Chapter 24 #2
I stand there with him, only partially cognizant of where we are.
We’ve been hugging far too long for two people in a public place, but he’s warm and smells good.
He came, even though I told him he didn’t have to.
The breakdown that had been boiling to the surface in the courtroom recedes.
My heart still feels heavy, but the burden is lessened with Jack here. I’m no longer lifting alone.
“I think I’m going to pick up Parker from school early,” I say, not fully breaking the embrace, but leaning back enough for me to see his face.
“Does he know that you were in court?”
“Sort of. I didn’t want to scare him. He wouldn’t have wanted to go to school if he knew that this was the big day.”
What I’d told him was that I had a meeting with the lawyers and his grandparents, which had felt far enough from the truth to be safe.
Parker had thrown around the phrase “fighting in court” several times recently, and I wasn’t sure he actually understood what that entailed.
Not wanting him to be sitting in school wondering how my fistfight with Grandma was going, I settled on “meeting” as the safest way to share with him.
“Can I come along, or…? You probably want to do something just the two of you, though,” Jack adds, blushing. Putting a hand against one of those warm cheeks, I lean in and kiss the other.
“I want you to come along, Jacko. Always. Let’s go pick up my kid.”
I let go of him and his arms drop back down to his sides. This time, when I hold out a hand, he doesn’t even hesitate for a second. The grin he gives me when I squeeze his fingers is pleased. Somehow, I’m able to convince my facial muscles into motion and smile back.
Everything is going to be fine , Victoria tells me, and damn if I don’t believe it.
Parker walks into the administrator’s office white as a sheet.
When he sees me standing at the counter, he relaxes slightly, but still regards me with a slightly fearful look in his eyes.
I’ve never signed him out of school early before, and he’s a clever kid.
I can practically see the cogs turning in his brain, adding my presence here and the “meeting” together; coming to the conclusion that this has something to do with fighting in court.
“Des?” he asks, stepping over to me, eyes bouncing between me and the secretary. She smiles at him, but he doesn’t return it.
“Thank you.” I nod to her, putting a hand on his shoulder and gently steering him toward the door. “Hey, little buddy. Early day today.”
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong.” Outside, I point over to one of the benches in front of the school. He sits and I crouch down in front of him, wanting to be able to see his face. He looks terrified. “Seriously, nothing is wrong. I just wanted to talk to you for a second.”
“I don’t want to live with Grandma,” he says fearfully, eyes wide and intent on mine. My sister’s eyes. I put a hand on his knee, gripping gently.
“You don’t have to. That’s what I wanted to tell you. That’s what my meeting was about today—you’re going to stay with me.”
“You won the fight?” he asks, which almost gets a laugh from me.
“Yeah.”
His fingers, clenched tightly around the straps of his backpack, tighten and release. Looking away from me and back again, he bites his lip uncertainly. The fear is still there, but harder to see behind the shine of tears. He’s trying very hard not to cry.
“Ever, though?” he clarifies, blinking and looking away again. “Like…I don’t ever have to go?”
“Right. You’re going to stay with me forever.”
“What if?—”
“No ifs.” I cut him off gently, jostling his knee a bit to bring his eyes back to mine. The moisture is still lining his eyes, but no tears have fallen. “You’re going to stay with me, because that’s what your mum and dad wanted. Because it’s what I want.”
“Me too,” he agrees softly, sniffing and making a concerted effort to swallow the tears back. I stand up.
“I thought we might wag today. Get some ice cream, and go to the beach maybe.”
He perks up the way he always does when I drop slang into a sentence. Grinning, he stands up and bumps me with his shoulder.
“Yeah,” he agrees. “Let’s wag.”
Snorting, I sling an arm over his shoulders and smile when he doesn’t push me away.
I’d parked illegally, assuming that if the car was approached, Jack could simply move it.
They’re right where I left them, though, the engine still running and Jack sitting in the passenger seat.
Parker gasps when he sees him in the car.
“Jack’s here!” he exclaims, my arm falling away as he walks faster toward the vehicle. I round the hood as he throws open the back door, Jack turning in his seat to look back at Parker.
“Hey,” he greets him .
“We won!” Parker shouts, putting a hand on Jack’s arm and shaking it. No trace of tears any longer.
“Yeah,” Jack agrees, chuckling at his exuberance. When he turns to face forward, he catches my eye and smiles. It’s easier to return it this time. “That’s awesome. Are you happy?”
“Hell yeah!”
“Parker.” Glancing back at him as I pull out of the car park, I catch the shit-eating grin on his face. “No swearing.”
Parker just laughs. Next to me, Jack’s mouth is pressed together as though he wants to laugh as well, but is holding back out of solidarity. I shake my head at the pair of them.
“Ice cream?” I ask the car.
“Hell yeah,” Parker replies happily.
“Parker!” I scold, but it lacks any heat at all, as the pair of them crack up laughing. I glance back at Parker. “You’re taking the piss, mate.”
As I knew it would, this sets off another round of hilarity, Parker tipping his head back and howling. I smile, letting the sound wash away the stress and fear of the morning.