AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Jenny
Jenny sighed as she ran her hands through her hair, trying to untangle the knots. She had just gotten finished with a 14 hour shift, and she was beyond exhausted. She was so tired, she could barely see straight.
She yawned as she placed her coat on the coat rack behind her door before she grabbed her phone, purse and keys.
She made sure to lock the door on her way out, and she made her way down the hallway. She walked across the parking lot and got to her car and slid in.
She checked her phone and tried to keep the sigh of disappointment out of her voice when she noticed that Mark hadn’t called.
Not that she should’ve expected him to. She knew of course that he would need some time to process what she had said, but wasn’t 14 hours at least partially enough to know if you wanted to be in your kids life?
It was a no brainer surely, but then again, she didn’t really know Mark well enough to know if he’d make the right decision. The right decision to him could be staying out of his son’s life, so his son wouldn’t have to be in the press, but that would mean missing out on his childhood, and as exhausting as being a parent is, Jenny wouldn’t have traded that for the world.
She grabbed her seatbelt, switched on the ignition and drove towards her mums house where Noah was staying.
***
She inserted the key into the lock and stepped into her childhood home a few minutes later. The smell of freshly baked cookies immediately assaulted her senses, and Jenny inhaled the scent, wondering if she could possibly scoff down a few without being scolded by her mother.
“Noah, Mom,” she called out as she shrugged out of her coat and placed it on the couch.
“Mommy,” a little 5-year-old shouted as a warm body barreled into her. Jenny gazed at the face of her son, so like his fathers with his shaggy hair and green eyes, but he had inherited his mother’s red hair, and it suited his face perfectly.
Jenny ran her hands through his russet hair and smiled as he gazed up at her.
“How was your day, my darling?”
“Grandma and I made cookies,” he announced proudly as he held up one to his mother for inspection. Jenny pretended to inspect it before she nodded in approval.
“Great job, honey. It looks delicious.”
Noah gazed around as if wanting to make sure they were alone before he gestured for Jenny to lower her head. Jenny crouched down in front of him, and he put his lips to her ear. “Mummy, I’m going to give you a small piece to try out.”
He gazed around one more before he broke off a tiny piece and slipped it into his mother’s mouth. Jenny chewed slowly, her heart swelling with love for this little boy who was the light of her life.
“Why are you so quiet in there?” A female voice came from inside.
Jenny and Noah froze as they both took in the sight of Jenny’s mother-Clarisse-standing above them with a mock frown on her lips. Her red hair was hanging in loose curls around her heart shaped face, and her hazel eyes sparkled with mirth.
“Now, now, Noah, you know what I said about sneaking in a cookie before dinner,” Clarisse said disapprovingly.
“I’m sorry, grandma,” Noah hung his head shamefully as he shuffled awkwardly from one foot to the next.
“Go wash your hands and go to the kitchen, so you can help me bring in the food.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he tore out of the living room and made a beeline for the bathroom.
Clarisse shook her head as she embraced her only daughter and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead.
“Really, honey, must you spoil him?”
Jenny tossed her head back and laughed. “Actually, he was spoiling me, I was the one who took a piece of that cookie.”
“You don’t say.” Clarisse placed her hands on her hips as she pursed her lips thoughtfully. “So the boy isn’t afraid to cover for someone he loves, an admirable trait no doubt.”
Jenny grinned. “He’s one of a kind, isn’t he?”
They both shared a knowing smile as they made their way to the kitchen, and the three of them set up the table as they waited for Jenny’s father to walk in.
