Dad time

                                    

                                          
Matt
                          
I thought it was time to spend some quality time with the boys. Life got busy for us, and the boys were growing up. I missed it when they were younger. I took them hiking since we could talk. 
                          
"Did mom threaten you?" Nate asked me. 
                          
"No, your mom didn't threaten me," I answered. 
                          
"Are you sure?" Deacon questioned. 
                          
"Yeah," I replied. 
                          
"Are you lying?" Elias inquired. 
                          
I stopped and looked at the boys. "Look, I wanted to spend time with you. We won't get many chances like these, and you will be off having lives of your own," I explained. 
                          
My boys looked at me as I looked at them. I remember when they were younger. You never imagine your kids getting older, but one day, they do. 
                          
We started walking, making our way along the trail. "How did you know you were in love with mom?" Elias asked casually. 
                          
I stopped as Nate and Deacon looked at me strangely. I looked at Elias curiously. 
                          
"Why do you want to know?" I asked. 
                          
"I don't know. It seems like it's always been that way," Elias answered with a shrug. 
                          
I looked at my boys. "It wasn't always that way between your mom and me. We spent many years apart because I thought I was doing the right thing," I said, finding a rock to sit down. 
                          
The boys found a log to sit on as we rested. 
                          
"So when did you fall in love with mom?" Nate asked me. 
                          
"The night I met your mom at a party when I was at college," I replied. 
                          
"You went to college?" Deacon asked incredulously. 
                          
"You make it sound like I'm not intelligent enough to attend college. College wasn't my thing, so I left," I answered. 
                          
"Why did it take so long to realize that mom was who you wanted?" Elias questioned. 
                          
I looked at Elias as he looked at me. I understood my boys in a way that no one did. I knew why Elias asked these questions. 
                          
"Because I thought your mom wanted someone else.  I figured if I didn't interfere, then she could feel happy. See, your mom didn't have the best childhood growing up. She dated a few guys that weren't right for her because they couldn't give her what she needed," I explained. 
                          
"What did mom need?" Nate asked. 
                          
"Your mom needed someone who fought for her and loved her unconditionally. She needed someone to protect her. When you love a woman, you do everything in your power to protect them," I reasoned. 
                          
"Yeah, but most girls can take care of themselves," Deacon replied. 
                          
"No, dipshit, dad means a girl still needs someone to rescue them," Nate countered. 
                          
"No, that's not what I meant," I said. 
                          
"So we rescue the girl, then let them take care of themselves," Deacon remarked. 
                          
"No," I replied. 
                          
"Then what do we do?" Nate questioned. 
                          
"Not that," I answered. 
                          
Nate and Deacon got up and walked away. 
                          
"I don't think dad knows anything about girls," Nate told Deacon. 
                          
"Maybe we should ask mom," Deacon suggested. 
                          
I sighed as Elias looked at me.