The next evening when Lin knocked on Kate's door, he knew immediately something was wrong. Kate seemed like a pretty laid-back person, and she was uptight and anxious. Maddie was running around, being a normal four year old, but the little girl seemed to be testing her mother's patience.

"Maddie, you need to quiet down," she told her daughter firmly. "We don't need the neighbors calling management again."

She went into the kitchen and I followed her. As she put a few dishes in the sink, I walked up beside her and put a hand on her hip.

"You okay?" he asked, gently stroking with my thumb.

She sighed and leaned on the counter with both hands. "My ex," she began. "He's petitioning for joint custody of Madeline."

Lin sighed and then leaned back against the counter, folding my arms. "Seriously? Hasn't he been MIA for the last two years?"

"Yep," she said, pouring herself a glass of wine. "Want some?"

"Sure," he agreed.

"There's not really anything I can do about it," she admitted. "He's her biological father. He doesn't have a prison record and he's gainfully employed. There's no reason the courts wouldn't give him joint custody."

"Well, could you argue that it would be too much to have joint custody right away?" he pointed out. "Couldn't it start out with every other weekend or every Wednesday or something?"

"Maybe," she said, her face looking off in the distance in concentration, planning. "I'm just worried about Maddie. She has no memory of him at all. I don't even talk about her father with her. I don't want her getting disappointed."

Lin nodded in understanding, knowing there wasn't much he could do to quell her fears. The courts were allowing fathers more and more rights these days.

"Do you think he'd disappear again?" He asked her gently.

"I wouldn't put it past him," she said and took a long swig of wine. "He hasn't even sent her a birthday card."

Lin shook his head, not understanding how people could just ignore their own children. If he had kids, he'd be in their lives constantly, whether he was with their mother or not. As Kate reached for the wine bottle again, Lin gently took it away from her and set it back on the counter.

"Let's go out, the three of us," he suggested. "Take your mind off things."

She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I look like crap."

"Go take a shower," he suggested. "You'll feel better.  I'll watch Maddie."

"Are you sure?" She asked, thinking the offer sounded really good.

"Of course," he said, stepping forward and planting a kiss on her forehead. "Go."

Kate disappeared down the hall to enjoy her shower as Lin sat down in the living room where Maddie was playing. Maddie launched herself at Lin, and he proceeded to tickle her gently.

"What are you up to, you little monkey?" He asked her.

"I'm playing Wonder Woman!" she told him, if he hadn't guessed from her outfit. Apparently she was obsessed. She had the full costume, including a headband. She stood up and struck a pose and proceeded to demonstrate a couple stealthy moves. The four year old kicked into the air and protected herself against attack using her shield. He played along, tossing a toy block at her shield.

When Kate walked back into the room 20 minutes later, the living room was a mess. Blocks and toys were everywhere, and Maddie had Lin pretend locked-up in jail underneath the kitchen table.

"Do I get a phone call?" he asked.

"No," she said decisively in a commanding voice.

"I haven't been reading my Miranda rights," he protested, causing Kate to chuckle. The reference went over Maddie's head, of course.

"Silence!" She commanded him. "You will only receive broccoli to eat for the next 5 weeks."

He gasped dramatically. "Broccoli for 5 weeks?!"

"Yes," she said. "Don't argue, or I'll make it asparagus and your pee will smell funny."

Lin suppressed a laugh and Kate shook her head.

"Alright, Maddie," she said. "I think it's time you let Lin out of jail. It's time to pick up this mess."

"But mommy," she protested.

"No buts," she told her daughter. "Once you clean up we can go to the park."

The promise made a difference. Lin got out and helped Maddie clean up the vast number of blocks and other toys he'd pelted her shield with. After 5 minutes or so, the place was looking picked up. The three of them headed out the door and walked down the street together. Maddie insisted on walking in the middle and swinging in between.

"1-2-3!" she prompted them, and the adults lifted her up for some air-time. They reached the park and let Maddie run wild as they relaxed on a park bench.

"She's so creative," Lin observed as they watched her interacting with other kids.

"That she is," Kate agreed. "She has a very active imagination. I imagine you did as a kid as well?"

"My parents would probably agree with that," Lin admitted. "I was always making up stories. We're kindred spirits."

Kate was quiet for a few long moments. "Lin...I don't want Maddie to get too attached if you're not..."

"If I'm not..." Lin prompted her.

"If you're not thinking about this long term," she finished. "If Maddie gets too attached to you and it doesn't work out, she'll be devastated. You're becoming a big part of her life right now. More so than her father."

Lin nodded in understanding. "I know," he said. "I would never want to upset Maddie. And I'm not going anywhere."

"What do you mean?" Kate asked, looking at him. Lin took her hand in his.

"I want to be with you," he told her. "I'm crazy about you, and I'm crazy about your kid too."

"So, are we making this official?" She asked him.

Lin nodded. "Boyfriend and girlfriend?"

Kate wrapped her arm around him and rested her head on his shoulder. "Boyfriend and girlfriend."

They let Maddie play for another good half hour before she was starting to get cranky, getting upset over a little disagreement. Kate got up and took her hand, leading her back to the bench where Lin was sitting. Maddie climbed up into Lin's lap and rested her head against his chest.

"I think it's time we went home," Kate told her, pushing some fallen hair away from her face.

"But I don't wanna go," she protested, her voice giving away how tired she was.

"Yep, come on," she said, standing up. Lin pushed himself up to standing and readjusted Maddie. She wrapped her little arms around his neck as he used his own arms to support her bottom. Maddie rested her head on his shoulder as he began to walk them home.

After only a minute or so, she was fast asleep. Lin gently rubbed her back until they got home. Kate opened her bedroom door and Lin gently laid her down on her bed. Wonder Woman sheets, of course. He took off her shoes and pulled the sheet over her. Kate took his hand and they left the room, shutting the door behind them.

In the hallway, Kate turned and took both his hands in hers. She lifted up slightly on her tip toes to kiss his lips. There was something about the way he was with Maddie – so gentle and caring – that made him even more attractive. Being a single mother, she wasn't just looking for someone for herself. She was looking for a father figure for Madeline.

"Thank you," she said after pulling away slightly.

"For what?" he whispered.

"For taking my mind off things today," she said. "And for being so good with Maddie."

His hands rubbed her hips. "Of course. She's such a sweet girl. And her mother is hot."

She laughed as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her body close to his. He began kissing her hungrily and started walking her back towards the master bedroom. Kate returned his kisses with equal passion as she allowed him to lead her back towards the bed. He gently guided her to lay down, and soon his body was on top of hers, ready to show his affection for her.