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.He was addressing him! Ashton looked up in surprise at the boy, doing his best to not reveal how teary he was feeling inside.The word sounded foreign to him, but his heart was enveloped with sudden warmth, knowing that it felt more right than ever.“You and Mom… you’re not going to fight, right?” the boy asked.Ashton scrambled for words.He didn’t want to lie to him.But the truth was more difficult to explain.He didn’t live in Pay… Poy…Puy… whatever this town was called.His life was back in Philadelphia.But there was no way he was going to give up on his child either.“We are never going to fight over you.” He promised, crossing his fingers secretly.****Christy wrung her fingers nervously, wondering if her son was taking it well.Finally, she heard a light chuckle from inside her office and she realized that it was Ash.She did not know whether to be relieved or worried.While she wanted her son to be happy that he’d found his father, she was afraid that he would become too attached and leave her to live with Ashton.“No,” she whispered to herself.“I should be glad.This is good for Ash.”She clenched her fist tightly to settle her nerves and knocked on the door.She wanted to know… no, she needed to know what the laughter was all about.She turned the door knob and stepped into her study.“Is everything alright?” she asked, her eyes keenly running over her son’s face.“Ash?”The boy smiled.“It’s JR now, Mom.Dad said it would be confusing if we were called by the same name.”“JR?” She looked up at Ashton questioningly.“You like it, Mom?” the boy asked eagerly, seeking his mother’s approval.“Do you?” she tried to smile.“I chose it,” he replied proudly.“It’s nice.I like it,” she said, hoping to make him happy.“Is that why you were laughing?”“Well, yeah,” JR grinned.“And because of some other things.”“Like?”The boy shrugged.“Just stuff.Can I go now? I really want to watch something on TV.Don’t wanna miss it.”“Umm… yes,” she said, slightly hurt from her son’s secrecy on not sharing their jokes with her.The boy scrambled out of his chair and darted towards the door before his mother could change her mind.He turned abruptly at the door though, giving his new-found father a broad smile.“You will stay, right? We’ve got rooms available.He can stay, Mom, can he?”“We’ll have to talk about that first, Ash.” Christy trembled.“I’ll stay.” Ashton added quickly.“You go catch your show and I will talk it over with your mother.”The boy disappeared out the door, leaving his perplexed mother glaring at her long- lost husband.“What do you think you’re doing?” she snarled.“You can’t stay.You know very well you can’t stay.”“And why not?” Ashton challenged her.“You heard the boy.There are rooms available.”“That’s not the point! You can’t just force yourself into his life.You will have to gradually introduce yourself into it.You’ll hurt him at this pace!”“Don’t you think we’re a little too late for a gradual introduction? The boy is ten years old for god sakes.” He glanced harshly at her.“I missed out on his early years, Christy, and I shall never forgive you for that.”She paled.“I was afraid.You’ve got to understand that.”“The only thing I understand is that I have a son who barely knows me.You should be glad I’m not taking this further than I should.I’m only willing to settle this because I don’t want my son suffering as a result of your stupidity.”“Stupidity?! Have you not heard-?”“I haven’t finished!” He snapped back.“I’m staying here for two weeks - with him.If there isn’t a room, make one.I’m not going anywhere without spending time with Ash.I don’t care how you feel about it and I certainly don’t care to share your opinions on it.You’re not my concern.Making sure that I get that time with Ashton is the least you can do for me after hiding him away from me all these years!”*****She collapsed onto a stool in the kitchen.“What am I going to do, Margaret?” Christy croaked, almost bursting into tears.The older, graying woman sat quietly beside her, putting a comforting arm around her.“It’s done,” Margaret said softly.“There’s nothing more you can do about it except your best to work things out with him.On the brighter side, you don’t have to avoid him anymore.He knows now.And didn’t it turn out far better than you had expected?”“I’m so scared, Margaret.” She shivered.“What if he changes his mind? What if he decides to take Ash away from me?”“And what if nothing?” Margaret said, raising her brow.“This is the choice you made and these are the circumstances resulting from that.You’re lucky, Christy, that all he is asking for now is two weeks with his son.Give it to him the best you can.Not only for your sake, but for your son, particularly.So he would be proud of you
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