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“Mr. and Mrs. E.,” he manages to get out but his voice cracks.
I want to take him away, but he squeezes my hand, he’s okay. He needs to do this, and I’ll be right here to support him. I’m the arrow to his bow, he needs me to function.
Sarah slowly stands, tucking her short blonde hair behind her ear, her blue eyes watering. My heart goes out to her, this is going to be one emotional night.
She moves closer until she is a few feet away, she wants to reach out but keeps dropping her hands, so I decide to help. I take a step forward, pulling him with me then I let go of his hand and place mine on his back, giving him a little push. Thankfully, he wraps his arms around her and she sobs, clinging to him.
“I’m so sorry,” Cuba chokes out. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there.”
I blink back to stop my own tears from forming because I can’t imagine what either of them are going through. Taking a step back, my hand never leaves his back but allows Edward to join in on the hug. I can feel eyes on me, and I look to see Monica with tears in her eyes.
“Thank you.” She mouths, and I give her a small smile with a half nod. I barely did anything but give him a small push.
But pride swells in me, being able to be part of his healing means a lot to me. He has come a long way, and for him to come back to open arms is amazing. He needed this.
I watch Cuba through the sliding glass door, a beer in his hand. He looks happy, smiling while he talks to Edward and his dad, Samuel, who insisted I call him Sam. His son looks just like him only with darker skin. I see where he gets his hazel eyes and sexy smirk. I can admit, for an older man, Sam is handsome, with light tanned skin, and sandy brown hair. Sam laughs at something Cuba says while he grills chicken and ribs.
After the very emotional moment with Jackson’s parents, I could see the weight lift off his shoulders.
“How’s our boy doing?” Monica’s voice grabs my attention, and I turn to face her and Sarah right as she sets a glass of wine in front of me.
“He’s doing good,” I say carefully. “He’s come a long way since we met. He still has his moments but mostly he has good days.” I don’t want to lie to them and say Cuba is all fixed up, because he’s not. He is still figuring out and trying to live again.
They’re both quiet for a moment, taking in what I said. Processing it. Sarah is the first to speak.
“I think you may have a lot to do with that, Bliss.” She wipes her eyes quickly. “He has never brought a girl home, and here you are bringing him back to us, smiling.”
I fan myself with a quick hand, tears forming. “Please stop, and don’t make me cry. I can’t take any credit for this.”
Monica comes to my side and wraps her arms around me, her chin rests on my head. “Honey, you can take some credit. He didn’t let anyone in after Jackson, but he let you in. Our boy wouldn’t be here without you,” she says. “He hasn’t been home in almost a year, you brought him back, and we will always be thankful for that.”
I’m shocked to hear this. They haven’t seen him in almost a year? Granted, he never talks about going to see them, but I just thought he was being private. Because, even with him being more open, there are still things he doesn’t talk about, and I took his parents as being one of those things. I learned early on not to push him.
My hands grasp her arms. “I’m so sorry, I had no idea, or I would have dragged him here myself,” I try to joke, and they chuckle. “You guys are going to ruin my make up with all these tears, and your son doesn’t like to see me cry.”
Monica pulls back and smiles down at me. “I bet he doesn’t.” She glances out the window and back to me. “Want to help me finish up?”
“I would love too.” I gulp down some wine before standing up and cough, that is horrible.
Sarah laughs. “Not a wine drinker?”
I laugh. “I’m a fake wine drinker, as in I like sweet wine that gives me a headache.”
“Spoken like a real college girl.” She smiles.
Monica ties a dark blue apron around me and motions me to the counter. I am on salad duty while she checks the mac and cheese in the oven, the smell makes my mouth water because who doesn’t love homemade mac? And I don’t miss the smell of corn bread. I am so gaining weight tonight and it will be so worth it.
Sarah and Monica get the wine pouring and there are no more tears, just laughs. I was so worried that his mom would hate me but there has been nothing but love since I walked through the door.
“We’ll have to pull out the baby pictures later, they were so adorable when they were toddlers.” Sarah finishes off her glass of wine. “They would run around naked with just their super hero capes.”
I laugh as I chop the vegetables. “I would love to see that, so I can mess with him.”
The sliding glass door opens and Cuba comes in. “They put you to work already?” His lips twitch.
“I’m helping,” I correct. “Shouldn’t you be helping?”
He opens the fridge and grabs another beer. “I am helping.”
