how can it be so

Asa kept thinking he'd step back. Watch from the shadows, so to speak. And let Elliot and Amanda be a family.

But that really hadn't happened. He was the one who came up for the baby's name. Pearl. It was as if he had to prod them along. Everyone was in slow-motion. Except that baby. The baby needed to be held, fed and changed. Seriously, it was more than overtime, he felt now. At least there was Derrick to fall back on, but he only did so much. He wanted to enjoy his summer with his boyfriend. Although, Ian was curious to help. Asa could use all the help he could get.

"You seriously have to watch her." Eric told him when he and Syd dropped by with a basket of infant goodies.

"Of course, Pearl is an angel. I wouldn't dare let her out of my sight." Asa smiled. He had to admit, he was falling in love with the dark haired baby that already had a head of locks.

"No, I mean, Amanda." Eric looked at him seriously. "She's quite useless, about now, isn't she?"

Well, she slept a lot. Asa wanted her to get her rest. After all, she'd just had a baby.

"I wouldn't leave her home alone with that infant, if I were you." Eric told him about Evan. Evidently, everyone had neglected to let Asa in on that secret. How Amanda had left Evan home alone.

"I see." Asa nodded, thinking what he was up against. It was as if Eric was trying to tell him that he was being used. Asa wasn't only here for the baby. A part of him wanted to lash out about it. Tell Eric he was totally wrong about Amanda. They were together now. It was love and it was genuine. "It might be just like you said if..if she'd and Elliot made up. But its not like that. Its not." Yet, he felt when he said it, he wasn't sure he could believe it. But he knew Eric wasn't trying to be a foe. It wasn't suppose to be so complicated, he found himself thinking now. How much easier it might have been if he'd came back here and married Rachel, like Elliot's folks had asked him too...he might not be in the middle of this.