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No one ever prepared Buck on what to do when a toddler is brought to your home by a social worker.
No one ever told Buck what to do when the toddler happened to look exactly like his best friend, whom he may or may not have a crush on.
“Can you tell me your name again, angel?” Buck asked. The girl was sitting on the dining table in front of him, her legs dangling back and forth. She remained silent, continuing to stare at Buck. She looked like a baby deer.
“Carmen,” she whispered.
“That is a beautiful name,” Buck told her. Carmen smiled.
That was an Eddie smile.
Oh, right, Eddie. Buck had to call Eddie. His life depended on it.
“Carmen, do you like painting?” Buck asked. He needed to distract her while he made the most important phone call of his life. Her eyes widened, and she nodded.
Carmen was now on his “living room” floor, painting to her toddler's heart's content. However, Buck was pacing back and forth in the kitchen, his finger hovering over Eddie’s contact.
He finally had the courage to click it. The phone rang, and it rang. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Eddie picked up.
“Hey, Buck, is everything alright?”
God, Buck loved his voice.
“Do you think you can come over, like right now, if it’s possible?” He tried to sound confident, but his tone betrayed him.
“I’m coming right now.” The line disconnected. Eddie was on his way to Buck’s loft. Eddie was about to meet Buck’s daughter. Eddie was about to meet his identical twin in toddler form.
He turned around and saw his daughter covered in paint.
“You got more paint on yourself than the paper,” Buck laughed. Carmen giggled and showed Buck the painting she had done.
“It’s Bambi,” she said.
“Bambi is my favorite movie,” Buck responds.
“Really?” she gasps. Buck nods, and she jumps in joy. Buck lifts her and heads to the bathroom.
“Yes, really, but right now, we need to wash you up.”
“Wash, wash, wash,” she sang.”
All the paint was off her hands and face when Eddie entered Buck’s house.
“Buck? Where are you? Are you okay?” He could hear Eddie searching around his loft. He exited the bathroom, in one arm, he had a colorful towel that used to be white. In the other arm was Carmen.
“Oh my god, Buck, what happened-” Eddie stopped mid-sentence when he saw Buck carrying a young girl.
“Buck”
“Yes, Eddie.”
“Who is she?”
“I’m Carmen.”
“Hello, Carmen, I’m Eddie.” Carmen smiled, and Eddie smiled back.
“Carmen, how about you go play while Eddie and I talk?” Buck suggested. Carmen remained silent before nodding. Buck smiled and set her back on the ground. She waddled into the living room and played with the building blocks Buck bought when he first met Denny.
“It’s a long story, Eddie.”
“I am willing to listen, Buck, I’m willing to listen to whatever you have to say.”
“Earlier this morning, a social worker came by,” Buck began. He hesitated to continue, but Eddie urged him to finish. “He mentioned that she was my daughter, and her mom died.”
“Did you know her mom?”
“Yes, we were good friends, but one day she just stopped talking to me. I didn’t blame her, I am a sorry excuse of a friend.”
“Buck, you are the best friend anyone can ask for,” Eddie reassures him. He puts his hand on Buck’s shoulder to offer support. “Plus, you can be more,” he mutters under his breath.
“What was that?” Buck asked.
“Nothing, continue telling me about the cutest kid in the world.
“You’re only saying that because she looks exactly like you,” Buck smirks.
“Maybe.”
“Okay, apparently she got pregnant, I understand why she didn’t tell me, I wasn’t the most responsible person at the time.”
“What happened to her?”
“Her name was Mallory, and the social worker refused to tell me. Now I have sole custody of a two-year-old, and I have no idea what to do, Eddie. I only have one bedroom,” Buck sobs quietly so Carmen won’t hear him.
“Move in with me.”
“Eddie, what?”
“You two should move in with me,” Eddie repeated.
“Eddie, I can’t do that to you.”
“I won’t mind.”
“What about Chris?”
“Buck, Chris wanted you to move in the moment you dropped me off at his school. He loves you.” Buck let the tears fall, and Eddie wiped them away with his thumb.
“I don’t want to fail her, I don’t want to fail her like I fail everyone around me,” Buck whispered.
“You never failed me,” Eddie whispered back.
—
Buck was now in Eddie’s living room, surrounded by moving boxes and a sleeping Carmen in his arms. Her head was resting on his chest, and he brushed the curls out of her face.
“Wow, she looks just like dad,” Chris said, walking into the living room.
“That is what I said when I first saw her, I thought you had a secret sister.”
“It’s funny.”
“What is funny?”
“Well, Carmen is your daughter, and she looks like my dad, and I look like you. Plus, you are my dad's best friend.”
“Yeah, it is kind of funny,” Buck chuckles.
“I have Carmen’s bed all set up,” Eddie said.
He was wearing his gym shorts, and his hair was free from the gel. Buck had to admit he looked really good. Plus, it is totally normal to want to kiss your best friend when he looks hot.
“Thank you, Eddie.”
“Want me to tuck her in?”
“I can do it.” Buck tucks his daughter into her new butterfly bed; she stirs a bit, but then snores quietly. He exits the room slowly and closes the door quietly.
“I’m a dad now.”
“Buck, you were always a dad.”
—
“Eddie, how do you turn the couch into a bed?” Buck yelled out from the living room.
“You can’t, but don’t worry, I will sleep on the couch,” Eddie responded. Buck could not allow Eddie to sleep on the couch in his own home.
“I can’t let you do that, Eddie. This is your home?”
“Our home, Buck, this is our home.”
“Okay, but you lived here first.”
“Then we can share the bed.” The idea of sharing the bed with Eddie made Buck’s heart go fast.
“What?”
“I don’t mind sharing the bed with you,” Eddie reassured him.
“Are you sure?”
“Positive, I call the left side.”
“And I call the right,” Buck laughed.
Eddie’s bed was comfortable; it felt like he was supposed to be there, as he belonged. Eddie knew Carmen for less than 5 minutes, and he offered his home to Buck.
He was a good friend. He was a great friend. Buck didn’t want to be friends with Eddie.
“I put you as Carmen’s emergency contact at her daycare.”
“Yeah?” Eddie asked, turning around to face Buck.
“Yeah, I did.”
“I’m glad you trust me with her.”
“I trust you more than anyone.” They remained silent, letting their eyes do all the talking.
“I am really glad I met you, Eddie.”
“I am glad I met you, Buck.” Buck looked at Eddie’s lips, then his eyes. When Eddie nodded, he leaned in. Just as they were about to kiss, they were interrupted by two very cute kids and a knock on the bedroom door.
Chris and Carem were standing in front of Eddie’s door. Chris was holding Carmen’s hand, and Carmen was holding the deer Eddie got her. She named it Bambi.
“Hey, kids, do you two need anything?” Eddie asked.
“Since this is their first night here, we were wondering if we could sleep with you guys?” Chris responded. Carmen nodded and gave Eddie the sad doe eyes.
“What do you think, Buck? Should we have a sleepover with our kids?”
“I think that is a great idea.” Chris and Carmen got between Buck and Eddie. They both fell asleep right away.
“I love you, Eddie.”
“I love you, Buck.”