Ella watched Max as he played in the backyard and sighed. Nate had called by that morning and asked if it was still okay for him to bring the girls by to meet Max. Ella had agreed, but now she was wondering if it was a mistake.

Max had had several meltdowns already that morning. She knew he was sensing the tension and stress Ella was feeling after what happened at her parents’ house the night before. She was sure that introducing more strangers to him was just going to upset him further.

Ella had considered calling Nate and cancelling, but she thought that maybe just getting it over and done with was the best thing in the end. At least then they could all move on.

She walked down the back steps of her house and sat down next to Max on the grass. She needed to try figure out what Max wanted, and the only way to do that was to get down to his level.

“Hey, Baby,” she said as she reached over and picked up one of his toys. “What are you doing?”

“My friends are eating the grass,” he said as he continued to play with his toys.

“How would you like Nate to come and play with you and your friends today?” Ella asked and watched him closely for any reaction.

“Okay,” he replied as he continued to play. “We can have dinner, and he can play with my friends.”

“Actually,” Ella continued cautiously. “Nate is going to bring two new friends for you.”

Max stopped for a moment as if he was considering what she had said. Ella waited, unsure of what he had made of what she said.

“Will they like my friends,” Max asked as he picked up his favourite stuffed dog and held it to him. Ella knew he was unsure about what she was saying. His stuffed dog, which he called Milo, was his comforter when he was out of his comfort zone. Max took him everywhere with him.

“I’m sure they will,” Ella continued. “Their names are Cassie and Shelby. Nate is their daddy.”

“Is Nate my daddy?” Max asked as he continued to hold on to his stuff dog.

Ella knew Max didn’t truly understand what a daddy was, but his words still floored her. This wasn’t a conversation she thought she would be having with Max yet. She considered her reply. Ella knew if she said no, that Nate wasn’t his dad, Max would have that in his head forever, and nothing she said after that would change it, but it was so soon, it scared her. Still, she knew she needed to do the right thing.

“Yes, Sweetheart,” Ella replied. “Nate is your daddy, too.”

Max didn’t reply, but Ella knew he was considering her response once again.

“Will they want Milo?” Max asked as he held his dog closer to him.

“No, Sweetheart,” Ella reassured him. “Milo is yours; I promise no one will take him.”

“Okay,” Max replied as he set Milo back down and picked up his animals once again.

“Max,” Ella asked, now that he seem more at ease again. “Is it okay that Nate is your daddy?”

She knew her question was one that Max might not understand, but still, she had to ask him.

“Nate is my friend,” Max replied simply. “And Nate is my daddy.”

“So that’s good, right?” Ella asked.

“Okay,” Max replied. Before Ella could say anything else, the doorbell sounded.

Ella stood up and straightened down her clothes. She was nervous. Facing Nina was one thing, but facing Nate’s children was something completely different. She knew they were Nate’s world, and how they reacted to Max could make or break Nate and Max’s relationship.

She walked through the house and paused before she opened the front door. She needed a moment to prepare herself. After a couple of deep calming breaths, she reached for the handle and opened the door.

“Hi,” she said as brightly as she could when she opened the door.

“Hi,” Nate replied, and despite the smile on his face, Ella knew he was as scared as she was, maybe more. “I’m sorry we’re late. We just needed a little more time.”

“That’s no problem,” Ella said as she stepped back and opened the door wider. “Please, come in.”

“Girls,” Nate said as he led his two daughters into the hallway. “I would like you to meet Ella Cassidy. Ella, this is Cassie.”

Ella smiled at the older girl who looked at her with complete contempt.

“Hi, Cassie,” Ella said with a nervous smile, but the little girl didn’t reply.

“And this is Shelby,” Nate continued.

Ella turned her attention to the younger girl, who gave her a shy smile.

“Hi Shelby,” Ella said as she bent down to face level with the little girl.

“Hi,” Shelby replied as she held out a gift bag to Ella. “We brought this for Max.”

“You did,” Ella said with a bigger smile. “Well, Max is out the back, and he is waiting for you.”

“Why don’t we go out and see him?” Nate asked, giving Ella another smile.

They all made their way through the house, out to where Max was sitting in the backyard.

“Hey buddy,” Nate said as he sat down on the grass next to Max. “How are your friends doing today?”

“They are eating grass,” Max replied without looking up at Nate. “Do you want to play?”

“I would love to play,” Nate said as he reached over and picked up one of his animals.

“Max,” Ella said as she stepped closer to the two sitting on the grass after a few minutes. “Cassie and Shelby have come to play with you and your friends too.”

Max didn’t reply. Instead, he just pulled Milo closer to him again.

“Sweetheart,” Ella said as she moved closer to her little boy. “Aren’t you going to say hello to Cassie and Shelby?”

“NOOOOOOOOO!” Max screamed as he buried his face in Milo and continued to scream.

Nate looked at Ella, and she knew he had no idea what to do next. Ella picked Max up and wrapped him tightly in her arms as he kicked and pushed away from her. She took him to the swing on the back porch and sat down with him on her lap and held him closer to her until he stopped fighting her.

“It’s okay, Baby,” Ella whispered to him over and over until he finally stopped fighting her. “Everything is okay.” When he finally calmed down, Nate got up from the grass.

“Maybe we should go,” Nate suggested, but Ella could see the heartache in his face.

“No,” Ella replied and gave him a smile. “He is just having a bad day, but he will be fine.”

Max moved, and Milo dropped to the floor of the porch. Before anyone could move, Shelby hurried up onto the porch and lifted it up.

“Max,” she said with her tiny voice. “You dropped your friend, and he is looking for you.”

Max lifted his head and looked at Shelby for a moment before he reached out and took Milo.

“I have a friend too,” Shelby said as she held up her rag doll that she had tucked under her arm. “Her name is Matilda.”

“You want to meet my friends?” Max asked as he slid down from Ella’s lap. He walked back down to the grass and Shelby followed him down. Nate gave Ella a relieved smile, and she couldn’t help but smile back.

“I will go and start dinner,” Ella said as she stood up and walked towards the door, leaving Nate alone with his three children.

Ella felt happier as she stood in the kitchen preparing the dinner for everyone. She glanced out a few times, and Max seemed to be more and more relaxed with Nate and the girls.

Shelby seemed very taken with Max, but Ella wasn’t sure that Cassie was as happy with the whole situation. Ella figured that because she was older, she had more questions than Shelby, so Ella knew she would need more time.

Ella was just putting the pasta bake into the oven when a voice spoke from behind her, completely startling her.

“Are you my dad’s girlfriend?” Cassie asked making Ella jump with fright.

“Cassie!” Ella exclaimed as she turned to face the little girl. “I didn’t hear you come in. No, I’m not your father’s girlfriend. We are just friends.”

“But he is Max’s dad too,” Cassie continued. “Not just mine and Shelby’s.”

“Yes,” Ella confirmed with a nervous smile. “He is Max’s dad too.”

“So, you and he had sex before,” Cassie said, stunning Ella completely. “I know what sex is, we learned about babies in school.”

“Cassie, I think this is something you need to talk to your dad about, sweetie,” Ella replied, not knowing what else she should say.

“He said it happened a long time ago,” Cassie said as she slipped onto the stool without taking her eyes from Ella. “But I think my dad still likes you because you make him smile.”

“I’m sure your dad always smiles,” Ella replied not wanting to dismiss the little girl when she wanted to talk.

“Not like he does when he is with you,” Cassie explained. “He never smiles when he is with my mom. She just makes him sad.”

“Have you talked to your father about this?” Ella asked as she leaned on the counter in front of Cassie. “I think he would want you to talk to him.”

“I don’t want him to be sad, but…” Cassie replied but stopped mid-sentence.

“But?” Ella asked giving the girl a smile.

“If he loves you,” Cassie continued. “And he comes to live with you and Max, will he not want to be our dad anymore? I don’t want him to leave us with my mom again.”

“Cassie, sweetie,” Ella said as she walked around the counter and sat down next to the little girl. “Your daddy loves you and Shelby more than anything in this world. There is nothing or no one in this world that will ever change that. But I really think you need to talk to your dad about this.”

“I’m glad you make him smile again,” Cassie replied as she gave Ella a warm smile. “And I’m glad Max is my little brother.”

“I’m glad he is too,” Ella said honestly, as she gave Cassie a hug.

“I think they are officially friends,” Nate said as he and Ella sat and watched the three children playing in the backyard after dinner. “Thank you for today.”

“It was truly my pleasure,” Ella replied as she took a sip of the coffee she had in her hand. “They are great girls. You should be really proud of them.”

“I am proud of my three kids,” Nate stated with a warm smile.

“To be honest,” Ella said. “I’m surprised that Nina agreed to let you bring them here.”

Nate didn’t reply. Instead, he nervously sipped his coffee without looking at Ella.

“Nate, tell me she knows they are here,” Ella asked as a sickening feeling settled in her stomach.

“They are my kids too,” Nate replied as he finally looked over at Ella. “She doesn’t even care about them.”

“I’m sure that’s not true,” Ella replied, but the conversation that she had with Cassie earlier came crashing into her head.

“Ella,” Nate sighed as he set down his coffee. “Nina is not a good Mom like you are. The kids are an inconvenience to her most of the time. But she knows how to use them against me. She always has. That’s why I didn’t tell her.”

“But she is going to freak out when she finds out they were here,” Ella replied. “I don’t want any more trouble.”

“There will be no more trouble,” Nate assured her. “I promise you.” Before Ella could reply the girls began calling Nate from the garden.

“Daddy, come push us on the swing,” Shelby shouted as she ran to the swing set that Ella’s Dad insisted on buying the day he helped her move into the house.

Nate jumped up and hurried towards the girls as they sat waiting for him to push them on the swing. He pushed them both in turn, and they laughed and squealed in happiness.

Ella watched Max as he sat in the grass with his toys watching what was going on. It was the first time she had ever seen him interested in what other children were doing. She had no idea what he was thinking, but she watched him closely, as she waited to see what he would do next.

“Daddy higher,” Shelby squealed excitedly from the swings. “Higher, Daddy, higher.”

Max slowly stood up and, holding Milo close to him; he inched closer to the swing set. Ella held her breath as she watched him.

“Hey, Buddy,” Nate called as he spotted Max watching them from a distance. “Would you like a turn on the swing?”

“Yes, Daddy,” Max nodded. Nate froze, the moment he heard the word as his eyes filled with tears.

Ella knew that Max didn’t understand what he had just said, most likely he was copying the girls. Still, she couldn’t believe he had said what he had.

Nate walked towards Max, picked him up and hugged him tightly.

“That’s right, Max,” Nate whispered as he closed his eyes and held the little boy tightly. “I’m your daddy.”

“I want to swing,” Max moaned as he wriggled free from Nate’s arms.

“I’m sorry,” Nate laughed through his tears of happiness as he led Max to the swings. Cassie got up to let Max have his turn, but she watched her father closely.

“Daddy, are you okay?” She asked as Nate quickly wiped his eyes.

“I’m perfect, Princess,” Nate replied as he kissed Cassie on the forehead, then turned and began to push Max, then Shelby in turn. “I have never been better.”

He looked over at Ella and gave her a broad smile, before he mouthed the words, ‘Thank you.’

“Thank you for today,” Nate said as Ella walked him to the front door an hour later.

“It was my pleasure,” Ella replied as she hugged both of the girls, then watched as they ran down the pathway towards their own house.

“I’m still stunned that he called me Daddy,” Nate beamed.

“Well, that’s what you are,” Ella replied with a smile before she added. “But I think you should talk to Cassie. She and I talked earlier, and she is worried.”

“Worried about what?” Nate asked.

“That she will be replaced,” Ella replied honestly. “I think she is terrified of you leaving again, so you need to talk to her. You know, reassure her.”

“I will talk to her before I get them to bed,” Nate replied. “Thanks, Ella.”

“Good,” Ella smiled again.

“I should go make sure they are okay,” Nate said as he stared at Ella for a moment. Suddenly he leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. “Good night, Ella.”

“Good night, Nate,” Ella replied.

As she closed the door, Ella smiled to herself. Maybe things would be okay after all.

She walked into the living room to where Max was sitting playing.

“Come on, kiddo,” she said as she reached out for his hand. “Time for bed.”