After spending most of the weekend doing surveillance and some fact-checking, it does look like he's actually ready to be a father.
Payne's sister-in-law and his mother both verified that he's been spending more time with Helen. During Thanksgiving, he spent two hours (out of 84) with her, and those were at his parents' house. This past weekend, Helen was at the grandparents' for 4 hours Saturday morning while Payne was at work, and that was all. Miranda even loaned me what had been our camcorder (talk about awkward!) to tape him and Helen covertly at a park Sunday.
She fell a couple of times. He briskly walked over to check any injuries. He didn't panic, he didn't overreact, but he didn't ignore it and didn't punish her for it either. (I saw one father verbally punishing his kids for getting dirty on a playground.
)
I've had dozens of breakups, and no one has been legitimately considered for a reconciliation before, but then no one else has been in the spot he is either. I think he genuinely means well, he just wasn't quite mature enough to handle everything that was dropped on him just after he turned 25.
I'm going to wait. He's not just jumping back in like I let him last May. Okay, I encouraged him; are you happy now?
I grew up with parents that fought constantly, I'm not going to do that to Helen. Some "family" dates, but nothing exclusive on either party and nothing without Helen unless there is a "later on" a few months down the road.
I guess I'm going to have to get Mr. Blue some more batteries.