Gilead had just gotten Hermione down for her nap when Seamus stopped by. It was a pleasant surprise. He and Erinea had invited him to come by any time to take a look through his old book collection. While Gilead was admitted sad to see some of the titles go, the library, like the house, was originally Seamus' and it felt wrong to not give him the chance to collect anything he wanted back in his own home. Not that those books were vanishing or anything. With his mum and Seamus living together, Gilead could always ask to borrow anything he missed.
They exchanged a few pleasantries before Seamus went up to the library. Gilead reminded him to avoid the squeaky floorboard (which Seamus remembered from his years in the house) to not wake the baby.
It was a peaceful afternoon. It being summer holiday, Gilead had a light schedule involving tutoring thrice a week and no work-related plans otherwise. With Erinea back to work from maternity leave, Gilead was taking on the majority of childcare through summer as he had with Elijah. He was finding it was much harder to juggle both a infant and a toddler, but he was managing and they had plenty of friends and family willing to babysit when he and Erinea were in desperate need of a break.
He was making his third cup of coffee for the day and about to sit down to read for the first time in days when a knock came at the door. Gilead frowned. He wasn't expecting anyone--
"Fuck," he hissed. He rushed to the calendar. Yesterday was the day his dad was supposed to come over to see the kids. Yesterday was also the day he texted Gilead to reschedule. To today.
And Seamus was upstairs in the library.
Another knock at the door.
[I'm at the door. Are you home?]
Gilead muttered another series of profanities, pacing in the kitchen, running his hand through his hair. He stopped. Took a breath, hands on his hips as he considered what to do.
Another knock on the door.
The sudden thought of the sound waking Hermione struck him. That was worse than any awkwardness of the potential encounter. He rushed with quiet steps to the door, opened it, and put a finger to his lips before quietly saying, "Sorry. Just got Hermione down for a nap."
His dad nodded understandingly as he stepped inside and slipped off his shoes. "Sorry I'm late. How've the little ones been?"
"Doing well. Robbing us of our sleep. On that topic, uh... coffee? I was about to start some brewing." Gilead's head was scrambling for what to do next. If he could delay his dad going upstairs, maybe Seamus would hear them, or would see his dad's car, and could slip out the back? It was an understanding in the family that the two didn't interact.
His dad thankfully agreed to coffee. They moved into the kitchen, Gilead started some brewing, and they quietly, idly chatted about life. Mostly Gilead catching his dad up on what was happening with him and Erinea and his dad dodging questions about how he was doing with vague dismissal. Gilead and Orla both knew it wasn't particularly well since the divorce, but his refusal to take any steps to improve his situation was getting frustrating for the both of them. Gilead didn't press it today. Or ever really. That was more Orla's ballpark. She seemed like the only one in the family who could ever get through to him.
Gilead had his dad successfully distracted by conversation until all at once Hermione woke up. Her wail echoed through the house. Gilead winced and got up. "I'll get--"
"It's alright. I can go check on her," his dad said, also standing.
"No, it's okay. She'll want to see me anyway. She doesn't exactly do well with--" He bit his tongue on the word strangers. It was exactly what his dad was to little Hermione since he'd only seen her twice in her few months alive, but it would be too harsh a thing to say. "--anyone who's not me or Erinea when she's just woken up."
His dad did that understanding nod of his, but came along anyway. Gilead gave up trying to stop him. It wasn't worth the conflict and Hermione was crying.
Only then she stopped, just as Gilead reached the hall. What had she... He stopped halfway up the stairs as the realization hit him. Seamus was still here. And his dad was already at the second floor landing. Gilead hurried to catch up, but he wasn't fast enough. He skidded to a halt, socks nearly slipping on the floor, behind his dad just as he reached the nursery and saw... Seamus. Standing there with Hermione sleeping in his arms.
Gilead mouthed 'sorry' to Seamus from behind his dad.