She ruffled his hair. "Yes. I'll talk to Kip so we can decorate a room there for you and all that."
"And I'm taking my toys and stuff right?"
Mandy stifled her laughter. "Yes. Of course. Maybe a new bed. There's some stuff that will have to go. Geez, okay," she shook her hands out. "You wanted to ask me something."
"Is Kip going to be my dad?"
"Colton, your dad will always be your dad."
She glimpsed a pained look on his face, before he dropped his head. "Yeah, but, he doesn't really love me. Or you."
"Why do you think that?"
"Well, he never visits. And I never visit him. Alison, this girl in my class, he doesn't live with his dad, but she sees him in the summer and stuff."
Mandy felt a pang in her gut. Had she been depriving Colton of his father? That was going to take some consideration. "Do you want to visit your dad? We could figure something out."
"I don't know. Does he want me to visit?"
"I don't know either. Do you want me to ask him?"
"Yeah," the reply was soft, tenuous.
Mandy pulled Colton into her arms. "I will talk to him and we'll figure something out, if that's what you want."
"You're not mad?"
"Why would I be mad?" She was in awe. She didn't want to let Colton go yet. She didn't know that Eric could handle it, but she was going to have to learn to let go sooner or later. She'd figure something out that worked for all of them. But, to have him pick up on that fear. Or to create his own.
"I thought maybe you'd think that I didn't want to be with you."
"Hey, Cole, honey. I love you and I don't want you to go. But you need to see your dad as well." He nodded in response, looking serious. "We will find a way to make it work."
"Okay."
"All right. Kip loves you too, but your dad is your dad. Anything else that worries you?"
Colton shook his head and crawled under his blankets. He pulled them up to his chin. "I'm sleepy now." Mandy kissed his forehead and smoothed his hair.
"Good night Colton. You're a pretty cool kid." She headed for the door and was reaching for the light.