Page 34 of Together Is Where We Belong

“Lord, help us all,” Holden said as he laughed as well.

I took one last look at the photos of us; my eyes focused on the one of Luke hugging me as we first met. I’d cherish that memory forever.

eleven

Carolina

“Good morning, sweet boy,” I whispered as I rubbed Luke’s back to rouse him from his deep slumber. He slept like a wild child, one foot off the side of the bed with the upper half of his body sprawled across his twin-size bed.

He grumbled and groaned for a few minutes, before he sat up and rubbed his hands across his eyes.

“Why do we have to get up so early?” he whined as he climbed into my lap and wrapped his arms around my neck. His head burrowed into my neck as he tried to steal just a few more minutes of sleep.

I wrapped my arms beneath him to carry him across the room and sat him on his dresser as I grabbed his clothes for the day.

“Because it’s morning, and I have to get you ready so I can go to work,” I explained, as I booped his nose with the tip of my finger before I picked him up and carried him into the bathroom to coax him to get changed and ready for the day.

He may be a little too old to carry, but I knew my days were numbered the older he got and I wasn’t ready to let go of the little boy who needed me still.

I sat him on the toilet and instructed him to get changed and to brush his teeth while I got dressed, and to meet me in the kitchen when he was done.

Quickly, I changed out of my pajamas and into a pale blue scrub set. I pulled my hair back into a low ponytail and put on some mascara to try and liven myself up a little before I grabbed my phone from the nightstand and set off to the kitchen.

My phone pinged with a notification as I waited for the kettle to boil to make Luke’s oatmeal. It may be extremely hot outside, but Luke had a hyper fixation on oatmeal with honey and chunks of apples, and who was I to complain since he wanted something healthy.

I picked up the phone, and Leo’s name illuminated the screen. My heartbeat picked up before I took a deep calming breath.

Before I could check to see what he’d sent, Luke ran into the kitchen.

I sat the phone down with the message on the back of my mind.

“Can you comb my hair, Mama? I can never get it right,” Luke asked with the comb held out to me in one hand and a spray bottle of water in the other.

I walked over and took the comb. “Do you want a side part or spikey hair today?” I asked because he always liked options.

“Side part, please,” he requested as he handed me the spray bottle.

After I made sure his hair was wet enough, I combed his hair to the side just the way he liked it.

“Can you put these back in the bathroom for me while I finish making your oatmeal? You’ll have fifteen minutes to finish before we have to leave,” I warned because giving him a time limit always made sure we left on time.

After I made his oatmeal, I sprinkled a bit of cinnamon on top and took the bowl over to the table.

“Milk or OJ, buddy?” I yelled as I opened the refrigerator door to await his response.

“OJ,” he screamed back as I heard him running back down the hallway.

“What do you say?” I asked as I took the OJ out and grabbed a cup from the cabinet, pouring it half full.

“Please,” he said just as he walked into the kitchen and sat down, taking a big bite of his oatmeal.

“When can I see Dad again?” Luke asked with a mouth full of oatmeal. My breath caught in my throat at hearing Luke call Leo dad. Sure, he’d called him that before when we discussed Leo, but this was the first time, aside from their initial meeting, that he’d referenced Leo as a person in his life now.

“No talking with your mouth full, remember?” I warned, not sure of how to answer his question. Leo hadn’t said when he’d be over to see Luke again. Just that he wanted to be in his life as much as he could.

After Luke swallowed, he repeated the question.

“Let me ask him, and I’ll let you know,” I replied, hoping that response would appease his inquisitive mind.