A New Life To Live

Problems and solutions.

Aiden tried to get Natasha to quiet down after she had started crying again. “Please, honey. Quiet down, I don’t know what to do.”

Natasha just cried more and Aiden bit his lip. There was one thing he could do, but he wasn’t sure he was ready to do it. Didn’t know if he wanted to do it. They had hurt him so much only months earlier, when they had realised the true relationship between himself and Patrick. It was when Natasha went into another crying fit, that Aiden made his mind and reached for the phone, dialling the number he had learned by heart.

It rang a few times before it was answered. “Mom, it’s me.” He let out a strangled sob. “I need help.”

---

There was a rapid knocking on the door and Aiden went to open it. As soon as the door was open, he had arms wrapped around himself.

“Oh, honey, what did he do? Did he hit you or hurt you in anyway?” his mother asked.

That was when they heard the baby wailing again. His mother looked at him, eyes wide and not understanding what was happening. Aiden broke out of the hold she had on him and went to pick up Natasha. When he emerged again, his mother started crying and took the small child from his arms.

“She’s beautiful, but when did you…? Who’s her mother and where is she?”

Aiden looked down on the ground. “I couldn’t get her to sleep, I thought maybe you could help?”

“Of course, honey.”

Aiden looked at his father, who starred at him with a critical eye. “Where is he?”

“He left.”

His mother had seated herself on sofa. “Where is her mother?”

“She left too, didn’t want anything to do with her.”

His mother sighed and gently rocked Natasha in her arms, having had years of practice with Aiden and Beatrice. Aiden went to the kitchen, started a new pot of coffee and sat down heavily on a chair, head in his hands. He heard someone clear their throat, looking up he saw his father.

“She’s gorgeous.” He said.

“I know.” Aiden rose and opened the fridge. “Do you want anything to eat? I could make you something.”

“Aiden.”

“I’ve got some Greek salad and potato salad, and a little bit of chicken.”

“Aiden!” his father roared. “Where is he? Where is Patrick? What did he do to you?”

“Like I said, he left. He’s not here.” Aiden yelled back, slamming his hands down on the counter with great force. “And he bloody didn’t do anything to me but love me!”

“Love you? Like you said, he left you!”

Their argument was interrupted by a cry and Aiden went back to the living room, seeing that Natasha was being fuzzy again.

“What’s her name?” his mother asked.

“Natasha.”

“Natasha, after your grandmother?” She asked.

“Yes, she didn’t have a name when Yasmine came with her, so Patrick thought of it….”

Things went quiet and Aiden prayed that things would go smoothly.

“Why would that boy decide the name of our granddaughter?” his mother hissed.

“Because he loves her, even though she’s only been with us two days. He loves us both.”

“Why are you talking like you are still together, he left you said!”

Aiden lowered his gaze, taking Natasha from his mother. “He would never leave us, he isn’t this bad guy you two are making him out to be. He’s wonderful, supportive and he’s the most amazing boyfriend I could have. Can’t you just be happy for me?”

Before he knew it his father slapped him, not caring that he was holding Natasha at all, the precious little girl that could be his biological granddaughter. He watched as his father gripped his mother’s arm, dragging her to the door.

“We are leaving. You are no longer a part of this family, even if you leave this sinful lifestyle of yours behind. Do not contact us ever again!” He shouted over his shoulder. “We should contact child care, how can anyone let two men, boys, raise a child together?!”

Aiden looked at them shocked as they left, leaving the door open. He always knew there was a possibility they would leave, seeing they had thrown him out when they first found out he was gay, like it was his fault they had walked in on Patrick giving him a blowjob in his own home. He walked over to the sofa, sitting down heavily and tears staining his cheeks.

“Guess we’re on our own, beautiful.”

---

Patrick rubbed his face as he walked up to his and Aiden’s apartment. He knew he had done a mistake leaving earlier, but he had just been so frustrated for some reason. He went out of the elevator and frowned when he saw the door open.

“Aiden?” he asked and stepped inside.

It was then he heard the crying from both Natasha and Aiden. They were lying on the sofa, Natasha against the back and Aiden dangerously close to the edge of the sofa. Patrick leaned over and took Natasha, noticing that Aiden wasn’t paying attention.

Patrick carried Natasha to the bedroom, lulling her to sleep and drying her tears away. “I’m sorry, baby girl. I shouldn’t have left earlier.”

Natasha gave him a look that he interpreted as her agreeing and telling him he was an idiot. “I know, I’m an idiot. Be a good girl and go to sleep for your daddy.”

He left Natasha there, hearing her cry for awhile knowing she would fall asleep sooner or later. As he walked back to the living room, he saw that Aiden hadn’t moved at all.

“Babe?” Aiden didn’t answer and Patrick made him sit up in a sitting position. “I’m sorry I left, I know I shouldn’t have.”

Patrick jumped a little as Adrian’s arms wrapped around him. “They left, they wanted nothing more to do with me.”

Patrick kissed his forehead. “Who?”

“Mom and dad. I called them because Natasha wouldn’t stop crying and you left and everything was a mess and they left me again.” Patrick tried to get him to quiet down. “I know I shouldn’t have called them, but I was desperate. Natasha wouldn’t stop crying no matter what I did and Carmen wasn’t home. I tried, I really did.”

Patrick kissed Aiden’s temple. “I know you did. We’re new to this and it’s normal to panic. You did what seemed like the most natural thing for you, calling your mother for help. I would’ve done the same, if I knew my mother’s number.”

Aiden sniffled. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, babe. I’m sorry too, for leaving.” Patrick said. “Have you eaten anything yet?”

Aiden shook his head, making Patrick sigh. “I’ll make us something to eat. Natasha should’ve fallen quiet down by now, and it’s almost time for her meal to. Do you mind dreadfully going to get her up? I’ll ready her bottle for you.”

As Patrick stood up, Aiden looked at him with new tears in his eyes. “They said they would contact child care. Said they couldn’t let two men raise a kid together.”

Patrick sank to the floor and took Aiden’s hands in his. “Listen to me and listen well. They can’t take her away from us. She’s either yours or she’s mine, which means we have a legal right to have and raise her!”

“But I’m only 18, and you’re only 19, how are we going to support her? You can’t get another job without it interfering with school. Maybe we should just give her up for adoption?”

Patrick tightened his grip on Aiden’s hands. “Don’t you ever say that again. We’ll find a way to keep her with us till she’s sick of being around us. Got it?”

Aiden nodded, moving to dry away his tears only to be stopped by Patrick doing it for him. They sat there for awhile, before Aiden got up to wake Natasha for her meal. Patrick sighed and went to the kitchen, heating up a bottle and handing it to Aiden as he came in.

“I’ll start dinner, and I don’t want to hear you saying you’re not hungry.”

Aiden nodded silently and went into the living room with Natasha.

---

They laid in bed, breathing heavily, limbs all tangled together and fingers entwined. Aiden laid with his head on Patrick’s chest, enjoying the scent of the older male after their tryst. Natasha had been asleep and they both had kept as quite as possible as to not wake her.

Patrick kissed his head. “You are amazing.”

“I could say the same for you.” Aiden looked at him with sated eyes. “I love you.”

Patrick tilted Aiden’s head up and kissed him lightly on the lips. “I love you too.”

They stayed silent for awhile, before Patrick started running his hands through Aiden’s hair. “Do you think we should do a DNA test?”

Aiden gulped heavily, but nodded. “I think we should.”

“It would be so that we could testify that she’s the child of one of us, just in case your parents decides to go through with that child care threat.”

“I think it’s a good idea, and I kind of want to know who her father is. Not that it would change anything, I would just like to know.”

Patrick pressed a single kiss to Aiden’s forehead. “I would like that too.”

“So it’s settled then, we go to our doctor and say we need a DNA test.”

Patrick smiled. “That we do.”

---

The next day started early, Natasha waking them at 5am, when they didn’t have to get up before 7am. Aiden went to change her, while Patrick got the bottle ready for her and then started their own breakfast, since there really wasn’t any point in going back to sleep for less than two hours.

Aiden stumbled into the kitchen, Natasha securely in his arms, and sat down on a chair, taking the offered bottle from Patrick.

“I can’t wait until she sleeps through the night.” Aiden whispered.

“Me too. Breakfast will be ready in two minutes tops.”

Natasha emptied the bottle and Aiden moved her up to his shoulder, rubbing her back till she burped.

Patrick laughed. “That was a good one.”

Aiden couldn’t help but smile and kissed her head. “She lovely and she’s all ours.”

“That she is.”

Patrick sat down the plates with their breakfast and told Aiden to dig in. Aiden shifted slightly, still holding Natasha but so that he could eat his food to. Patrick had filled both their plates to the brink, towering slightly and Aiden laughed.

“You are trying to get me fat aren’t you?”

“No, but you’ve lost weight and I like my man with meat on his body.”

Aiden stilled for a moment before smiling sadly. “You noticed, huh?”

Patrick nodded, picking at his food. “Wasn’t that hard, really. I wish you would’ve told me, it’s not like I wouldn’t have understood. What you’ve been through this last year is horrible, and I know that your depression never really went away the first time. After your parents cut all contacts I began seeing the changes in you again, the same changes as the first time when your sister died.”

“I’m sorry.” Aiden said. “I’m better now though. I talked to my doctor and she got me in touch with a shrink and I’ve been seeing him once a week for six months now.”

“Don’t apologies, love. Just promise me this one thing; if you ever feel down again tell me. I might not be able to do very much, but I want to at least know what’s happening.”

Aiden smiled gratefully at him. “Thank you, Patrick.”

“No problem, now eat your food.”

Aiden laughed and did as he was told. Natasha was in the mean time making happy noises, letting them now she was satisfied for the moment.

“I’ll call my doctor later today, see if we can’t get an appointment a little late, around two?”

Patrick nodded. “I’m done at school at one most days, but not Wednesdays, other than that everything could work.”

“Then tomorrow we should talk to the teachers and see if we can’t figure something out with Natasha.” Aiden pushed the plate away from him, having eaten almost half of it. “I bet the girls in class will love her.”

“Possible babysitters, I like it.” Patrick chuckled, leaning back and taking in the sight of Aiden and Natasha together. “You two look perfect together.”

“She’s the perfect one.”

Patrick shook his head. “You were perfect already, she just added to the perfection.”

Aiden looked up from the baby and smiled brightly. “Thank you.”

“Likewise.” Patrick said and cleared the table. “Are you sure you’ll manage by yourself today?”

“I’m certain, Patrick.”

Patrick went over and kissed him passionately. “I’ll just hop in the shower, pack my things and be off. Call if anything happens, no matter how small, you got me?!”

Aiden laughed. “I got you, now get going or you’ll be late.”

TBC

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Thanks to Lisa for reviewing, I'm glad you liked it. Patrick does improve a bit, but I don't focus so much on their characters as I would have wanted to, since this is a story I wrote about a year ago.

Happy New Year to everyone and I hope 2011 will be fabulous for everyone!