CHAPTER THREE: THE FIRST STEPS

A few days later, Logan found himself standing outside a small café, nervously tapping his foot. Maya had agreed to meet him for coffee to discuss what would happen next. He was grateful for the chance, but the weight of the situation was starting to sink in. They had a lot to figure out, and Logan knew it wouldn’t be easy.

Maya arrived a few minutes later, looking tired but determined. “Hey,” she greeted, giving him a small smile.

“Hey,” Logan replied, holding the door open for her. “Thanks for meeting me.”

They found a quiet table in the corner and sat down. For a few moments, neither of them spoke. The silence was thick with the tension of everything unsaid.

“So,” Maya began, fiddling with her coffee cup. “We need to talk about how we’re going to handle this.”

Logan nodded. “Yeah, I’ve been thinking about that. I don’t want to rush things, but I also don’t want to waste any more time. Ethan deserves to know who I am.”

Maya sighed. “I know, Logan. But we can’t just drop this on him out of nowhere. He’s still a kid, and this is going to turn his world upside down.”

Logan leaned forward, his voice soft but firm. “I get that, Maya. I do. But I’ve missed out on five years of his life. I don’t want to miss any more.”

Maya took a deep breath, nodding slowly. “You’re right. We need to tell him. But we have to be careful about how we do it. I don’t want him to feel confused or betrayed.”

Logan frowned, thinking. “What do you suggest? How do we even start a conversation like that?”

Maya bit her lip, staring down at her hands. “I’ve been reading about it, actually. There are ways to explain things to kids so they can understand without feeling overwhelmed. We need to let him know that you’re someone important to him, and that Richard didn’t replace you. We just need to do it step by step.”

Logan’s jaw clenched at the mention of Richard, but he kept his voice steady. “I won’t badmouth Richard. He’s been there for Ethan when I couldn’t be. But Ethan has a right to know the truth.”

Maya nodded. “We’ll have to talk to Richard too. He needs to be in the loop.”

Logan’s eyes widened slightly. “You want me to talk to him?”

Maya hesitated. “It’s not going to be easy, but yeah, I think it would be better if you both talked. Richard has always been supportive of me, but this is going to be hard for him. I don’t want this to turn into a fight.”

Logan sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I’ll do it. I’ll talk to him. But we need to set some boundaries. I want to be Ethan’s father, Maya. Not just some guy who shows up every now and then.”

Maya’s eyes softened. “I know, Logan. And I want that for you too. But we have to take it slow. Ethan is used to Richard being there every day. You can’t just replace that.”

“I’m not trying to replace it,” Logan said, his voice quiet but firm. “I just want to find my place in his life.”

Maya looked at him, her expression thoughtful. “Maybe we can start with you spending more time with him. Like we did at the park. Let him get comfortable with you before we explain everything.”

Logan nodded, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “I’d like that. The zoo idea seemed to excite him. Maybe we can do that next?”

Maya smiled back. “Yeah, I think he’d love that. He talks about dinosaurs all the time. He even sleeps with a stuffed T-Rex.”

Logan chuckled. “A stuffed T-Rex? Sounds like my kind of kid.”

Maya laughed softly, and for a moment, the tension between them eased. It was nice, just for a second, to laugh about something normal.

Then the seriousness of the situation returned. Maya’s face grew thoughtful again. “There’s something else we need to talk about, though.”

Logan raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”

“Richard,” she said, her voice quiet. “He’s been a big part of Ethan’s life. I don’t want to push him away, but I also don’t want things to get confusing for Ethan. How do we handle that?”

Logan frowned, thinking. “We need to be honest with Richard. He needs to know that I’m not going away. But we also need to respect the role he’s played in Ethan’s life. I’m not here to cause drama, Maya. I just want to be a father.”

Maya nodded slowly. “I think Richard will understand, but we need to have that conversation sooner rather than later. Ethan’s happiness is the most important thing here. We need to make sure this doesn’t turn into a tug-of-war between you two.”

Logan sighed. “You’re right. I’ll talk to him. I’ll make sure he knows I’m not here to fight. But I’m also not going to step aside.”

Maya looked relieved. “Thank you. I know this is hard, but I think it’s the best way forward.”

Logan leaned back in his chair, staring out the window. “It’s not just hard, Maya. It’s terrifying. I don’t know how to be a dad. I don’t even know where to start.”

Maya smiled softly. “You don’t have to figure it out all at once. Just take it one day at a time. Spend time with Ethan, get to know him, and let him get to know you. The rest will come.”

Logan nodded, his chest tightening with a mix of fear and hope. “I want to do this right. I want to be there for him in a way I never got to be before.”

Maya reached across the table, placing her hand over his. “You’re already doing better than you think, Logan. You showed up. That’s more than most people would do.”

Logan smiled, feeling a bit lighter. “Thanks, Maya. That means a lot.”

Maya smiled back. “We’re in this together. For Ethan.”

Logan nodded, his resolve strengthening. “For Ethan.”

They sat there for a moment, the weight of their decision settling in. It wouldn’t be easy, but they both knew it was the right thing to do. For Ethan’s sake, they had to make it work.

“Okay,” Logan said, breaking the silence. “When do we tell him?”

Maya thought for a moment. “Let’s plan the zoo trip first. After that, we can sit down and talk to him. We’ll explain everything gently.”

Logan agreed. “The zoo it is, then.”

Maya smiled, standing up from the table. “I’ll call you with the details. We’ll make it a good day for him.”

Logan stood up as well, his heart lighter than it had been in a long time. “I can’t wait.”

As they walked out of the café together, Logan felt a sense of hope growing inside him. This was just the beginning, but it was a step in the right direction. He was finally starting to be a part of his son’s life, and for the first time in years, Logan felt like things might actually turn out okay.