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At his age, I’d fired a gun too many times, and I didn’t want that for him, but I knew from experience that you couldn’t make a kid do dick. They made their own decisions and took their own path.
“You’re giving me this?” he rumbled after a few minutes of gawking at it.
I didn’t answer. “Look at the other stuff.”
He blinked but picked up the Mont Blanc fountain pen. It had slivers of lacquer all over it, like a mosaic or a stained-glass window.
“Wow, that’s heavy,” he pointed out.
“Some parts are platinum; others are white gold.” I shrugged. “It’s limited edition.”
He unscrewed the cap to reveal the nib. “I’ve never used a fountain pen before.”
“First time for everything.”
“It’s mine?”
“It can be.”
“It looks expensive.”
My lips twitched. “It is. But the gun wasn’t cheap either.”
He gnawed on the inside of his cheek as he placed the pen down with more care than the gun. My heart leaped at the sight with hope.
When he picked up the ring next, he licked his lips. “This looks old.”
“It is.” I leaned forward and snatched it from his palm where he’d placed it. Rolling it around my fingers, I told him, “It’s from Ancient Greece.”
A shaky breath escaped him, and he proved himself to be mine and Aela’s kid as he whispered, awe in his tone, “No way.”
“Way. It’s ancient gold, and the gemstone is—”
“Sapphire,” he blurted out.
“Yeah. Apollo’s symbol. They’d have worn a signet ring like this before they consulted the Oracle at Delphi.”
He stared at me. “Wow.”
I smiled. “See how the setting is in relief?”
Squinting at it, he nodded. “They’re little flowers.”
“Not flowers, leaves,” I corrected. “From an olive tree.”
“Whoa.” He snagged it and raised it to his eyes to squint at. “That’s so cool.”
“I’m glad you think so,” I told him as I crossed my legs at the ankle and sat back, watching him as he eyed the ring then picked up the pen, totally ignoring the gun.
I let him study them both, content to wait on him to speak, happy to just watch him.
After what Finn and Aoife had gone through… it had made me realize how fucking lucky I was. I mean, I’d known that already. But it was confirmation.
I’d spent the rest of Aela’s pregnancy hovering over her like a mother fucking hen. I’d evenprayedthat we wouldn’t lose our kid. That I’d get the chance to be there from the start this time.
Aela had done such a good job with Shay, and mostly, my influence was fucking that up. A part of me was terrified I’d do the same with Cameron, but I had to hope that she’d steer me on the right path.
I had to have faith.
