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“Mommy. I heard her tell Daddy on the phone that you were still sad. I figured if I made you a part of my family you wouldn’t be sad anymore.”
I squat down beside him and pat his little arm. “You are such a sweet kid, and you know what else? I would love to be a part of your family. I already think of your mommy as my sister.”
That makes him smile. “Good. I’m glad I’ve made you not sad now.”
Peyton happily returns to coloring his picture, and I wish with all my might that it could only be so simple to not be sad anymore. If there was some sort of switch to instantly turn off heartbreak, I would’ve used that a long time ago.
Maybe it is time to let Jared go. If even a kid can see that I’m sad, I’m not doing a very good job of hiding it.
I have to find a way to let go.
“You probably hate me for always making you late, huh?”
I glance up to find Sam walking into my classroom, holding Brody.
“Stop being ridiculous. It’s impossible to be mad at you.” I push myself up to my feet. “How was your day?”
“Ugh. Long, but I didn’t get thrown up on, so that’s always a good day in my book.” She smiles.
I laugh, and even though I don’t have any children of my own, I can fully relate, seeing as how I have a classroom full of little ones who tend to get sick a lot. “Agreed.”
Sam adjusts Brody on her hip as he twirls her necklace around his chubby little fingers before she points to my desk. “More gifts?”
I nod. “It’s the fifth arrangement this week, and if he keeps sending all the candy, I’ll weigh five million pounds before long.”
She shakes her head. “I’ll say one thing for Wes, he makes it impossible for you to not think about him, even when the two of you are on a break.”
I run my fingers through my dark hair. “We might as well not be on a break as much as he texts and sends me things.”
“Give the guy a break,” Sam says. “He doesn’t want to lose you after how much work he put in to get you in the first place.”
I furrow my brow. “You think he put in that much effort after . . . well, after what happened?”
Sam tilts her head and gives me the “you’ve got to be kidding me” face. “London, I’ve never seen a man put in that much work to land a girl. The guy spent nearly four years being your shoulder to cry on after his asshole brother left you without so much as a good-bye. I would call that a mammoth undertaking. No man works that hard for nothing.”
“That’s what sucks about this whole situation. I feel like such a”—I mouth the word “bitch” to Sam to avoid little ears overhearing—“for putting him through all this. I wish I could love him back the way he seems to love me.”
“Aww, Mommy said a dirty word,” Peyton chimes in.
“It’s okay, Peyt. Adults are allowed to say them if they want,” Sam tells him.
I can see the little wheels turning in his brain. “So when I become a man, I can say them too?”
I cover my mouth to hide my snicker, and Sam immediately smacks my arm in response before addressing his question. “Yes. When you become a grown-up, you can say whatever words you want.”
Peyton’s little hand draws into a fist, and he draws his elbow back to do a fist pump. “All right! I can’t wait to be a man.”
Sam rolls her eyes. “Lord help me when he gets older. I’m going to be in so much trouble. Josh will not be allowed to remain in the service once these two become teens. I’ll need him around to help me wrangle them in.”
I nod. “You’ll most definitely have your hands full.”
“Okay, Peyton, get your book bag,” Sam orders and then turns to me. “Want to go grab an early dinner with me and the boys? I so don’t feel like cooking today.”
I smile, loving the fact that I really do feel like a part of their family.
THEN
LONDON
