I allowed myself to smile as I pushed my way out of the chair and grabbed Caleb's arm. "Thank you. You did the right thing."
Caleb glanced down at his arm and smiled. "So... your mother?" he questioned.
My heart ached at just the thought of her. As much as I wanted to make her understand, I knew that it would take time. Just like it took me time to figure things out. Her day too would come. "She's alive," I huffed. "She hates me, but she'll live."
Caleb nodded his head, looking relieved before turning on his heel. "Take care, Avery." He flashed me his dimpled smile and then headed for the door.
"You too," I said softly, still a little overwhelmed by the whole situation.
I waited until Caleb was completely gone before I went back to cleaning the tables. My heart still raced in my chest at the thought of Caleb showing up. I had expected the worst, but ended up getting the best. It was shocking. I guess that good things really could happen if you just allowed them to.
"Who was that young man?"
I looked up to see Jan enter the dining room. She blankly stared at me while waiting for an answer. It was hard to tell whether she was upset with me for already getting a visitor. The last thing that I wanted to do was get Jan upset and stress her out on my first day. "I'm sorry-"
"For what?" she cut in. "You're allowed to have friends come in. I'm not some grumpy old bat." She grinned. "Do I look like a grumpy old bat?"
I smiled back while shaking my head. "No. Not at all," I lied.
"Good. Now get back to work," she said.
I laughed to myself and then prepared to take care of a group of smiling customers as they filed in and took a seat at one of the back tables.
~•~
When I arrived back at the apartment, Jackie was lounging on the couch. She looked up from her bowl of popcorn and smiled. "How was your first day?"
I looked over at Jace and he just shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. She loves it here," he whispered. Then he pressed his lips to my neck and laughed. "So… how was your first day?"
I plopped down next to Jackie on the couch and reached inside the bowl of popcorn. "It was fine. Jan had her moments. It will take some time getting used to, but I will manage."
Jace smiled and then jumped on top of Jackie’s lap reaching his hand into the bowl of popcorn. "Don't you have places to be, or jobs to apply to?" He teased.
Jackie pushed Jace out of her lap and playfully slapped his arm. "Nope! I can sit here all day. I haven't had any call backs yet."
I sat back and watched as Jace and Jackie teased each other. I couldn't help but to laugh when Jackie slapped him in the back of the head. The look on Jace's face was priceless.
"Ouch. Is that how you treat your little brother?" He jumped to his feet and rubbed the back of his head. "Did-"
"I have something to tell you," I cut in.
The room grew silent.
"Should I sit down for this?" Jace teased.
I reached over and slapped him on the arm. "No." I laughed.
"Ouch. The abuse of you ladies." He chuckled, while grabbing both his arm and his head. "Maybe I will just sit down. Over here." He pointed to the end of the couch.
Jackie narrowed her eyes at Jace and then set the bowl of popcorn down. "What is it?" she questioned.
I wasn't really sure how Jackie and Jace would react to me seeing Caleb today and it made me really nervous. I ran my sweaty palms over the side of my favorite shirt and exhaled. "Caleb came to see me today."
Jace's body stiffened as he sat up and gave me his full attention. His jaw tightly clenched as he ran a hand through his hair and frowned. "What happened, Avery?" Jace jumped up from the couch and grabbed my arms. "Are you okay?"
I smiled as Jace gripped the back of my neck and looked me in the eye. He was always so quick to comfort me and it gave me a feeling of security. I loved him for it. "I'm fine."
Jace loosened his grip on me and let his breath out. "What did he want?" he questioned.
"He just came in to apologize. It was really weird," I breathed. "But things are good now. I guess in some way I kind of needed the closure. You know?"
Jace nodded his head, but didn't speak. I could tell by the look in his eyes that he felt a sense of relief as well. "Yeah. I know." He leaned in and softly kissed my nose. "I understand."
"I'll be right back guys."
Jace and I both looked over at Jackie as she jumped up from the couch and ran toward the door.
"Jackie. What's going on?" Jace yelled after her.
"Nothing! It's fine. I just have a call." Jackie's voice shook as she answered back. "I'll be right back."
I pushed my way out of Jace's arms and followed Jackie to the door. I knew what she was doing. "Jackie! Don't do this," I pleaded. "He is no good."
Jackie gave me a blank look and then stared down at her phone. "I dont know what you're talking about," she mumbled. "It's just a- it’s a friend."
I gripped Jackie's shoulder just as she reached for the door handle. I knew that she was lying and I wasn't about to let her go back to Joe and hurt Jace. "Jackie, I know how hard it is to leave your past behind. Trust me. I beat myself up every day for letting myself drown in my misery. You have to keep him out of your life. If anything... do it for Jace."
Jackie's whole body shook as she looked back down at her phone as it vibrated in her hand. "He won't stop! He won't ever stop," she cried.
I slowly reached down and grabbed the phone from out of Jackie's firm grip. "I'm here for you. You will be fine." I threw my arms around her as she rested her head against my shoulder. "I promise. Jace promises. You have us both now."
Jackie's grip tightened around me as her body began to shake. "I can't do this. I just can't do this," she whined. "It hurts so damn much."
"Yes you can." I shoved the phone in my pocket and looked her in the eye. "We both can do it. Together."
Her eyes wandered down to my pocket before looking up to land on Jace.
Jace stood there in the kitchen with his eyes glued on the both of us. Then he walked over and placed a hand on Jackie's shoulder. "I love you, Jackie. You know that. I always have and always will."
A smile crept over Jackie's face before she broke into a laughter that was soon followed by tears. She stared up at Jace before jumping up and throwing her arms around Jace, body shaking, as she fell into him. "I love you too... punk." She smiled weakly. "I love you so much. You're all that I have left."
Jace softly rubbed the back of her head and peered over Jackie's shoulder to look at me. He smiled and gave me a loving look. "We'll change that soon. I promise."
Jackie looked over at me and gave me a look of confidence. "I'm trusting you to take care of me." She grinned, hopeful. "Don't be surprised if you see me here every day." She stepped toward me and reached her hand out. "Let me see that phone."
I hesitated for a moment before reaching in my pocket and gripping the phone in my hand. "Jackie-"
"It's fine, Avery." She paused to look at Jace. "I'm fine."
Jace gave me a nod as I softly placed the phone inside of Jackie's open palm. "Let's go grab some dinner." He said calmly, trying to change the subject. "Jackie’s buying."
Jackie reached over, slapping Jace in the head, as Lucky jumped in the middle of them yelping.
I leaned against the counter and closed my eyes.
Looking over at Jace, Jackie and Lucky, told me everything that I needed to know. Everything that I had been hoping for my entire life.
I am okay now.
Chapter 20
Six years later....
The warm wind playfully blew through my freshly curled hair as I happily stared into the clear afternoon sky.
The sun lightly kissed my already pink nose, causing me to laugh at the thought of how severely my nose had gotten sunburned last summer. It was so bad that, the skin had shed for three weeks, even though everyone had warned me ahead of time to wear sunscreen. I was just too stubborn to listen, and so for that, I paid the price and everyone made fun of me for weeks. I looked absolutely horrible.
"Mommy."
I laughed to myself and shook my head. Silly me...
"Mommy."
"Huh?" I questioned, unaware that anyone had been talking to me.
Zari leaned back in the swing, chestnut hair flying around her smiling face as she struggled to look up at me. Her big green eyes flashed with joy, reminding me of Jace.
She playfully giggled, while reaching for the chain on the swing. "What are you doing, mommy? I've been talking to you." She pouted, her lip sticking out.
I slowly stopped the swing, walking in front of my daughter, to cup her little round face in my hands. She was my pride and joy. It was her fourth birthday and I wanted her to enjoy each and every moment. "I'm sorry, baby girl." I gently tickled her. "What were you saying? Mommy is listening now."
Zari pushed my hands away from her face and jumped from the swing. "I said that grandmas here. Hurry mommy," she said excitedly. "Grandma always has the best gifts."
I stood back for a moment and watched as Zari took off running through the soft grass. Jace playfully jumped in front of her
and reached for her arm, but Zari dodged his reach and ran straight to my mother’s arms.
She had always been close with my mother and nothing could ever come between them. It made me happy. So happy, that sometimes I found myself crying at my mother finally turning her life around and being in our lives. It took her about a year after Henry's death for her to start coming around, but when she did, Jace slowly broke her down. Just as he did with everyone.
"Avery," My mother called. "Come join the party.” She flashed me her loving smile and reached her arm out. "I have something to show you." She patted Zari on the butt and pushed her toward Jace. "Go with your father and I and mommy will be there in a few minutes."
Zari nodded her head and reached for Jace's outstretched hand. "You lovely ladies take your time." Jace winked at me and smiled at my mother. "We'll try not to eat the cake without you."
I threw my hands to my hip and laughed. "Very funny. I'm telling you right now that if you eat that cake without us that you will be wearing that cake," I teased.
Jace playfully bit his bottom lip and raised an eyebrow.
"Not in that way," I laughed. "We'll be right there."
Zari tugged on Jace's arm. "Daddy." Jace bent down and placed a finger to her chin. "You better listen to mommy. She might just beat you up again," she teased, laughing in her father’s face.
My mother and I broke into a fit of laughter as Jace attempted to hide his blushing face. "She didn't...," he started. "Oh never mind. You girls always win." He hoisted Zari off the ground and threw her on his shoulders. "Let’s race."
Zari playfully tugged on Jace's hair and giggled as he took off running. "We can't race with me on your shoulders." She laughed. "Daddy..."
My mother reached out, placing her hand on my shoulder, for attention. I quickly turned away from my two angels and smiled. "What is it, mother?" I asked.
My mother's eyes glazed over as she reached into her handbag. "Avery." She paused and smiled. "I have something that I have been meaning to give you your whole life. I know that I haven't been-"
"It's okay, mother. That is the past, "I whispered.” We don't need to discuss it anymore. I'm happy, you're happy, the family is happy. Let’s stay that way."