"Can we go to the park?" Noah asks.

"Your Dad is expecting us soon," I comment.

"Can we get strawberry ice cream?"

"Maybe you can have ice cream for dessert, but only if Daddy says you've been good."

"Ugh," he groans. "I want ice cream now."

"Well, we can't have everything we want," I mutter under my breath.

I knew entering toddlerhood would be challenging, but I didn't realise just how hard it would be. I'm scared of what the teenage years will bring but lucky for me, I won't be battling those alone.

As I pull into Craig's driveway, he walks outside to greet us. I cut the engine and inhale a breath before unbuckling my seatbelt and stepping outside. A cool breeze rustles through my hair, cooling my flushed cheeks.

I have a million thoughts racing through my mind and a stir-crazy toddler demanding to be set free. Thank goodness he's with his father for a couple of hours today. I open the door and unbuckle Noah's car seat. I set him down and he races around to the front of the vehicle.

Craig scoops Noah up and spins him around before settling him back down. He runs his fingers through his soft hair and squeezes it.

"Hey buddy, I missed you."

"Can we go to the park?"

I hold back a chuckle. This child is relentless.

"Another time, buddy."

Noah's face drops and he pushes out his lower lip.

"I'm sorry, but my car is being serviced and it's too far to walk to the park unless your Mummy wants to come to the park as well?"

They both look at me; Noah with his puppy eyes.

I'm supposed to be meeting Daniel after this at the house.

I need to speak with Craig about Daniel, so I'm sure Daniel won't mind if I'm a little late to our meeting this afternoon.

"Just for a little bit, then Mummy has to go." Both of them light up like kids on Christmas Day.

"Let me grab my stuff and lock up, and then we're good to go."

Noah bounces around, rather proud of himself.

"C'mon you, back in your car seat."

Noah climbs into the backseat and I help him buckle the seatbelt.

Craig gives me directions to a nearby park and as soon as Noah's free from the car seat, he's bounding to the playground with Craig following. Noah jumps into the sandpit and then races over to the climbing equipment.

I wander over and take a seat near the playground. Craig peers over his shoulder and then joins me. We sit in an awkward silence until Craig clears his throat.

"Noah's a great kid," he compliments.

"He's pretty awesome." I smile.

"He's growing up quickly! I can't believe he'll be four soon."

"And starting school next year." I sigh. "Time is moving too quickly."

"So quickly," Craigh sighs. "Which is why I wanted to talk about our custody agreement."

"Oh." I frown.

"I want more than a few hours on the weekend. It's not enough time."

"Oh," is the only response I can seem to muster up.

"We don't have to rush into anything."

"What kind of custody agreement?"

"I'd like to take things slow and at a pace that suits everyone, so maybe picking Noah up from daycare and spending the afternoon together, eventually sleepovers. I don't know how things will work when he does to school."

My stomach knots and dread settles in.

"Noah will love that." I tug on a smile.

"I want to be involved in his life and I want to be a good father to him."

I just hope these ideas aren't pretty distractions because he's made me a lot of promises that he's broken in the past. I don't want Noah to go through the same pain I've faced.

"Are you okay with that?" Craig frowns as his hazel eyes search mine.

"Of course, I've always wanted you to be a part of Noah's life."

"Something is off with you. I can still read you like a book, Ellie."

"Well, there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about as well." I dance around the topic, desperate to find the courage to speak the words mulling around my mind.

Craig tries to grab my hand, but I cross my arms over my chest and sigh.

"Spit it out, Ellie."

"Daniel asked me to move in with him."

"Oh." He jerks back.

"I'm sorry to spring it on you like that," I mutter.

Craig shuffles his shoe across the cement pathway, then taps the end of his shoe. The silence brews into an awkward, suffocating storm.

"I hoped that at some point, we'd find our way back to each other. I regret wrecking our home and walking out on you when you needed me the most. I honestly don't know if I'll ever stop loving you."

"Some part of me will always love you, Craig, but once you let the idea of it go, you'll be able to move on and find someone who's right for you and hopefully a good stepmother to Noah."

"So you really love Daniel then?"

"Yes."

A mixture of emotions dances across his face, probably a million thoughts racing through his mind, but he composes himself and becomes unreadable.

"What's your plan?"

"Plan?"

"Are you selling or renting your place? What happens if things don't work out?"

Those are just some of the questions which have been swirling through my mind.

"We haven't worked out the finer details because I wanted to talk to you first. I couldn't move in with Daniel if you weren't happy with it."

"You have my blessing. You deserve your shot at happiness and I won't hold you back anymore."

"Thanks, Craig."

"Noah talks about Daniel and all the fun adventures they go on. It's made me realise I need to get my act together and be there for my kid otherwise he's going to grow up without me."

I pat Craig's knee.

"You'll always be his father and I'll never let him forget that, but there's always room for more people in your heart."

"Since Daniel will be sticking around, perhaps we can hang out more? Perhaps it'll be less awkward for us in the long run. I don't want to be one of those families where we don't all get along and holidays are awkward."

"I'm sure Daniel will love that." I smile.

* * * * *

"Hey Stranger," I call out.

Daniel puts the power tool down and opens his arm for a hug. I step into his embrace and he holds me tightly. My worries disappear as I inhale his scent of aftershave and wood dust, which is quickly becoming his regular scent.

"I called you," he comments, kissing the top of my head.

"I was talking to Craig."

Daniel's face lights up.

"He asked what our plan was. What is our plan?"

"You move in here and we live happily ever after." He grins.

I drop my gaze to the floor and sigh. Daniel kisses the top of my head, then hooks his finger under my chin and lifts my gaze to his.

"What do you want?"

"For you to tell me the answer and for everything to be okay."

"Everything will be." He kisses my nose. "Our house will be ready in a few weeks, then we'll move in and decorate it and make this space our own." His nose travels down the length of my neck and he kisses my collarbone. "We can fight over wardrobe space and where the cups will go."

I cup his cheeks and bring his gaze back to mine.

"What if we fight?"

"I'm sure we'll fight and have disagreements, it's normal. I won't leave because we don't agree on something. Relationships are about compromising and as long as we can eventually talk and work things out, we'll be fine."

"And my place?"

"Rent, sell, whatever you want."

"What about mortgage, bills, food? I can pay more because of Noah."

"You will not be paying more because of Noah. We're going to be a family and so we'll work out a fair way to split bills and the mortgage. Maybe we can get a joint bank account for bills?"

"I've never done this before, and the last time I was screwed out of everything."

"We can always rent your place to give us another income for this place, and if it makes you feel safer about moving in here."

"Okay." I nod.

"Do you need help packing your things?"

"Yes, and I have no idea how to rent my place out."

"We can start on all those fun tasks tonight as a team."

"I like this working as a team thing." I smile.

"Well get used to it, because that's what we are now."

I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him. He rests his hands on my waist and squeezes it.

"I'll buy wine and some packing boxes on the way to yours tonight and we can get a headstart."

"Should I bring everything?" I look around at the furniture and boxes already piled in his house.

"You can unpack some of my things, see what you want to keep and get rid of. I labeled and sorted most of my belongings to the right rooms."

"I'll start on the kitchen first, I'm sure that'll be easy while you're preoccupied."

"Sounds good." He nods.

I kiss him once more before venturing into the kitchen. It's a beautiful house but with some love and a few pot plants, I'm sure it'll feel like home.

* * * * *