Chapter 49
Forty-Nine
Jaclyn
Present
Hayden is over right now.
Right when Hayden walked through the front door, Junior pulled him through the apartment, and they went to his room to play.
Junior loves having a new play buddy. When he saw Hayden, he got so excited and jumped up and down on his little feet. Hayden smiled right when he saw us too. I also noticed him looking behind me, probably expecting Brandon to be with us.
I’m a little annoyed with Hayden being here because I just don’t feel like talking to him after he said what he said the last time we saw each other in person.
How he needs time to not be mad at me for keeping his son away from him.
I get it.
I know I fucked up and I keep fucking up, but doesn’t he understand how hurt and broken I was when I left him?
“Let’s watch The Lion King ! It’s mama’s and my favorite movie!” Junior cheers as he walks out of his room with Hayden trailing behind him.
Hayden is wearing a casual fit tonight. In Italy, he was always wearing fancy pants and shirts but here he is just wearing a black sweater and gym shorts that show off his muscular legs. I can’t lie and say when his shorts go up a little bit, I don’t stare at his thighs because how could I not?
“Your mom still likes that movie a lot?” Hayden asks, his eyes going to me for a second before looking at Junior.
“Yup. She always wants to watch it,” Junior says as he jumps onto his side of the couch. Hayden sits next to him while I dump the popcorn into a bowl.
Kettle corn for me and Junior and buttered for Hayden since he doesn’t like kettle corn. He thinks it’s too sweet.
I remember him saying that whenever we watched a movie when we were together in college.
I walk away from the kitchen and turn off the lights before going towards the couch where the boys are and sit down next to Junior. I hand Hayden his bowl of popcorn and give Junior the bowl to hold ours.
“You still like kettle corn?’ Hayden asks.
“Yea. I got your son on it too,” I tease as I pick up the remote.
“Kettle corn is the best popcorn ever,” Junior agrees, nodding his head while smiling.
“What about fruit on pizza?” Hayden asks Junior while eating some of his popcorn.
Junior grimaces which makes me laugh a little. “Mama likes it, but I think it’s weird.”
“That’s my boy.” Hayden high fives Junior and I just roll my eyes at them.
I can already see how they’ll be ganging up on me.
“Sweet and salty go hand in hand. Pineapple on pizza tastes good. Any other fruit doesn’t belong on there though,” I explain which makes Hayden shake his head a little and laugh.
“Princess, you are one of the pickiest people I know yet you have some weird taste in food,” Hayden says, and I click on the movie, ready for it to play.
“Why do you call mama ‘princess’?” Junior turns his head to Hayden.
I look away from the TV to look at Hayden.
“Because your mama is a princess. She’s pretty like a princess, everyone in the castle envies and loves her.”
“What princess is she?” Junior asks.
Hayden looks up at me. “She’s her own princess. Your mama is strong and beautiful. She doesn’t need to be another princess from a movie.”
“Who’s her prince then?”
“You and me, bud,” Hayden says, a small boyish smirk on his face appearing when he moves his eyes to me.
My heart melts.
Because Hayden isn’t wrong. Hayden’s always been my knight in shining armor and Junior has been my little prince.
Hayden and I stare at each other for what feels like an eternity. He has this soft glint in his eyes that makes him always look like that boy from college. The one who was soft and was in love with me.
I know Hayden still loves me, it’s just hard for me to break down my walls for him even though he is desperately trying to break them down himself. And he is so so close.
Hayden, Junior, and I are quiet as I start the movie.
Halfway through the movie, Junior starts to get more comfortable and yawns as he lays on Hayden’s chest. Hayden looks down at Junior, not really knowing what to do before he rests his arm on Junior's back and gets more comfortable, sinking into the cushions on the couch.
I wish I could take a picture of them two but I don’t want to make it seem weird, especially since Hayden and I still have no clue what we’re doing and we still need to figure it out.
The movie continues to play and eventually Junior ends up falling asleep on Hayden. I end up laying next to Junior, my body behind his and my arms wrapped around him. Hayden’s still sitting on his side of the couch but his arms are still on Junior, itching to go closer to me.
We’re at the part where Simba is saving the Pride Lands from Scar and the hyenas.
I think my favorite part of the whole movie is when Nala and Simba find each other after so many years. I am a romantic at heart and the old Disney movies make the romance aspect of their cartoons so good.
I feel a hand lay on my shoulder. I look up at Hayden and his attention is on the TV. He is drawing small circles on my shoulder, somehow calming down my rapid heart.
Eventually the movie ends and Hayden still has his fingers drawing circles on my shoulder. I don’t want to get up because I feel so comfortable and at peace with us three cuddling like this.
But I know Junior has school in the morning and I have work. I have no clue what Hayden’s plans are but I know he probably has some stuff for work going on.
“Do you want to put Junior to bed?” I sit up and turn to Hayden, realizing we are so close from how all of us were laying together.
I notice Hayden’s eyes move down to look at my lips, which I can’t help but lick.
Hayden meets my eyes again and nods.