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“Lexi’s in the living room.” Ben pointed out, leaning up to kiss Callum. “Can you watch her while we finish this?”
“Yeah, course.” Callum smiled, and passed his boyfriend, walking into the house.
It was the start of summer, and, as promised, they were all off on a weekend excursion. Two couples, and one child. Which means a packed car, filled to the brim with bags, bags and more bags. It was only supposed to be three days, but still the car was ready to burst with the amount of things that had been unnecessarily shoved into it. There was no way Lexi needed three different buckets and spades - but no doubt she would come away from the holiday with even more to choose from.
Callum walked into the living room, and saw Lexi standing in front of the television, a music channel on as she danced along to the music, hat perched on her head and sun glasses already on, prepared and clearly excited for her mini-holiday.
“Callum!” she shouted, finishing a pirouette before running over to him, arms wide as he picked her up.
“You ready for the holiday then Lex?” He asked, placing her back down on the ground.
Their relationship had grown stronger the longer that he had been around Ben. Callum never really thought about having kids when he was younger, just assuming that it would happen if it happened, and then when he realised his true sexuality, he thought that it would never actually happen. But now, he was happy. He was with the man he loved, and they had a family set up going on – albeit not conventional – but when was anything? It just worked for them all, and Lexi was spoilt rotten, with so many adults who loved her and cared for her, in her life.
“Yeah!” she giggled, jumping up and down. Callum sat down on the sofa, knowing that they would be finished packing the car soon, with three of them working on it. “Mummy said we ride some donkeys on the beach! And daddy’s given me twenty pounds!”
“Are you going to pay for all my ice creams then?” Callum laughed.
Lexi laughed, and flung herself onto the sofa besides Callum, her little legs swinging mid air as she struggled to reach the floor. “Don’t be silly, Cal.” She berated, with a giggle and a cheeky smile. “Daddy can pay for yours!”
“I think you’ll be the one to tell him that.” Callum chuckled.
“Can I ask you something?” Lexi inquired, pressing her body into the side of Callum’s. She did this when she was tired, or nervous, but never to Callum. It was always to Ben. Callum loved it, especially when Lexi was tired out from a day at school, Ben stressed with work worries, and she would be in her pyjamas, cuddled into Ben’s side, reducing his stress instantly. It only ever got better when Ben would pick her up, Lexi having long since drifted off into a deep sleep, and she would sleepily wrap her arms around Ben, letting him carry her to her bed. It was nice. Familial. Something that Callum never thought he would be fortunate enough to experience.
Callum stroked her hair, placing it over her shoulder, watching as it curled under his touch. “Course you can darling.”
“Can I call you daddy Callum?” she asked innocently.
Callum’s mouth opened in shock, his throat contracting and suddenly going dry. His hand stilled, and he stopped stroking her hair. His mind raced in over time, and he was certain a blush had risen on his cheeks.
“Car’s packed, time to go.” Ben shouted from the kitchen. “Lexi, run to the toilet quickly please.”
Callum stood up, and watched as Lexi skipped upstairs, delighted that the holiday was happening. He walked into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around Ben, sinking into his body. “I love you.” He whispered. “So much.”
Ben grinned, and turned under Callum’s hold, pressing his head to Callum’s chest, letting the taller man envelop him completely. “I love you too.” Ben smiled, tilted his head for a few seconds, just to press a kiss to his chest. “What’s all this in aid of?”
“Nothing.” Callum smiled. “I’ll get in the car, shall I?”
“Hmm.” Ben hummed, lips connected to Callum’s, savouring the moment. “I’ll get it out of you eventually. You’re in the passenger seat, kick Jay out of it. I’m driving. Want you next to me.”
The sand was warm under their feet, too dry for Lexi to build sandcastles, unless she walked to the shore with a bucket to collect some water. It was too hot to do that really, so after having a short ride on the back of a donkey, she started to dig the sand, with no real aim - except she found great pleasure in putting it over Jay, who had fallen asleep whilst sunbathing.
“You gonna tell me what’s wrong?” Ben asks, nudging into Callum’s side.
Callum faces his boyfriend, and smiles. “Nothing’s wrong. It’s just Lex.”
“I thought you loved her?” Ben asks, suddenly nervous. He thought he finally had it all. The family he had always longed for. A man he loved, and who loved him. A daughter who was out of this world. Best friends, more like family than his own biological ones. He runs his fingers through dried sand, raking them through and watching as the grains have way under his touch.
Suddenly, his hand is encompassed by Callum’s, stilling his movements. “I do!” Callum confirms,hurt that Ben could even think that he doesn’t. “God, of course I love that little girl. I love the bones of the both of ya. It’s just - promise you won’t kick off?”
Ben smiles slightly, letting his finger lock with Callum’s, the warmth of the touch sending shivers down his spine. He nods.
“Before we left, Lexi...she asked if she could call me her dad.” Callum explains, the words tumbling off his tongue, terrified that Ben wouldn’t want that at all.
“Oh.” Ben smiles softly, a flutter in his stomach. Of course she did. He presses a kiss to Callum’s shoulder, and then rests his chin there. “Do you want her to?”
Callum watches as Lexi tries not to laugh, pouring more and more sand over Jay’s body. “I love her like she’s mine, you know that. But does that mean I’m ready to be a dad to her?”
“I think so.” Ben smiles.
“Yeah?” Callum asks. “Do you mind that she wants to call me that?”
Ben shakes his head. “Callum, I love it.” He admits. “You’re my boyfriend, and I love you. If I have it my way, you’re going to be in her life for a very long time. You love her, and you’d do anything for her, so if she wants to call you Daddy Callum, and you want that too, I couldn’t think of anything better.”
Callum grins, wrapping his arm around Ben, pulling their bodies together. “When did I get so lucky, eh?” He chuckles.
“About the time you kissed me in the park.” Ben laughs in response.
Callum rolls his eyes, but leans in for a kiss all the same. It was short and sweet, and they both jumped at the same time when Jay leaps up from his sand body wrap, chasing after Lexi, who runs towards Ben and Callum.
Ben pulls her in for a cuddle, and Callum grabs the hat that had come flying off of her head when she sat down with them. “Callum was just telling me something, princess.” Ben spoke, wiping her hair out of the way of her eyes. “You want to call him Daddy Callum?”
Lexi nods. “Can I?” she asks, smiling up at both of them.
Callum grins, pulling her in for a cuddle of his own. “If that’s what you want darling, then I’d be honoured to be your dad.”
And if Ben cries the first time Lexi does it, calls Callum, “Daddy Callum”, with pink ice cream all around her mouth, toothless grin beaming on her face, nobody really needs to know.