Chapter 10 #2
Dosia rounded the corner with SJ still on her hip and holding JJ’s hand, and fuck, Pumpkin didn’t think his heart could take the sight. The knowledge that this was his family was heady. His woman and their children.
He’d never felt so powerful and so weak as he did in that moment.
JJ was the spitting image of his mother. Just a three and a half foot version. She had the same hair color and facial features, but it was her eyes that truly reminded him of her.
Pumpkin took a shaky breath as he got to his feet.
He’d moved the walker around the side of the couch, refusing to meet his daughter while using it.
Not caring that his legs protested the move, Pumpkin knelt down on one knee in front of her.
He was a big guy, and would only seem bigger to a five year old.
Plus, he didn’t know what she remembered of him from the day before and didn’t want to cause her any strife.
If he couldn’t get back up, so be it. He’d crawl into the kitchen for dinner.
“Hi, JJ. It’s so good to meet you.” He kept his voice low and steady. “Do you know who I am?”
She looked up at her mother and then back at him. “Mommy says you’re my daddy.”
He nodded, his throat constricting at the words. “I am. Do you know what that means?”
Her little face scrunched and she gave a noncommittal shrug. “You’re like my mommy, but a boy.”
Pumpkin chuckled. Out of the mouth of babes… “Yeah. Yeah, that’s right.” He opened his arms to her. “I don’t know about mommies, but I’ve been told that daddies give the best hugs.”
Her eyes widened slightly. “Grandpa Marmot says the same thing!” Her excitement weaned slightly as she added, “But he’s old. I’m not sure it counts.” Her eyes narrowed in thought as she looked Pumpkin up and down. “How old are you? ”
“Thirty-four,” he told her honestly, trying his damnedest not to laugh. Dosia wasn’t doing much better. “How old are you?” he asked, even though she told him the day before and he now knew her birthday.
“Five!” she said, her excitement rising again. “You’re not old like Grandpa Marmot, so I think this will work.”
Pumpkin waited, his arms still outstretched. JJ didn’t tentatively step forward. There was no hesitation in her actions at all as she leapt forward and ran into his chest. Throwing her little arms around his neck, Pumpkin encircled his own around her.
Fuck. She weighed practically nothing, yet the gravity of this moment moved him so completely that Pumpkin knew he’d never be the same. Holding his son was one thing, but holding his daughter ? There was nothing like it in the world, no greater joy than the feel of her trust in him.
He would die for his son, but for his daughter? He’d burn down the goddamn world and piss on the ashes. JJ had no idea just how completely devoted to her he was. He buried his face against her little shoulder, completely unashamed as tears free-fell from his eyes.
So many things crossed his mind in that moment, and he suddenly understood why Bear’s first reaction to finding out he and Tessa were having a daughter was a need to build a Rapunzel tower to protect her in. Surrounded by a moat filled with alligators.
A sound from in front of him had him lifting his head in time to see Dosia holding up her phone towards them as she took a picture of her daughter hugging her father for the first time.
Tears also streamed down her cheeks. She tried to wipe them away with the back of her hand, but they just kept coming. Pumpkin knew the feeling.
“You’ve been demoted,” he told Dosia over JJ’s shoulder. “She’s my new favorite girl.”
Dosia laughed and nodded her understanding. She indicated to SJ in her arms. “That’s okay. I’ve already replaced you too.”
He smiled broadly.
The action tickled his beard against JJ’s cheek. She squeaked and giggled, squirming away. Pumpkin didn’t want to release his hold, but thankfully, JJ didn’t move far away. She stood right in front of him, reaching out to his beard. “You’re hairy.”
Pumpkin nodded. He didn’t usually let his beard grow this long, but he hadn’t liked it when the nurses tried to shave him in the hospital or rehab.
He figured he’d cut it after he got out, but then discovered that he liked the longer beard.
It wasn’t as long as Bulldog’s or Bear’s, and he probably wouldn’t let it get that long, but for now, he was good with letting it continue to grow.
Plus, he now had proof that Dosia liked the feel of it between her legs.
“Are all daddies hairy?”
Pumpkin chuckled, bobbing his head back and forth. “Some.”
“We have show and tell in class soon! Can I bring you in and show off my new hairy daddy? I was going to bring in my aunt—she’s a witch,” JJ added in a whisper. “But I’d rather bring you!”
Dosia let out a sound that was a mixture of a cough, a laugh, and a snort.
Pumpkin had a hard time keeping a straight face. He cleared his throat. “If it’s okay with your mother, I would love to come to class with you.”
JJ spun around so quick, she whipped Pumpkin’s face with her long hair. “Can he, Mommy?”
Dosia nodded. “Sure, baby.”
The joyous, innocent smile JJ gave him when she turned back around cracked his heart into a million pieces. There was no sight more beautiful in all the world, and only one thing could make it better.
Pumpkin waved Dosia down to them. “Have you met SJ yet?” he asked JJ. He kept a hand on Dosia’s elbow as she knelt on the carpet next to her daughter.
JJ nodded. “Mommy brought him upstairs before. He’s a baby,” she informed Pumpkin.
He chuckled. “I know. He’s my son. Do you know what that makes him to you?” JJ shook her head, her eyes going wide. “He’s your brother.” None of that half- or step-bullshit. He was JJ’s brother and would be Dosia’s son .
JJ gasped. “A brother ? You brought me a brother?” Before Pumpkin could respond, she spun towards Dosia. “Did you hear that, Mommy? He got me a brother!”
Dosia nodded, biting the inside of her lip. “I know.”
JJ held her arms out. “I want him! I want to hold my brother.”
Dosia indicated to the couch. “Go sit.” As JJ scurried over to the couch, Dosia whispered to Pumpkin, “Is this okay?”
“Of course,” he answered. “Not like we’re leaving her to babysit.”
Dosia snorted and then walked on her knees over to the couch.
Pumpkin was slow to follow as his knees, thighs, and back protested.
Fuck him, he might actually have to crawl after all.
She placed SJ on the couch beside JJ. SJ immediately started to climb on her and JJ let out a high-pitched laugh as she hugged him to her.
“I love my brother!” she announced.
By the time Pumpkin made it to the couch, Dosia already had her camera out and was taking pictures of the siblings.
“I’ve changed my mind,” JJ declared. “I don’t want to bring my hairy daddy to show and tell. I want to bring my baby brother!”
Pumpkin grabbed his heart like she’d shot him. Dosia just pushed his shoulder, knowing he was joking. Smiling, Pumpkin winked at Dosia before turning to JJ. “I would still need to be there, but we can make that happen if you’d rather.”
JJ nodded emphatically. “His name is just like mine!”
Pumpkin and Dosia shared a look. He still wasn’t entirely sure how that had happened, but he had a feeling he was going to be calling out the wrong kid’s name a lot in his future.
“Okay,” Dosia said, breaking the tension. “I need one picture with all of us.” She handed Pumpkin her phone. “You have longer arms than I do,” she explained.
Pumpkin shrugged. He turned, settling his back against the couch.
He pulled Dosia closer to him but angled in such a way that the kids were still visible behind them.
“On the count of three, say ‘cheese’,” he told JJ.
He adjusted the settings on the phone and held it up over them. “Ready? One… Two… Three! ”
“Cheese!” they all said together. Even SJ seemed to make a sound that could have resembled an ‘eeezzzz’.
They ended up taking several pictures. SJ climbed off of JJ and flung himself onto his father’s shoulder, which prompted JJ to do the same with Dosia.
Then they moved the kids onto their laps.
Then JJ insisted on taking one of “just Mommy and Daddy”, which turned into a video of JJ trying to take a picture and hitting the wrong buttons.
Pumpkin couldn’t remember ever being so fucking happy in his life.
Finally, though, stomachs started making their distress known and they decided to move their little family to the kitchen. Only Pumpkin’s ass did not seem to want to get off the floor, and his back seized when he tried.
“Are you okay?” Dosia’s eyes were wide with concern.
Pumpkin waved her off, trying to breathe through the pain.
“There’s a good possibility I overexerted myself this afternoon.
” Dosia’s cheeks reddened, which only made him smile.
Or he tried to anyway. It turned into a half-grimace.
“I’m fine,” he insisted when Dosia’s concern only grew.
“I just might be moving into your living room permanently.” He rubbed his hand on the carpet.
“Good thing you have this nice, comfy rug.”
Dosia shook her head, smacking his shoulder lightly. “Do I need to call someone?”
“No!” Pumpkin was not ready to share Dosia with the club yet, and he didn’t need the sympathy he knew would accompany whichever of his brothers came over to help him stand.
He honestly would have preferred them razzing him to the pity-party they continued to throw him.
“I’m fine. Just… Give me a minute. I’ll join you in the kitchen in a bit. ”