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Colton had left a toddler alone in the kitchen chair and didn’t even realize that he could fall. He didn’t know. He hadn’t learned over the years, and it was just another sign that things were broken. Biting her tongue, she immediately dropped the rag to get Zane as he was already trying to stand up in the seat, the T-shirt tucked under his foot.
“Mama, Mama…” he whimpered, immediately leaning onto her shoulder, completely ‘tuckered out’ like her mother used to say when she was a little girl. It was funny how often she thought of her mom, wishing she could be here to meet Zane, and how many questions she had about raising a child. Life seemed so unfair sometimes – and so fragile. One day, you are rushing to work and then never come home again. Reality was a cruel mistress and her outlook had changed so much over the last few years.
“I’ll clean this up in the morning,” she offered nervously, feeling completely out of place. “I need to get Zane down for bed and…”
“We’re all going,” he interrupted. “I’m beat, too. We have a big day tomorrow.”
“It’s a normal day – and no we don’t.”
“I’m not arguing with you.”
“Nope,” she said simply. “There’s no argument to be had.”
“Eris, don’t shut me down before we talk.”
“Colton, I’m tired, and I need actual sleep in a horizontal position, not semi-inclined in my driver’s seat,” she said openly, looking at him. “I don’t care where we sleep – I just need sleep. The couch, the floor, whatever…”
“We already talked about this, and you aren’t sleeping on either.”
Eris stopped and sighed, looking at him.
“I’m not doing this…”
“Neither am I…”
“Go lie down in the bed and put Zane in the middle so we can make sure he doesn’t get up,” Colton said firmly. “I need to get plug covers and who knows what else to make sure things are safe.”
Only to hear Zane’s whimper.
Colton’s eyes shot to her son’s face in an instant. That raw, unsure, confused look in his gaze was obvious — right before it blossomed into something so beautiful her stomach clenched in awareness. There, on his face, was a gentle smile and longing that she never anticipated seeing. His hand reached out, and she saw it tremble as she touched Zane’s hair before he put his hand down.
“He sucks his thumb?”
“Just when he’s exhausted.”
“Oh… come on,” he urged, opening the bedroom door for her once again. It felt so weird to walk in there – and she saw him yank down their clothing from the bathroom shower bar where she’d put it to dry. “I’m going to start a load of laundry really quickly. Go ahead and lie down.”
Nodding, Eris lay down on the king-sized mattress awkwardly, putting her son at the center. She wouldn’t have to worry about Zane rolling off the side because the mattress and box spring set were on the floor. Looking around, she saw that Colton’s house was extremely sparse – just like her place had been. It was hard carving out a life for yourself, and she knew that struggle only too well… and now it was gone.
Running her finger down Zane’s face, she marveled at how easy it was for him to fall asleep and pulled the sheet up over them both. Closing her eyes for just a second, she barely acknowledged that suddenly a coverlet was being laid on them both and struggled to hold up her sleepy head.
“Get some rest, Eris,” Colton urged softly, brushing back her hair… and she sighed, letting her mind sink into that oblivion that called so sweetly to her. This had to be a dream, all of it.
* * *
Opening her tired eyes, the last thing she expected was to see Colton lying there, watching her. His hazel eyes had a guarded, firm look to them that she recognized so well, and she immediately felt her hackles rising.
“Shhh,” he whispered softly, pointing at Zane and holding his fingers to his lips. She nodded, yet he was still watching her. Silently, she braced herself, already knowing what was coming, as Zane let out a loud sigh.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Colton questioned in a nearly non-existent voice, obviously trying not to wake their son but unable to hold back anymore.
“He’s not yours.”
“Don’t kid yourself,” he retorted and winced as Zane sighed again, stirring slightly, and then lowered his voice to continue. “We both know that’s my son.”
“No, he’s my son…”
“On paper – which we are going to fix. He’s my son, too.”
