"Fire & Ice" (Revised for Wattpad), Ch. 4: Daddy , August 06, 2015 Gratiana Lovelace

(An original story copyrighted by Gratiana Lovelace, 2015; all rights reserved)

[From time to time, I will illustrate my story with images of actors representing my dream cast--including Richard Armitage as Thomas Kane and Anne Hathaway as Caroline Walters, and others as noted in the image credits.] [(1) "Fire & Ice" story logo]

Author's Mature Content Note:   "Fire & Ice" is romantic thriller story with mature themes (D for drama, S for sensuality, and V for violence) of love and relationships. Most chapters will be PG or PG-13. However, if you are unable or unwilling to attend a movie with the ratings that I provide, then please do not read that chapter. This is my disclaimer.

Author's Recap from the previous chapter:  Caroline and Thomas have found each other again and are beginning to find their way back to each other. Thomas had stayed with Caroline Friday night and they agreed to sleep chastely with each other tonight--but that gave way to their mutual need and longing to make love with each other. The process of rebuilding their faith, trust, and love continues. And their little son Trevor will receive his greatest wish.

"Fire & Ice" (Revised for Wattpad), Ch. 4: Daddy

Their lovemaking and their joy in starting to mend their broken love keeps Thomas and Caroline in a deep and loving sleep in each others' arms the rest of Friday night--really into the early hours of Saturday morning.

But, little boys must have their Saturday morning snuggles and cartoons. So Trevor sleepily walks into his Mommy's room as usual around 6:00am with his blankie. As Trevor sleepily climbs into his Mommy's bed, Caroline stirs and sees Trevor sitting next to her on top of the covers. Though she is usually in a nightgown and sleeping alone, Trevor is, at first, too sleepy to notice that his Mommy's shoulders are bare because she is naked under the sheets and lying in bed with the Tall Man who read him a bed time story last night.

Then when Trevor goes to climb over her to his side of the bed, he sees Thomas lying on his back and Thomas is also starting to stir awake.

Trevor: To Thomas, the still sleepy Trevor says matter of factly, as almost three and a half year olds do. "Move over, that's my spot." Trevor is too sleepy to question why the Tall Man is in his Mommy's bed.

And Thomas amusingly obliges Trevor's request and moves over. Then, as Trevor squirms around as he arranges his blankie over himself—since Trevor is on top of the covers and the room is chilly—Trevor spies a U.S. flag tattoo on Thomas' right upper inside arm and Trevor leans over Thomas' bare chest and Trevor touches the tattoo with a perplexed and wondering expression on his little face.

Thomas: Trying to make light conversation while feeling a little awkward being naked under the covers with Caroline—in Trevor's Mommy's bed, Thomas says. "Do you know what that is? It's a U.S. flag. I got it years ago when I was in the military." The words are out of Thomas' mouth before he can stop himself. Thomas realizes that he might be giving away too much information—and too soon--for his little boy and Thomas waits portentously for Trevor's response [(2)].

As this little scene unfolds, Caroline watches the two of them intently—her son Trevor and his father Thomas--knowing what will happen next.

Trevor: Touching Thomas' flag tattoo again, Trevor looks questioningly at Thomas and says slowly as he points. "That's my Daddy's tattoo." Trevor's statement hangs in the air--along with a question that Trevor has yet to ask. Thomas is frozen, not wanting to scare his little boy by revealing himself too quickly. Trevor turns around on the bed so that he is kneeling between Thomas Tall Man and his Mommy Caroline and facing both of his parents. Trevor looks at his Mommy quizzically and asks. "Mommy?"

Caroline: Then Caroline says soothingly as she caresses Trevor's face with her right hand. "Yes, Trevor. That is your Daddy's tattoo."

Trevor: Trevor whips his head around and looks back at Thomas—his sleepiness giving way to understanding. Then Trevor leans over Thomas' chest again putting his hand on Thomas' tattoo once more and says with wonder looking up into Thomas' tear filled eyes. "Daddy?" [(3)]

Thomas: Thomas smiles warmly at his son and puts his left hand on Trevor's face and says. "Yes, Trevor."

Trevor: Now Trevor jumps onto Thomas' chest and pats his hands on Thomas' chest three times as Trevor squeals in obvious delight and happiness. "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! You came home to me! I knew you would. I missed you!" Trevor gives his Daddy a big wet kiss on his cheek and Thomas also kisses Trevor on his cheek. Then, Trevor hugs his Daddy's neck as if he will never let him go.

Thomas: "I love you Trevor. I missed you, too." Father and son smile lovingly at each other. Caroline smiles at both of them.

After Trevor's excitement at meeting his Daddy is thoroughly vented, the little boy nestles comfortably into Thomas' arms. Both Thomas and Caroline are softly crying with this tender moment as they gaze at each other across their pillows and then they gaze at their son.

Trevor: Then, in his excitement at having his Daddy home, Trevor pees a little into his pull ups and whines. "Uh oh! Mommy and Daddy, I peed." Trevor pouts his mouth out in embarrassment since he's becoming a big boy who doesn't do that anymore—except for this morning.

Thomas and Caroline can't help themselves and laugh softly at the absurdity of their toddler boy's timing at this tender moment. It's definitely a family moment.

Caroline: "Trevor honey, that's alright. That happens sometimes. You go into your bathroom and take off your pull-ups and sit on the potty. Daddy and I will be in there in a minute to help you wash up and take a bath. After your bath, you can put on some new pull-ups and get dressed in your play clothes. Okay?" Trevor nods and starts to climb out of bed as Caroline continues telling Trevor—and Thomas—their early morning schedule. "Then we'll have our usual French Toast breakfast all together as a family. Hmmm?" Caroline says all this to reinforce to Trevor that their familiar routines will continue—just that Daddy will be joining them now. Trevor goes to his bedroom to do as his Mommy asks.

Thomas and Caroline smile at each other and Thomas leans over her and they kiss. Then each of them rises to put on their night clothes again before going in to help Trevor clean up—just a normal family scene for this newly reunited family.

***

As Caroline walks out of her bedroom to bathe Trevor in his room, she suggests to Thomas.

Caroline: "Thomas, why don't you take a quick shower in my bathroom here? Then join us in Trevor's bathroom and you can finish bathing him while I take my shower."

Thomas: "Sounds like a plan." Thomas leans down and kisses Caroline tenderly. Then Thomas exhales, saying excitedly. "Whew! Big day!"

Caroline: "That's an understatement!" Caroline says smiling. Then she and Thomas kiss each other lovingly again.

Thomas turns to go and shower in Caroline's bathroom and she leaves to go to Trevor. Trevor is sitting naked on the potty waiting for his Mommy Caroline when she walks into his bathroom. His peed in pull ups are quashed into the plastic lined trash container in the corner of the bathroom--Trevor hoping to hide the evidence of his peeing.

Trevor: "I'm sorry I peed, Mommy." Trevor says still embarrassed.

Caroline: "Oh don't worry about it, sweetheart. That happens sometimes. You were just excited about Daddy being here." Caroline does not want to say Daddy coming home because she does not know what her and Thomas' living arrangements will be.

So for now, Caroline focuses on Trevor and get's a new pair of pull ups out of the package for him to wear r after his bath. "Now, I'll just run your bath. Do you want some bubbles?"

Trevor: Trevor nods his head up and down excitedly. "Yes, please Mommy!"

Caroline runs Trevor's bath and there are lots of bubbles. Then, she goes over to Trevor to help him finish on the small potty chair. Then Caroline dumps its contents into the toilet, Trevor flushes it down. And, then they both wash their hands. Just then, Thomas comes to the bathroom and leans on the door frame smiling at Caroline and Trevor.

Trevor: Waving his had to Thomas, Trevor says animatedly. "Hi Daddy!" Trevor delights in having his Daddy home and being able to say Hi Daddy to him.

Thomas: Thomas waves back at his unabashedly naked son and says smiling as he leans on the bathroom door frame. "Hi Trevor!"

Caroline: Caroline smiles at Thomas and to Trevor and says. "Trevor, show Daddy how safely you can get into the tub." Trevor walks over to the tub and he slowly gets in—laying forward on the edge of the tub, swinging his legs over, and then standing up in the tub--no monkey business. But once Trevor is sitting in the tub, he starts splashing a little bit. Then Caroline says to Thomas. "Thomas, you'll have to watch out for Trevor's splashing, I'm afraid. He's a little devil in that regard. Now, I'll wash his hair and then if you want to help him do the rest—just remind him where he needs his soapy washcloth to go, starting with his face and neck and working down his body. Then, when he's done washing, he's allowed a little play time in the tub with his toys in the basket there before we rinse him and dry him off. I should be back in here by then after my shower."

Thomas: "Can do." Thomas says nodding his head smiling at her. Thomas marvels at the routine Caroline has lined up for this little boy—their son Trevor—to help Trevor learn how to wash himself.

Caroline washes Trevor's hair, taking care not to get soap in his eyes and then she rinses his hair with a large plastic cup--that she takes from the rim of the tub--and she runs more warm water from the faucet for a fresh rinse. Then Caroline stands up and asks to Thomas.

Caroline: "So, do you want to take over, Thomas?"

Thomas: "Absolutely!"

Caroline: "Trevor honey, I'll be back in a few minutes after my shower. Daddy is going to help you finish your bath." Then she says to Thomas. "Thomas, just be sure not to leave him alone in here. There isn't much water in the tub, but you always have to be careful around children."

Caroline smiles at Thomas sheepishly—not sure if she's stating the obvious to him. In her almost three and a half years of being a single mother, Caroline has learned all the do's and don'ts of parenting—and then some—so that it is all second nature to her now. Thomas can see that Caroline is a caring and disciplined mother for little Trevor—giving Trevor structure when he needs it, and the chance to try to do things more on his own, like washing his face and such. Caroline leaves to take her own shower.

Trevor: After washing his face, Trevor smilingly asks. "Daddy?"

Thomas: Thomas looks over at him lovingly. "Yes, Trevor?"

Trevor: "Will you wash my back, please?"

Thomas: "Sure thing!" Thomas says smiling at his little son Trevor's polite request.

Thomas walks over to the tub and kneels down next to it on the plush bath mat. Thomas is wearing his dressy work clothes from yesterday, but he doesn't worry about Trevor getting them wet if he splashes him. Thomas takes the wash cloth from Trevor, soaps it up and runs it over Trevor's shoulders and back. Then he hands the wash cloth back to Trevor and Trevor washes his arms and chest. Then Trevor lifts up his legs one at a time and washes them, but he forgets to do his feet.

Thomas: "Don't forget your toesies, Trevor." Thomas points to the yet to be washed digits.

Trevor: "Thanks Daddy. I always forget 'cause they're so far away." Trevor says this as if it were the most logical reason one could have for not washing his feet and toes—at least it is logical for an almost three and a half year old. So, Trevor washes his feet and toes. Then Trevor stands and washes his pee pee and his bottom, wrings out the wash cloth, and sets the wash cloth on the edge of the tub for his mommy to collect to be laundered.

Thomas: "Okay, now Trevor, I think we have to rinse you. How do you do that?"

Trevor: "Daddy." Trevor rolls his eyes amusingly exasperated, as if his Daddy should already know. "Just like Mommy did with my hair. We turn on the faucet for more warm water and you 'rain' it all over me. But, I want my toys first." Trevor says pointing to the basket of his plastic toys.

Thomas smiles and nods at Trevor. Then he brings the toy basket over to Trevor in the tub for him to select a few toys out of it. Trevor picks a plane—of course—a train and a car. Then Trevor sits back down in his tub and starts playing with them, making noises for each one.

Thomas: "So Trevor, you like things that you ride in?" Thomas asks smiling warmly at his little boy.

Trevor: "Yes. I've got the plane that you ride in Daddy. Whoosh, whoosh." And little Trevor splashes his plane in the water--dousing Thomas a bit.

Thomas: Laughing, Thomas says as he wipes off his face. "So Trevor, did the plane just crash land?"

Trevor: "Nope. Daddy, it's a sea plane now." Little Trevor says with a straight face.

Thomas: Thomas rocks his head back in laughter [(4)]. "Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Good one. So what else have you got there?"

Trevor: After handing the dripping wet plane to his Daddy to put back into the basket, Trevor says. "Daddy, here's my car that Mommy drives. Vroom, vroom." Then Trevor splashes it in the tub water, but Thomas is ready with the towel in front of himself as a shield. Trevor says smiling and widening his eyes to make a point about the towel. "Mommy does that, too." Trevor hands Thomas the wet car that Thomas puts back into the bath tub toy basket.

Thomas: "So Trevor, all you have left is the train?"

By this time, Caroline has come back to Trevor's bathroom and is standing in the doorway watching her son and his father together. Her hair is still wet and flowing over her shoulders since she usually dries her hair with Trevor.

Trevor: Seeing his Mommy, Trevor says. "Daddy and I have been playing with our toys. See our train, Mommy? Choo, choo." Then Trevor splashes the train in the water as Thomas shields himself with the towel again. And then Trevor drops the train over the side of the tub into the toy basket.

Caroline: "Thomas, I see that you've learned to watch out for little Trevor's splashing." She says laughing as she sits down on the closed toilet lid.

Thomas: "Yes, he's terribly good at it." He says also laughing. "I'll just rinse and dry him off."

Thomas carefully runs warm water into the large plastic cup, checking to make sure that it's not too hot. Trevor turns himself front and back to be rinsed. Then little Trevor raises his arms up to his Daddy. Thomas, wraps the towel around Trevor [(5)] and lifts him out of the tub and pulls out the plug so the water can drain out of the tub. Thomas gives Trevor a thorough, but gentle drying from top to bottom—with Thomas kissing Trevor's cheek every so often and little Trevor patting his Daddy's face. Then Trevor runs over to his Mommy to get dressed.

Caroline: "Okay my little man, let's get you in your pull-ups before we blow dry your hair." Trevor steps into each leg and then he pulls up his padded disposable underwear. Then to Thomas, Caroline says "Thomas, Trevor is almost ready to be in big boy underpants during the day. Next year when he goes to pre-school, he'll have to wear them all day. So, we're working on that." Thomas smiles and nods his head.

Trevor: "Mommy, hair dry." Caroline has brought her hair dryer from her bathroom—since she purposely does not leave a hair dryer in Trevor's bathroom for safety reasons--lest Trevor were to get curious and try to plug it in himself.

Caroline: "Okay Trevor honey. Lean back." He does and she carefully dries his hair, making sure that the heat of the dryer doesn't get too close to his skin. Though again, Caroline is having to do this one handed due to her injured left hand still being painful. So, she keeps the hair dryer further away from Trevor's scalp than usual—since her left hand is too injured for her to use as a shield for his scalp as she normally does.

Thomas: Thomas, who has been carefully watching Caroline's parenting skills the last two days--and appreciating her guidance to himself because parenting is all new to him-- says sincerely to her. "Caroline, you're an amazing Mother. Really, you could give a master class on it."

Caroline: She blushes. "Thanks Thomas. We've worked out a system, haven't we Trevor?"

Trevor: "Yes, Mommy." He nods his head. "Now, you dry your hair."

Caroline takes her brush and brushes her hair forward from the back. Then she blow dries her hair —first with her hair over her head from the back as she leans forward, then at each side, and then, finally from the front. This is not an easy feat since she can only hold either the brush or the hair dryer in her right hand, since her left hand is too painful to use. But, she manages. Little Trevor watches his Mommy gleefully. Thomas watches the little hair drying scene between mother and son with delight.

Trevor: And touching his Mommy's now dry hair falling about her shoulders in soft waves [(6)], Trevor says appreciatively. "Pretty Mommy." Then Trevor leans in and kisses his Mommy's cheek and pats her face after she turns off and unplugs the hair dryer.

Caroline: "Thank you Trevor." Caroline blushes and kisses her son Trevor's cheek.

Thomas: Thomas also leans in and kisses Caroline--on her lips. "Pretty indeed."

Then, Caroline and Thomas get Trevor dressed in his play clothes for the day and they all walk into the living area of the apartment to think about breakfast with Daddy.

To be continued with Chapter 5

References for "Fire & Ice" (Revised for Wattpad), Ch. 04, August 06, 2015 Gratiana Lovelace

1) The "Fire & Ice" 2015 story logo is a combination of the following elements edited together by Gratiana Lovelace:

a) Upper left image of Thomas Kane image is Richard Armitage as John Porter and Caroline is Shelly Conn as Dani in Strike Back series 1, epi 5 found at http://www.richardarmitagenet.com/images/gallery/StrikeBack/album/series1/Episode5/ep5_034.jpg;

b) Lower right image of Thomas Kane image is Richard Armitage as Lucas North in Spooks series 7 promo found at http://www.richardarmitagenet.com/images/gallery/Spooks/spookspromo/album/series7-67.jpg

2) Image representing Thomas Kane is that of Richard Armitage portraying Lucas North in Spooks series 8, episode 5 (pix 254)

http://www.richardarmitagenet.com/images/gallery/Spooks/spooks8/album/Episode5/slides/ep5_254.html

3) Image (cropped sized, background mask) representing Trevor in awe of having his Daddy home is a stock photo found at http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/x/1651483http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photos-child-sitting-father-s-shoulders-1651483.jpg

4) Image representing Thomas Kane is that of Richard Armitage portraying John Porter in Chris Ryan's Strike Back Series