… I didn’t know!…
You ever just wake up one morning and have a feeling?
Today, that is exactly what I have. Leaving the basement, I walk up the stairs as I turn into the kitchen and see Caroline. The look on her face matches mine.
“Get him ready.” She tells me as I nod my head.
“Where are they going?”
“Lucy’s parents. They’ll be safe there.”
“Okay.” Nodding my head, I pull out my phone texting Axe.
“He’s already upstairs.” She tells me and I glance back at him. “It was his idea.”
“You going with them?”
“What? No.”
“Caroline.”
“What? There’s no way that I could go up there and live with myself.”
“How does Ash feel about that?” I ask her.
“Ash does not like the idea of it.” I hear Ash say as he walks into the kitchen, “But he also knows that there’s nothing he can do to keep his wife from staying.”
Climbing the stairs, I come to a stop at the top and walk towards the spare room that Jag is staying in.
The door’s cracked as I come to a stop at it and I can see in. My heart somehow breaks and swells at the same time. Sitting on the floor is Axe, with Jag hugging onto him. Pushing the door open, I step inside as Axe looks up to me and smiles.
“Mommy’s here.” He tells Jag before he’s looking behind him and laughs before rushing towards me.
“Mommmmy!!!” He exclaims as he latches around me. I’m kneeled down looking at him.
“Good morning. Did Axe talk to you about going on a trip with your cousins?” He nods his head. “Okay, there’s one more thing I want to talk to you about.” He looks up at me as I glance behind him at Axe, who slowly shakes his head. “Okay, remember when we talked about…”
“Ella.” Axe calls from behind Jag and I glance back. “Can I talk to you for a second?” The stern tone in his voice takes me back years as I nod to Jag to wait for a second. Axe grabs at my sleeve before he is tugging with me behind him and out the door.
“What are you doing?” He looks at me as I pull the door shut behind me.
“Axe, we should—”
“El, what if something happens…” he trails as if he cannot finish his thought.
“Axe.” Reaching up, cupping his face. I know him well enough to know what his fears about telling him right now are. “If anything was to happen to you. If this all goes south. Then I would want the little time we all have left while you’re alive for him to get to spend with you as his dad.”
He looks down at me, and his mouth opens. “What?” I hear the child's voice at my side. “You’re my dad?” He asks as I turn around and look at him. I’m sure Axe is freaking out at my side.
My hand falls from Axe’s face as I turn around and look at Jag. Kneeling down again, I smile, nodding my head. “Yes.” He looks at me again and nods his head.
“Can I call him dad?”
“I think you should ask him that.” I smile at him.
“Can I call you dad?” Jag asks me, and for a second time, I’m speechless. I can’t swallow.
“Of course.” I choke out.
