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I might as well get up as well. Part of what Raelynn said bugs me. The whatever we’re doing part. I thought we settled it last night that we’d see where things go with us. That means dating, not “whatever we’re doing.” Maybe she was simply nervous at the idea of me kissing her in front of Jackson and that flubbed her words. Either way, I want to make sure she knows I don’t want this to be a one-time thing.
If Henry wasn’t coming over, I’d take her out tonight. Tomorrow, we have a game. Maybe Deanna and Brayden will watch the kids Wednesday or Thursday for me to take her out. He always complains I never let him babysit. Now, he can.
By the time Bree and I make it downstairs, Raelynn is in the kitchen with Jackson, making breakfast.
“It’s not game day, J-man,” I say when I see he’s wearing his jersey. He got it last week when Deanna took him to a game for Raelynn. He usually tries to wear it on game days, as long as Raelynn doesn’t make him change into something else.
He shrugs. “I know. But maybe if I wear it today and tomorrow, you’ll score two goals.” Jackson thinks he and his jersey are my good luck charms since I scored a goal when he first wore it.
“You’re not wearing it two days in a row, Jackson,” Raelynn quickly shoots him down.
“Please? It’s for Mr. EJ!”
“You can wear it for the game tomorrow, but not to school.”
Jackson frowns, but doesn’t argue with her anymore. He looks at me. “Do you think it’ll still work?”
“It might.” He’ll be disappointed if I don’t score two goals tomorrow and he’ll think it didn’t work, that his good luck is fading. Who knew the most pressure I’d feel would come from a five-year-old? “Do you need help, Raelynn?”
“No, I’ve got it. Thanks.”
She normally turns me down unless she’s running behind. I get busy feeding Bree.
“Will today be the day, princess?” I ask her. “Are you going to say DaDa? Or stick with Ja-Ja as your favorite?” Bree smiles at me. “DaDa,” I say, pointing at myself.
“DaDa!” she shouts, slamming her hands on the table. I stare, stunned. She reaches over to where Jackson is and continues talking in her baby language. But hold the phone. My baby just said DaDa! Laughter racks my chest as I stand and pick her up, holding her in the air above me. She laughs now.
“Say it again.” She doesn’t. I bring her down and look at Raelynn, who smiles. “Did you hear her? She said it! She said DaDa!”
“Yeah, I heard her. She yelled it to shut you up,” she teases.
I laugh. “Don’t try and ruin my moment.”
Not much can take this away from me. I ride on cloud nine for the rest of the day. We don’t have practice today, so I have to settle for texting Brayden the news. I’ll have to tell everyone else tomorrow. I hang out with Bree and don’t do much else. Well, I watch Raelynn do schoolwork and worry herself.
“It’ll be fine,” I tell her for the fifth time. With Henry coming tonight to meet Jackson, Raelynn is wound up tighter than I’ve ever seen her.
“I have a bad feeling. Maybe my bad feelings are like yours.” She closes her laptop and steals Bree from my lap.
“Well, I have a good feeling, so there. And I’ll be here, lurking in the background, ready to jump in and be prince charming to save the day if needed.”
Bree rests her head on Raelynn’s shoulder as Raelynn gives me a smile. It’s time for my princess to take a nap and she knows it.
“You’d make a good prince charming.”
“Think so?”
She nods, rubs Bree’s back, and laughs a little. “And I’m the perfect example of a damsel in distress.”
“No, you’re not.” I completely disagree with her. “You’ve raised Jackson for five years on your own. No one swooped in to save you. You’re still kicking ass.”
Raelynn looks down at Bree as she shakes her head. “When I met you, we were essentially homeless that day.”
“But you made sure you found a job and a place to live. You are like a reigning queen, Raelynn. You might not always have your shit together, but no one singlehandedly saves you.”
She’s quiet for a moment before chuckling and looking over at me. “A queen? You’re delusional, Elias.”
I roll my eyes hard, which makes her smile. “So, would you be okay with Deanna and Brayden watching the kids Wednesday or Thursday?”
