Free Her Two Dads by Ariel Tachna Page A

reject Randy’s invitation to linger for another round of drinks after the show ended. A quick glance at his watch showed the time already too late for Sophie’s regular bedtime, but she would be awake again during the night for a bottle. If Srikkanth was still awake when he got home, he’d offer to get up with her once, and if he wasn’t, Jaime could still sneak in for a kiss when he heard her wake up.
     
    As Randy went to the bar to get their drinks, Jaime’s thoughts drifted back to Srikkanth holding Sophie before he left. He couldn’t help thinking how much Srikkanth would have enjoyed the concert and probably the break, although Sophie had been easier to deal with the last few days. Maybe he could offer to babysit for longer than just a run so Sri could go out for a movie or on a date. Even as he thought it, he knew he didn’t want that, a rather hypocritical thought given where he was at the moment. There was their agreement not to get involved with each other to consider, but a lot of things had changed in the past few weeks. He ignored Randy’s hints that they should go back to his place and resisted the other man’s blandishments urging him to agree to another date. Jaime wasn’t sure why Randy was trying so hard. It wasn’t like he was putting out or had any intention of doing so any time soon. When Randy persisted, Jaime finally snapped. “Look, we’ve had some fun together, but that’s all it is. Things have changed, and I won’t have nearly as much free time from here on.”
     
    “We could still spend the time you do have together,” Randy said hopefully.
     
    Jaime shook his head. “Thanks, but no.”
     
    That was the end of easy conversation and sharing drinks. Jaime paid his portion of the tab and insisted he could take a taxi home. He just wanted to get away from Randy and back home with Sophie and Srikkanth where he belonged.
     

Chapter 7

     

     

     
    “ I was thinking about getting a rocking chair,” Srikkanth told Jaime as he was making dinner a few days later. Sophie was awake, and Jaime had offered to hold her while Srikkanth cooked. Sophie didn’t seem to have any complaints about it, sitting happily in Jaime’s lap while Srikkanth puttered around the kitchen. They’d fallen into a routine even before Jaime’s date, but since that night when Jaime came into his room while he was giving Sophie a bottle to kiss her goodnight, Jaime had hardly left Sophie’s side except to work and sleep. Sophie had started to recognize Jaime, too, reaching for him the same way she reached for Srikkanth. Srikkanth had vacillated between jealousy and relief for as long as it took him to remember that most babies grew up with—loved—two parents without their affection for one in any way diminishing their affection for the other. Once he’d given himself that kick in the pants, he’d stopped worrying about accepting Jaime’s offers of assistance. Besides, he didn’t know how he’d manage without Jaime’s help.
     
    “That’s a good idea,” Jaime agreed. “I don’t know that it’ll fit in your room, though.”
     
    “Yeah, I’d have to put it downstairs in the living room, but that puts it—and us—out in Nathaniel’s way even more than we already are.”
     
    “You already know my opinion on that matter,” Jaime said, his lip curling at the thought of the ever more negative comments their third roommate had made over the past few weeks. “Sophie’s here to stay, so he can either get over it or move somewhere else.”
     
    Srikkanth couldn’t argue with that except that it left him in a bind as far as the mortgage was concerned. He’d have to find another renter, and that would be even more difficult now that they’d have to tell any new housemate that there was a baby in the house along with two gay men. He couldn’t afford to force the issue.
     
    “How long until dinner?” Nathaniel called from his room.
     
    “About twenty minutes,” Srikkanth called back,