Page 17 of To Hate Adam Connor
“I didn’t, but now I do. SpongeBob is over, so we can swim now.”
“We have three hours to get you back to your mom, Aiden. It’s gonna have to be a quick swim, okay? Then you’ll help Anne pack the toys you want to take with you.”
He nodded eagerly and gave me a quick kiss that melted my heart.
“Go get your arm floats,” I said in a gruff voice, and he ran off, squealing.
Aiden’s version of swimming was sitting on the second highest step, splashing water, playing with his toys, and pretending to be swimming for a total of ten seconds as he kicked and punched the water. Our old house—the house that was now Adeline’s—didn’t have a pool, so when he first came to stay with me and saw one, he was ecstatic. Learning how to swim, however…he didn’t like that at all.
Five minutes into our pool time, Dan came out.
“Dan, look at me! Look!” Aiden yelled, pumping his arms furiously as he showed off his swimming skills to our longtime bodyguard and friend. At least I had gotten him out of the divorce.
“Look at you go, big man,” Dan said as he came to stand next to us.
“Slow down, Aiden,” I said, helping him sit down on the steps before he hit his chin. He glanced up at Dan and gave him a big grin.
“Did you see me? Did you see how good I was?”
“I did. Well done, big man.”
“But did you see how fast I was?”
Dan nodded. “You’re practically a fish now.”
Aiden doubled over and laughed, his eyes big and happy. “I’m not a fish, Dan.” He got up and lifted his arms. “I’m a boy, look!”
As his laughter died down, he focused on his toys and made all kinds of noises as he dipped his plane in and out of the water.
Leaving Aiden with his toys, I moved to Dan’s side. “Something wrong?”
Frowning, he looked over his shoulder then turned back to me. “No. Michel has been lighting up your phone for the last hour. I thought you’d want to know.”
“Fuck,” I groaned. “I forgot about him.”
“You want me to handle it?”
“No, it’s okay. I need to ask him something first.” Turning away from Dan, I dragged a complaining Aiden out of the pool and took off his arm floats. “Dry yourself off, then you’re going in to help Anne.”
“But I just got in, Daddy. Please! Five more minutes.”
I crouched down in front of him and wrapped him in a big towel.
“You’ll have more time next week, okay? I’ll teach you how to swim without the arm floats.”
The closer we got to the time I’d have to drop Aiden off at Adeline’s, the moodier I got. I’d spent my entire morning closed up in a studio, going over some voiceovers the director wanted me to redo. The second Matthew had said he had what he needed from me, I’d raced back home so I could be with Aiden for the last few hours I had him. Since our divorce had been finalized, all I’d been doing was running around, trying to make enough time for Aiden while juggling all the shooting and promoting. Thankfully, we were getting closer to wrapping things up for The Only Hour, and I was looking forward to taking a breather and spending some time with Aiden. First I had to do something about the custody issue that was always in the back of my mind.
Aiden was a good kid. He’d always been that way, even before the divorce, but lately the mess we’d made was starting to get to him. He didn’t act out, didn’t throw crying fits like other kids would’ve done, but every time I dropped him off at Adeline’s place, he’d get this scared look on his face, as if I was leaving him there for good and this would be the last time he’d ever see me. Every night I made sure to call him so he could hear my voice before he went to sleep, and every single time he broke something in me by asking if I would promise to come get him soon.
Especially hearing those unsure words, thinking about an entire week where I wouldn’t have him with me…fuck, but it was starting to get to me.
Trusting Aiden would listen to me and follow us inside, I headed back in with Dan.
When I saw Anne in the kitchen with her phone in her hand, I reminded her that we would have to leave soon. She nodded and walked past me toward the backyard.
“Give me five. I’ll check the front gate to see if there are any paparazzi hiding around—I flushed out three this morning. Then I’ll get the car ready,” Dan said and walked outside.
Nodding, I returned Michel’s calls.
