Dad Bods {ManXMan} NaNoWriMo 2018✔

{TWENTY-FIVE}

{TWENTY-FIVE}

I was pacing back and forth in Scott's apartment, dreading the idea of going to my house and getting-- well anything. I didn't want to go back there. I didn't want to show my face in a house full of people that were going to hate me. That already hated me.

"Baby, calm down." Scott soothed, walking towards me to stop me from walking. I paused, looking at him than raising a brow.

"Did you just call me baby?"

"Made you stop didn't it?" Scott smirked, I rolled my eyes but stopped pacing like he wanted, Scott leant forward, pressing a light kiss to my lips before stepping back and walking to the door. "If we don't leave now, it's going to be too late. I've got the truck waiting out front for us." He put on his jacket before walking over to me again, taking one of my hands in his. "I know you don't want to Doc. But if you keep waiting you're never going to do it." He was right of course, like always. If I didn't leave now and go home, get some clothes, then I'd never get around to doing it. I would have to go there eventually for work files, to see Morgan, to try and talk to Eric. But it wouldn't be the top of my list, simply because I was afraid.

"You're right. You're right ok." I sighed walking to the door and grabbing my jacket. "But promise me that when we come back here, you're going to give me a back massage."

Scott laughed, taking me by the shoulders and pushing me through the doorway. "Sure, whatever you want, baby." He said with a smirk.

I looked at my home from the front seat of Scott's truck, it was dark out, and most of the lights were on. Janet's car was sitting in the driveway, along with Morgan's knocked over bike and her helmet laying on the front step. Eric was home, I could tell by the flashes from the TV in his bedroom from his window. Scott reached over to squeeze my hand before opening his door and getting out of the truck, I tried to move faster, but my legs were stuck. But thankfully he had come to my side and opened my door. I gave him a little apologetic smile before climbing out and walking with him to the door.

Did I knock? Did I walk in? If it was locked did I unlock it? I hadn't thought about it until now, while we both stood in the doorway, with a deep breath I grasped the door handle and pulled the door open, being greeted with the familiar scent that was my house, and the bright lights that used to welcome me home every day after work.

The house itself was quiet, Janet was nowhere to be seen, Morgan laugh could be heard from upstairs, she was more than likely on a video call with one of her friends or playing a video game they all enjoyed. The TV was on in the living room, I could faintly hear the weatherman telling the forecast for the rest of the week, and by the way, it smelled Janet and made a pot pie for dinner, one of my favourites. I looked to Scott, who was looking around the foyer.

God, this was a bad idea.

I shut the door behind me, which I guess Janet must have heard because she came walking into the foyer from the kitchen with a smile on her face. "There you are, I was worried you weren't coming. I made pot pie for dinner if you two wanted to stay over."

Scott and I shared a look before I looked back at Janet. "No, I don't think that's the best idea. Eric and I didn't have the best talk today, I'm going to give him his space." Janet nodded, looking up the stairs as if Eric was going to walk down them when he heard his name.

"He never said anything when he got home, just went to his room. Oh well, feel free to get what you need Sidney, I'm going to finish cleaning up from supper."

"Well, she seems like she's in good spirits," Scott mumbled as we both walked up the stairs to my office, I shrugged. One good thing about Janet was that she never really let things get to her. Yes, she got annoyed with things, she got angry. But it was never something that lasted long. And though I knew her well enough to know that she wasn't over the fact that I had come out to here, at least we could both be civil.

I grabbed my suitcase from the closet and started filling it up, giving Scott another suitcase and told him what files I would need for work and where my laptop case was. I was packing everything up for about five minutes when the bedroom door opened up again. "Did you find the laptop?" I asked, assuming it was Scott behind me, but frowned when I saw Morgan standing there, her hair in a braid going off to one side of her head, iPod in hand.

"Where are you going?" She asked, stepping into the room and sitting on the bed. "Are we going to Florida again?"

"No, sweetheart we're not." I sighed sitting beside her. I didn't want to do this until later when we were all together, but I guess things just never play out the way I want them to. "Daddy is going to stay at a friends house for a little while." I was trying to keep in mind that Morgan was thirteen, and not a baby anymore. But she was still my little girl, and unlike Eric, I couldn't just tell her outright that I was gay and think she'd understand.

"Oh, Why?"

"It's hard for me to explain Morg, but your mom and I just think it's better if we spend some time apart. It's not something easy, I hate that I won't be here with you guys. But I'm going to visit whenever I can, and we're going to go out and get ice cream, and shopping, and golfing if you'd like. Whenever you like."

Morgan looked at me, and I looked back at her, I could see the wheels turning in her head, trying to grasp what I was saying. "Will you move back in later?"

"No sweetie, I don't think I will."

"Do you not love mom anymore?"

I could feel my emotions starting to get the best of me after she asked that, I sighed. "Yes, I love your mother so much, but it's not the same love I had for her before, its more of the kind of love you have for Eric. She's my best friend, and I'll always have a place for her in my heart, and for you and Eric. You're everything to me, and just because we're changing as a family, I want you to know I love you guys so much."

Morgan nodded her eyebrows knitting together. "Does this mean you'll buy me a phone? When Tanisha's parents split up, her mom bought her a phone."

I laughed standing up and grabbing my bags. "We'll see."

"I hear the new iPhone is great, Samsung is pretty cool too."

"Go to bed Morgan." I chuckled pushing her by the shoulder as we walked from the room. At least I still had her.