“No, bud. You’re not hurting me at all. I’m so glad you’re here.”
Hadley points her finger at me. “I’ll be back to see you in a bit, bestie, but I will give you guys some time.”
With that, she walks to the door, holding it open for Gram to walk through.
My mom and dad look at the two kids in my arms with so much love in their eyes before they leave. I just know they’re going to love Jackson just as much as they do Mia.
Jackson tilts his head down, looking at his sister. He rests his little hand over the blanket she’s wrapped in. “Hi, sis,” he says. “What’s her name?”
“Mia,” I tell him.
“Hi, Mia.”
He’s content to sit there watching her for longer than I would think a four-year-old’s patience would allow, but he’s entranced by her.
“She’s really cute,” he finally says.
“Yeah, she is.”
“Is Daddy going to be her dad too?” he asks, peeking up at me.
I nod. “Yeah, he is.”
“And you’re her mom?”
“Mmhmm.” I nod, smiling at his inquisitive brain.
He nods back, deep in thought. “Does that mean you’re my mom now, too?”
That isn’t where I thought that was going.
I turn to look at Warren because I don’t know what the fuck to say. He steps up beside the bed, grabbing Jackson’s hand.
“Do you want that?” he asks Jackson.
He takes a minute to think about it, which I’m grateful for because it gives me a second to process.
It isn’t that I’ve never thought about being Jackson’s mom. I want that so much, but I would never want to cross that line if it isn’t what Warren or Jackson want.
Jackson’s sweet voice snaps me out of my spiral. “Yes,” he says, nodding against my arm.
My heart feels like it’s going to pound out of my chest.
Warren moves his eyes up to meet mine. “Is that what you want, sweetheart?”
“I… umm… Would you be okay with that?”
He nods, giving me permission to answer however I want.
I take a deep breath. “Yes, I do.”
Warren’s gaze travels over all three of us on the bed. There’s a softness in his eyes that I’ve never seen before.
“If you want to call me mom, you can, or Sienna is good too, bud,” I tell him.
He smiles. “Okay. Can I hold her?” I huff out a laugh at his abrupt change in topic when I’m still reeling from the last one.
Grayson and Tucker help get him situated on the couch with pillows. Tucker gives me a kiss when he gathers Mia into his arms.
