Chapter 26
JAX
Currently playing: What I Like About You by Poison
“Mom, who’s that man with drawings on his body sleeping in aunt Soph’s bed?”
I startle awake when I hear a small voice and blink—where the fuck am I? I remember arriving at Soph’s place, baking, and eating brownies…those fucking pot brownies. No wonder I feel like I’ve been asleep for days—I always get droopy after smoking pot.
I peel back my heavy eyelids and see a little girl staring at me next to the bed. Her dark curls are in two ponytails. Her expression looks like someone copy pasted Soph’s. The eye color is the same, too.
“Hi, little one,” I say, keeping my voice soft to not wake Soph, who’s still quietly snoring next to me.
She huffs and pouts like Soph does whenever she’s irked. “I’m five and one quarter, no little anymore.”
“Sorry, hi, big one.”
The girl is unimpressed and narrows her eyes. “You sleep in the wrong bed. Let me find mommy.”
The girl turns around and shouts for her mom. Soph grunts in protests behind me, pulling the covers over her head. The faint sound of footsteps makes me sit up. I’ve no idea what I look like right now. And I’m meeting one of Soph’s sisters, having no idea which one.
“Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in,” a woman who looks to be in her mid or late 30s says as she walks into the room.
“I’m Shannon, the older sister. And you must be Jackson.
My baby sister has mentioned you a few times—nice to finally meet you, even though I wasn’t expecting to find you here this beautiful morning. ”
“Nice to meet you too, Shannon.”
I start offering her my hand but realize I should get dressed first. I hold the covers closer. Shannon snorts. “Classic. At least it wasn’t da who found you here.”
“Your mama loved me, so I’m not too worried about your da.”
“I bet she did, as Princess Sophia never brings anyone home.” Shannon looks at her youngest sister, who’s stirring next to me, and lowers her voice. “One more thing, Jax. If you don’t treat her right, there’ll be consequences. Trust me.”
My responding smile is wide, and she shoots me a glare, wiping the grin off my face.
I nod in understanding before she leaves the room.
I bet the barely five-foot-four woman weighing 120 pounds soaking wet I just met couldn’t be a match for me.
But I don’t dare to do anything to piss her off.
She could hide a punch like her sister does. You never know with the Kennedy women.
“Was that my sister?” a sleepy Soph asks behind me.
“Yes, and I think she saw me naked.”
I feel her tensing before she shrieks, “What?!”
“I was just kidding, Princess Sophia.” She swats my arm at the use of her family nickname. “But now that I got your attention, I think it would be best to put some clothes on and spend time with your family.”
“True, but being in bed with you sounds much better,” Soph whines and traces her pointer finger along my arm, following the lines of my tattoos.
“I know, but I can hear the cartoons playing downstairs, so it must mean your sister is staying for a while.”
Soph groans. “Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and even though our family doesn’t celebrate the holiday, Shannon promised to come and clean the house today. I’m sorry, I totally forgot.”
“Hey, I don’t mind. It’s your place,” I tell her and kiss her on the forehead. “What if we get dressed and go downstairs to hang out with your niece? That could cheer you up.”
“I would love to play with Lauren, but I need to talk with Shannon about something important,” she says and gets out of bed. I love watching her only in her underwear.
“If your family wasn’t here, you wouldn’t have left this bed,” I say and stretch my arms, the covers lowering and showing more of my half-naked body to her.
“Don’t tempt me, Jax.”
Her stern tone makes me laugh. “Okay, let’s get downstairs before you change your mind, then.”
“Hold my Apatosaurus. He likes cuddles and afternoon tea.”
That’s something I wasn’t expecting to hear in my lifetime.
But here I am, playing with Lauren on the living room floor.
According to her mother, dinosaurs are her latest obsession, and she can’t stop talking about them—case in point, Lauren has spent the last fifteen minutes introducing her “friends,” Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, Pterosaur, Spinosaurus, Velociraptor, and now Apatosaurus.
I’m glad I have watched educational videos on dinosaurs to recognize most of the ones she has with her.
Otherwise, I would be clueless as fuck. At least now I can ask her the right questions, like what Spinosaurus eats for breakfast (cupcakes) and if Tyrannosaurus rex can swim (only in a kiddie pool). Important stuff to learn.
While I listen to how Velociraptors poop a hundred times more than humans (at least Lauren believes so), Soph and Shannon are having a conversation in the kitchen.
They’re chatting in hushed tones, but I undoubtedly know what they’re discussing.
It isn’t the first time I’ve heard about their family’s money problems. It’s tough not to speak up or do anything as I want to help, but Soph has refused my previous attempts.
I keep mindlessly playing with Lauren, thinking what to do next. I could help them in more ways than one. I have resources and connections for that. If I plan it well, Soph will see how much she and her happiness mean to me.
When Lauren offers me a fifth cup of imaginary tea, the idea appears. I finish the drink, telling how great it tastes, and get up.
“Hey, I need to pop into a bodega real quick. You need anything?”
“No, thanks. We’re good,” comes Soph’s response from the kitchen.
On my way to the door, I grab one of the envelopes from the side table, pocketing it, so Lauren doesn’t see it. As I’m about to step outside, she peeks at me with round puppy-dog eyes. “I would love ice cream, Jacks.”
“I’ll see what I can do, okay?”
“I like the strawberry flavor the best. Auntie Soph can’t eat ice cream. Otherwise, her tummy hurts.”
I nod at Lauren and close the door behind me, stepping into the nippy autumn weather. I wish I had something warmer on as today seems way colder than the past few weeks. Taking my phone out of my pocket, I dial Eli’s number. He doesn’t pick up, so I try Rose next. Her bright voice makes me smile.
“You just missed Eli, he’s gone for a run in Central Park.”
“Do you know when he comes back from his run? I need his help with something.”
“In an hour or so. What’s up?”
“Can you tell him that I’ll send him the details and that he should check my texts as soon as he can,” I request.
“What are you not telling me, Jax?”
“It’s nothing, just a surprise for Soph.”
Her voice fills with more warmth. “Look at you, being all boyfriend material. I’m sure she’ll appreciate whatever you’ve planned.”
“I hope so too.”
When I get back, having texted Eli about my plan, I spend the next three hours talking about dinosaurs, eating strawberry ice cream, watching the latest kids’ hit TV show, and cracking up at fart jokes with Lauren. I soon discovered that I make the same jokes as kindergarten-aged kids.
When it’s their time to go home, I carry a snoozing Lauren to her mom’s car, and it makes me think about my little sisters.
The youngest is the same age as her. Soph notices the shift in my mood and reaches for my hand as we walk back inside.
As her parents are staying overnight at the hospital, she asked me to stay over another night, and I was happy to keep her company.
“What’s on your mind?”
“I realized your niece is the same age as my youngest sister. How unreal is that?”
Soph smiles reassuringly. “You did well with her, so you’ll do nicely with your sisters, too. Don’t you worry.”
“What if they don’t like me?”
“Nobody could hate you after spending more time with you. I bet those three girls will adore you more than you know.”
I give her a peck on her forehead. “Thanks for saying that, darling.”
“I’ll hold your hand when you meet them for the first time if that makes it easier.”
I laugh, but it doesn’t sound like my usual laugh.
My stomach is in knots now that we’re alone.
I’m weighing my options as we get comfy on the couch, ready to watch a movie before bed.
If I tell Soph about the money now, at least she hears about it from me, not from Eli or Rose.
But I want to wait and see her reaction once she finds out, it’s supposed to be a surprise.
I've never been at hiding my emotions, definitely not from Soph. From the corner of my eye, I see the quizzical look on her face.
“So, are you going to make me play the ‘what’s on Jackson Bennett’s mind now’ game?”
“What do you mean?” Wow, look at me being smooth and shit.
“Don’t play coy with me. It doesn't suit you.”
I take her hands in mine and look down. “I did something, and I honestly don’t know if it was the right choice, considering all my options.”
“That’s like the vaguest answer ever.” Soph huffs and crosses her arms, almost like she’s protecting herself. “Give it to me straight. I can take it.”
“No. I can’t.”
“You’re freaking me out, Jax. Please, just say it.” Her eyes fill with tears, and I know I made a giant mistake. Keeping my eyes on a wall, whisper, “I paid your dad’s bills.”
Soph blinks and her jaw drops open. She gets up and turns around to head to the kitchen.
I follow her and don’t say anything. She has her phone out, and her focus is solely on that.
I hear the call connecting as Soph places it on speaker.
An automated message says that there’s a forty-minute wait to speak with the medical provider’s payment customer service executive.
My firecracker slams the phone to the table and turns to me fire in her eyes. “I wanted to double-check with them that I heard you right, Jax. But then I realized I must have dreamed of you saying what you just did. Because why would you even think about doing something like that behind my back?”
“You didn’t imagine it, I’m afraid.”
Soph closes her eyes and growls in frustration. “I never asked you to do that.”
“But I wanted to help. I wanted to be there for you and your family because you mean a lot to me.”
“So you thought that paying our mountain of debt would be the answer?” She almost spits her last words.
“I thought I was doing the right thing!”
“The right thing would have been to ask what I think first. We’re in a relationship. That means that we make big decisions together. Not as a surprise.”
I lean against the counter and look up at the ceiling. “Why can’t you see the reason behind my actions?”
“Don’t play the fucking victim card. You were wrong in this case. I never asked you to help with those bills!”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Because I wanted to care for them myself—I don’t need you to support my family!”
Well, shit. That hurts. “Oh, so, you’re fine helping me, flying to my uncle’s funeral out of state, but I can’t do anything for you? Is that how you want to do this?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Soph wipes the tears that are now falling, and whispers, “You should have asked first.“
“I’m sorry I didn’t. Okay?” I run a hand through my hair. “But we shouldn’t cry over the spilt milk. What do you want to do?”
“I think you should leave. We both need time to calm down. I don’t want to fight, but I’m just so fucking pissed off right now.”
I let my head fall in defeat. “Sure, I can go if that’s what you want. But I need to know that you’ll be okay once I walk out of that door.”
“I’ll call Haisley or Nelly if it gets too much—don’t worry about me.”
“But it’s my job to worry as your boyfriend!”
“And sometimes you have to give me the space I ask for.”
Grabbing my leather jacket where I had left it earlier, I walk to the door and look at Soph. She’s holding in more of her tears, and I hate myself for causing this. But I thought I did the right thing.
“Just make sure you aren’t alone. Promise me that.”
“I promise. Now, go before one of us says something we can’t take back,” she pleads.
Wanting to wrap her in my arms, but not being able to do so, I squeeze my arms tightly around my stomach. “Good night, my darling firecracker.”
“Good night, Jackass,” I hear her say, and a sad smile touches my lips.