Page 24 of The Champion
We could hear movement on the monitor so I turned it upand listened.
“There, there, baby Axel. I take care you.” Then Lanestarted humming softly to him. “Me not allowed to pick you up so I just rockyou.” Lane let out a little giggle. “You sure are cute.”
Both Jameson and I smiled listening to Lane pacify Axelwho had started his little whimpering. He reminded me of a little puppy withthe whimpering.
“How the fuck are we going to get out of here?” Jamesonfinally asked after thirty minutes in the closet together.
“I’ll go check to see if she’s gone yet.”
I army crawled out of the closet and peeked over thestairwell to see Dana closing the door behind her.
Thank god.
I wasn’t sure how much longer I could contain Jameson inthe closet without resorting to sex, which wasn’t an option. It had only been aweek and I had no fucking clue how in the hell the two of us would make it fivemore weeks without sex.
It was easier when I was on bed rest because he was gonefor the majority of it, but now, he was home and constantly giving me theselooks. The ones that had me wanting more than just reciprocating motions.
Testing for the upcoming NASCAR season would be startingup again after the new year so that would distract us but it was going to beinteresting.
Spencer and Aiden already placed bets on who’d crackfirst. Assholes. I only say that because their bets were against me.
Maggie showed up shortly after Dana left and we did theinterview along with a shit load of pictures for their magazine spread. Jamesonand I both hated being in the spot light but it came with a championship forhim.
“Would it be possible to get some of you with the baby?”Maggie asked once the interview was completed.
“No.” Jameson said in a hard, tight voice. “No pictureswill be taken of Axel.” I looked at him quickly and saw that his expression hadturned violent.
“Why?” I whispered.
He didn’t answer at first, just scowled. Maggie was onher way out before he finally murmured, “I don’t want him exposed to all thisjust yet. The time will come when he can’t escape it but for now...I want him to just be ours.”
I understood him completely. Axel was innocent, and hewas ours. The public hadn’t seen him yet and when they did, everyone would wantpictures of him.
On New Year’s Eve, we all gathered at Charlie andAndrea’s house.
Jimi and Nancy were still in town so once again, justlike Christmas, all of us were together under one roof.
“Where’s Charlie?” I asked Andrea when I walked into thekitchen. I’d just gave our sleeping little boy to Alley to hold while the boysplayed some retarded drinking game I was sure would end in a fight once again.
Andrea gave me an apprehensive glance.
“Sleeping,” she said softly while chopping the lettucefor the salad.
“Is he all right?”
I watched silently as she started to speak and thenstopped placing both hands on the counter.
“He called me Rachel last night when he woke up and nowhe’s confusing the twins together...Ifeel him slipping away Sway and I just can’t stop it. I’ve heard the doctorsand I’ve seen all the scans. I know we don’t have long but to think of ithappening now...scares the shit out ofme,” she leaned forward, her eyes darting around the room. “I can’t handlethose boys by myself.”
“Don’t look at me for advice.” I told her holding myhands up. “I mistook my kid for a cat and tried to breastfeed him.”
Andrea laughed as Nancy walked into the kitchen.
Nancy reached over and rubbed my back as she walked pastme. “Van says to tell you that he’s on his way, he got stuck in traffic.”
I laughed reaching for the mushrooms to cut them.
It was as though Van had become my other child—eventhough he was older than me. I was constantly worried about him. All thisworrying led to one thing. I insisted he move in with us in the guest apartmentabove our garage.
