his hand to show the little guy a small red race car. It had been a present from one of Jason’s younger kid brothers and he had always had it stand on his night stand. Just like he promised Cayden he would do years ago when he first came to this school.

[Adia Tait]

Parker nodded shyly, making sure that his eyes never once left the blue monster truck that he had given him. He was stingy with his toys, not like he had much competition with them. The only person he had to play with was Sky and she was too much of a Princess to play with toy trucks. The moment Jason turned around with the race car in his hand he snatched it, gripping it tightly to his chest. "Mine!"

"Now give that back Bubby, it isn't yours. You don't want Jason to make us leave do you? You have to be good for mommy" Adia cooed, holding out her hand for the car. Parker shook his head stubbornly.

"No! Mine!"

[Jason Owens]

Jason smiled, kids were so unpredictable. He should have known something like that could have happened with having younger siblings of his own. They had always fought over their toys when they were young, thinking they could call something their own as long as they held it in their hands. Setting the truck besides Parker on the bed Jason looked over at the boy again.

“You can always come play with the car if you want, but just like the truck is your toy the race car is mine.” If it hadn’t emotional value to Jason then Parker could have the little car. “And I would be very sad if I couldn’t have it back again.” He said with a friendly voice. The little guy was stubborn. Just like his beautiful mother was.

[Adia Tait]

"My ray car! Mine!" Parker whined. He climbed down off of the bed and sat down on the floor, making all three of the cars crash into each other again and again. Every once in awhile he would look up and give Jason the evil eye. He should have known better to show him a toy that he wasn't ready to give away.

Adia smiled apologetically, nervously smoothing the creases of her skirt. "I'm sorry. I'll get it back from him. He'll be over it in a few minutes I swear.." She said quickly, looking between Jason and the almost identical younger boy on the floor. Things weren't going as well as she wanted. "I didn't tell him..you know..who you are. I didn't want to get his hopes up. It's your decision..not mine"

[Jason Owens]

Jason just looked at the boy playing on the floor. Well he did have an attitude for such a little guy. It was a little surprising to be honest. He shook his head, looking up at Adia as she apologized for her sons behaviour. “It’s cool, he’s just trying to see how far he can push me.” Jason smiled, “I grew up with five younger siblings, I know how it works, don’t worry.”

He nodded, the idea of having a son was settling in. Just being confronted with him like this was still a bit weird. Both Jason and Parker would have get to know each other, would have to grow comfortable with each other. Which would take time, for both of them. “You can tell him, he has the right to know who I am.” If he would be a good father was something else though, although Jason was willing to try. “I just can’t be a father right this moment. I mean that’s going to take some time, for the both of us. But I would want to be part of his life, of your life. If you’d let me.”

[Adia Tait]

Adia opened her mouth to protest but then her eyes widened in surprise with Jason's next statement. He wanted to be a part of his sons life? A part of hers? She hadn't expected that, actually she had figured that this would be the first and last time they would see each other. Parker's behavior right now wasn't likely to win his fathers heart. "Jason..I can't" She shook her head. "You have to tell him..It's not my right..I..I..are you sure?"

[Jason Owens]

Jason didn’t have much of a choice. Parker was just as much his responsibility as the boy was Adia’s. Both them were his parents but the only difference was that Jason didn’t know he had a son. Until last weekend. Even though he might not have much of a choice he did really want this. He had a son. It was scary but at the same time pretty amazing!

“Yeah, he’s my son too.” It wasn’t like he would start ignoring the fact that he had a son in the world, Jason didn’t work that way. “Maybe me and him should get to know each other a little better before we tell him.” Which would not be all that bad of an idea.

[Adia Tait]

Adia nodded. It would be better that way, especially now that Parker was rather upset with the man for not allowing him to keep the toy. He needed to warm up to him first. "Come here bubby.." She said, kneeling down on the floor to help him up to his feet. "Why don't you show Mommy's friend how big you are. Count for him.."

Parker stayed silent for a moment, narrowing his eyes at the strange man in front of him but then softened. "One..two..free..four..five..siiix...seven..eight..nine..TEN!" He giggled, holding up all ten fingers as he finished.