Chapter 32 Jackson #2
She shakes her head. “No. I swear I don’t.
But I’ve learned to be okay with being vulnerable around you, and your friends have made me feel so welcomed and loved, I wouldn’t imagine keeping my diagnosis a secret from them.
They’re not only here for me, but most importantly, they’re your biggest support system.
I know I’m not the only one affected by all this. ”
Wrapping my arms tighter around her, I wish my love could heal her right here and now. “Don’t worry about me, baby.”
“I do. I always will. But because of your friends and family, and the love they’ve consistently shown us both, I know I don’t have to worry about you as much.” Tears fill her eyes, and the quivering of her chin just about kills me.
“You keep calling them my friends and family, but they’re ours. In fact, I’m starting to feel like they love you more than me. And I’m oddly okay with it because who wouldn’t love you? You’re perfect.”
She scoffs. “I’m far from perfect. Our friends are though.”
“That’s my girl.” I place a chaste kiss on her cheek. “Come to the kitchen with me, I’ve got a little birthday surprise for you.”
“Okay. Give me a minute?” she asks, and I reluctantly let her go.
“Yeah, of course. I’ll be out in the kitchen when you’re ready,” I tell her as I make my way out of the bathroom. Shutting the door behind me, I make quick work of gathering the stray stands from her pillowcase, wishing I could erase not only this memory but this next phase of her battle.
My girl is strong and fierce—I just wish she didn’t have to be at times like these.
Minutes later, after I’ve rearranged her presents for the third time, Taevin comes to a stop as she rounds the corner into the kitchen.
“What’s all this?”
Pointing to the gift bags on the counter, I tell her, “I’ve got a decade’s worth of birthdays to make up for.”
Tae’s eyes widen. “Jax,” she breathes, a hint of shock in her tone.
Erasing the distance between us, I wrap my arms around her waist and tug her into my chest, placing a whisper of a kiss on her forehead.
“Happy birthday, T. I’m so bummed I can’t get out of practice today, but I’ve made it my mission to be sure you still have the best day. Starting with breakfast and presents.”
I spin her around so she’s facing the kitchen island that’s littered with heart-shaped pancakes, berries and toppings, and eight gift bags of various sizes.
Tae’s hands come around mine, squeezing them as she wraps my arms around her tighter. “You didn’t have to do all of this. I told you I’m sort of weird about my birthday.”
“Pretty sure that’s the Libra in you, baby. Which is why it’s a good thing you’re married to a Cancer—we balance each other out perfectly.” Walking her closer to the presents, I point to the largest gift wrapped in black wrapping paper. “Okay, open this one first,” I tell her.
She listens, wasting no time ripping into the paper and revealing a box with a mobile puzzle table. Lately, Tae’s become obsessed with doing puzzles while she recovers from her chemo treatments.
“I thought this way you could do puzzles in any room in the house, so that way if you’re not feeling the best, I can just carry this into the bedroom or living room,” I explain before pointing to a black gift bag. “Open this one next.”
“It’s perfect. Thank you!” Tossing the black tissue paper aside, Tae pulls out a black wooden box with a black and white photo I took from backstage of her performing at The Summer Stampede.
“What’s this?” she asks on a gasp.
With one arm around her waist, I bring the other on top of hers, helping her slide the top of the box to the side to reveal puzzle pieces.
“I snuck this picture of you, knowing I needed to capture that memory forever. Then, when you took a liking to puzzles, I found a company that makes custom puzzles and had them make a thousand piece puzzle out of it.”
“It looks like it’ll be a tough one,” she points out, an electric smile on her face, assuring me she’s up for the challenge.
“I’m sure you’ll get it done in no time. You’ve been flying through all of them no problem.”
Turning to face me, she wraps her arms around my neck and brings me in for a kiss. Once she pulls away, she whispers, “This was so thoughtful. Thank you, thank you, thank you.” She punctuates each expression of gratitude with a kiss on my cheek.
“You’re welcome. But you’re not done yet. Here, take a seat and I’ll get you a plate of food while you open the next one,” I suggest, pulling out a barstool for her as I set another present in front of her.
This one is just a basket filled with her favorite bath salts, bubbles, oils, a new rose-scented candle, and a book of black-stemmed matches.
Filling up her plate with pancakes, bacon I stored away in the oven to keep warm, and fruit, I set the plate in front of her before grabbing us each a cup of coffee.
As I set the mug in front of her, she picks it up and laughs. “I’m so sexy even life gets hard?” she questions, reading the white lettering out loud before turning the black mug toward me.
“Saw it and thought of you,” I muse, smiling as I take a sip of my coffee.
Her smile only grows. “That’s actually perfect.”
Taking the seat beside her, I hand her another gift bag. “Here, open this one. I had it specially made.”
Tae pulls out a lime green Wolverines jersey with my number on the back, but above the number reads MRS. WILSON. Waggling my eyebrows I tell her, “Thought after the last road trip you might need a new one.”
She chuckles, shaking her head. “You just want to have me wear this while you take me from behind so you can admire the title across my back.”
“Am I that obvious?”
“Very. But I love it nonetheless.” She hugs the jersey to her chest and leans in to kiss me.
“Good.” I reach for the last two presents on the table, handing her the larger of the two first.
“Jax. This is seriously too much.”
“Nonsense. A present for each year we were apart, though two of them will have to wait until later.”
“You’re spoiling me rotten.”
“And I’ve never met someone more deserving.
Now open this one before I lose my nerve over it.
” Truth is, I’m nervous as hell for her to open this one.
Vulnerability floods my system as she carefully opens the paper, exposing a leatherbound notebook filled with lyrics and sonnets I’ve written for her since we first started dating at eighteen.
“Some pages are filled with song lyrics, some with notes to you, or texts I wish I could’ve sent during our time apart,” I explain to her, pointing to each entry she flips through that’s dated throughout the past almost-eleven years.
Taevin closes the book just as tears drip from her cheeks and land on the front cover.
“This is the most precious gift I’ve ever been given. You still wrote all this time?”
I nod, rubbing the back of my neck, hesitating how much I want to admit.
“There were times I couldn’t bear to write anything, and then there were others where I’d fill up multiple pages in a matter of hours.
Since you moved in, I finally got to the last page of this notebook and started on a new one. ”
She closes her eyes as her chin quivers. “I can’t wait to read every word.”
“Maybe one day we could record one of the songs together just for us,” I suggest.
Taevin opens her eyes and turns to me. “And then can we have recording booth sexy time again?”
I nod before pulling her into my lap. “Literally anytime you want,” I tell her and then kiss her senseless.
I get so lost in the kiss, I almost forget the last present she needs to open. Pulling back, I grab the small box from behind her and place it in her hands.
“What’s this?” she asks, opening the box. “Oh my gosh, I loved this picture.” Tae holds up a keychain with a photobooth picture of the two of us from the fair when she first performed and the words “drive safe, I love you” beneath the photo.
“I think you’re gonna love what the key attached to the chain is for more.” Standing from my barstool, I grab hold of her around her waist and carry her out the front door where a matte black Mercedes G-Wagon sits in the driveway with a large red bow.
“Jackson! No! You did not need to get me a vehicle!” she squeals, while contradicting her words as she leaps out of my arms and runs to the front of the SUV and lays her arms on the hood like she’s giving it a big hug.
“I couldn’t help it. I wanted you to have something safe to drive in the snow, and the dealership was just taking this beauty off the semi truck. Couldn’t let her go home to someone else.”
“Can I name her?” she asks, clapping her hands together in excitement.
Nodding my head, I chuckle at her reaction. “You must.”
“Gigi,” she responds without hesitation.
“Do you wanna take Gigi for a spin?” I ask her, taking the actual key fob out of my sweatpants pocket and tossing it to her.
“Oh my gosh, yes! Let me get some clothes and shoes on and we’ll go.” She rushes past me into the house, a giddy squeal leaving her as she does the most adorable dance-celebration I’ve ever seen.
I’m praying some of the excitement from the gifts, along with the surprise I still have in store for her, will distract her from the emotional morning she’s already had. My girl deserves to have the best birthday possible, and I’m making it my mission to give it to her.
Minutes later, I’m rounding the vehicle to the passenger side, when I turn and tell her, “I just realized this will be the first time I ride in a car with you driving since you’ve had your license.”
She guffaws, pausing outside the driver side. “You sat in the passenger seat plenty of times while giving me lessons.”
A cocky smirk spreads across my face. “Yeah, but you weren’t a licensed driver at the time.” I get in while she does the same, both of us fastening our seat belts before I place my hand on her thigh and give it a gentle squeeze. “I promise I’ll be on my best passenger princess behavior.”