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“This is really what you want?” Braxton asks his mother. “This isn’t just another fling?”
Sarah lets go of Richard and walks to Braxton, sweeping a hand over his cheek and looking into his eyes. “No. I love him. I know I have a horrible track record and I get into things far too fast, but this feels so different.”
“It does,” Braxton agrees. “But what if he’s just like really, really good at faking it all?” Braxton eyes her boyfriend, and I want to laugh at how adorably ridiculous he’s being.
Pretty sure if the man had ill intentions he wouldn’t choose to be here and be questioned by Braxton. “I won’t hurt your mother.” His eyes are locked on Braxton’s. “I’ve been hurt many times. Unlucky in love, but the moment I saw your mom, something changed for me.” Richard looks over at me, and my cheeks flush a little from the attention. “I’m sure you both know what that’s like.”
I nod absently because I was smitten the second I saw Braxton. I know that feeling well.
Braxton is still standing stiff at my side, uncertain and afraid. “You love her.”
It’s not really a question. It’s more like he’s processing this entire thing, but Richard answers anyway.
“I do. Very much. It was fast and admittedly, I was a little afraid at how quickly it’s all gone, but I can’t deny how much I love her.”
“It really is different this time, Braxton,” his mom says, pulling him into a hug, and upon contact, Braxton seems to relax, hugging her back as she kisses his temple.
“Well, how about we get dinner started then?” I say, trying to break the tension. Like I’ve said, I have a good feeling about this and can tell Braxton is starting to come around too.
His mother gives him another squeeze before releasing him and making her way into the kitchen. She motions for me to follow along, and I do without hesitation, leaving Braxton and Richard to chat a little more while we get dinner ready.
She’s putting on some pasta to boil when she glances nervously into the living room. “You think they’re okay?”
I don’t even look, just bob my head in answer and smile at her. “He loves you. But it seems a new man loves you now too. That’s all Braxton really wants. A good man that loves you. Someone to take care of you, so he knows you’re in good hands.”
Her smile is wide as she stirs the pasta, and swear I see a little blush on her cheeks. “He really does love me. All this time, I was searching for someone to love me. Trying to be so damn perfect. Trying so damn hard. Begging for attention. And then here he comes.” She waves her hand in the direction Braxton and Richard are sitting and looks back at me. “I had a horrible day at work, was all frazzled and not at my best when we met. My makeup was smeared, I had stains on my uniform, I was a hot mess, and this man—” She smiles wider. “He flirted with me. Ordered thing after thing off the menu just so he could talk to me longer. It was like he saw the real me. It’s like he knew me.”
I smile at all of this.
“I get it. When I’m around your son, I’m just me. No foolin’ or fakin’. Just plain old Jimbob.”
“It seems like you’re Jimbob all the time,” she says, and I grin at her.
“Maybe, but he makes me feel at home, and I hope that he feels the same about me.”
“You’re good for him,” she says, sweeping her small, soft hand over my cheek like she did to Braxton earlier.
“He’s good for me,” I say truthfully, and she smiles before going back to the stove and preparing dinner while I watch on, the two of us chatting aimlessly. This is so different from the first time I was here, when she looked so worn down and tired. She seems alive now, like she’s found a purpose. I don’t necessarily like that the purpose isn’t Braxton, but I can get that some people are just dependent on others. That Sarah just wants a partner to walk through life with, and it seems she’s found it. And that makes me pleased as pie.
“I know what you did for Braxton, with our place. Thank you for cleaning it up. I meant to say it before, but I was so anxious about how Braxton would get along with Richard that those words got lost.”
“It’s okay. I hope I didn’t overstep.”
“No, this is the home that Braxton deserves. The one that I deserve. Those window boxes are adorable.”
“It was my pleasure. Anything for your son, I hope you know that.”
She grins at me softly. “I do. I know that.”
When we sit down for dinner, conversation comes much easier. It’s not nearly as awkward as it was when they first walked through the door, and I can tell Braxton is becoming more at ease with everything.
Watching his mom with her boyfriend, I can easily tell she’s not putting on a show. She’s not faking it or trying to make Richard happy. She’s just herself, and I can tell that the two of them are smitten.
They’re in love.
It’s a huge relief because even though I feel like I’ve had a major part of Braxton, there was always something holding him back. I think it was that fear things would fall apart with his mother and he’d have to pick up the pieces. Those thoughts were looming like dark shadows in the background.
Now that this is settled, it feels like all of the pieces have fallen into place. Braxton is truly mine now. The realization is a heady feeling and one that I am one hundred percent here for. I want it all with him.
