Baby Daddy

“Then now is the perfect time for you to figure out who you are without it, or figure out a way to have it in some way. I guess now is the time to figure out who Carter Andrews really is in addition to a dad and a guy that likes football.” Roni chuckled. “Hey I’m just trying to be a friend and conversational. I didn’t know that question was off limits between friends.” Roni was silent as he spoke about love, the fun loving demeanor she had slipped away. “I’ve actually been on both sides of that. Both sets of parents I had loved each other. My parents love each other they’ve been married forever. And my bio parents they loved each other just…my mom was murdered. I see love all around me, but I’ve been that person not romantically but even platonically where something changes and people just stop loving you. And I’ve also been the person that someone loved and you try so fucking hard to love them back, but you feel nothing…just…emptiness. Love is never a guarantee and it’s why it freaks me out so much because love and I have never been good friends. It’s always a risk. I don’t know Hale is…different. I can be me with him. I don’t think about the future. I used to live day to day, but now I find myself planning and thinking days to weeks in advance. I want him to know my kid, my life. I showed him my scars and he showed me his. But I’m terrified to let people in because they leave me. I mean I guess if I’m thinking about it in terms of is being with him worth the risk then yes. My life has been all risk lately and I don’t know if I like it.”

“Yeah but... honestly I got no idea how to even begin to do that,” Carter shrugged, he rolled his eyes at her reply but it didn’t have any real bite to it, and he raised a teasing eyebrow when she declared them friends. “Yeah, I don’t think we’re going to be locker room talk kind of friends,” he chuckled, he just didn't want to admit the last time was when they were both under his stupid wish. “Unless you are an adrenaline junkie, not many people like risks but you just answered both questions so,” he shrugged. “All that it leaves is to... you know... be brave and take the leap or something like that... You know when I'm not sure what to do, I try to imagine what I would do or say if TB was the one with the predicament and came to me for answers because you know? Lead by example and all that, so imagine it was TB in a similar situation hopefully thousands of years into the future, and she felt a similar way to you about love and come to you being confused about what to do, what would you say?”

“Worse than asking a girl to be your girlfriend after she implies that she loves you and then proceeds to dump you even though you weren’t officially together?” Hale asked with a raised brow, before flagging down the bartender and order another round. “Another for me and whatever he’s having. Figure we’re probably going to be here for a while.”

“What?” Carter asked grimacing in confusion, “Ah no? I mean that was too confusing, but not it wasn't bad, bad, it was just... awkward and weird I guess.” Carter shrugged and took the new drink when the bartender placed it in front of him, “Thanks dude, figured you are talking about Roni right? Because if not I advise you to get ready cause I don’t think she’ll go easy on you.”

“Nope. Not kidding you. And seriously? Where in Boston? And you must have been really good then, though right? I never um, I never went to college. I flew out to L.A. and starting taking roles full time the second I got my High School diploma and the rest is sort of history? I did play a cheerleader on TV though once, so my back hand spring didn’t completely go to waste. And wow. So, you’re a hardcore fan then. Do you have a picture of her? And follow up question, do you have one of her wearing a little jersey? Oh, I’m Hayden. It’s nice to meet you too, Carter,” She told him with a soft smile of her own. “I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t mess with a genie if I could help it, not that I’d really know what to wish for anyways.”

“South End,” Carter replied with a smile. “Not that good, I went to a Division II program instead of a Division I which are the ones you see on TV like Clemson and LSU, mostly because of my height, but I was on my way to get to the Division I program or try and skip directly to the NFL as an undrafted prospect.” He explained, Carter laughed hut nodded his head, of course, I do, he said as he fished for his phone and went through the pictures showing them to her before going into his, ‘game day’ album and just handing it to her. “That album goes way back when I still played and I brought her to practices with me, she loves football.” Carter chuckled and shook her head, “I have... it didn’t... turn out as expected, but in my defense, I didn’t believe they were a genie so.”

“As amusing as that sounds, I don’t think it would do anything but make the ghosts laugh at me or try to chuck more crap at my head.”

“Well then I guess I have no idea how to help you dude,” Carter shrugged. “Circle or salt? Get two other people and chant the power of three? Ignore them?”

“That sucks, man. I’m sorry. You know this is one of the few moments I’m happy to have for the most part always been in some sort of relationship. Maybe try meeting someone in person next time? But, Tinder, huh? What made the date so bad, if you don’t mind me askin’ which I figure you don’t seein’ that we’re drinking at a bar and all?”

Carter chuckled. “Yeah, I don’t think I’m good at the whole picking up women in person either, at least not anymore.” He frowned at the thought. “It was not bad, it was just weird... it made me feel weird and it was sort of awkward for both of us or at least that’s the vibe I got...”

Amara couldn’t help but burst out into a little laugh after overhearing the whole conversation. “Oh gosh, I’m so sorry.” And she was, even if it didn’t show through the amusement on her face. “Even I know that tinder isn’t really for dating, it’s for hooking up and I haven’t been on the dating scene in a very long time.” Shaking her head, she put her hand up in defence. “Sorry for the interruption. But if you want to date, I think going out and meeting people is probably safer.”

Carter chuckled. “Yeah, that’s why I gathered.” He rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry about it,” he waved her apology away. “I haven’t been on the dating scene for three years now, give or take, so I don’t think I can go the old fashioned go out and meet people way will make it any easier.”

“Well do you want to practice? We can do some worst date to best date scenarios?” She suggested. “And we can talk about what you’re looking for because if you don’t know you’re doing to just be going on dates with people that aren’t right for you.”

“Well... worse case scenarios I get murdered, probably,” Carter replied shrugging, “best-case scenarios... I don’t know? She’s amazing and my kid loves her and she loves my kid and we fall in love and like... ride into the sunset or whatever? And have 10 kids and with TB that's 11 so enough for a football team,” Carter replied playfully.

“So tell me this, why’d you do it? Not just because your dad suggested it but why else? Because my dad suggests a lot of things and sometimes I don’t necessarily follow them. So ideally if that date would have gone well what’s your idea of a good date?” She wondered. Alexa was trying to help. She didn’t date anymore and would never go onto an app to do it. Afraid to meet someone like her ex and afraid anyone she met could turn into that. But the least she could do was help someone else talk out and make sense of their own romantic lives.

“I haven’t dated anyone in a couple of years, I hadn’t really noticed? Cared? I don’t know until he pointed it out, so I guess I was... I dont know if curious is the right word but yeah.” Carter shrugged. “I dont know really, back then my idea of a good date was if I got laud in the end..”

“So maybe you need to get laid first. Make sure that’s not what you’re looking for or maybe it will help you figure it out? I can set you up if you want?”

Carter couldn’t help but chuckle at that. “You can set it up?” He asked amused, “like with ah.... uhm, escort?”

“People use Tinder for actual dating? I think I’m using it wrong then because generally if I don’t want to come here and pick up a random, I can find one in a couple of swipes. But most of the time we don’t have conversations…” 

“To be honest... I’m not really sure. I was just... sort of making a test run but it wasn’t really helpful, I’m right where I started so.”

“Yeah… Why is that a bad thing or something?” Hayden asked, slightly taken back at how fast he had turned to look at her. “Oh. So, not a bad thing. And I, um, I kinda grew up with the Pats. Actually literally? I grew up a little less than an hour outside of Boston and was a cheerleader in high school, so football sort runs deep with my family,” She admitted, scrunching up her nose ever so slightly at the thought of her cheerleader years. “What’s your three year old’s name? And good to know,” She added with a small smile. “ I’m Hayden, by the way, and I know they’re saying Brady might retire, but I’m saying that he can’t until he makes it to the Superbowl one last time.”

“No! Are you kidding me? That’s wicked awesome! I’m from Boston, I played Football in high school and then I played in a Division II college and I wanted to get to a Division I and then make it to the NFL... Obviously, that didn’t happen.” He shrugged but then raised his sleeve to show her his tattoo. “Oh...” He chuckled. “Her name is Tommy Braeden.” Carter shrugged. “I’m Carter, is nice to meet you!” Carter said with a smile. “I know right? I’d find a genie and make that wish if it weren’t because... Well they’re tricky as hell and I wouldn’t want to risk TB12 like that.”

“So what are you like when you’re not trying to actively find dates on Tinder?  What’s your game normally like? Are you a charmer? Do you do pickup lines? Honestly, you’re incredibly handsome so I don’t think you’ll have much trouble getting dates but you might have a few that aren’t really interested in a conversation.”

“I... Back then I didn’t have Tinder.. I just went to a party flirter and got flirted with while I drank and then we would find a place fuck and that was it.” He shrugged. “I... This is a lot more awkward sober, you know? I don’t know, I guess I tried being charming?” He shook his head. “Thank you... I don’t really know what I want, it was a test run and it didn’t really clear things up for me.”

“So generally, if you don’t put anything about yourself in your profile, it gives off this vibe that you’re only after one thing. And you attract people that aren’t into getting to know you, just into how you look. You are the same just a dad. But not everyone’s down with kids so you gotta let them know upfront, so you can weed out the people that are going to be weird out by children. I can help you pick way better pictures than I’m sure you picked.” She scrunched her face. “Ew. No, first off I’m never that because half the time I don’t believe in happy endings. The only one I’ve ever held onto is getting better to eventually be reunited with T, or hoping that she would love me as much as I love her. But anyway…I kind of get it except I went the opposite way, people could have my body just not my anything else. No conversations no ties, just leave after. I was literally trying to fill a void.” She took a sip of her drink trying to think of how to phrase what she wanted to say. “I don’t think you’re off your game. I just think you’re maturing and frat boy jock drunken charm doesn’t get you anywhere you want to be anymore. I think you have to get some new game. When’s the last time you actually got lucky? How’d you charm you way into that person’s pants?” She finished off her beer and said, “Okay, it’s probably not funny more sad. My last relationship before whatever I’m doing with Hale, I said the L word to her. Convinced myself it was love just because I wanted to feel something. But it wasn’t she knew and I knew. Then the first time I acknowledge that I feel something even remotely like love, it’s during strip never have I ever, and I thought since Hale is blind he’s not going to know, right? Maybe I could slip off clothing and pass it off like I’m just hot or something. But nope. We had a conversation and I’m pretty sure I had a panic attack. And a one-way conversation where it was like I was breaking up with myself.” 

“I don’t really know what I want to be honest... I don’t really know... I mean, I had one girlfriend and then I went off to college, I had a lot of hookups then and then you and I went back and it was more of the same, my life was football, but then TB happened and I lost football so I just focused on what I had which was her and being on my own I didn’t had a lot of time to do much besides work and take care of her, and... now she’s older and you’re helping so I just... I don’t know I guess I never really imagined my life without Football and I focused so much on just being a dad to forget about the football thing that I don’t really know what else there is.” Carter shrugged and downed his drink before ordering another. “Hey, I’m calling it how I see it.” Carter just shot her a look before rolling his eyes. “That is none of your business.” He huffed. “My parents love each other and that’s rare, you know? But I’ve known people that said they love each other and then it ends, and yeah sometimes people make mistakes which is fine cause then you think it’s easy, all you need to do is not fuck up... But then sometimes love just... runs out, I guess, things changes and feelings change, I don’t know, but I’ve seen people that said they love each other and then when I asked what happens they just said something changed, and that’s scary because you think if you’re ever in love what if that happens? But what if that happens to the other person and not you and then they just stop loving you like that but you are left with all this feelings? I can’t really help you with your thing, I guess it all comes down to if you think the dude’s worth taking the risk or not... “ He said as he peeled the label of his new beer before he looked at her with a frown. “Or maybe if you’re scared that may mean is not?” He shook his head and shrugged. “I really don’t know, I’ve never really being in love, I don’t really know if it’s something I want.” The only time he had, he was under the influence of a wish so that wasn’t real, and it was probably different in real life.

“I mean…the getting drunk and getting laid thing isn’t so bad. It’s less complicated, more fun and takes all the stupid heart ache out of the equation. Oh wait…I’m supposed to be helping. I’ve done the whole dating thing before. It was…you have to trial and error a lot. Then you meet a person that actually wants to know more about you, and you them. Then you click and it’s easy. Maybe sometimes not a love connection but even if not you still make a friend sometimes. But not everyone’s going to be that way. Maybe put the fact that you have a daughter in the profile? So you weed out the people that can’t handle it. You wanna hear a funny yet very sad story about my love life? Might cheer you up.” 

“Oh... right, I didn’t even know what t put on my bio... It has my name and my age and the pictures, which was also really awkward to pick... Like I realized I am a dad but I thought I was just... you know? The same but with a daughter, now after this I feel... Old.” He shuddered. “I feel like... like an old man or something. “You sound like a Hallmark movie.” Carter teased. “I preferred the drinking and getting laid but I only did that a couple of times after getting TB.” He said, he was trying to be better so he stopped using words like dropped, abandoned and things like that. “Minus the getting drunk, the whole dating and getting laid just wasn’t that important... and I’m just.. out of my game? Rusty or something I don’t know.” Carter shrugged. “Ah sure, give me a real bad one.”

“What happened, Cutie? I’ve kissed a lot of frogs myself on Tinder, and I had to get off. There’s a lot of dry conversation like pulling teeth at times and then people just start in on the nudes. Half the time I don’t even get to the let’s meet up and the date part.” 

“I... I’m just... way out of my game you know? Yeah, I got a couple of matches and the conversations have been...” He trailed off and just winced. “We didn’t even chat that long, she was just like let’s meet and I figured why not? I mean...  I just realized I’m... way out of my game.”

“You’re a charming guy, so women get all glittery around you and it just sort of happens easily, right? Am I understanding that correctly? But hey, at least you’re trying.” Eliza offered. “I used to do that. Just hook up, no feelings. And then I added feelings. And I’ve gotten hurt both ways, so… I commend you for putting yourself out there.”

Originally posted by shipsnthenight

“Oh no, not at all, I got drunk in college and slept with girls that were just as drunk, consenting of course but what I mean is, I used to be a Football player, so from High School and through my short time in college I would go to a party drink, hit on girls or get hit on and then have drunken sex... That’s how the daughter was born actually... A week-long drunken sex marathon in Florida... I think Roni and I need to clean up our story a bit and maybe make it less... Trashy, for when TB is old enough and asks.”

“Let me guess, you got catfished? Did your dad tell you to get on Tinder? What kind of people are you swiping right on?” she wondered. “I’ll buy your drink since you’re out here having a shit night. I still want to hear this story about this bad date, and I’m going to laugh. But it’s only fair because you’d laugh at my ass if I had a horror story date.” 

“I did not get catfished.” Carter huffed. “My dad doesn’t know what Tinder is,” Carter said shaking his head. “He told me to start dating again...” That wasn’t exactly what his father had said, his speech had been about him putting his life on hold for his daughter but that he could be a good dad and still live his life especially now that ‘that woman’ was helping him out. “It’s not like it was a disaster or something bad happened, it was just... awkward, like back then I just got drunk and got laid... We went for a cup of coffee in the afternoon, it was fine... at first, well sort of, this whole getting to know people can be really boring but then I mentioned TB and she freaked as if I was gonna get her pregnant or looking for a new mommy for TB or something. I pretended I got a call from the babysitter after that.”